Imaging apparatus and video camera, and method of reproducing recorded information performed by the imaging apparatus or the video camera

Abstract

There are provided an imaging apparatus and a video camera which allow an image being recorded and an image being reproduced to be easily discriminated from each other when an already recorded image signal is reproduced while a photographed image signal is being recorded. A recording section records an image signal obtained by an image pickup section on a randomly accessible recording medium, and a reproducing section is capable of reproducing an image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium while the image signal is being recorded on the recording medium by the recording section. The recording section and the reproducing section are controlled such that the image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium can be reproduced while the image signal obtained by the image pickup section is being recorded. A first display means and a second display means are controlled such that either the first display means or the second display means displays a first image according to the image signal obtained by the image pickup section while the other displays a second image according to the reproduced image signal.

1 . A recording apparatus comprising: 
 input means for inputting a first image signal;    recording means for recording the first image signal input by said input means as a second image signal on a randomly accessible recording medium;    reproducing means for reproducing the second image signal recorded on the recording medium, said reproducing means being capable of reproducing the second image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium while the first image signal is being recorded on the recording medium by said recording means; and    control means responsive to an instruction to start recording of the first image signal input by said input means on the recording medium by said recording means while the second image signal recorded on the recording medium is being reproducing by said reproducing means, for controlling said recording means and said reproducing means such that said recording means starts recording of the first image signal input by said input means on the recording medium while said reproducing means is carrying out reproduction of the second image signal.    
   
   
       2 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 coding means for coding the first image signal input by said input means to compress an information amount of the first image signal; and    decoding means for decoding the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means to expand an information amount of the second image signal, and    wherein said recording means records the first image signal coded by said coding means on the recording medium.    
   
   
       3 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said coding means is capable of coding the first image signal input by said input means while the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means is being decoded by said decoding means.  
   
   
       4 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 display means; and    selecting means for selecting one signal from the first image signal input by said input means and the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means, and outputting the selected signal to said display means.    
   
   
       5 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said input means further inputs an audio signal associated with the first image signal.  
   
   
       6 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the recording medium includes a disk-shaped recording medium.  
   
   
       7 . A recording apparatus comprising: 
 input means for inputting a first image signal;    recording means for recording the first image signal input by said input means as a second image signal on a randomly accessible recording medium;    reproducing means for reproducing the second image signal recorded on the recording medium, said reproducing means being capable of reproducing the second image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium while the first image signal is being recorded on the recording medium by said recording means;    generating means for generating an index image signal indicative of a plurality of thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the second image signals recorded on the recording medium;    display means;    output means for outputting the first image signal input by said input means, the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means, and the index signal generated by said generating means to said display means;    selecting means for selecting one thumbnail image corresponding to the second image signal to be reproduced by said reproducing means from the plurality of thumbnail images of the index image signal displayed by said display means; and    control means responsive to an instruction to start displaying an index screen while the first image signal input by said input means is being recorded on the recording medium by said recording means, for controlling said recording means and said output means such that said output means outputs the index image signal to said display means while said recording means is recording the first image signal input by said input menas on the recording medium, and    wherein said control means is operable when one thumbnail image is selected by said selecting means, to control said recording means and said reproducing means such that said reproducing means reproduces the second image signal corresponding to the thumbnail image selected by said selecting means, from the recording medium while said recording means is recording the first image signal input by said input means on the recording medium.    
   
   
       8 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 coding means for coding the first image signal input by said input means to compress an information amount of the first image signal; and    decoding means for decoding the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means to expand an information amount of the second image signal, and    wherein said recording means records the first image signal coded by said coding means on the recording medium.    
   
   
       9 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said coding means is capable of coding the first image signal input by said input means while the second image signal reproduced by said reproducing means is being decoded by said decoding means.  
   
   
       10 . A recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said reproducing means reproduces a thumbnail image signal indicative of a thumbnail image corresponding to the second image signal from the recording medium; and    said generating means generates the index image signal using the thumbnail image signal reproduced by said reproducing means.    
   
   
       11 . A recording method comprising the steps of: 
 inputting a first image signal;    recording the first image signal input in said input step as a second image signal on a randomly accessible recording medium;    reproducing the second image signal recorded on the recording medium, wherein the second image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium can be reproduced in said reproducing step while the first image signal is being recorded on the recording medium in said recording step; and    controlling said recording step and said reproducing step such that in said recording step, recording of the first image signal input on the recording medium in said input step is started while in said reproducing step, reproduction of the second image signal is being carried out, in response to an instruction to start recording of the first image signal input in said input step on the recording medium in said recording step while the second image signal recorded on the recording medium is being reproduced in said reproducing step.    
   
   
       12 . A recording method comprising the steps of: 
 inputting a first image signal;    recording the first image signal input in said input step as a second image signal on a randomly accessible recording medium;    reproducing the second image signal recorded on the recording medium, wherein the second image signal recorded at a random location on the recording medium can be reproduced in said reproducing step while the first image signal is being recorded on the recording medium in said recording step;    generating an index image signal indicative of a plurality of thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the second image signals recorded on the recording medium;    outputting the first image signal input in said input step, the second image signal reproduced in said reproducing step, and the index image signal generated in said generating step to a display device;    selecting one thumbnail image corresponding to the second image signal to be reproduced in said reproducing step fro the plurality of thumbnail images of the index image signal displayed on the display device;    controlling said recording step and said output step such that in said output step, the index image signal generated in said generating step is output to the display device while in said recording step, the first image signal input in said input step is being recorded on the recording medium, in response to an instruction to start displaying an index screen on the display device while the first image signal input in said input step is being recorded on the recording medium in said recording step; and    wherein in said control step, said recording step and said output step, are controlled when one thumbnail image is selected in said selecting step, such that in said reproducing step, the second image signal corresponding to the thumbnail image selected in said selecting step, is reproduced from the recoding medium while in said recording step, the first image signal input in said input step is being recorded on the recording medium.