JP2004159048A - Imaging system, image data search method - Google Patents

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus adds image capturing position information to image data at the time of image capturing, thereby enabling image data search using the image capturing position information. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image pickup apparatus and an image data search method that are easy for a user to handle by registering and using a heading character corresponding to the position data instead of using the position data as it is.
The present invention is directed to an imaging device and a portable terminal having a short-range wireless communication function, and a position data acquisition unit and a headline character registration / storage unit exist in the portable terminal. At the time of photographing, the imaging device acquires position data via the mobile terminal, associates the photographed image data with the position data, and stores the data. At the time of image data search, a heading character is selected on the mobile terminal, searched by the imaging device, a thumbnail of the search result is transmitted from the imaging device to the mobile terminal, and the result is displayed on the mobile terminal.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus having a short-range wireless communication function, and a portable terminal having a short-range wireless communication function, a position information acquisition function, and a headline character input function. The present invention relates to an imaging system including a method of generating image data and associating the image data with the position data by transmitting and receiving image data and position data, and a method of retrieving image data using a heading character and position data. is there.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image capturing apparatus such as an electronic still camera that records a photograph as digital image data on a storage medium such as a memory card can easily reproduce and display the captured image data and delete unnecessary image data. For this reason, the user takes a very large number of photographs, and the organization and management of image data tend to be complicated. Therefore, in order to facilitate retrieval of image data, a method of adding tag information such as shooting date / time information and shooting position information as digital data has been proposed.
[0003]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-228528 (published on Aug. 24, 2001) discloses a method of adding a heading character by using a table of a heading character corresponding to position data added in advance and position data created in advance. An image capturing apparatus having an image data search method according to the related art is disclosed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to perform a search based on the shooting date and time and the shooting position in the search of the image data, the shooting date and time information and the shooting position information must be added to each image data. For this purpose, it is necessary to newly provide a clock circuit for calculating the date and time in the imaging device and a GPS receiving unit for receiving position data from GPS satellites.
[0005]
Further, when position data is obtained from a GPS device other than the image pickup device, at this stage, means for adding position data to image data by comparing log data of the GPS device and shooting date / time information of the image pickup device later is adopted. . However, in this method, since the shooting date and time information of the imaging device does not have accuracy in units of seconds, synchronization between the imaging device and the GPS device is not properly achieved, and it is not suitable for each image data particularly when the moving speed of the photographer is fast. Position data cannot be allocated.
[0006]
As a method of searching for image data, a method of displaying image data sorted by shooting date and time is general. However, when dealing with a large amount of image data or when the shooting date and time are ambiguous, sorting display by shooting date and time is not enough to search the target image skillfully, and the user cannot obtain a satisfactory result. .
[0007]
Further, in the image capturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-228528, it is necessary to equip a GPS receiving unit inside the image capturing apparatus in order to acquire position information, which increases the product cost and increases the size of the housing. Problem. In addition, there is a problem that the imaging apparatus must be newly provided with a character input interface in order to input a heading character.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, in the present invention, since a chip for adding a GPS function to a mobile terminal has already been developed by providing a position data acquisition unit in the mobile terminal instead of the imaging device, the GPS function is provided to the imaging device. It is possible to reduce the cost and the size of the housing by providing the mobile terminal with the GPS function, rather than by using the mobile terminal. Since an interface for that purpose is also provided, it is characterized in that using a portable terminal provides more convenient character input means for a user than providing the image pickup apparatus with character input means.
[0009]
Means for inputting a heading character as a keyword of a shooting location in the mobile terminal, simultaneously obtaining position data from a GPS satellite, creating a correspondence table between the heading character and the position data, and storing the table in the mobile terminal; Sometimes, every time an image is taken, the position data from the imaging device to the portable terminal is requested / acquired using short-range wireless communication, and the appropriate position data of the shooting location is always stored in association with the image data. I do.
[0010]
Also, when the image data and the position data are stored in association with each other, when the power of the imaging device is turned on or when the user performs a position data acquisition operation, the position data is transferred from the imaging device to the portable terminal in a short distance. It is also possible to request and acquire using wireless communication. Thereby, the number of times of communication between the imaging device and the portable terminal is reduced to reduce the processing load.
[0011]
Further, the search for the image data is performed using the position data, the position data serving as the search condition is selected from the heading character / position data correspondence table stored in the mobile terminal, and the position data is centered in the imaging device. From there, means for searching for image data within the specified range of the latitude and longitude respectively set by the user, and means for transmitting thumbnails of the search results from the imaging device to the mobile terminal and displaying the thumbnails on the mobile terminal are used. It provides an interface that is easy for people to handle. It should be noted that the position data has a feature that it is easier for the user to handle by using the heading character / position data correspondence table instead of the latitude / longitude and handling the heading character.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(Example 1)
Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an imaging apparatus and a mobile terminal embodying the present invention. In the present embodiment, a digital camera and a mobile phone are respectively assumed and described. FIG. 2 illustrates a mobile terminal (in this embodiment, a mobile phone, but not limited to a mobile phone, but a digital wireless phone such as a PHS having a short-range wireless communication function, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a PC, and the like. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a heading character input function in the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 illustrates an imaging apparatus (a digital camera in the present embodiment, but the imaging apparatus is not limited to a digital camera, 13 is a flowchart of a function of requesting position data at the time of photographing in means for temporarily storing or storing image data as digital data and a short-range wireless communication function and applicable to all devices.
[0014]
4 and 5 show a flowchart and a sequence chart, respectively, of an image data search using position data according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an example of a screen when a heading character is input on a mobile phone in the present invention, and FIG. 7 shows a heading character / position data correspondence table created in the mobile phone in the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a data structure of a storage medium of a digital camera, and FIG. 9 shows an example of an operation screen on a mobile phone when searching for image data according to the present invention.
[0015]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an imaging apparatus embodying the present invention. In the present embodiment, a digital camera having a short-range wireless communication function is shown, and a flash 105, a mode dial 111, a shutter switch 106, a single / continuous shooting switch 107, Each part of the housing includes a compression mode switch 108, an operation unit 109, a main switch 110, an optical finder 104, a communication unit 102, an antenna 103, and the like. Reference numeral 200 denotes a mobile terminal embodying the present invention. In this embodiment, a mobile phone having a short-range wireless function is shown. A microphone 201, a speaker 202, a communication unit 203, an antenna 204, a communication unit 205, an antenna 206, and a communication unit 209 are shown. , An antenna 210, a display unit 207, an operation unit 208, and the like are provided in each unit of the housing.
[0016]
In FIG. 6, reference numeral 601 denotes a screen example when a headline character is input on a mobile phone. The operation unit 208 is used for input.
[0017]
FIG. 7 shows a heading character / position data correspondence table created based on the heading character input on the mobile phone and the position data received from the GPS satellite at that time. This heading character / position data correspondence table is stored in the mobile phone.
[0018]
FIG. 8 shows a data structure of image data stored in the digital camera. The image data is roughly divided into a header area and an image data recording area. The header area stores shooting date and time, a shooting place, and the like, and the image data recording area stores image data obtained by shooting.
[0019]
In FIG. 9, reference numeral 702 denotes a screen example at the time of searching for image data in the mobile phone. Selection and determination are performed using the operation unit 208.
[0020]
Hereinafter, a specific operation of the device according to the present invention will be described.
[0021]
First, input of a headline character in the mobile phone 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. At the time of shooting, a heading character serving as a keyword of a shooting location is input in advance using the operation unit 208 of the mobile phone 200. When the entry of the heading character is determined s302, the position data of the current position is acquired from the GPS satellites using the antenna 210 and the communication means 209 (s303). If the position data is successfully acquired, a heading character / position data correspondence table shown in FIG. 7 is created s304 from the input heading character and the acquired position data. If the position data acquisition fails, an error message is displayed. A display s305 is displayed on the display unit 207 so that an input is performed again later, and the process ends.
[0022]
Next, a description will be given of a means for acquiring position data at the time of photographing and a means for storing photographed image data and acquired position data in association with each other with reference to FIG. In the photographing using the digital camera 100, when the shutter switch 106 is pressed, a request s402 is made for the position data of the photographing place to the mobile phone 200 using the antenna 103 and the communication means 102 simultaneously with the photographing s401. The mobile phone 200 that has received the request via the antenna 206 and the communication unit 205 receives the position data from the GPS satellite using the antenna 210 and the communication unit 209. The received position data is transmitted to the digital camera 100 via the antenna 206 of the mobile phone 200, the communication unit 205, the antenna 103 of the digital camera 100, and the communication unit 102. If the digital camera 100 succeeds in receiving the position data s403, the obtained position data is added s404 to the header area of the data structure shown in FIG. 8 to store the image data and the position data in association with each other.
[0023]
Next, regarding the operation at the time of retrieving image data, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of image data retrieval using position data using a heading character, and FIG. 4 shows whether each step is executed by the digital camera 100 or the mobile phone 200. The description will be made with reference to FIG.
[0024]
In the mobile phone 200, a heading character to be searched is selected s501 and s601 as shown in FIG. 9, and then a search range is set s502 and s602. From the heading character / position data correspondence table stored in the mobile phone 200, position data corresponding to the selected heading character is obtained s503, s603, and the position data and the previously set search range are transmitted to the antenna 206, the communication means. Transmission s504 and s604 to the digital camera 100 via 205. The digital camera 100 that has received the position data and the search range via the antenna 103 and the communication unit 102 uses the received position data as the center, and searches for image data existing in the search range received in the latitude and longitude, respectively s505 and s606. I do.
[0025]
When the corresponding image data exists, the thumbnail of the image data is transmitted to the mobile phone 200 s 507 and s 607, and the search result is displayed on the display unit 207 of the mobile phone 200 in the form of a thumbnail s 509 and s 609. If the corresponding image data does not exist, a message requesting a re-search is transmitted to the mobile phone 200 to be displayed s508 on the display unit 207, and the processing is restarted from the selection of the heading characters s501 and s601.
[0026]
(Example 2)
In the first embodiment, when the image data and the position data are stored in association with each other, the shutter switch 106 is pressed, and the digital camera 100 issues a position data acquisition request to the mobile phone 200 every time an image is taken. It is also possible to issue a position data acquisition request every time the main switch 110 of the digital camera 100 is turned on, not every time an image is taken.
[0027]
FIG. 10 is a functional configuration diagram of the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 includes a control unit (CPU) 801, an imaging unit 802, a signal processing unit 803, a system memory 807, a frame memory 804, a compression / decompression processing unit 809, a D / A conversion unit 805, a calendar Clock 808, display panel (LCD) 806, mode dial 111, shutter switch 106, single / continuous shooting switch 107, compression mode switch 108, operation unit 109, main switch 110, communication means 102 And an antenna 103.
[0028]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a means for storing image data and position data in association with each other in this embodiment.
[0029]
Hereinafter, a specific operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0030]
The input of a heading character and the creation of a heading character / position data correspondence table are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment and are performed according to FIG. When the image data and the position data are stored in association with each other, as shown in FIG. 11, when the main switch 110 of the digital camera 100 is pressed and turned on s411, the digital camera 100 A request s412 for the position data is made in step S412, and when the reception s413 of the position data succeeds, the processing is performed by adding the position data s414 to the header area of the data structure. The image data search is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0031]
(Example 3)
When the image data and the position data are stored in association with each other, it is also possible to request the digital camera 100 to obtain the position data from the digital camera 100 to the mobile phone 200 at an arbitrary time by the user's operation.
[0032]
FIG. 12 is a functional configuration diagram of the digital camera 100 in the present embodiment. The difference from the second embodiment is that a position data request button 811 is added.
[0033]
FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a means for storing image data and position data in association with each other in this embodiment.
[0034]
Hereinafter, a specific operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0035]
The input of a heading character and the creation of a heading character / position data correspondence table are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment and are performed according to FIG. When the position data request button 811 of the digital camera 100 is pressed and turned on as shown in FIG. 13 when storing the image data and the position data in association with each other, the digital camera 100 is connected to the mobile phone 200 as in the first embodiment. A request s422 for position data is made to the request, and if the reception s423 of the position data succeeds, the process is performed by adding s424 to the header area of the data structure. The image data search is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the mobile terminal and the imaging device each have a short-range wireless communication function, and by providing the mobile terminal with the position data acquisition unit, it is possible to reduce the cost and the problem of increasing the housing size, Also, means for inputting a heading character which is a keyword of a shooting location in the mobile terminal, and at that time, obtaining position data of the shooting location from a GPS satellite and associating the heading character and the heading character with the previously input heading character. With the configuration having the means for saving as a position data correspondence table, an effect is obtained that the user can use position data using easy-to-handle heading characters without making the user aware of complicated numerical data of latitude and longitude.
[0037]
Further, at the time of shooting, when the power of the imaging device is turned on, and when the user performs a position data acquisition operation, the imaging device requests position data from the mobile terminal, and the requested mobile terminal transmits the position data to the GPS. A means for acquiring from a satellite and transmitting it to the imaging device using short-range wireless communication. When position data is sent from the mobile device to the imaging device, the position data of the shooting location is added to the header area of the image data. With this configuration, the configuration having the means for storing the position data and the image data in a storage medium in association with each other has an effect that the accurate position data of the shooting location can always be stored in association with the image data.
[0038]
Further, the position data and the image data are stored in association with each other, and when searching for image data, the mobile terminal selects a heading character to be searched from the stored heading characters, and uses the heading character to determine the shooting position. By performing the image data search, it is possible to provide a user-friendly interface. Further, the position data corresponding to the heading character selected at the time of the search is set as the center, and the image data existing within the set range is used as the search result in both the latitude and longitude. If the desired search result cannot be obtained, By changing the setting range, a desired search result can be obtained.
[0039]
In addition, a thumbnail of search results is transmitted from the imaging device to the mobile terminal using short-range wireless communication and displayed on the mobile terminal, so that a list of image data can be obtained at once, and the necessary data can be obtained from the list. By selecting the image data and acquiring the actual data, the effect of reducing the communication load between the imaging device and the portable terminal can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system embodying the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart for inputting a heading character in a mobile phone embodying the present invention; FIG. 3 is a request for position data and image data in a digital camera embodying the present invention; And FIG. 4 is a flowchart of image data retrieval using position data using a heading character. FIG. 5 is a sequence chart of the image data search. FIG. Screen example at the time [FIG. 7] Heading character / position data correspondence table created in the mobile phone in the present invention [FIG. 8] Data structure of storage medium of digital camera
FIG. 9 is an example of an operation screen on a mobile phone when searching for image data according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a functional configuration diagram of a digital camera according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart for requesting position data of a digital camera and storing image data and position data in association with each other according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a functional configuration diagram of the digital camera according to the third embodiment. For requesting position data of a digital camera and storing image data and position data in association with each other.
200: Cellular phone 701: Screen example when entering headline characters on a mobile phone 702: Screen example when searching image data on a mobile phone

Claims (4)

The portable terminal and the imaging device each have a short-range wireless communication function, a means for inputting a headline character serving as a keyword of a shooting location in the mobile terminal, acquiring position data of a shooting location, and associating with the input heading character. Means for storing in the terminal, when there is a request for position data from the imaging device to the mobile terminal at the time of shooting, the requested mobile terminal acquires the position data and transmits it to the imaging device using short-range wireless communication An image pickup system comprising: means for storing position data in a storage medium by associating position data with photographed image data when position data is sent from a portable terminal to the image pickup apparatus. The portable terminal and the imaging device each have a short-range wireless communication function, a means for inputting a headline character serving as a keyword of a shooting location in the mobile terminal, acquiring position data of a shooting location, and associating with the input heading character. Means for storing in the terminal, when the power of the imaging device is turned on, when a request for position data is made from the imaging device to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal that has received the request acquires the position data and sends it to the imaging device in a short distance. An imaging system comprising: means for transmitting using wireless communication, and means for associating position data with photographed image data in a storage medium when the position data is sent from a portable terminal in the imaging device. . The portable terminal and the imaging device each have a short-range wireless communication function, a means for inputting a headline character serving as a keyword of a shooting location in the mobile terminal, acquiring position data of a shooting location, and associating with the input heading character. Means for storing in the terminal, when a request for position data is made from the imaging device to the portable terminal by a user's position data acquisition operation, the requested portable terminal acquires the position data and sends it to the imaging device via short-range wireless communication. An imaging system comprising: means for transmitting using communication; and means for associating position data with photographed image data and storing it in a storage medium when position data is transmitted from a portable terminal in the imaging apparatus. When the position data and the image data are stored in the imaging device in association with each other, and when the image data is searched, a heading character and a search range to be searched are selected from the heading characters stored in the mobile terminal, and the selected image data is stored in the imaging device. A method of transmitting the image data using short-range wireless communication, a heading character and a search range that have been received by the image capturing apparatus in the image data search based on the shooting position are used, and the position data corresponding to the heading character is used as the center, and the latitude / A search method that uses image data existing within the set range as a search result, and a method that transmits a thumbnail of the search result from the imaging device to the mobile terminal using short-range wireless communication and displays the search result on the mobile terminal. Characteristic imaging system.

Images