Still video camera in which erroneous erasure of picture image is prevented

A still video apparatus having functions of recording and erasing a picture image signal, comprising:

• a recorder which records a picture image signal obtained by an image pickup device into a predetermined portion of a record medium;
• protect signal recording means for recording into the record medium a protect signal representative of inhibition of erasure of a picture image signal recorded at the predetermined portion of the record medium;
• an instruction switch which instructs erasure of a picture image;
• reproducing means for reproducing a picture image;
• and
• controlling means for inhibiting reproduction of a picture image signal at a portion of the record medium corresponding to the protect signal recorded in the record medium in a condition wherein erasure of a picture image is instructed.

A video camera comprising:

• an image pickup device;
• a mode definition switch that enables a user to selectively set said camera in a first mode and at least a second mode;
• a recorder which records a picture image signal obtained by said image pickup device onto a record medium;
• a manually operable switch;
• protect signal recording means, operable in response to an operation of said manually operable switch when said camera is in said first mode, for recording into a predetermined portion of the record medium a protect signal to inhibit erasure of a corresponding picture image signal recorded on the record medium;
• controlling means for inhibiting erasure of a stored picture image signal recorded on said record medium when said stored picture image signal corresponds to a detected, recorded protect signal;
• reproducing means for reproducing a stored picture image;
• and
• an indicator on which information representing whether a picture image reproduced by the reproducing means is inhibited from erasure is indicated when said camera is set in said second mode.

A video apparatus comprising:

• a mode selection switch which sets an operational mode of said apparatus, wherein said operational mode comprises one of at least a protection mode, a reproduction mode and an erase mode;
• a recorder which records an input picture image signal obtained by an image pickup device onto a record medium;
• protect signal recording means for recording onto the record medium a protection signal when said apparatus is in said protection mode, wherein each recorded protection signal corresponds to a recorded picture image signal;
• controlling means for inhibiting erasure of a recorded picture image signal having a corresponding recorded protection signal;
• reproducing means for reproducing a recorded picture image when said apparatus is in said reproduction mode;
• and
• an indicator, in correspondence with said reproducing means, that indicates whether a reproduced picture image has a corresponding protection signal that inhibits erasure.

An apparatus which manages picture images memorized in a memory, said apparatus comprising:

• means for memorizing a protect signal that inhibits erasure of a corresponding memorized picture image, wherein the protect signal is a signal for setting a corresponding stored single picture image from an erasable state to the single picture image being inhibited from the erasable state;
• a controller for outputting a display signal in response to the means for memorizing a protect signal;
• and
• a display, responsive to the display signal, for displaying that a protect signal is memorized.

An apparatus which manages picture images and erasure protection signals memorized in a memory, each erasure protection signal inhibiting erasure of a corresponding picture image, said apparatus comprising:

• a display;
• means for detecting whether an erasure protection signal is memorized with respect to an accessible picture image and outputting a detection signal upon detecting an erasure protection signal;
• and
• means, responsive to said detection signal, for displaying on the display a frame number of an accessible picture image corresponding to said detection signal and a mark representing whether the accessible picture image is protected from erasure.

An apparatus which manages picture images and protect signals memorized in a memory, each of said protect signals being representative of inhibition of erasure of a corresponding picture image, said apparatus comprising:

• a manually operable switch;
• a mode setting switch which sets the apparatus in a protect mode and a protect cancellation mode;
• means, in response to the manually operable switch, for memorizing a protect signal into the memory only when the apparatus is in the protect mode, the protect signal indicating inhibition of erasure of the corresponding picture image;
• and
• a protect signal cancellation means for canceling the protect signal only when the mode setting switch is set to said protect cancellation mode.

An apparatus which manages picture images and erasure protection signals memorized in a memory, each erasure protection signal inhibiting erasure of a corresponding picture image, said apparatus comprising:

• a selector switch which selects either a first mode or a second mode;
• means, operated in the first mode, for erasing only a single picture image, the means for erasing a single picture image erasing the single picture image when the single picture image does not have a corresponding erasure protect signal and the means for erasing a single picture image being inhibited from erasing the single picture image when the single picture image does have a corresponding erasure protect signal, wherein the protect signal is a signal for setting a corresponding stored single picture image from an erasable state to the single picture image being inhibited from the erasable state;
• and
• means, operated in the second mode, for erasing all picture images from said memory regardless of erasure protection signals in said memory.

A still video apparatus having functions of recording and erasing a picture image signal, comprising:

• a recorder which records a picture image signal obtained by an image pickup device into a predetermined portion of a record medium;
• protect signal recording means for recording into the record medium a protect signal representative of inhibition of erasure of a picture image signal recorded at the predetermined portion of the record medium;
• and
• picture image reproducing means,
• wherein said protect signal recording means records a protect signal when recording of a protect signal is instructed within a predetermined time after starting of reproduction of a picture image from the record medium by said picture image reproducing means.