JP2011242867A - Image providing method and image providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user with an image taken by a person other than the user.SOLUTION: An image taking device 40 generates image data by periodically taking images with an image taking part 41. An ID assigning part 42 assigns an image ID to image data. A wireless signal transmission part 44 wirelessly transmits the image ID to the proximity of the image taking device 40. A signal transmission/reception part 45 associates the image ID with the image data and registers them on a server 30. For an image ID that is received by a terminal device 10 and that requires image data, a client 20 makes a request for the image data based on the image ID to the server 30 so that the image data is provided to the client 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image providing method and an image providing system.

  In recent years, utilization of image data has been advanced. For the creation of image data, in addition to shooting using a digital camera, shooting using a camera mounted on a mobile phone terminal, a music playback device, or the like is widely used. In addition, the utilization method of image data is diversified. As an example, a usage method is known in which a user performs daily shooting and creates an action record including image data as a life log.

  As the use of image data progresses in this way, it is required to make available not only images captured by a user's hand-held recording device, but also the recording device of another person and recording data by that device. In particular, when image data is used for a life log, it is desired to provide various images for a range in which the user has acted.

  As a method of using image data other than that a user takes a picture with a recording device on hand, a method of using a commemorative photo service at a theme park or a surveillance camera is known.

http://guide.usj.co.jp/en/shop/j_spm_photo_op.do(2010/04/26) http://www.ncam.net/index.html (2010/04/05)

  However, in the above-described conventional service, there is no means for freely obtaining an image captured by a device other than the user's hand-held recording device, and electronic data cannot be obtained and used freely. .

  For example, in the commemorative photo service, it is required to decide whether to purchase a photo at the place where the photo was taken, and image data cannot be obtained later. In addition, the surveillance camera does not capture an image that is supposed to be provided to the user for that purpose, and does not provide image data.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image providing method and an image providing system for providing an image taken by a user other than the user to the user.

  An image providing method and an image providing system disclosed in the present application provide identification information to an image captured by a photographing device, wirelessly transmit the identification information around the photographing device, and associate the identification information with the image. Store it on the server. When receiving a request for an image specifying identification information, the server provides an image corresponding to the identification information.

  According to the image providing method and the image providing system disclosed in the present application, it is possible to obtain an image providing method and an image providing system that provide an image taken by a user other than the user to the user.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image providing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the image providing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing operations of the photographing apparatus and the terminal apparatus. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the client. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram regarding movement of the terminal device 10 and acquisition of an image ID. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of an action map. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of an image map.

  Embodiments of an image providing method and an image providing system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image providing system according to the present embodiment. The image providing system illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a terminal device 10, a client 20, a server 30, and a photographing device 40. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the image providing system according to the present embodiment, and shows the operation of the system having the photographing device 50 in addition to the terminal device 10, the client 20, the server 30, and the photographing device 40.

  The photographing device 40 is a photographing device installed in a street, an amusement park, a theme park, an exhibition hall, or the like, and periodically photographs the surroundings. Further, the imaging device 40 assigns identification information, that is, an image ID to image data obtained by imaging, stores the image ID and the image data in association with each other in the server 30, and stores the image ID in the vicinity of the imaging device 40. Broadcast to.

  Similarly, the image capturing device 50 is installed in a street or a theme park, periodically captures the periphery, assigns an image ID to the image data, and stores the image ID and the image data in association with each other in the server 30. The image ID is broadcast to the periphery of the photographing apparatus 50.

  The terminal device 10 is a device carried by the user, for example, a user-owned device such as a mobile phone or a device lent from a theme park. The terminal device 10 has a function of receiving an image ID broadcast by the imaging device 40 or the imaging device 50.

  The client 20 has a function of specifying the image ID received by the terminal device 10 and acquiring corresponding image data from the server 30. The client 20 may be, for example, a computer owned by a user or may be integrated with the terminal device 10.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the imaging device 40 includes an imaging unit 41, an ID assigning unit 42, a data storage unit 43, a wireless signal transmission unit 44, and a signal transmission / reception unit 45. The photographing unit 41 obtains image data by photographing the periphery of the photographing device 40 at regular time intervals. The imaging unit 41 does not aim at a specific person, but captures the entire direction in which the imaging unit 41 is facing. The ID assigning unit 42 assigns an image ID, which is identification information, to image data obtained by photographing by the photographing unit 41. This image ID includes the position information of the photographing device 40 and the information of the photographing time.

  The data storage unit 43 stores the image data and the image ID in association with each other. The wireless signal transmission unit 44 notifies the user by wirelessly transmitting the image ID among the image ID and the image data held by the data storage unit 43. The notification of the image ID is performed every time shooting is performed. The range of notification is about 10 m as an example. Therefore, the terminal device 10 can receive the image ID if the terminal device 10 is within the notification range at the time when the imaging device 40 performs the notification. In other words, the terminal device 10 receives an image ID corresponding to an image photographed around the own device.

  The signal transmission / reception unit 45 periodically transmits a combination of the image ID and the image data stored in the data storage unit 43 to the server 30 and uploads it.

  Since the configuration and operation of the imaging device 50 are the same as those of the imaging device 40, illustration and description thereof are omitted.

  The terminal device 10 includes a radio signal reception unit 11, a data storage unit 12, and a signal transmission / reception unit 13. The wireless signal receiving unit 11 receives the image ID from the imaging device 40 and stores it in the data storage unit 12. The signal transmission / reception unit 13 transmits the image ID stored in the data storage unit 12 to the client 20. Since the terminal device 10 is carried by the user and moves, the terminal device 10 can accumulate image IDs received from a plurality of photographing devices and transmit the accumulated image IDs to the client 20.

  The client 20 includes a signal transmission / reception unit 21, a control unit 22, a display unit 23, and a data storage unit 24. The signal transmission / reception unit 21 is a communication unit that communicates with the terminal device 10 and the server 30. The signal transmission / reception unit 21 receives the image ID from the terminal device 10. The signal transmission / reception unit 21 requests image data by transmitting the image ID to the server 30 and receives the image data from the server 30.

  The control unit 22 is a processing unit that controls the entire client 20. Specifically, the control unit 22 stores the image ID received from the terminal device 10 in the data storage unit 24. Further, the control unit 22 creates an action map in which the image ID is plotted on predetermined map data, and stores it in the data storage unit 24. The control unit 22 displays the behavior map on the display unit 23 and sends the image ID instructed to acquire an image by the user to the server 30. When the image data is acquired from the server 30, the control unit 22 creates an image map that displays the image data superimposed on the behavior map, and displays the image map on the display unit 23.

  The server 30 includes a signal transmission / reception unit 31, a control unit 32, and a data storage unit 33. The signal transmission / reception unit 31 receives a combination of an image ID and image data from the imaging device 40. The signal transmission / reception unit 31 receives a request for image data specifying an image ID from the client 20, and transmits corresponding image data to the client 20.

  The control unit 32 is a processing unit that controls the server 30 as a whole. Specifically, the control unit 32 receives a combination of an image ID and image data from various imaging devices such as the imaging devices 40 and 50 and stores the combination in the data storage unit 33. Further, when there is a request for image data specifying an image ID from the client 20, the control unit 32 reads out image data corresponding to the image ID from the data storage unit 33 and transmits it to the client 20.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing operations of the photographing apparatus and the terminal apparatus. The imaging device 40 images the periphery (S101), assigns an image ID to the obtained image data (S102), and wirelessly transmits the image ID to the periphery (S103). In addition, the imaging device 40 transmits the combination of the image data and the image ID to the server 30 (S104), and ends the process. The imaging device 40 executes this processing operation every predetermined time. Here, the case where the image capturing apparatus 40 transmits a combination of image data and an image ID to the server 30 every time of image capturing is illustrated, but the image data for a plurality of times is transmitted to the server 30 after performing a plurality of image capturing. And the image ID may be transmitted.

  The terminal device 10 determines whether or not an image ID has been received (S201). If the image ID has been received (S201, Yes), the image ID is stored in the data storage unit 12 (S202), and processing is performed. Exit. If the image ID has not been received (S210, No), the process ends. The terminal device 10 executes this processing operation every predetermined time.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the client. The client 20 acquires the image ID from the terminal device 10 (S301), stores it in the data storage unit 24, plots the image ID on the base map data, and creates an action map (S302).

  Here, the base map data is stored in advance by the client 20 or acquired in advance. The base map data for plotting the image ID acquired from the photographing device installed in the amusement park or theme park may be acquired from the amusement park or theme park. Moreover, arbitrary map data can be used for the base map data which plots image ID acquired from the imaging device installed in the street, for example.

  Since the image ID includes the position information of the photographing apparatus and the information of the photographing time, the client 20 determines the plot position on the base map data based on the position information included in the image ID, and the photographing time. Is displayed on the behavior map as information visible to the user.

  The client 20 displays the created action map on the display unit 23 (S303). When an image acquisition request is received from the user for the image ID indicated in the behavior map (S304, Yes), the client 20 transmits the image ID requested for acquisition to the server (S305) and receives image data from the server. (S306). The client 20 creates an image map by superimposing the received image data on the base map data or the behavior map (S307), and displays the image map on the display unit 23 (S308).

  Then, when there is no image acquisition request from the user for the map displayed on the display unit 23 (S304, No), the client 20 stores the behavior map, the image data, and the image map in the data storage unit 24, The process ends.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram regarding movement of the terminal device 10 and acquisition of an image ID. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, each of the imaging devices 51 to 53 periodically shoots and transmits an image ID to the surroundings of the own device. Area A1 is a range where image capturing device 51 transmits an image ID, area A2 is a range where image capturing device 52 transmits an image ID, and area A3 is a range where image capturing device 53 transmits an image ID. .

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, the terminal device 10 carried by the user moves in the order of a position P1 in the area A1, a position P2 in the area A2, and a position P3 in the area A3. The terminal device 10 is present at the position P1, at the time T1, the position P2 is present at the time T2, and the position P3 is present at the time T3.

  The terminal device 10 receives the image ID corresponding to the image data captured by the imaging device 51 at time T1 at the position P1. Further, the terminal device 10 receives the image ID corresponding to the image data captured by the image capturing device 52 at time T2 at the position P2. Similarly, the terminal device 10 receives the image ID corresponding to the image data captured by the imaging device 53 at time T3 at the position P3.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of an action map. The action map D1 shown in FIG. 6 plots the map data of the theme park based on the image ID. The map data of the theme park indicates the positions of the attractions E1 to E7, and the photographing devices 51 to 57 are arranged in the attractions E1 to E7.

  The client 20 plots the map data of this theme park based on the image ID. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the terminal device 10 receives the image ID from the photographing device 51 at 10:15, receives the image ID from the photographing device 52 at 12:30, and receives the image ID from the photographing device 53 at 14:10. The image ID is received. For this reason, in the behavior map D1, the display which shows that the image which can be obtained exists in the vicinity of attraction E1-E3 and the time when the available image was image | photographed are displayed.

  When the user looks at the behavior map D1 and requests acquisition of image data taken in the vicinity of the attraction E1, that is, taken by the photographing device 51, the client 20 obtains corresponding image data from the server to obtain an image. Create a map.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of an image map. The image map D2 shown in FIG. 7 displays the image data F1 photographed by the photographing device 51 superimposed on the vicinity of the attraction E1.

  As described above, the image capturing apparatus transmits an ID including the image capturing location and the image capturing time and is received by a terminal device carried by a nearby user, so that the user can obtain information on the image captured in the specific area where the user exists. It can be obtained automatically. Then, the user can determine whether or not the image data is necessary using information about the image, and can obtain desired image data from the server at a desired timing. For this reason, it is possible to correlate the shooting location and time with the user's action, provide an image shot by another person's shooting device, and use it as a life log. Even when the user does not obtain image data, information on the shooting location and time can be used as a kind of life log.

  As described above, the image providing method and the image providing system according to the present invention are useful for providing image data, and are particularly suitable for providing images taken by others.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Terminal apparatus 11 Wireless signal receiving part 12, 24, 33, 43 Data storage part 13, 21, 31, 45 Signal transmission / reception part 20 Client 22, 32 Control part 23 Display part 30 Server 40, 50-57 Imaging device 41 Imaging part 42 ID assigning unit 44 Wireless signal transmitting unit

Claims (10)

A step of photographing an image by the photographing device;
An identification information providing unit providing identification information to an image photographed by the photographing device;
A step of wirelessly transmitting the identification information to the periphery of the photographing device;
Storing the identification information and the image in association with each other on a server;
And a step of providing an image corresponding to the identification information when the server receives a request for an image designating the identification information.   The image providing method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal transmission unit broadcasts the identification information.   The image providing method according to claim 1, wherein the server holds a correspondence relationship between images taken by a plurality of photographing devices and identification information. A portable terminal device receiving the identification information transmitted by the wireless signal transmitter;
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a step of designating identification information received by the portable terminal device and a client device requesting an image from the server. Image providing method.   The identification information includes position information of the photographing apparatus, and the client apparatus further includes a step of plotting the identification information on map data based on the position information. The image providing method according to claim 1. A photographing device for photographing images;
An identification information giving unit for giving identification information to an image photographed by the photographing device;
A wireless signal transmitter that wirelessly transmits the identification information to the periphery of the imaging device;
An image providing comprising: a server that holds the identification information and the image in association with each other and provides an image corresponding to the identification information when a request for an image specifying the identification information is received system.   The image providing system according to claim 6, wherein the wireless signal transmission unit broadcasts the identification information.   8. The image providing system according to claim 6, wherein the image providing system includes a plurality of the image capturing devices, and the server holds a correspondence relationship between the images captured by the plurality of image capturing devices and the identification information. A portable terminal device that receives the identification information transmitted by the wireless signal transmitter;
The client device according to claim 6, further comprising: a client device that specifies identification information received by the portable terminal device and requests an image from the server. Image providing system.   The said identification information contains the positional information on the said imaging device, The said client apparatus plots the said identification information on map data based on the said positional information. The image providing system described in 1.

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