JP5257049B2 - Update data acquisition device and imaging device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an update data acquisition apparatus and an imaging apparatus that acquire update data of firmware.

Identification information for identifying the camera accessory such as the firmware version and type of the camera accessory (peripheral device) that has been attached to the camera in the past is stored in the camera body, and stored in the camera body when the firmware is updated. A camera (data rewriting device) that downloads firmware update data of a camera accessory from a host computer in a batch based on the identified identification information, attaches the camera accessory, and updates the firmware of the camera accessory using the downloaded update data ) Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-78343 A

  By the way, the camera described in Patent Document 1 described above is troublesome because it is necessary to store information such as the firmware version and type of a camera accessory that has been attached to the camera in the past. In addition, information on camera accessories unnecessary for the user, such as camera accessories borrowed from the user by the user (user), is automatically stored, and firmware update data for unnecessary camera accessories is automatically stored. There was a problem of being downloaded. Further, since the firmware of the camera accessory is not updated if there is no instruction to update the firmware by the user, the user has to check the firmware update information frequently.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an update data acquisition device that can easily and reliably acquire firmware update data of an imaging device and peripheral devices of the imaging device.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by the following means.

  The update data acquisition device according to the present invention includes information for specifying an imaging device that has captured an image based on the image data from image data information added to the image data recorded on a recording medium, and the image data at the time of capturing the image. From at least one of the information specifying the peripheral device attached to the imaging device, the first acquisition unit that acquires the imaging date and time when the image was captured, and the network-connected server, the imaging device and the peripheral device Based on the second acquisition unit that acquires the update date and time of at least one firmware of the apparatus, the imaging date and time acquired by the first acquisition unit, and the update date and time acquired by the second acquisition unit, the firmware A determination unit that determines whether or not update data should be received, and the update data from the server based on a determination result by the determination unit Characterized in that it comprises a receiving section for receiving.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the update data acquisition apparatus and imaging device which acquire the update data of firmware easily and reliably can be provided .

  The update data acquisition apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an update data acquisition apparatus according to this embodiment. This update data acquisition device 2 is, for example, a personal computer (PC), and updates data necessary for upgrading the firmware of cameras and camera accessories (photographing lenses connected to cameras, illumination devices, wireless communication devices, etc.). It has a function to acquire. However, the update data acquisition apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to a personal computer, and may be a camera having a communication function. As shown in FIG. 1, the update data acquisition device 2 includes a control unit 4 that comprehensively controls each unit of the update data acquisition device 2. The control unit 4 includes a memory card slot 6, a USB port 8, A network terminal 10, an internal memory 12, a display unit 14, and an operation unit 16 are connected.

  The memory card slot 6 is detachably mounted with a memory card on which image data and information related to image data added to the image data are recorded. The control unit 4 includes a memory card inserted into the memory card slot 6. The image data recorded inside and information related to the image data are acquired. In addition, a USB device is connected to the USB port 8, and an electronic device such as a camera having a USB terminal is connected via a USB cable.

  The network terminal 10 is used to connect to a network such as the Internet. In this embodiment, the update data acquisition device 2 is a Web that exists on a network 18 such as the Internet connected via the network terminal 10. The firmware update data of various types of cameras and camera accessories is uploaded to the Web server 20 connected to the server 20. The internal memory 12 relates to an update data acquisition program for acquiring firmware update data in the update data acquisition device 2, an image display program for displaying an image based on the image data on the display unit 14, image data, and image data. Information etc. are recorded.

  The display unit 14 displays an image based on the image data recorded in the memory card inserted in the memory card slot 6 or the internal memory 12. The operation unit 16 includes a power switch for turning on / off the power, a keyboard and a pointing device that are operated during various settings and processing.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, processing when the update data acquisition apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment acquires firmware / camera accessory firmware update data will be described.

  First, the control unit 4 inserts the memory card into the memory card slot 6 when the user inserts the memory card into the memory card slot 6 in order to display an image based on the image data recorded on the memory card on the display unit 14. The image data recorded in the memory card and information related to the image data added to the image data (hereinafter referred to as image data information) are read (step S10). The image data information includes the date and time when the image was captured (imaging date and time), information that identifies the camera that captured the image (for example, the manufacturer name and model name, hereinafter referred to as camera information), and at least the camera when capturing the image. When one camera accessory is attached, information for identifying all attached camera accessories (for example, camera accessory type, manufacturer name and model name, hereinafter referred to as camera accessory information), exposure, etc. Information related to imaging is included. It is also possible to connect the camera to the USB port 8 via a USB cable and read image data and image data information from a memory card inserted in the memory card slot of the camera. When a plurality of image data is recorded on the memory card, all image data and image data information are read.

  Next, the control unit 4 indicates that the camera information, the camera accessory information, and the imaging date / time have been acquired once by the update data acquisition device 2 from the image data information read in step S10 (hereinafter referred to as acquisition information). Is recorded in the internal memory 12 (step S11). As the acquisition information, at least one piece of image data information read in step S10 has been read previously, and the camera information, camera accessory information, and imaging date / time included in the image data information have been acquired by the update data acquisition device 2. Sometimes the information is recorded in the internal memory 12 as information indicating that.

  When it is determined that the acquired information is not recorded in the internal memory 12 for all the image data information (step S11, No), the control unit 4 reads all the image data and image data information read in step S10. Is determined to be read for the first time by the update data acquisition device 2. Then, camera information, camera accessory information, and imaging date / time included in the image data information read in step S10 are acquired (step S12). If it is determined that the acquired information is not recorded in the internal memory 12 for some image data information (step S11, No), the control unit 4 is included in the part of the image data information. The camera information, camera accessory information, and imaging date and time are acquired (step S12). Then, from the camera information and camera accessory information acquired in step S12, the manufacturer and model of the camera that captured the image, whether or not at least one camera accessory was mounted on the camera when the image was captured, In this case, the manufacturer and model of all the camera accessories that are installed are specified.

  In this embodiment, images based on all the image data recorded on the memory card are captured by the same model camera, and when a part of the image is captured, a predetermined model photographing lens and a predetermined model illumination device are used as the camera. The description will be made assuming that the device was attached to the. Therefore, in step S12, information specifying one type of camera, one type of photographing lens, and one type of lighting device is acquired.

  Next, the control unit 4 causes the internal memory 12 to record acquisition information indicating that camera information or the like has been acquired in step S12 (step S13). Note that the acquired information can be recorded in a memory card in which image data and image data information are recorded, instead of the internal memory 12. In this case, the acquired information is added to the image data, included in the image data information, or recorded as one file.

  Next, the control unit 4 searches the firmware of the camera / camera accessory used at the time of image capturing from the firmware of the camera / camera accessory uploaded to the Web server 20, and acquires the update date / time (step S14). That is, the respective update dates and times of the firmware of one type of camera, one type of photographing lens, and one type of lighting device are acquired.

  Next, the control unit 4 compares the imaging date and time acquired from the image data information in step S12 with the firmware and camera accessory update date and time acquired from the Web server 20 in step S14 (step S15). When there are a plurality of pieces of image data information, the oldest date and time of all the imaging dates and times is used as the imaging date and time. In this embodiment, first, the imaging date and time are compared with the camera firmware update date and time.

  When it is determined that the camera firmware update date / time is later than the image capturing date / time as a comparison result in step S15 (step S16, Yes), the control unit 4 displays the camera manufacturer and model on the display unit 14. Name, the existence of the update data of the firmware of the camera, the display about the update date and time of the update data, and the display to make the user select whether or not to receive the update data (for example, “Update data exists. Download (Do you want to do it? ") (Step S17). If the update data is update data for an accessory that is not owned by the user, the user selects “not download” at this time (at the time of the selection step in step S17), For that user, useless download operations can be prevented.

  When the user selects to receive the update data for the display in step S17 via the operation unit 16 (step S18, Yes), the control unit 4 receives the update data of the camera firmware from the web server 20. Receive (download), and record the received update data in a memory card in which image data is recorded (step S19).

  On the other hand, when the firmware firmware update date / time is not later than the image capture date / time as a comparison result in step S15 (step S16, No), or when the user selects not to receive update data for the display in step S17. (Step S18, No), the control unit 4 performs a process for obtaining firmware update data of a camera accessory (in this embodiment, a photographing lens or an illuminating device) attached at the time of capturing an image (Step S20, Yes), the process returns to step S15, and the processes of steps S15 to S20 are performed on the photographing lens or the illumination device. Then, the process of steps S15 to S20 is repeated until the process for obtaining the update data of the firmware of all the camera accessories attached to the camera is completed (step S20, No). That is, in this embodiment, steps S15 to S20 for obtaining firmware update data for the photographing lens or the illuminating device are performed, and then steps S15 to S15 for obtaining firmware update data for the illuminating device or the photographing lens. The process of S20 is performed.

  In step S11, when the acquired information is recorded in the internal memory 12 for all the image data information (step S11, Yes), the control unit 4 selects an image based on the image data read in step S10. Determines that the firmware update data for the camera and camera accessory that was attached to the camera when the image was captured has already been processed, and interrupted the process for acquiring the camera / camera accessory firmware update data. To do. In this case, it is possible to prevent execution of useless processing such as repetition of processing for acquiring firmware update data of the camera / camera accessory.

  The memory card on which the firmware update data of the camera, the photographing lens, and the illumination device is recorded is taken out from the memory card slot 6 and then inserted into the memory card slot of the camera, for example, at the next imaging. When the camera is turned on by the user, the camera reads the update data of the camera firmware recorded on the memory card and displays a selection screen for selecting whether to update the camera firmware. Display on the rear monitor. If the user chooses to update the camera firmware, the camera updates the camera firmware.

  As for the camera accessory firmware update, when the user attaches the camera accessory to the camera, the user selects whether to update the camera accessory firmware and the user updates the camera accessory firmware. Then, if selected, the camera updates the firmware of the attached camera accessory. In other words, when a user mounts a photographic lens or lighting device to the camera to take an image using a photographic lens or lighting device, the firmware of the shooting lens or lighting device is urged only to be updated. In addition, it is not necessary to attach the photographic lens and the illumination device to the camera, and the firmware of the photographic lens and the illumination device can be updated using the opportunity to attach the photographic lens and the illumination device to the camera for other purposes.

  Next, an update data acquisition apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the update data acquisition device according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the update data device 2 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of the configuration of the update data acquisition apparatus according to the second embodiment is omitted, and the same configuration as that of the update data acquisition apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment is denoted by the same reference numerals. Do.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing when the update data acquisition device 2 according to the second embodiment acquires update data of firmware of a camera or camera accessory.

  First, the control unit 4 reads the image data and the image data information recorded on the memory card inserted in the memory card slot 6 in the same manner as the process of step S10 of FIG. 2 (step S30). Then, the camera information, camera accessory information, and imaging date / time included in the image data information read in step S30 are acquired (step S31), and an image is captured from the acquired camera information and camera accessory information. The manufacturer and model of the camera, whether or not at least one camera accessory is attached to the camera at the time of image capturing, and if so, the manufacturer and model of all the camera accessories that are attached are specified. Also in this embodiment, it is assumed that information specifying one type of camera, one type of photographing lens, and one type of lighting device is acquired in step S31.

  Next, the control unit 4 determines whether or not information (hereinafter referred to as reception information) indicating that firmware update data of the camera and camera accessory specified in step S31 has been recorded in the internal memory 12. (Step S32). The received information is information regarding the version of the update data when the update data of the camera and camera accessory firmware identified from the camera information and camera accessory information acquired in step S31 has been received from the Web server 20 ( Hereinafter, the information is recorded in the internal memory 12 as information including version information) and reception date and time.

  In this embodiment, first, it is determined whether or not the reception information of the update data of the camera firmware is recorded in the internal memory 12 (step S32). When it is determined that the received information is recorded in the internal memory 12 (step S32, Yes), the control unit 4 includes information on the latest version of the camera firmware in the Web server 20 (hereinafter referred to as the latest version information). ) Is acquired (step S33). Then, the version information included in the received information is compared with the latest version information acquired from the Web server 20 in step S33 (step S34). When there are a plurality of pieces of reception information, the version information included in the latest reception information is used.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the received information is not recorded in the internal memory 12 (No in step S32), the control unit 4 acquires all the image data and the image data information read in step S30. It is determined that the data has been read for the first time in the apparatus 2, and the same processing as in steps S14 to S16 in FIG. 2 is performed (steps S36 to S38). If the latest version information of the camera firmware is newer than the version information included in the received information as a comparison result in step S34 (step S35, Yes), the camera firmware update date and time is later than the image capturing date and time as a comparison result in step S37. 2 is determined (step S38, Yes), the control unit 4 performs a display similar to step S17 of FIG. 2 on the display unit 14 (step S39).

  The processes in steps S40 and S41 are the same as the processes in steps S18 and S19 in FIG. After the process of step S41, the control unit 4 records in the internal memory 12 reception information indicating that the update data of the camera firmware has been received in step S41 (step S42). The reception information can be recorded on the image data and the memory card in which the image data information is recorded.

  On the other hand, when the latest version information of the camera firmware is the same as the version information included in the received information as a comparison result in step S34 (No in step S35), the user does not receive update data for the display in step S39. When selected (step S40, No), or when the camera firmware update date / time is not later than the image capturing date / time as a comparison result in step S37 (step S38, No), the control unit 4 is mounted at the time of image capturing. In order to perform the process for obtaining the update data of the firmware of the camera accessory that has been used (step S43, Yes), the process returns to step S32, and the processes of steps S32 to S43 are performed for the photographing lens or the illumination device. Then, the process of steps S32 to S43 is repeated until the process for obtaining firmware update data of all camera accessories attached to the camera is completed (No in step S43).

  Similar to the memory card according to the first embodiment, the memory card in which the firmware update data of the camera, the photographing lens, and the illumination device is recorded is taken out from the memory card slot 6 and then stored in the memory card slot of the camera. Inserted. The firmware of the camera / camera accessory is updated in the camera as in the update process according to the first embodiment.

  According to the update data acquisition device according to each of the above-described embodiments, the image data can be displayed when the user browses the image without the user performing special processing to acquire the update data of the firmware of the camera or the camera accessory. Since it is possible to determine whether or not necessary firmware update is necessary from the information, it is possible to easily and surely acquire firmware update data of cameras and camera accessories. Even when it is determined that the update data needs to be received, the user can select whether or not to receive the update data. For example, the firmware update data of the temporarily borrowed camera accessory can be selected. It is possible to prevent receiving unnecessary data such as.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, a PC is described as an example of the update data acquisition device. However, a camera having a communication function may be used as the update data acquisition device. When updating the camera firmware, when updating the camera accessory with the camera attached to the camera, update the camera / camera accessory firmware without recording the update data in the memory card. be able to. It is also possible to receive firmware update data for other cameras. In this case, update data is recorded in the memory card, the memory card is inserted into another camera, and the firmware of the other camera is updated.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the imaging date / time and the update date / time are compared. However, it is also possible to compare the date / time when the image was first displayed and the update date / time in the update data acquisition apparatus. In each of the above-described embodiments, a display for selecting whether to receive update data for each camera / camera accessory is displayed. However, all the specified cameras / camera accessories are listed. A configuration in which a user selects a camera / camera accessory that the user wants to receive update data through the operation unit 16 to connect to the Web server 20 to which the update data of the firmware of the selected camera / camera accessory is uploaded. It can also be. In addition, the user is allowed to select whether or not to receive the update data. However, the update data can be automatically received.

It is a block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of the update data acquisition apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 6 is a flowchart for explaining processing when acquiring firmware / camera accessory firmware update data in the update data acquisition apparatus according to the first embodiment; It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process at the time of acquiring the update data of the firmware of a camera and a camera accessory in the update data acquisition apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  2 ... Update data acquisition device, 4 ... Control unit, 6 ... Memory card slot, 8 ... USB port, 10 ... Network terminal, 12 ... Internal memory, 14 ... Display unit, 16 ... Operation unit, 18 ... Network, 20 ... Web server.

Claims (9)

Information for identifying an imaging device that has captured an image based on the image data from image data information added to the image data recorded on the recording medium, and a peripheral device attached to the imaging device when the image was captured A first acquisition unit that acquires at least one of the information that identifies the image and the imaging date and time when the image was captured;
A second acquisition unit that acquires an update date and time of firmware of at least one of the imaging device and the peripheral device from a network-connected server;
A determination unit that determines whether to receive update data of the firmware based on the imaging date and time acquired by the first acquisition unit and the update date and time acquired by the second acquisition unit;
Based on the determination result by the determination unit, a reception unit that receives the update data from the server;
An update data acquisition apparatus comprising: The first acquisition unit records from the image data information at least one of information for specifying the imaging device and information for specifying the peripheral device, and acquisition information indicating that the imaging date and time has been acquired once. A recording unit;
When the acquisition information is recorded in the recording unit, the first acquisition unit is any of information specifying the imaging device from the image data information, information specifying the peripheral device, and the imaging date and time. The update data acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the update data acquisition device is not acquired again. A recording unit that records reception information indicating that the reception unit has received the update data from the server;
The receiver is
If the reception information is present in the recording unit, the reception information recorded in the recording unit is compared with information relating to the latest version of the update data in the server, and has been received by the reception unit If the update data is not the latest version, the update data of the latest version is received from the server ,
The update data is received from the server based on a determination result by the determination unit when the reception information does not exist in the recording unit. Update data acquisition device. When the imaging apparatus that captured the image is its own apparatus, the firmware of at least one of the imaging apparatus and the peripheral device is updated using the update data received by the reception unit. update data acquiring apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3. The update data acquisition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the update data received by the receiving unit is recorded on the recording medium. In a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the update data should be received, a reception selection unit that selects whether to receive the update data is further provided.
The reception unit, based on a selection result by the reception selection part, the update data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that to receive the update data. The update data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the peripheral device includes a photographing lens, an illumination device, and a wireless communication device. An imaging apparatus capable of loading the recording medium on which the update data acquired by the update data acquisition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is recorded,
An imaging apparatus, wherein when the peripheral device is attached to the imaging device, the firmware of the peripheral device is updated based on the update data recorded on the recording medium. An update selection unit for selecting whether to update the firmware of the peripheral device when the peripheral device is attached to the imaging device;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the firmware of the peripheral device is updated based on a selection result by the update selection unit.

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