JPH09307851A - Recording management equipment for image and audio and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To store attribute data in cross reference to an image by defining the attribute data in response to a combination of a name and a type of the attribute data, recording the data on an attribute definition table, providing the data to image data or audio data and recording resulting data so as to define dynamically a new attribute required by an application. SOLUTION: In the digital camera adopting the image and audio signal recording management device that records/reproduces, e.g. image data or audio data and attribute data in cross reference to each other, a CPU 207 and a memory 204 define dynamically attribute data of an optional kind and records them to an attribute definition table of a map file in response to the combination of the name and the type of the attribute data to be recorded in cross reference to image data and audio data. Furthermore, the attribute data defined dynamically are provided to the image data or the audio data and the resulting data are recorded. Moreover, the name of the attribute data is used for a retrieval key to retrieve the attribute data and the retrieved attribute data are decoded based on the definition recorded on the attribute definition table.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image and audio recording management apparatus and method, and for example, to an apparatus and method for digitizing and recording image data and audio data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital cameras have been developed which convert image data and audio data into digital signals and record them on a recording medium. In the digital camera, captured data of obtained image data and audio data is recorded as a file on a recording medium.

Further, the digital camera can set a photographing mode, a photographing condition, and the like, and each capture data file also has incidental information relating to the capture data, such as a photographing date, a photographing mode, and a photographing condition. It will be recorded. In addition, various set values of the system may be collectively recorded in a system management file.

[0004]

In the conventional image / sound recording apparatus, it is possible to newly add an attribute to the image / sound to be recorded in addition to the attribute previously defined by the program. However, the newly defined attribute could not be stored in association with the image / audio to be recorded.

For example, consider a case where the image / audio recording device is used for equipment management. At this time, it is assumed that the application is executed so that a display prompting the user to input the equipment number is displayed each time the image capturing operation is completed.

In such a case, in the application, it is necessary to newly define and input the attribute of equipment number and store it in association with the image, but in the above-mentioned conventional image / audio recording apparatus, it is newly defined. It was impossible to store the attribute that was associated with the image.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to dynamically define and add a new attribute required by an application, and to store the defined attribute in association with an image. To do.

[0008]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image and audio recording management device for recording / reproducing image data or audio data and attribute data in association with each other. First recording means for dynamically defining any kind of attribute data according to a combination of a name and a type and recording the attribute data in an attribute definition table; and the dynamically defined attribute data in the image data or audio data. It is characterized by comprising a second recording means for giving and recording.

Another feature of the present invention is that
In an image and audio recording management apparatus for recording / reproducing image data or audio data and attribute data in association with each other, attribute data of any type is dynamically defined according to a combination of the name and type of the attribute data. First recording means for recording in the attribute definition table, second recording means for recording the image data or audio data by adding the dynamically defined attribute data, and using the name of the attribute data as a search key. Attribute data search means for searching the attribute data,
It is characterized by comprising attribute data interpretation means for interpreting the attribute data retrieved by the attribute data retrieval means from the definitions recorded in the attribute definition table.

Another feature of the present invention is that the defined attribute data group and the definition of dynamically defined attribute data and the attribute data group by the dynamic definition are recorded in the same map file. It has a feature.

Another feature of the present invention is that the recording operation of the image data / audio data is used as a trigger to request the input of the attribute value related to the image data / audio data, and the input of the attribute value. Upon completion, it has a third recording means for recording the input attribute value in association with the image data / audio data.

Further, the feature of the image and audio recording management method of the present invention is that the process of inputting by designating the attribute name and type and the attribute name that is the same as the attribute name input by the input process have already been set. The input attribute name judgment processing for checking whether or not it is registered, and the result of the judgment of the input attribute name judgment processing,
If the same attribute name as the input attribute name is not registered, a process for allocating a new code and type,
As a result of the judgment of the input attribute name judgment processing, if the same attribute name as the inputted attribute name is registered, a processing of writing in the attribute definition table of the map file using the code and type already allocated It is characterized by doing.

Another feature of the present invention is that
A code / type search process of searching the attribute definition table for a code and a type corresponding to a specified attribute name, and a record searched in the code / type search process in association with target image data / audio data. A storage position search process for searching the stored attribute value storage position, and a process for reading the target attribute value according to the attribute name, code and type based on the attribute value storage position searched by the storage position search process. It has a feature.

Another feature of the present invention is that an attribute value interpretation process is performed subsequent to the attribute value reading process.

[0015]

Since the present invention comprises the above technical means, it records / records image data or audio data and attribute data in association with each other.
When reproducing, it is possible to dynamically define any kind of attribute data according to the combination of the name and type of the attribute data, and the dynamically defined attribute data is used as the image data or audio. It becomes possible to add the data and store it.

According to another feature of the present invention, since the defined attribute data group, the definition of dynamically defined attribute data, and the attribute data group by the dynamic definition are recorded in the same map file, It is possible to read and display new attribute data added by another application without changing the application that reads the attribute data group.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example in which an image / audio recording management device of the present invention is applied to an image / audio recording system (digital camera) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of a digital camera. In FIG. 1, the lens 2
The optical image of the subject captured by 01 is the lens 201.
The image is picked up by the image pickup device 202 located in the rear of the.

The image pickup device 202 is, for example, a CCD.
It is configured to convert an optical image into a video electric signal, and in response to a control signal provided by the CPU 207, the charge corresponding to the optical image of the subject is accumulated and the video signal is read out.

The analog video signal read from the image pickup device 202 is converted into a digital video signal by the A / D converter 203. The imaging device 202
Although not shown, a video signal processing means for adjusting a video signal such as gamma correction, formation / separation of color signals, and white balance processing is provided between the A / D converter 203 and the A / D converter 203. .

The video signal converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 203 is then transferred to the image memory 204.
Is stored once. The compression coding unit 205 provided in the next stage of the image memory 204 is for compressing and coding the image data read from the image memory 204.

The image data compression-encoded by the compression-encoding unit 205 is written in the built-in recording medium 208 or the removable memory 220 via the recording / reproducing device 206 constituting the recording system.

The image data / audio data read from the recording / reproducing device 206 is decoded by the decoding unit 214. Then, the decoded image data is supplied to the image display device 215 for display, and the audio data is given to the speaker 216 to be sounded.

The voice input via the voice input unit 210 is converted into a digital signal by the voice A / D conversion unit 211. Then, it is encoded by the audio encoding unit 212 and recorded in the recording / reproducing device 206.

The CPU 207 and the memory 204
A microcomputer is constituted by the microcomputer, and the microcomputer includes a first recording unit, a second recording unit,
A third recording unit, an attribute data searching unit, an attribute data interpreting unit, etc. are configured.

As a method of compressing image data in this embodiment, for example, the JPEG system defined as an international standard system can be used. As a method of managing these image files and audio files, a method of recording the attribute information / related information of each capture data in one map file can be used.

According to this method, when the supplementary information such as the photographing mode and the photographing condition recorded in each capture data file is stored, each capture data file is displayed when a large amount of the supplementary information is displayed in a list. I try to open it for reading.

Then, in order to prevent a large amount of time from being required when analyzing the read contents,
Image capture date, image capture mode, image capture condition, reduced image recording position on medium, annotation information type, annotation information file position on medium, image file, audio file,
The related information of the group information is collectively managed on the map file, and the map file and the capture data file are recorded on the built-in recording medium.

In the digital camera of this embodiment, the attribute data group to be recorded in association with the image data and the audio data is recorded in the map file. FIG. 3 shows an example of the structure of the map file in this embodiment.

Next, based on the flowchart of FIG.
A case of newly defining an attribute will be described. First, an attribute name and a type are designated and input (step S101). Next, it is checked whether the same name as the designated name has already been registered (step S102). Step S1
As a result of the determination in 02, if the same name as the designated name is not registered, a new type code 312 is assigned (step S103).

If the same name as the input name is registered as a result of the determination in step S102, the type code already allocated is used to write it in the attribute definition table 302 of the map file 301 ( Step S
104).

The above attribute data group can be edited by the user performing a predetermined operation via the operation unit 209. Then, the edited attribute data is overwritten on the attribute definition table 302 as necessary.

When the attribute is recorded in association with the image data / sound data, the serial number 321 of the data and the file descriptor 322 in the image / sound data file 340 are recorded.

After that, the attribute value 323 for the image data / sound data is stored. At the same time, the position 324 on the map file storing each attribute value and the code 325 for that attribute are associated and stored as a correspondence table 330.

Next, the processing for searching the attribute value of the recorded data by designating the attribute name will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the code 312 and the type 313 corresponding to the specified attribute name 311 are searched from the attribute definition table 302 (step S401).

Then, this code is retrieved from the attribute storage position / attribute code correspondence table 330 associated with the target image data / audio data (step S40).
2). Attribute value storage position 32 read from this table 330
4, the target attribute value 323 is read according to the attribute name 311, the code 312, and the type 313 read from the attribute definition table 302 (step S403).

Next, an equipment management application will be described as an example of an application of a digital camera using the above-described function according to the present embodiment. In this application, in order to record data such as a product name, a format, an equipment number, and a manager's name as attributes of image data, these attributes are first defined by the procedure of the attribute definition described above.

The subsequent processing for each photographing will be described with reference to FIG. After the photographing operation (step S501), every time the image data is recorded (step S502), the application displays a screen prompting the user to input each attribute value such as the item name, the format, the equipment number, and the administrator name. The user inputs the attribute value (step S503). The system records the input attribute value in association with the recorded image data (step S504).

Next, a display example of recorded images and attribute values will be described. Display of recorded images and attribute values can be performed using a general-purpose display application.
A dedicated display application may be prepared and used.

When a general-purpose display application is used, the newly defined attributes (article name, format, equipment number, manager name) can be displayed by using the search method shown in FIG. Display example in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b)
Shown in

The general-purpose display application displays the image serial number 601, the image 602, the newly defined attribute name 603, and the attribute value 604. The attribute name is not interpreted.

When the dedicated display application is used as described above, sorting and table creation can be performed according to the contents of each newly defined attribute. Then, the created table can be converted into a database and displayed. Below is an example of a table created by a dedicated display application.

[0043]

[Table 1]

Here, the newly defined attribute name is interpreted, sorted by the equipment number, and a table is created and displayed.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the attribute data is dynamically defined by the combination of the name and the type of the image data or the audio data and recorded in the attribute definition table. Since the dynamically defined attribute data can be added to the image data or the audio data and recorded, an image in which new attributes required by an application are freely defined and the defined attributes are recorded And can be stored in association with voice.

According to another feature of the present invention, the attribute data is searched using the name of the attribute data as a search key, and the searched attribute data is extracted from the definition recorded in the attribute definition table. Since the interpretation is made, it becomes possible to add a new attribute to the attribute associated with the image / sound to be recorded, in addition to the attribute previously defined by the program.

According to another feature of the present invention, a group of defined attribute data, a definition of dynamically defined attribute data,
Since the attribute data group based on the dynamic definition is recorded on the same map file, even if a new attribute is defined, it is possible to read it without changing the application.

Further, according to another feature of the present invention, the attribute value related to the image data / audio data is recorded in synchronization with the recording of the image data / audio data. The defined attribute value can also be recorded in association with the image data / sound data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing an example of a digital camera.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when defining a new attribute.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a map file.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for searching an attribute value.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example in which the present invention is applied to equipment management and showing a processing procedure for each photographing.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of attribute values when a general-purpose display application is used.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 lens 202 imaging device 203 image signal AD converter 204 image memory 205 image compression coding unit 206 recording device 207 CPU 208 recording medium (built-in recording medium) 209 operation unit 210 audio input unit 211 audio A / D converter 212 audio code Converting unit 214 Composite unit 215 Image display unit 216 Speaker 220 Removable memory 301 Map file 302 Attribute definition table 321 Image / audio data serial number 322 File descriptor to image / audio data file 323 Attribute value 324 Attribute value storage location 325 Attribute code 330 Attribute code / storage position correspondence table 340 Image / audio data file 601 Image serial number 602 Recorded image 603 Attribute name 604 Attribute value

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image and audio recording management apparatus for recording / reproducing image data or audio data and attribute data in association with each other, wherein any type of attribute data is moved according to a combination of a name and a type of the attribute data. First recording means for dynamically defining and recording in the attribute definition table, and second recording means for adding the dynamically defined attribute data to the image data or audio data and recording the data. Record management device for characteristic images and sounds. 2. An image and audio recording management apparatus for recording / reproducing image data or audio data and attribute data in association with each other, wherein any type of attribute data is moved according to a combination of a name and a type of the attribute data. First recording means for dynamically defining and recording in the attribute definition table; second recording means for adding and dynamically recording the dynamically defined attribute data to the image data or audio data; An attribute data search unit that searches the attribute data using a name as a search key, and an attribute data interpretation unit that interprets the attribute data searched by the attribute data search unit from the definition recorded in the attribute definition table. An image and sound recording management device comprising. 3. The image and audio recording management device according to claim 2, wherein the defined attribute data group, the definition of dynamically defined attribute data, and the attribute data group by the dynamic definition are stored in the same map file. An image and audio recording management device characterized by recording. 4. The image and audio recording management device according to claim 2, wherein an input of an attribute value related to the image data / audio data is requested by a recording operation of the image data / audio data as a trigger, An image and sound recording management apparatus comprising: a third recording unit that records the input attribute value in association with the image data / sound data when the input of the attribute value is completed. 5. A process of inputting by designating an attribute name and a type, an input attribute name determining process of checking whether or not the same attribute name as the attribute name input by the input process is already registered, and the input As a result of the judgment of the attribute name judgment process, if the same attribute name as the input attribute name is not registered, a process of newly assigning a code and a type, and a result of the judgment of the input attribute name judgment process, the inputted attribute name If the same attribute name is registered, the process of writing to the attribute definition table of the map file using the already assigned code and type is performed, and the image and audio recording management method. 6. A code / type retrieval process for retrieving a code and type corresponding to a specified attribute name from an attribute definition table, and a code retrieved by the code / type retrieval process,
A storage position search process for searching the attribute value storage position recorded in association with the target image data / audio data, and an attribute name, code and type based on the attribute value storage position searched by the storage position search process. And a recording management method for audio and video according to the method described above. 7. The image and sound recording management method according to claim 6, wherein attribute value interpretation processing is performed subsequent to the attribute value reading processing.