JP2006174232A - Communication terminal, electronic camera and method of providing electronic equipment information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the quantity of information to be transmitted between an information center and a communication terminal in an electronic equipment information providing system. <P>SOLUTION: Information regarding an accessory 50 of electronic equipment 11 (including specification and function control information) is stored on a server side of an information center 40 and provided to a communication terminal 35 on a user side of the electronic equipment 11 via a communication line. The information regarding the accessory 50 is stored in a product information database 42 at the side of the information center 40 and only required information corresponding to accessory information transmitted from the communication terminal 35 is read from the product information database 42 and transmitted to the communication terminal 35, thereby suppressing the quantity of information to be transmitted/received. Provided information received via the communication line is reproduced and displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 37 of the communication terminal 35 and when these display contents are photographed by a camera (imaging unit 111) provided in the electronic apparatus 1, the provided information is stored in a storage circuit 114 within the electronic apparatus 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for providing information to an electronic device.

  A technique is known in which a two-dimensional code is photographed with a camera, the photographed code is restored, and restoration information is displayed on a display (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-126942 A

  The inventor considered that it would be convenient to easily provide information about an electronic device by including information about the electronic device in a two-dimensional code or the like. Since the amount of information that can be included in the two-dimensional code is limited, it is desirable to provide information required by the information provider.

The communication terminal according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a communication means for communicating with an information center, an apparatus for transmitting information about the apparatus to the information center, and an image signal including information about the apparatus from the information center including a two-dimensional code. The communication control means for controlling the communication means so as to receive and the display signal generating means for generating a display signal for causing the display means to display the information received from the information center.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal that communicates with an information center and transmits information about the device as an image signal including a two-dimensional code to the information center. Communication control means for controlling the communication means so as to receive the information, and display signal generation means for generating a display signal for causing the display means to display information received from the information center.
In the communication terminal according to claim 2, an image signal obtained by capturing an image of a two-dimensional code including device information may be transmitted to the information center.
2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display signal generating means receives (1) from the information center when the information transmitted to the information center indicates that the two-dimensional code can be decoded in the device. Generate a display signal to display the two-dimensional code, and (2) if the information transmitted to the information center indicates that the device cannot decode the two-dimensional code, the two-dimensional code received from the information center It is also possible to generate a display signal to be displayed after decoding.
The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display signal generation means determines at the information center based on information transmitted to the information center that (1) the device can decode the two-dimensional code. In this case, a display signal for displaying the two-dimensional code received from the information center is generated. (2) The fact that the two-dimensional code cannot be decoded by the device is based on the information transmitted to the information center. If the determination is made in (2), it is possible to generate a display signal to be displayed after decoding the two-dimensional code received from the information center.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic camera that captures an image reproduced and displayed on the display means by a display signal generated by the communication terminal according to the fourth or fifth aspect, and obtains a two-dimensional code included in the captured image. Decoding is performed, and predetermined processing is performed based on the decrypted information.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing electronic device information, wherein information specifying a device is transmitted to an information center, and information regarding the device specified by the information is received from the information center as an image signal including a two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code included in the image signal received from the information center is decoded, and a display signal for causing the display means to display the decoded information is generated.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing electronic device information, which is specified by information obtained by transmitting information for specifying a device to an information center as an image signal including a two-dimensional code and decoding the two-dimensional code. It receives information from the information center from the information center and generates a display signal for causing the display means to display the information received from the information center.

In the first and second aspects of the invention, the communication terminal receives information about the device transmitted from the communication terminal to the information center from the information center, and transmits or receives information as an image signal including a two-dimensional code. The communication terminal was configured as follows. As a result, transmission information between the information center and the communication terminal is limited to information related to a specific device, so that the amount of information can be reduced as compared with a case where information related to all devices is transmitted.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, a display image based on a display signal generated by the communication terminal is photographed, a two-dimensional code included in the photographed image is decoded, and predetermined processing is performed based on the decoded information. Since the electronic camera is configured as described above, it is possible to cause the electronic camera to perform predetermined processing only by performing a display image capturing operation.
According to the seventh and eighth aspects of the present invention, the information on the electronic device is received so that information on the device transmitted to the information center is received from the information center and information is transmitted or received as an image signal including a two-dimensional code. Configured to provide. As a result, the information received from the information center is limited to information related to a specific device, so that the amount of information can be reduced compared to the case where information related to all devices is received.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a system for providing information on an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the information providing system includes an information center 40 and a communication terminal 35, and provides information for the electronic device 11. In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, the information center 40 is configured by a server, the communication terminal 35 is configured by a mobile phone, and the electronic device 11 is configured by an electronic camera. The electronic device 11 is configured so that the accessory 50 can be attached thereto. The communication terminal 35 is provided on the user side of the electronic device 11, and the user of the electronic device 11 receives information on the accessory 50 from the information providing system.

  The information center 40 includes a product information database 42 and a code generation unit 43. The information center 40 is connected to a communication line (not shown), and is configured to be able to communicate with the communication terminal 35 via the communication line.

  The communication terminal 35 includes a control unit 36, a liquid crystal monitor 37, and an operation member 38. The communication terminal 35 accesses a mobile phone base station (not shown) from a communication circuit (not shown) in the control unit 36 in response to a call operation signal generated from the operation member 38 by a user's dial operation. Wireless communication is performed with the mobile phone base station. When the communication terminal 35 starts communication with the mobile phone base station, the information center 40 transmits and receives signals and data to and from the communication terminal 35 through the communication line and the mobile phone line. Thereby, the signal (information provision request) and data (authentication information, etc.) transmitted from the communication terminal 35 are transmitted to the information center 40.

  Data received by the information center 40 from the communication terminal 35 includes information necessary for providing information to the electronic device 11. Necessary information includes, for example, information for identifying the electronic device 11 (the model number (or name) and manufacturing number of the electronic device 11 and the accessory 50), and a contract number acquired in advance from a service provider through a contract for receiving an information providing service. And passwords.

  The server of the information center 40 reads necessary data (in this case, data related to the accessory 50) related to the electronic device 11 from the product information database 42 in accordance with the signal and data received from the communication terminal 35, and the read data is code generation unit Send to 43. The code generation unit 43 encodes the data read from the product information database 42 into a two-dimensional code. The information center 40 transmits image data including the encoded two-dimensional code to the communication terminal 35 through a communication line (information provision).

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a two-dimensional code 20 called a QR code (registered trademark). As is well known, in the QR code (registered trademark), the smallest unit (cell) constituting the code is represented by a white or black square, and information is recorded by a combination of the plurality of cells.

  In the QR code (registered trademark), position detection patterns 21 to 23 called cut-out symbols are provided at three corners out of four corners of a square. By performing a predetermined calculation using the positional relationship between these three cutout symbols 21 to 23, the information can be read (decoded) regardless of the direction of the QR code (registered trademark). Yes.

  The communication terminal 35 displays a reproduced image based on the image data received from the information center 40 on the liquid crystal monitor 37. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a scene where the electronic device 11 captures the two-dimensional code 20 displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 37. A user of the electronic device 11 photographs the communication terminal 35 with the electronic device 11 so as to include the liquid crystal monitor 37.

  In FIG. 1, an electronic device 11 (electronic camera in the present embodiment) includes an imaging unit (circuit) 111, a control unit (circuit) 112, a flash device 113, a storage circuit 114, a liquid crystal monitor 115, and an operation member 116. Including. The control unit (circuit) 112 is configured by a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 112 sends a control signal for controlling the camera operation to each unit of the electronic device 11 by performing a predetermined calculation based on a control program stored in the storage circuit 114. The control unit 112 is further configured to communicate with the accessory 50 when an accessory 50 (for example, an external flash device) having a communication function is attached to the electronic device 11.

  The control program of the electronic device 11 is configured to be able to set whether or not to operate a plurality of functions provided in the electronic device 11 for each function. The control unit 112 determines whether or not each function can be operated (valid / invalid) according to a setting operation by the operation member 116 or information obtained by decoding the two-dimensional code 20.

  The imaging unit (circuit) 111 includes an image sensor configured by a CCD, a CMOS imaging device, or the like, and captures an image of a subject light beam that has passed through a photographing lens (not shown) by the image sensor. The imaging unit 111 further A / D converts the imaging signal (pixel signal) output from the image sensor from an analog signal to a digital signal, and temporarily converts the converted image data into a buffer memory (not shown) in the imaging unit 111. Store. The image data stored in the buffer memory is subjected to predetermined image processing such as luminance signal generation processing, color signal generation processing, and WB (white balance) processing by the control unit 112.

  The liquid crystal monitor 115 displays a reproduced image. The control unit 112 generates an image display signal corresponding to the display resolution of the liquid crystal monitor 115 using the image data stored in the buffer memory, and causes the liquid crystal monitor 115 to display a reproduced image based on the generated display signal.

  The flash device 113 illuminates the subject by emitting flash light according to a light emission instruction transmitted from the control unit 112. Note that when an external flash device is attached to the electronic apparatus 11 as the accessory 50, no light emission instruction is given to the flash device 113.

  The operation member 116 is constituted by a plurality of operation members including a release button. The operation member 116 generates an operation signal corresponding to a setting operation such as a release instruction and sends the operation signal to the control unit 112.

  When the electronic device 11 described above (in this embodiment, an electronic camera) captures the two-dimensional code 20 in response to the release instruction, the electronic device 11 performs the following processing based on the two-dimensional code included in the captured image. The control unit 112 of the electronic device 11 that has started the photographing process of the accessory 50 to which the two-dimensional code 20 is attached determines whether or not the two-dimensional code 20 is included in the image data stored in the buffer memory. When the control unit 101 detects data constituting the two-dimensional code 20 in the image data, the control unit 101 extracts the data of the two-dimensional code 20 and performs a decoding process.

  The control unit 112 associates the information obtained by the decryption process and the information transmitted from the information center 40 described later with the accessory information (the model number (or name) and manufacturing number of the accessory 50) transmitted to the information center 40. The update information and date / time information are stored in the storage circuit 114. As a result, when information regarding the accessory 50 attached to the electronic device 11 is not stored in the storage circuit 114, new information can be acquired and additionally stored in the storage circuit 114. By storing update information and date / time information, an update history can be left.

  The information regarding the accessory 50 is the specification of the accessory 50 and the function control information of the electronic device 11. The specification includes a guide number value of the flash device when the accessory 50 is an external flash device. In addition, the model number (or name) of the electronic device that is not suitable for use in combination with the accessory 50, information on functions that are restricted when the accessory 50 is used in combination, and the firmware required when the accessory 50 is used in combination The software name (version) and specification update history are also included.

  The function control information is function setting information that requires setting of whether the electronic device 11 can operate (valid / invalid) when the accessory 50 is attached. For example, the warning function when the shutter speed is set beyond the range of the synchronization speed is enabled, or when the external flash device is attached, the light emission instruction function for the built-in flash device 113 is disabled, and the external flash Enable the flash instruction function for the flash device.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the information providing service by the information providing system. The left side of FIG. 4 shows the flow of processing executed by the server of the information center 40, and the right side of FIG. 4 shows the flow of processing executed by the control unit 36 of the communication terminal 35.

  In step S101, which is processing on the information center 40 side, the information center 40 determines whether or not to receive authentication information such as an information provision request and a password. When the information center 40 correctly receives the data including the information provision request signal and the authentication information, the information center 40 makes an affirmative decision in step S101 and proceeds to step S102, and the information provision request signal is not received or the correct authentication information data is not received. In this case, a negative determination is made in step S101, and the determination process is repeated.

  In step S102, if the received data is encoded, the information center 40 performs a decoding process and proceeds to step S103. For example, when the data is received as image data, the data constituting the two-dimensional code 20 is detected from the image data, and the detected two-dimensional code 20 is decoded. If the received data is not encoded, decoding is skipped because decoding is not necessary.

  In step S103, the information center 40 accesses the product information database 42 based on the received data to search for information regarding the electronic device 11 and the accessory 50, and proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the information center 40 reads necessary data from the product information database 42 and proceeds to step S105.

  In step S105, the information center 40 encodes the data read from the product information database 42 and proceeds to step S106. If the data received in step S101 includes data indicating that encoding is not necessary, the encoding process is skipped. Data indicating that encoding is not required is transmitted from the communication terminal 35 when neither the communication terminal 35 nor the electronic device 11 has a decoding function. Further, whether or not the electronic device 11 has a decryption function can be determined based on information stored in the product information database 42 by the information center 40 accessing the product information database 42 based on the received data. Good.

  In step S106, the information center 40 transmits the provision information and returns to step S101.

  In step S201, which is processing on the communication terminal 35 side, the communication terminal 35 determines whether information about the accessory 50 has been input. The communication terminal 35 makes an affirmative decision in step S201 and proceeds to step S202 when data indicating the name, model name, and manufacturing number of the electronic device 11 and its accessory 50 that are required to provide information is input to the communication terminal 35. move on. On the other hand, if the data is not input, a negative determination is made in step S201, and the determination process is repeated.

  When the communication terminal 35 is configured by a camera-equipped mobile phone, data input regarding the accessory 50 is performed by photographing the electronic device 11 and the accessory 50 with a camera provided in the communication terminal 35. The camera-equipped mobile phone is affixed to the two-dimensional code (including data indicating device identification information such as the name, model name, and serial number of the accessory 50) attached to the accessory 50 and the electronic device 11. When a dimension code (including data indicating device identification information such as the name and serial number of the electronic device 11) is captured, the captured image is handled as input data.

  When the communication terminal 35 is configured by a mobile phone that does not have a camera function, data (text data) indicating the names and serial numbers of the accessory 50 and the electronic device 11 is input to the mobile phone manually by the user. Is done.

  In step S202, the communication terminal 35 determines whether a transmission operation has been performed. If a call operation signal is generated from the operation member 116, the communication terminal 35 makes an affirmative decision in step S202 and proceeds to step S203. If no call operation signal is generated, the communication terminal 35 makes a negative decision in step S202 and proceeds to step S201. Return to.

  In step S203, the communication terminal 35 transmits an information provision request and authentication information, and proceeds to step S204. If the information of the accessory 50 and the electronic device 11 is input to the communication terminal 35 as an image including a two-dimensional code in step S201, the communication terminal 35 transmits the image as the image including the two-dimensional code. 11 information is manually input to the communication terminal 35, it is transmitted as text data. Further, when neither the communication terminal 35 itself nor the electronic device 11 has the function of decoding the two-dimensional code 20, the communication terminal 35 includes data indicating that the decoding function is not provided in the transmission data.

  In step S204, the communication terminal 35 determines whether or not the provided information is received. If the provided information is received, the communication terminal 35 makes an affirmative decision in step S204 and proceeds to step S205. If no information is received, the communication terminal 35 makes a negative decision in step S204 and repeats the determination process.

  In step S205, if the reception data is encoded, the communication terminal 35 performs a decoding process and proceeds to step S206. When the data is received as image data, the data constituting the two-dimensional code 20 is detected from the image data, and the detected two-dimensional code 20 is decoded. If the received data is not encoded, decoding is skipped because decoding is not necessary.

  In step S206, the communication terminal 35 reproduces and displays the received provided information on the liquid crystal monitor 37, and proceeds to step S207. As a result, the user can obtain the provision information regarding the accessory 50 from the display content of the liquid crystal monitor 37.

  In step S207, the communication terminal 35 determines whether an end operation has been performed. The communication terminal 35 makes an affirmative decision in step S207 when an end operation signal is generated from the operation member 116 and terminates the process of FIG. 4, and makes a negative decision in step S207 if the process continues. Return to.

  In the above description, when the communication terminal 35 is configured with a camera-equipped mobile phone, the two-dimensional code 20 affixed to the accessory 50 or the electronic device 11 is photographed with the camera attached to the camera-equipped mobile phone. However, the two-dimensional code 20 printed on the instruction manual of the accessory 50 (or a piece of paper such as a catalog) or the instruction manual of the electronic device 11 (or the piece of paper such as a catalog) may be photographed.

  Further, when the communication terminal 35 is configured by a camera-equipped mobile phone, the model number (or name) of the accessory 50 or the electronic device 11 and the manufacturing number itself may be taken by a camera attached to the camera-equipped mobile phone. In this case, the communication terminal 35 may extract a character (symbol) portion from the photographed image, apply a known CR (character recognition) process to the extracted data, and handle the extracted data as text data. In that case, the communication terminal 35 transmits an information provision request and authentication information as text data in step S203.

  If the electronic device 11 has a decoding function and the reception data of the communication terminal 35 is encoded, the provided information that has been encoded after skipping the decoding process in step S205 is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. 37 may be reproduced and displayed (step S206). In this case, the electronic device 11 captures the display content on the liquid crystal monitor 37 and performs a decoding process on the captured image data. The electronic device 11 stores the information obtained by the decryption process in the storage circuit 114 in association with the accessory information. Accordingly, the electronic device 11 can newly acquire and store the information related to the accessory 50 released after the electronic device 11 in the storage circuit 114 in the electronic device 11. Information about whether or not the electronic device 11 has a decryption function is included in the two-dimensional code 20 attached to the electronic device 11 or printed on an instruction manual or the like. As described above, the information center 40 may determine whether or not the electronic device 11 has a decryption function based on information stored in the product information database 42 of the information center 40. That is, information about whether or not the electronic device 11 has a function of decoding the two-dimensional code 20 is transmitted from the information center 40 to the communication terminal 35 together with the image signal indicating the two-dimensional code 20. The communication terminal 35 generates a display signal for displaying the two-dimensional code 20 when the electronic device 11 determines that the electronic device 11 has the decoding function of the two-dimensional code 20, and the electronic device 11 decodes the two-dimensional code 20. If it is determined that the two-dimensional code 20 is not included, a display signal to be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 37 is generated after the two-dimensional code 20 is decoded.

  Similarly to the above, the information center 40 uses the information stored in the product information database 42 based on the information specifying the electronic device 11 transmitted from the communication terminal 35 so that the electronic device 11 obtains the two-dimensional code 20. It may be configured to determine whether or not decoding is possible, and to change the form of information transmitted to the communication terminal 35 in accordance with the determination result. That is, if the information center 40 determines that the electronic device 11 can decode the two-dimensional code 20, the information center 40 transmits information from the information center 40 to the communication terminal 35 as an image signal including the two-dimensional code, and the electronic device 11 If it is determined that the two-dimensional code 20 cannot be decoded, the information is transmitted from the information center 40 to the communication terminal 35 in a form that the electronic device 11 can decode. In this case, the communication terminal 35 communicates with the electronic device 11 as necessary, and transmits the information transmitted from the information center 40 to the electronic device 11.

  Furthermore, when the electronic device 11 has a decoding function and the reception data of the communication terminal 35 is decoded, the communication terminal 35 encodes the reception data (provided information) and then the liquid crystal monitor 37. It may be reproduced and displayed (step S206). Also in this case, the electronic device 11 captures the display content on the liquid crystal monitor 37 and performs a decoding process on the captured image data. The information obtained by the decryption process is stored in the storage circuit 114 in association with the accessory information in the same manner as described above.

According to the first embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) Information (including specifications and function control information) on the accessory 50 of the electronic device 11 (electronic camera in the above example) is stored on the server side of the information center 40, and communication on the user side of the electronic device 11 is performed through a communication line. Since the information is provided to the terminal 35 (in the above example, the camera-equipped mobile phone), information about the electronic device can be provided online.

(2) Information related to the accessory 50 is stored in the product information database 42 on the information center 40 side, and only necessary information corresponding to the accessory information transmitted from the communication terminal 35 is read from the product information database 42 to communicate with the communication terminal 35. Therefore, the amount of information transmitted / received can be reduced. In addition, since the product information database 42 is provided on the information center 40 side, it is not necessary to secure a large database in the electronic device 11. Furthermore, when the accessory 50 is put on the market after the electronic device 11, if information related to the accessory 50 is additionally registered in the product information database 42, information is individually provided to the electronic device 11 that needs information. Can be provided.

(3) When the provided information received through the communication line is reproduced and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 37 of the communication terminal 35 and the displayed content is photographed by the camera (imaging unit 111) provided in the electronic device 11, the provided information is displayed in the electronic device. 11 is stored in the storage circuit 114, so that new information can be easily obtained and saved.

  In the above-described first embodiment, the example in which the communication terminal 35 is configured by a camera-equipped mobile phone has been described. However, as long as the liquid crystal monitor 37 that reproduces and displays the received provided information is provided, the camera may not necessarily be provided. Good. When the communication terminal 35 is constituted by a mobile phone not having a camera function, as described above, the data indicating the name and serial number of the accessory 50 and the electronic device 11 are manually input to the mobile phone by the user. In addition, the mobile phone is taken from a recording medium in which the two-dimensional code 20 (which may be printed on a printed matter) attached to the accessory 50 and the electronic device 11 by another electronic camera is photographed and the photographed image data is recorded. It may be configured to input (transfer) image data.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a system for providing information on an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the information providing system includes an information center 40 and a communication terminal 51, and provides information to the electronic device 11 via a network line. In the system illustrated in FIG. 5, the information center 40 is configured by a server, the communication terminal 51 is configured by a wireless LAN device, and the electronic device 11 is configured by an electronic camera. The electronic device 11 is connected to the wireless LAN device 51 and performs communication between the control unit 112 of the electronic device 11 and the control unit 52 of the wireless LAN device 51. The electronic device 11 receives information related to the accessory 50 from the information providing system.

  The information center 40 includes a product information database 42 and a code generation unit 43. The information center 40 is connected to a communication line (not shown), and is configured to be able to communicate with the communication terminal 51 via the communication line.

  The communication terminal 51 includes a control unit 52, an operation member 53, and a liquid crystal monitor 54. The communication terminal 51 accesses a wireless LAN access point (not shown) from a communication circuit (not shown) in the control unit 52 in response to a command transmitted from the electronic device 11, and wirelessly communicates with the access point. Communicate. When the communication terminal 51 starts communication with the access point, the information center 40 transmits and receives signals and data to and from the communication terminal 51 through the network line. Thereby, the signal (information provision request) and data (authentication information, etc.) transmitted from the communication terminal 51 are transmitted to the information center 40.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the information providing service by the information providing system. The left side of FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing executed by the server of the information center 40, and the right side of FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing executed by the control unit 112 of the electronic device 11.

  The processing in steps S101 to S106, which is processing on the information center 40 side, is the same as the processing of the same step number in FIG.

  In step S301, which is processing on the electronic device 11 side, the electronic device 11 determines whether information about the accessory 50 has been input. When the electronic device 11 receives data indicating the name and serial number of the accessory 50 for which information provision is required, the electronic device 11 makes an affirmative decision in step S301 and proceeds to step S302. On the other hand, if the data is not input, a negative determination is made in step S301, and the determination process is repeated.

  When the electronic device 11 has an electronic camera function, data input regarding the accessory 50 is performed by photographing the accessory 50 with the electronic camera. When the electronic device 11 captures a two-dimensional code (including data indicating the name and serial number of the accessory 50) attached to the accessory 50, the electronic device 11 handles the captured image as input data.

  In step S302, the electronic device 11 determines whether a transmission operation has been performed. The electronic device 11 makes a positive determination in step S302 when a transmission operation signal is generated from the operation member 53 of the communication terminal 51 and proceeds to step S303. If no transmission operation signal is generated, the electronic device 11 makes a negative determination in step S302. Return to step S301.

  In step S303, the electronic device 11 sends a command to the communication terminal 51 to transmit the information provision request and the authentication information to the information center 40, and the process proceeds to step S304. The electronic device 11 instructs the communication terminal 51 to transmit data indicating the name and serial number of the electronic device 11 together with the image data that is the input data.

  In step S304, the electronic device 11 determines whether or not the provided information is received. When the provided information is received by the communication terminal 51, the electronic device 11 makes a positive determination in step S304 and proceeds to step S305. If the information is not received, the electronic device 11 makes a negative determination in step S304 and repeats the determination process. .

  In step S305, when the received data is encoded, the electronic device 11 performs a decoding process and proceeds to step S306. When the data is received as image data, the data constituting the two-dimensional code 20 is detected from the image data, and the detected two-dimensional code 20 is decoded. If the received data is not encoded, an unnecessary decoding process is skipped.

  In step S306, the electronic device 11 stores the received provision information in the storage circuit 114 in the electronic device 11, and proceeds to step S307. Specifically, the provided information is stored in the storage circuit 114 together with the update information and date / time information in association with the accessory information transmitted to the information center 40 in step S303.

  In step S307, the electronic device 11 determines whether an end operation has been performed. When the end operation signal is generated from the operation member 116, the electronic device 11 makes an affirmative decision in step S307 to end the process of FIG. 6, and if the process is continued, the negative decision is made in step S307 and step S301. Return to.

According to the second embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) A communication terminal that stores information (including specifications and function control information) on the accessory 50 of the electronic device 11 (electronic camera in the above example) on the server side of the information center 40 and is connected to the electronic device 11 through a network line Since the information is provided to 51 (wireless LAN device in the above example), information about the electronic device can be provided online.

(2) As in the first embodiment, information related to the accessory 50 is stored in the product information database 42 on the information center 40 side, and only necessary information is read and transmitted to the communication terminal 51. In addition, it is not necessary to secure a large database in the electronic device 11.

(3) Since the provision information received through the network line is stored in the storage circuit 114 in the electronic device 11, unlike the first embodiment, the electronic device 11 has to import the provision information into the electronic device 11. It is not necessary to photograph the provided information with the provided camera.

  In step S301, accessory information is input (photographed by the electronic device 11), but the image data once photographed is stored in the storage circuit 114 of the electronic device 11 or the memory (not shown) in the control unit 52 of the communication terminal 51. If it is memorized, it is possible to save the trouble of newly photographing. In this case, a stored image (including accessory information) may be read from the storage circuit 114 or the memory instead of inputting accessory information (photographing with the electronic device 11).

  When the information provision request and the authentication information are transmitted to the information center 40 in step S303, data indicating the name and serial number of the electronic device 11 itself is embedded in the image data that is the input data by using a digital watermark technique. The image data after the watermark processing may be transmitted from the communication terminal 51.

  Further, when transmitting the information provision request and the authentication information to the information center 40 in step S303, the information provision request and the authentication information are integrated with the data indicating the name and serial number of the electronic device 11 itself, and the integrated data is obtained. You may make it transmit with the communication terminal 51, after carrying out an encoding process.

  The correspondence between each component in the claims and each component in the best mode for carrying out the invention will be described. The communication means, the communication control means, and the display signal generation means are configured by, for example, the control unit 36 (52). The device information corresponds to, for example, information necessary for providing information to the electronic device 11. The information on the device corresponds to, for example, the specification of the accessory 50 and the function control information of the electronic device 11. The display means is constituted by a liquid crystal monitor 37, for example. The imaging means is constituted by, for example, a communication terminal 35 (a camera attached to a camera-equipped mobile phone). In addition, the above description is an example to the last, and when interpreting invention, it is not limited to the correspondence of the component of said embodiment and the component of this invention at all.

It is a figure explaining the system which provides the information of the electronic device by 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which illustrates a two-dimensional code. It is a figure explaining the scene which image | photographs the two-dimensional code currently displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of an information provision service. It is a figure explaining the system which provides the information of the electronic device by 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of an information provision service.

Explanation of symbols

11. Electronic equipment (electronic camera)
20 ... Two-dimensional code 35 ... Communication terminal (mobile phone)
36 ... Control unit 37 ... LCD monitor 40 ... Information center (server)
42 ... Product information database 43 ... Code generator 50 ... Accessories (external flash device)
51. Communication terminal (wireless LAN device)
52 ... Control unit 111 ... Imaging unit 112 ... Control unit 114 ... Memory circuit 115 ... Liquid crystal monitor 116 ... Operation member

Claims (8)

A communication means for communicating with the information center;
Communication control means for transmitting information about the device to the information center and controlling the communication means so as to receive information about the device from the information center as an image signal including a two-dimensional code;
A communication terminal comprising: a display signal generating unit that generates a display signal for causing the display unit to display information received from the information center. A communication means for communicating with the information center;
A communication control means for transmitting information about the device as an image signal including a two-dimensional code to the information center and controlling the communication means so as to receive information on the device from the information center;
A communication terminal comprising: a display signal generating unit that generates a display signal for causing the display unit to display information received from the information center. The communication terminal according to claim 2,
The information to be transmitted to the information center is an image signal in which a two-dimensional code including information on the device is captured by an imaging unit. The communication terminal according to claim 1,
The display signal generating means (1) displays the two-dimensional code received from the information center when the information transmitted to the information center indicates that the device can decode the two-dimensional code. Generating a display signal; (2) if the information transmitted to the information center indicates that the device cannot decode the two-dimensional code, decodes the two-dimensional code received from the information center; A communication terminal that generates a display signal to be displayed. The communication terminal according to claim 1,
When the information center determines that the display signal generating means (1) can decode the two-dimensional code in the device based on information transmitted to the information center, Generating a display signal for displaying the received two-dimensional code, and (2) determining at the information center that the two-dimensional code cannot be decoded by the device based on information transmitted to the information center. If so, the communication terminal generates a display signal to be displayed after decoding the two-dimensional code received from the information center.   An image reproduced and displayed on the display means is captured by the display signal generated by the communication terminal according to claim 4 or 5, the two-dimensional code included in the captured image is decoded, and predetermined based on the information after decoding An electronic camera characterized by performing the above process. Send information that identifies the device to the information center,
Receiving information about the device specified by the information from the information center as an image signal including a two-dimensional code;
Decoding a two-dimensional code included in the image signal received from the information center;
A method for providing electronic device information, comprising: generating a display signal for causing the display means to display the decrypted information. Sends information identifying the device to the information center as an image signal containing a two-dimensional code,
Receiving information on the device specified by the information obtained by decoding the two-dimensional code from the information center;
A method for providing electronic device information, comprising: generating a display signal for displaying information received from the information center on a display unit.

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