JP4640075B2 - Imaging apparatus and imaging program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides an imaging device capable of transmitting and receiving imaging data captured by the imaging device between a plurality of imaging devices, and an imaging program for causing the imaging device to execute.

Conventionally, a surveillance system for crime prevention installed in a convenience store, an unmanned store, a bank, etc., for example, records image data captured by a plurality of imaging devices (monitoring cameras), and records images captured by a plurality of imaging devices at the time of recording. The image data is accumulated in the temporary storage memory, and the accumulated image data is collectively read for each image of the same imaging device and recorded on the recording medium. Also, during playback, the image data recorded on the recording medium is collectively read for each image of the same imaging device and sequentially stored in the temporary storage for playback, and the image data read from the temporary storage memory for playback is displayed. The image is developed in a memory for use and displayed on a monitor (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-112192 A

  However, in the conventional imaging device, when reading images from each imaging device, the images are stored in the recording temporary storage memory in the order of reading, and when reproducing, the images are output from the playback temporary storage memory in the order of storage. When it is desired to view captured images in chronological order in the order of recording, editing such as rearrangement in the order of recording is necessary, and there is a problem in that images cannot be viewed immediately.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an imaging apparatus and an imaging program capable of immediately viewing images captured by a plurality of imaging apparatuses in time series in the order in which they are recorded without performing an editing operation or the like. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention is an imaging device capable of recording an image on a recording medium, and receives a receiving unit that receives an image transmitted from another imaging device, and acquires the imaging date and time of the image received by the receiving unit, A determination unit for determining whether or not a folder in the time zone including the acquired imaging date and time exists in the recording medium, and when the determination unit determines that a corresponding folder exists, the folder is stored in the folder. The captured date and time of each received image is compared with the captured date and time of the received image, and the received images are stored in order in the order of the captured date and time in the folder, and the received image is captured by transmitting the image. The first storage control unit that stores the identification information identifying the device in association with the device, and when the determination unit determines that the corresponding folder does not exist, includes the acquisition date and time of the acquisition. Create a folder time zone newly in association with the folder, and a second storage control means for storing the image with identification information identifying whether the image pickup apparatus having transmitted the image is any device It is characterized by providing.

According to the present invention, even if a plurality of images are individually transmitted from different imaging devices, they can be stored and managed as images in a common folder as long as the images are in the same time zone. Then, each image can be stored and managed in the order in which the images were taken.

Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 1, an imaging device 10 controls and executes each function of the imaging device 10 in addition to a CPU 11, an input unit 12 for inputting various data, signals, and the like, a shooting program that executes shooting processing described later. A memory 13 such as a ROM or RAM in which the control program is stored, a transmission control unit 14, a display unit 15 for displaying an image captured by the imaging unit 16 and other information, an imaging unit 16 for capturing an image, A recording unit 17 for recording various information such as an image captured by the imaging unit 16 is connected to a clock unit 18 and a bus 19 for measuring date and time, and the CPU 11 controls these units.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the imaging apparatus 10 to which the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 2, the imaging device 10 is, for example, a digital camera or the like, and includes a lens 21, an aperture 22, an optical system driving unit 24 for driving the lens 21 and the aperture 22, and a CCD (charge coupled device) 23 that is an imaging device. An analog processing unit 27 such as a CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit that samples the electrical signal output from the CCD 23 or a variable gain amplifier (AGC amplifier: VG (variable) amplifier) that amplifies the electrical signal output from the CDS circuit; An acquisition control unit 26 for controlling the CCD 23 and the analog processing unit 27, and an A / D conversion unit for A / D (analog / digital) conversion of the electrical signal output from the analog processing unit 27 and outputting digital image data 28, a buffer 29 for temporarily storing the image data output from the A / D converter 28, a signal processing circuit 30, and an image Decompression circuit 31 or to compress the data or decompression is connected via a bus 19.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a usage pattern of the imaging apparatus 10 to which the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 3, the imaging device 10a and the imaging device 10b are connected via a cable 40 capable of performing wired communication. These imaging devices 10a and 10b have the same configuration as the imaging device 10 described with reference to FIGS.

  The imaging device 10 a is a digital camera, for example, and can record image data captured on a recording medium such as the recording unit 17. And the communication means which communicates via the cable 40 with the other imaging device 10b is provided. Further, a copy of the image data can be received from the other imaging device 10b by this communication means, and the received copy can be recorded on the recording medium. Further, when the copy is recorded, the deletion instruction information for instructing to delete the original image data of the copy can be transmitted to the other imaging device 10b by the communication means.

  In addition, when a plurality of copies are received, the plurality of copies can be recorded in the same folder on the recording medium, or the plurality of copies can be recorded side by side in the order of recording date and time. .

Instead of providing the cable 40, the imaging device 10a and the imaging device 10b may have a wireless communication function and perform wireless communication.
Next, the flow of imaging processing executed in the imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main flow of imaging processing executed in the imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
First, in step S41, a shooting mode, an image transfer mode, and other various modes are selected. In step S42, it is analyzed whether the mode selected in step S41 is the shooting mode, the image transfer mode, or another mode.

  In step S43, it is determined whether or not the mode analyzed in step S42 is the shooting mode. If it is determined that the shooting mode is not selected (step S42: NO), it is determined in step S44 whether or not the mode analyzed in step S42 is the image transfer mode. Furthermore, when it is determined that the mode is not the image transfer mode, that is, when it is determined that the mode is not the shooting mode, the image transfer mode, or the other mode (step S44: NO), the mode is designated in step S45. Perform the appropriate process. For example, when the reproduction mode is designated, the folder storing the image to be reproduced is designated and the corresponding image is reproduced and displayed.

  On the other hand, when it is determined in step S44 that the image transfer mode is selected (step S44: YES), in step S46, guidance is provided on whether or not the image data stored on the recording medium by the other imaging device 10b is collected. Is displayed, and an input instruction as to whether or not to summarize is displayed. Then, in step S47, it is determined whether an input indicating that the image data stored in the recording medium by the other imaging device 10b is collected or not is input, and an input indicating that the image data is not summarized is made. In the case (step S47: NO), in step S48, the image data transmitted from the other imaging apparatus 10b is received, a new folder is created, and the recording media (recording unit 17) are received in the order in which the received image data is received. ) Store on.

On the other hand, if an input to summarize is made in step S47 (step S47: YES), a subroutine “image reception summary processing” is executed in step S49.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the subroutine “image reception summary processing”.

  First, in step S50, for example, another image pickup device 10b as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 transmits image data stored on a recording medium to the image pickup device 10a to the other image pickup device 10b. Send the requested signal.

  Here, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which imaging data is stored in a normal folder included in “Camera 1” which is one of the other imaging apparatuses 10b. For example, “September 30, 2005” Information such as “image 1” captured at “11:11:11” is stored together with actual image data. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which imaging data is stored in a normal folder included in “Camera 2” which is one of the other imaging apparatuses 10b.

  Then, in step S51 of FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not image data transmitted from another imaging device 10b has been received. If image data has been received (step S51: YES), information associated with the received image data in step S52 and information of the date and time recorded by the other imaging device 10b on the recording medium is displayed. Determine.

  Next, in step S53, it is determined whether a folder corresponding to the date information determined in step S52 already exists. If it is determined that it exists (step S53: YES), the process proceeds to step S55. If it is determined that it does not exist (step S53: NO), in step 54, the folder corresponding to the date and time information determined in step S52. For example, if the determined date and time information is in the 13:00 range on September 30, 2005, the folder “05/09/30/11: 00” whose name is the date and time (September 30, 2005 11:00) is stored. Create a new one. The folder may be a date unit, for example, “05/09/30”, for example, or a monthly unit, for example, “05/09”, instead of the time unit.

  Further, in step S55, the date and time information corresponding to the image data stored in the corresponding folder is compared with the date and time information of the received image data determined in step S52. In step S56, the date and time information in step S55 is compared. The order in which the received image data is stored on the recording medium (recording unit 17) is determined according to the comparison result. For example, the date and time information corresponding to the first already stored image data in the folder is 11:11:12 on September 30, 2005, and the date and time information of the received image data determined in step S52 is If it is 11:11:11 on September 30, 2005, the image data stored in the folder is the second, the received image data determined in step S52 is rearranged as the first, and the recording medium (recording unit) 17) Decide the order of storage.

In step S57, the image data is stored in the corresponding folder in the order determined in step S56, and the process returns to step S51.
FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams showing examples in which rearranged image data is stored in a folder corresponding to date and time information.

  FIG. 8 is an example in which the name of the folder (summary folder) is “05/09/30/11: 00” because the date and time information determined in step S52 is in the 13:00 range on September 30, 2005. "Image 1" taken at "Camera 1" shown in FIG. 6 at "11:11:11 on September 30, 2005" and "Camera 2" shown in FIG. 7 "September 30, 2005" Information such as “image 1” taken at “11:11:12” and “image 2” taken at “11:11:14 on September 30, 2005” are arranged in the order of the taken times. Stored with the data. FIG. 9 shows an example in which the name of the folder (summary folder) is “05/09/30/12: 00” because the date and time information determined in step S52 is in the 12:00 range on September 30, 2005. “Image 21” imaged at “12:01:00 on September 30, 2005” with “Camera 1” shown in FIG. 6 and “Camera 2” shown in FIG. “Image 11” imaged at “12:01:10 on March 30” and “Image 22” imaged at “12:10:10 on September 30, 2005” with “Camera 1” shown in FIG. And the like are stored together with the actual image data in the order of the time of image capturing.

  On the other hand, if no image data has been received in step S51 of FIG. 5 (step S51: NO), it is determined in step S58 whether or not a signal indicating that image transmission has been completed has been received. In the case (step S58: NO), the process returns to step S51. If it has been received, the subroutine “image reception summary process” is terminated, and the process returns to step S42 in FIG.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 4, if it is determined in step S43 that the shooting mode is selected (step S42: YES), it is determined whether or not the shutter is pressed (operated) in step S59, and the shutter is operated. If this is the case (step S59: YES), the captured image data is captured in step S60, and in step S61, the image data captured in step S60 is stored in the storage unit 17 in association with the information of the imaging date and time. Return to.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S59 that the shutter is not pressed (step S59: NO), a subroutine “image transmission process” is executed in step S62.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of the subroutine “image transmission process”.

  First, in step S63, it is determined whether or not a signal requesting to transmit image data (image transmission request signal) is received from another imaging device 10b. If the image transmission request signal has not been received (step S63: NO), the subroutine “image transmission processing” is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S72 in FIG. On the other hand, when the image request signal is received (step S63: YES), the oldest shooting date / time information among the image data stored in the recording unit 17 in association with the shooting date / time information is stored in step S64. The image data stored in association with each other is read together with the shooting date / time information. In step S65, the image data read in step S64 (image data associated with the shooting date / time information) is transmitted to the other imaging device 10b that has transmitted the image request signal.

  Next, in step S66, it is determined whether there is image data stored in association with the information of the next shooting date and time next to the image data transmitted to the other imaging device 10b in step S65. If it is determined that the image data exists (step S66: YES), the image data stored in association with the information of the next shooting date and time next to the image data transmitted to the other imaging device 10b in step S65 in step S67. Is read together with the shooting date and time information, and the process returns to step S65.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that there is no image data stored in association with the information of the next shooting date and time next to the image data transmitted to the other imaging device 10b in step S65 (step S66: NO), In step S68, guidance on whether or not all of the image data transmitted in step S65 can be deleted is displayed, and an input instruction on whether or not to delete can be waited. Then, in step S69, guidance indicating whether or not all the image data transmitted in step S65 may be deleted from the recording unit 17 is displayed, and an input indicating that the image data may be deleted has been input or not. It is determined whether or not an input has been made, and if an input indicating that it may not be erased is made (step S69: NO), the subroutine “image transmission processing” is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S72 in FIG.

  On the other hand, when an input indicating that the image may be deleted is made in step S69 (step S69: YES), all the image data transmitted in step S65 is deleted from the recording unit 17 in step S70, and in step S71. By transmitting a signal indicating that the transmission of the image data has been completed to the other imaging apparatus 10b, the subroutine “image transmission process” is completed, and the process proceeds to step S72 in FIG.

Note that the image may be erased one image at a time each time the image is transmitted.
Returning to the description of FIG. 4, whether or not mode switching has been executed in step S72, that is, whether or not mode switching has been executed from the current shooting mode to the image transfer mode or to another mode other than the shooting mode. Determine whether. If it is determined that the mode has been switched (step S72: YES), the process returns to step S42. If it is determined that the mode has not been switched (step S72: NO), in step S73, the present It is determined whether or not to end the imaging process. If it is determined not to end (step S73: NO), the process returns to step S59. If it is determined to end (step S73: YES), the main imaging process is performed. finish.

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be a single apparatus as long as the function is executed. Needless to say, the system may be a system composed of a plurality of devices, an integrated device, or a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN or a WAN.

Further, the number of imaging apparatuses to which the present invention is applied is not limited to two, and may be three or more.
The imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a digital camera, and may be any device as long as it is a camera-equipped portable device such as a cellular phone with a camera, a PDA, a notebook computer, and a wearable personal computer.

  That is, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can take various configurations or shapes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the imaging device to which this invention is applied. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an imaging apparatus 10 to which the present invention is applied. It is a figure for demonstrating the usage pattern of the imaging device 10 to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the main flow of the imaging process performed in the imaging device to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a subroutine "image reception summary process". It is FIG. (1) which shows the example stored in the normal folder. It is FIG. (2) which shows the example stored in the normal folder. It is a figure which shows the example (the 1) which stored the rearranged image data in the folder corresponding to the date information. It is a figure which shows the example (the 2) which stored the rearranged image data in the folder corresponding to the date information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a subroutine "image transmission process".

Explanation of symbols

10, 10a, 10b Imaging device 11 CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Input part 13 Memory 14 Transmission control part 15 Display part 16 Imaging part 17 Recording part 18 Clock part 19 Bus | bath 21 Lens 22 Aperture 23 CCD
Reference Signs List 24 Optical system drive unit 26 Capture control unit 27 Analog processing unit 28 A / D conversion unit 29 Buffer 30 Signal processing unit circuit 31 Compression / decompression circuit 40 Cable

Claims (4)

An imaging device capable of recording an image on a recording medium,
Receiving means for receiving an image transmitted from another imaging device;
Determining means for acquiring the imaging date and time of the image received by the receiving means, and determining whether or not a folder in the time zone including the acquired imaging date and time exists in the recording medium;
When the determination unit determines that the corresponding folder exists, the imaging date / time of each image stored in the folder is compared with the imaging date / time of the received image, and the received image is captured in the folder. First storage control means for storing the received images in association with identification information for identifying which device is the imaging device that has transmitted the images,
When it is determined by the determining means that the corresponding folder does not exist, the imaging apparatus that newly creates a folder in a time zone including the acquired imaging date and time and transmits the image in association with the folder. Second storage control means for storing the image together with identification information for identifying which device;
An imaging apparatus comprising: A selection means for selecting an image transfer mode;
When the image transfer mode is selected, prior to reception by the receiving unit, the image capturing mode is requested to another imaging device, and the receiving unit receives the request and receives an image from the other imaging device. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image is received when there is transmission . An instruction discriminating unit for discriminating whether or not there is an instruction to share and collect images received by the receiving unit among the imaging devices;
  When there is no instruction to compile by the instruction determining means, the images received by the receiving means are stored in the order received, and when the instruction to compile is given, the images received by the receiving means are The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is stored in association with the folder. A computer-executable imaging program for causing an imaging device capable of recording an image on a recording medium to execute the image,
The computer,
Receiving means for receiving an image transmitted from another imaging device;
A discriminating unit for acquiring the image capturing date and time of the image received by the receiving unit and determining whether or not a folder in a time zone including the acquired image capturing date and time exists in the recording medium;
When the determination unit determines that the corresponding folder exists, the imaging date / time of each image stored in the folder is compared with the imaging date / time of the received image, and the received image is captured in the folder. A first storage control means for storing the received image in association with identification information for identifying which device is the imaging device that has transmitted the image,
When it is determined by the determining means that the corresponding folder does not exist, the imaging apparatus that newly creates a folder in a time zone including the acquired imaging date and time and transmits the image in association with the folder. Second storage control means for storing the image together with identification information for identifying which device it is;
A computer-readable imaging program designed to function as a computer .

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