Image recording apparatus

Abstract

In an image recording apparatus according to this invention, an image recording media which has an image data recording area and an image data management area for managing the recording state of image data in the image data recording area and cannot be overwritten is applied, and an image data unerased area of the recording media is detected by an unerased area detection circuit when a recording mode is set by a recording mode setting REC switch, so that the image data in the detected unerased area is substantially erased by a CPU. In this state, the CPU waits for the start of an image recording operation by operating a recording trigger switch. According to this apparatus, a high-speed recording operation can be performed without missing a chance of recording even if a recording media which cannot be overwritten is applied as an image information recording media.

1. An image recording apparatus in which an image recording media which logically has an image data recording area and an image data management area for managing a recording state of image data in said image data recording area and cannot be overwritten is applied, and  comprising:
 including image data pseudo-erasing means for executing a predetermined process to said image data management area to erase image data on said image recording media, so that the image data in said image data recording area is pseudo-erased, characterized by comprising: 
 recording mode setting means for setting a recording mode for recording image data by  in said image recording media;  
 unerased area  data detection means for performing an erasing operation by said image data pseudo-erasing means to detect  detecting an unerased image data unerased  area in said image data recording area of said image recording media;  
 image data erasing means for substantially erasing image data in said unerased area detected by said unerased area detection means; and  
 control means for performing control such that said unerased area detection means detects an unerased image data unerased  area in response to a recording mode setting operation by said recording mode setting means, and said image data erasing means starts a substantially erasing operation for image data in said detected unerased area; and  
   image data pseudo - erasing means for executing a predetermined process to said image data management area to erase image data on said image recording media, so that the image data in said image data recording area is pseudo - erased.    
 
     
     
       2. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said image recording apparatus further comprises image reception mode setting means for setting an image reception mode for receiving image data transmitted through a predetermined telephone line, and
 said control means performs control such that said unerased area detection means detects an image data unerased area in response to a recording mode setting operation by said recording mode setting means, and said image data erasing means starts a substantially erasing operation for image data in said detected unerased area.  
 
     
     
       3. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that said image recording media is a card-like media constituted by a flash memory detachably arranged in a main body of said apparatus. 
     
     
       4. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that said image data erasing means further comprises recording preparation completion display means for indicating that a substantially erasing operation for image data in an unerased area detected by said unerased area detection means is completed. 
     
     
       5. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said image recording media is detachably arranged in said apparatus, and
 further comprising media removal inhibit display means for directly displaying that said image recording media is inhibited from being removed from said apparatus during an image data recording operation or an image data erasing operation by said image data erasing means with a picture, character, sign, or the like to inhibit the image recording media from being removed from said apparatus.  
 
     
     
       6. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said image recording media is detachably arranged in said apparatus, and
 further comprising media removal inhibit display means for performing a display to inhibit said image recording media from being removed from said apparatus; and  
 means for allowing a recording operation for image data during only a display by said media removal inhibit display means and an erasing operation for the image data by said image data erasing means.  
 
     
     
       7. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said image recording media is detachably arranged in said apparatus, and
 further comprising a media removal prevention mechanism for preventing said image recording media from being removed from said apparatus during an image data recording operation or an image data erasing operation by said image data erasing means.  
 
     
     
       8. An image recording apparatus in which an image recording media which logically has an image data recording area and an image data management area for managing a recording state of image data in said image data recording area and cannot be overwritten is applied, and
 including image data pseudo-erasing means for executing a predetermined process to said image data management area to erase the image data on said image recording media, so that the image data in said image data recording area is pseudo-erased, characterized by comprising: 
 recording mode setting means for setting a recording mode for recording image data on said image recording media;  
 compression mode setting means for setting one compression mode from a plurality of compression modes having different compression rates to determine a compression rate of image data to be recorded on said image recording media;  
 image data erasing means for substantially erasing image data in an image data unerased area in said image data recording area by said image data pseudo-erasing means; and  
 control means for performing control such that an image data expectedly recording amount based on a corresponding compression rate and an image data expectedly recording area are determined on the basis of a compression mode set by said compression mode setting means, and said image data erasing means starts a substantially erasing operation for image data whose amount corresponds to said expectedly recording area determined in said image data unerased area.  
 
 
     
     
       9. An image recording apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized by further comprising recording preparation completion display means for indicating that said image data erasing means completes a substantially erasing operation of image data whose amount corresponds to the expectedly recording area determined by said control means. 
     
     
       10. An image recording apparatus in which many types of image recording media having different recording process operations for at least image data to be recorded are detachably arranged in the recording apparatus, characterized by  comprising:
 media type determination means for determining a type of said image recording media inserted in said apparatus;  
 fixed storage means for storing a plurality of processing programs corresponding to processing speeds, erasing methods, and the like of the types of media which can be inserted into the apparatus;  
 control means for selecting a corresponding processing program in said fixed storage means responsive to a determination result of said media type determination means to execute a predetermined processing operation on the basis of the selected processing program; and  
 processing program adding means being provided for additionally storing a new processing program corresponding to an additional media type image recording medium which may be inserted in said fixed storage means.  
 
     
     
       11. An image recording apparatus in which any one of an image recording media which logically includes an image data recording area and an image data management area for managing a recording state of image data in said image data recording area and can be overwritten and an image recording media which logically includes image data recording and image data management areas and cannot be overwritten is applied and detachably arranged in said apparatus, and
 including image data pseudo-erasing means for executing a predetermined process to said image data management area to erase image data in said image recording media so that the image data in said image data recording area is pseudo-erased, characterized by comprising: 
 recording mode setting means for setting a recording mode for recording image data on said image recording media,  
 unerased area detection means for performing an erasing operation by said image data pseudo-erasing means to detect an image data unerased area in said image data recording area of said image recording media;  
 image data erasing means for substantially erasing image data in said image data unerased area detected by said unerased area detection means;  
 media type determination means for determining a type of image recording media inserted in said apparatus; and  
 control means for performing control such that an erasing operation of said image data erasing means is inhibited during a recording mode setting by said recording mode setting means when it is determined as a determination result by said media type determination means that said media can be overwritten, said unerased area detection means detects an image data unerased area in response to a recording mode setting operation by said recording mode setting means when it is determined as a determination result by said media type determination means that said media cannot be overwritten, and said image data erasing means starts a substantially erasing operation for image data in said detected unerased area.  
 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said adding means further comprises sockets each for receiving a read-only-memory containing at least one additional processing program. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said adding means further comprises a socket for detachably receiving a memory device having at least one additional processing program, said apparatus including means for transferring the processing program in said memory device to said fixed memory means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said control means includes means for selecting one of the fixed memory device, and read-only-memories inserted in said sockets according to the recording media inserted into the apparatus as identification by said determination means. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for recording digital image data, comprising:
   a removable and nonvolatile recording medium, including both a data management section and a substantial data recording section in which substantial data is stored;        a control unit which controls a recording sequence of a digital image data in the recording media; and        a media management unit which, responsive to an operation of the control unit, at least reads an unerased data in the substantial data recording section and substantially erases the unerased data read from the substantial data recording section; wherein the substantial data recording section of the removable recording medium is configured so that it cannot be overwritten without initialization.     
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus includes a unit for removably receiving recording media. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the recording media is a flash memory device. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the recording media is a photomagnetic optical disk. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the recording media is a magnetic disk. 
     
     
       20. An electronic camera comprising:
   an image recording media logically having an image data recording area and an image data management area for managing a recording state of image data in said image data recording area wherein said media is compatible with an external device including an image data pseudo - erasing unit for executing a predetermined process upon said image data management area to erase image data in said image recording media, so that the image data recording area is pseudo - erased;        an unerased image data detection unit for detecting an unerased image data area in said image data recording area of said image recording media;        an image data erasing unit for substantially erasing the unerased image data detected in said area by said unerased area detection unit;        a recording mode setting unit for setting a recording mode for recording image data in said image recording media; and        a control unit for controlling such that said unerased area detection unit detects an unerased image data area in response to a recording mode setting operation by said recording mode setting unit, and said image data erasing unit starts a substantially erasing operation for in said detected unerased image data.     
     
     
       21. A method of recording digital image data on a removable and nonvolatile recording medium including both a data management section and a substantial data recording section in which substantial data is stored, said method comprising the steps of:
   a )  initiating a record sequence of a digital image data into the recording media based on information in the data management section in response to a record operation;        b )  retrieving an unerased substantial data in the substantial data recording section;        c )  substantially erasing the unerased data retrieved in the substantial data recording section; and        d )  recording a new image data into the substantial recording section; wherein the substantial data recording section of the removable recording medium is configured so that it cannot be overwritten without initialization.     
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the recording media is removable and further comprising:
   removably inserting the recording media for recording image data thereon.     
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the recording media is removable flash memory device and further comprising:
   removably inserting the recording media for recording image data thereon.     
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the recording media is a removable photomagnetic optical disk and further comprising:
   removably inserting the recording media for recording image data thereon.     
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the recording media is a removal magnetic disk and further comprising:
   removably inserting the recording media for recording image data thereon.     
     
     
       26. The method according to  claim 21  further comprising:
   generating a recording operation completion display responsive to completion of step  ( c ).   
     
     
       27. The method according to  claim 21  further comprising:
   initiating step  ( d )  responsive to operation of a recording trigger.