JP4764613B2 - Image communication system, image transmission apparatus, image server, image transmission method, and image server control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image communication system, an image transmission apparatus, an image server, an image transmission method, and an image server control method.

In the case of setting a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) connection destination (Patent Document 1), a surveillance camera control management system (Patent Document 2), etc., an ID or password is used for user authentication. There are many.
JP 2001-144767 JP 2002-77882 JP

  However, it is difficult to input an ID or password in an information device such as a digital still camera that does not have a keypad that can be easily input.

  An object of the present invention is to enable authentication relatively easily.

  The present invention relates to an image communication system including an image data transmitting apparatus and an image server that can communicate with each other.

  The image data transmitting device transmits an identification code memory in which an identification code unique to the image data transmitting device is stored in advance, and a unique identification code stored in the identification code memory to the image server. A code transmission means is provided.

  The image server determines whether or not the image data transmission device has authority to transmit image data to the image server based on the identification code transmitted from the code transmission unit of the image data transmission device. And permission data transmission for transmitting data indicating transmission permission to the image data transmitting apparatus in response to the determination by the determining means that the image data transmitting apparatus is authorized to transmit image data to the image server. Means.

  The image data transmitting device further includes image data transmitting means for transmitting image data to the image server in response to receiving permission data transmitted from the permission data transmitting means of the image server. .

  According to the present invention, the image data transmitting apparatus is provided with an identification code memory in which a unique identification code is stored in advance. The identification code stored in the identification code memory is read, and the identification code is transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus to the image server.

  When the identification code transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus is received by the image server, it is determined based on the identification code whether the image data transmitting apparatus has the authority to transmit image data to the image server. If it is determined that the user has authority to transmit, data indicating transmission permission is transmitted from the image server to the image data transmitting apparatus. When the transmission permission data is received by the image data transmission device, the image data is transmitted from the image transmission device to the image server.

  The user of the image data transmitting apparatus can know whether or not the user has the authority to transmit image data without inputting an ID or the like.

  A first image database for controlling the image database so that the image server stores the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting means of the image data transmitting device in correspondence with the identification code of the image data transmitting device. Control means may be further provided. Corresponding to the identification code, the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus can be managed.

  The image data transmitting device may further include inspection code generation means for generating an inspection code including an identification code stored in the identification code memory. In this case, the code transmitting means will transmit the inspection code generated by the inspection code generating means to the image server. Whether the determination means of the image server has authority to transmit image data to the image server based on the inspection code transmitted from the code transmission means of the image data transmission apparatus. It will be a judgment.

  The image data transmitting device generates a check digit based on an identification code stored in the identification code memory, and a check digit generated by the check digit generation unit. A check digit adding means for adding to the identification code stored in the identification code memory may be further provided. In this case, the code transmitting means will transmit the identification code with the check digit added by the check digit adding means to the image server. Further, the determination means of the image server transmits the image data to the image server based on the identification code transmitted from the code transmission means of the image data transmission apparatus and added with a check digit. To determine whether they have permission to send.

  The image data transmitting apparatus stores a model code memory for storing a model code of the image data transmitting apparatus, and a model code stored in the model code memory and an identification code stored in the identification code memory. Confirmation code generation means for generating a confirmation code from the code may be further provided. In this case, the code transmitting means will transmit the confirmation code generated by the confirmation code generating means to the image server. Whether the determination means of the image server has permission to transmit image data to the image server of the image data transmission apparatus based on the confirmation code transmitted from the code transmission means of the image data transmission apparatus. It may be what determines whether. And, the model code restoring means for restoring the model code from the confirmation code transmitted from the code transmitting means of the image data transmitting apparatus, and the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting means of the image data transmitting apparatus, It is preferable to further comprise second image database control means for controlling the image database so as to be classified and stored based on the model code restored by the model code restoration means.

  Since the image data can be managed for each model of the image data transmitting apparatus, it is possible to know what image data is transmitted from which model.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and shows an outline of an image communication system.

  The image communication system includes a digital still camera (image data transmission device) 1, an access point device 20, and an image server 30.

  The digital still camera 1 and the access point device 20 can perform data communication with each other using a wireless local area network (LAN). Both the access point device 20 and the image server 30 are connected to the Internet network, and data communication with each other is possible via this Internet network. Needless to say, the access point device 20 is not necessary if the digital still camera 1 can be directly connected to the Internet.

  The access point device 20 is arranged in various places such as a coffee shop, a department store, an amusement spot as well as at home. A user of the digital still camera 1 brings the digital still camera 1 within a range where communication with the access point device 20 using a wireless LAN is possible, and performs data communication using the wireless LAN. .

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital still camera 1.

  The overall operation of the digital still camera 1 is controlled by the CPU 4.

  The digital still camera 1 includes buttons such as a shutter release button, an OK button, a cancel button, an up / down / left / right button that can be pressed down, up / down / left / right, a mode setting dial, and a determination button. 7 is included. Various signals output from the buttons 7 are input to the CPU 4. The modes that can be set by the mode setting dial include various modes such as an imaging mode, a reproduction mode, and a wireless LAN communication mode.

  When the imaging mode is set by the mode setting dial, the subject is imaged by the CCD 2 and a video signal representing the subject image is input to the signal processing circuit 7. The signal processing circuit 3 performs predetermined signal processing such as white balance adjustment and analog / digital conversion processing, and outputs digital image data representing a subject image. The digital image data is given to the liquid crystal display device 12 via the display control circuit 11. The subject image is displayed on the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 12.

  When the shutter release button is pressed, digital image data obtained by imaging is given to the frame memory 5 and temporarily stored. The digital image data is read from the frame memory 5 and recorded on the memory card 13 by the recording medium control circuit 9. Needless to say, data compression processing of image data is performed as necessary, and the compressed image data is recorded in the memory card 13.

  When the reproduction mode is set, the image data recorded on the memory card 13 is read by the recording control circuit 9. The read digital image data is given to the liquid crystal display device 12 via the display control circuit 11. An image represented by the image data recorded on the memory card 13 is displayed on the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 12. It goes without saying that data decompression processing is performed as necessary.

  When the wireless LAN communication mode is set (assuming that WEPKEY, ESSID, etc. necessary for communication using the wireless LAN have already been set), the wireless LAN is used with the access point device 20 described above. Data communication is possible. In the wireless LAN communication mode, image data stored in the memory card 13 is read, transmitted from the wireless LAN interface 8 to the access point device 20, and transmitted from the access point device 20 to the image server 30.

  In the digital still camera 1 according to this embodiment, when image data is transmitted to the image server 30 (access point device 20), it is generated from a serial number (serial code) unique to the digital still camera 1. The inspection numbers (inspection code, confirmation code) are used. Based on the check digit, it is determined whether or not the digital still camera 1 is authorized to transmit image data to the image server 30. Only the authorized digital still camera 1 can transmit image data to the image server 30. For this purpose, the digital still camera 1 is provided with a serial number storage memory 10 in which serial numbers and model name data are stored, and a check number generation circuit 6 for generating check numbers from the serial numbers. . The serial number storage memory 10 also stores data indicating the model name of the digital still camera 1.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image server 30.

  The overall operation of the image server 30 is controlled by the CPU 32.

  The image server 30 includes a communication interface 36 for connecting to the Internet network and a memory 33 for temporarily storing data.

  The image server 30 also includes a user registration memory 31 for storing user information such as a serial number included in the test number transmitted from the digital still camera 1, and a test number transmitted from the digital still camera 1. A check digit confirmation circuit 34 and a digital still for restoring the serial number and confirming whether it is a valid serial number (whether the image data is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 having authority to transmit image data) An image database 35 that stores image data transmitted from the camera 1 is included.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a user registration / image storage table stored in the user registration memory 31 of the image server 30.

  In the user registration / image storage table, serial number, model name, file name (file name of image data (image file) transmitted from the digital still camera 1) and storage location (transmitted from the digital still camera 1) The storage location of the image data obtained is stored.

  Specifically, as described later, when image data is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 using the image communication system, user registration is required in advance. In the user registration process, the digital still camera 1 transmits to the image server 30 an inspection number that includes the serial number and model name of the digital still camera 1 so that they can be restored. The serial number and model name are restored from the check digits, and if the serial number and model name are valid, they are stored in the user registration / image storage table (user registration).

  When image data is transmitted to the image server 30 after the serial number and model name are stored in the user registration / image storage table, it is confirmed whether the user registration is performed using the serial number and model name. If the user is registered, transmission of image data is permitted. The image data transmitted from the digital still camera 1 is stored in the image database 35 of the image server 30, and the file name and storage location thereof are stored in the user registration / image storage table. Therefore, when only user registration is performed and image data is not stored in the image database 35, the serial number and model name are stored in the user registration / image storage table, but the file name and storage location are stored. It will not be.

  In the user registration / image storage table shown in FIG. 4, it can be said that the file name and image data storage location are classified by model name. Since it is classified according to the model name, it can be understood what image the image data transmitted from the digital still camera 1 of what model represents. It is also possible to know the image characteristics and defects of each model.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the user registration processing.

  As described above, it is assumed that the digital still camera 1 is set to the wireless LAN mode and communication is established between the digital still camera 1 and the image server 30 via the access point device 20. .

  User registration page data is transmitted from the image server 30 to the digital still camera 1 via the access point device 20 (step 51).

  When the user registration page data transmitted from the image server 30 is received by the digital still camera 1, the user registration page is displayed on the display screen of the display device 12 of the digital still camera 1 (step 41). .

  FIG. 6 is an example of a user registration page.

  The user registration page displayed on the display screen 60 of the liquid crystal display device 12 includes a serial number display area 61 where an ID (a serial number is used), an OK area 62 and a cancel area 63 are displayed.

  In the serial number display area 61, serial numbers stored in the serial number storage memory 10 are displayed. When the OK button provided in the digital still camera 1 is pressed, the OK area 62 is lit, and when the cancel button is pressed, the cancel area 63 is lit. However, instead of the OK button and the cancel button, the left arrow of the up / down / left / right button is pressed to light the OK area 62, the right arrow is pressed to light the cancel area 63, and the decision button is pressed. , It may be determined to the content indicated by the illuminated area.

  Returning to FIG. 5, when the cancel button is pressed (step 42), the initial page displayed when accessing the image server 30 is displayed on the display screen 60 without performing the user registration process. When the OK button is pressed (step 42), the serial number and model name data stored in the serial number storage memory 10 are read, and are sent from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 via the access point device 20. It is transmitted (step 43).

  When the serial number and model name data transmitted from the digital still camera 1 are received by the image server 30, the serial number and model name are stored in the user registration / image storage table as described above (step 52). .

  In the above-described embodiment, the serial number and model name are stored in the user registration / image storage table in the user registration process. In addition to the serial number and model name, the user name and user of the digital still camera 1 are stored. May be stored in the user registration / image storage table.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a data storage process in which image data is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 and the transmitted image data is stored (stored) in the image server 30.

  In this data storage process, it is assumed that communication between the digital still camera 1 and the image server 30 is established. It is also assumed that the image data transmitted to the image server 30 has been determined.

  First, login page data is transmitted from the image server 30 to the digital still camera 1 (step 81).

  When the login page data transmitted from the image server 30 is received by the digital still camera 1, a login page is displayed on the display screen 60 of the digital still camera 1 (step 71).

  FIG. 8 is an example of a login page displayed on the display screen 60 of the digital still camera 1.

  The login page includes an ID (serial number) display area 64, an OK area 62, and a cancel area 63. In the ID area 64, a serial number stored in the serial number storage memory 10 of the digital still camera 1 is displayed.

  Returning to FIG. 7, if the cancel button is pressed when the login page is displayed (step 72), the data storage process is not performed on the display screen 60 and the initial page is displayed. When the OK button is pressed (step 72), the serial number and model name data stored in the serial number storage memory 10 are read and given to the check digit generation circuit 6. In the check digit generation circuit 6, an encrypted check digit is generated from the serial number and the model name (step 73). Data representing the generated check digit is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 via the access point device 20 (step 74).

  When the image server 30 receives the data representing the inspection number transmitted from the digital still camera 1, the inspection number confirmation circuit 34 decodes the inspection number and obtains the serial number and the model name (step 82). . It is confirmed whether the obtained serial number and model name are already stored in the user registration / image storage table (whether user registration is performed) (step 83).

  If the obtained serial number and model name are already stored in the user registration / image storage table (YES in step 83), authentication success page data (permission data) is sent from the image server 30 to the digital still camera 1 (Step 84).

  When the authentication success page data transmitted from the image server 30 is received by the digital still camera 1 (YES in step 75), the authentication success page is displayed on the display screen 60 of the digital still camera 1. (Step 76). It can be seen that the user of the digital still camera 1 can transmit the image data to the image server 30 by looking at the authentication success page. Image data is read from the memory card 13, and the read image data is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 (step 77).

  When the image data transmitted from the digital still camera 1 is received by the image server 30, the received image data is stored in the image database 35 (step 85). Further, the user registration / image storage table includes an image file name (file name in which image data is stored) and an image database 35 corresponding to the serial number and model name of the digital still camera 1 that transmitted the image data. The storage location of the image data in is stored.

  If the serial number and model name obtained in the image server 30 are already stored in the user registration / image storage table (NO in step 83), the authentication failure page data is transferred from the image server 30 to the digital still camera 1 (Step 86).

  When the digital still camera 1 receives the authentication failure page data without receiving the authentication success page data (NO in step 75), the display screen 60 of the digital still camera 1 displays the authentication failure page data. Is displayed (step 78). It can be seen that the user of the digital still camera 1 is not authorized to transmit image data to the image server 30 by looking at the authentication failure page. User registration will be performed as necessary.

  If the serial number of the digital still camera 1 is “1003231” and the model name is “F410”, the digital still camera 1 is generated by encryption using these numbers (which may include symbols). The inspection number (inspection code) is “794E325421284”. This inspection number is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30. In the image server 30, the serial number “1003231” and the model name “F410” are decrypted from the inspection number “794E325421284”. The decrypted serial number and model name are stored in the user registration / image storage table.

  In the embodiment described above, a password is not used to transmit image data to the image server 30, but a password may be used.

  FIG. 9 shows another example of the login page.

  The login page shown in FIG. 9 includes a password area 65 and a password change area 66 in addition to the ID display area 64, the OK area 62, and the cancel area 63 included in the login page shown in FIG. .

  When image data is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 using a password, a password is stored in the serial number storage memory 10 of the digital still camera 1 in addition to the serial number and model name data. Stored in advance. When the login page is displayed on the display screen 60, a password stored in advance in addition to the serial number and model name data is read from the serial number storage memory 10. A number of asterisks corresponding to the number of digits of the read password is displayed in the password area 65. When the OK button is pressed, the password is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 together with the serial number and model name. In the image server 30, authentication is performed using a password as well as a serial number and model name. Needless to say, the password is stored in advance in the image server 30.

  You can also change the password. For this purpose, a password change area 66 is also provided on the login page. When changing the password, the left arrow of the up / down / left / right button is pressed. Then, the password change area 66 is lit. When the enter button is pressed, the password change area 66 is lit and the process proceeds to password change processing. When shifting to the password change process, a cursor is newly displayed in the password area 65. The cursor moves in response to pressing down of the left arrow or right arrow of the up / down / left / right buttons. An asterisk on the left side of the moved cursor is lit, and a number or symbol is displayed instead of the lit asterisk when the up / down / left / right button is pressed down. When the enter button is pressed, the displayed number or symbol is used as the password for that digit. When the password change is complete, the enter button is pressed again to confirm the changed password. The changed password is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 together with the password before change, and the password before change stored in the image server 30 is changed. When the password stored in the image server 30 is changed, the image data can be transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the image server 30 using the changed password.

  In the embodiment described above, authentication is performed to determine whether image data can be transmitted to the image server 30 using both the serial number and the model name, but authentication is performed using the serial number without using the model name. You may make it perform. Alternatively, the check digit generation circuit 6 of the digital still camera 1 may add a check digit to the serial number and transmit the serial number with the check digit added to the image server 30. A check digit is added to prevent the serial number from being recognized.

1 shows the overall configuration of an image communication system. 2 shows the electrical configuration of a digital still camera. 2 shows an electrical configuration of an image server. A user registration / image storage table is shown. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a user registration process. It is an example of a user registration page. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a data storage process. It is an example of a login page. It is an example of a login page.

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital still camera 4,32 CPU
6 Inspection digit generation circuit 8 Wireless LAN interface
10 Serial number storage circuit (identification code memory)
30 image server
31 User registration memory
34 Inspection number confirmation circuit
35 Image Database
36 Communication interface

Claims (3)

In an image communication system including an image data transmission device and an image server that can communicate with each other,
The image data transmission device is
An identification code memory in which an identification code unique to the image data transmission device is stored in advance, and a code transmission means for transmitting the unique identification code stored in the identification code memory to the image server,
The image server
Determining means for determining whether the image data transmitting apparatus is authorized to transmit image data to the image server based on the identification code transmitted from the code transmitting means of the image data transmitting apparatus; and When the image data transmission device determines that the image data transmission device has the authority to transmit image data to the image server, the image data transmission device includes permission data transmission means for transmitting data indicating transmission permission to the image data transmission device,
The image data transmission device is
Image data transmitting means for transmitting image data to the image server in response to receiving permission data transmitted from the permission data transmitting means of the image server;
Confirmation that generates a confirmation code from the model code memory that stores the model code of the image data transmission device, and the model code stored in the model code memory and the identification code stored in the identification code memory A code generation means;
The code transmitting means transmits the confirmation code generated by the confirmation code generating means to the image server;
The determination means of the image server is
Based on the confirmation code transmitted from the code transmitting means of the image data transmitting device, the image data transmitting device determines whether or not it has permission to transmit image data to the image server,
A model code restoring means for restoring the model code from the confirmation code transmitted from the code transmitting means of the image data transmitting apparatus; and the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting means of the image data transmitting apparatus, Image database control means for controlling the image database so as to be classified and stored based on the model code restored by the restoration means;
Image communication system. Determining means for determining whether the image data transmitting apparatus has authority to transmit image data to the image server based on an identification code unique to the image data transmitting apparatus transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus; and In response to the determination that the image data transmission device is authorized to transmit image data to the image server by the determination unit, the image data transmission device includes permission data transmission means for transmitting data indicating transmission permission to the image data transmission device. In the image server
The determination means is
A confirmation code transmitted from the image data transmitting device, which is stored in a model code memory storing a model code of the image data transmitting device and an identification code memory of the image data transmitting device And determining whether the image data transmitting device has permission to transmit image data to the image server, based on a confirmation code generated from the identification code being
A model code restoring means for restoring the model code from the confirmation code transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus, and the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus based on the model code restored by the model code restoring means. Image database control means for controlling the image database so as to be classified and stored;
An image server with A determination unit determines whether the image data transmission device has authority to transmit image data to the image server based on an identification code unique to the image data transmission device transmitted from the image data transmission device;
An image server control method for transmitting data indicating transmission permission to the image data transmitting apparatus when a transmission means determines that the image data transmitting apparatus has an authority to transmit image data to the image server. Because
The determination means is a confirmation code transmitted from the image data transmitting apparatus, and the model code stored in the model code memory for storing the model code of the image data transmitting apparatus and the identification of the image data transmitting apparatus Determining whether the image data transmitting device has permission to transmit image data to the image server based on a confirmation code generated from an identification code stored in a code memory;
The restoration means restores the model code from the confirmation code transmitted from the image data transmission device,
The image database control means controls the image database so as to classify and store the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting device based on the model code restored by the model code restoring means;
Image server control method.

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