KR20030009610A - Camera providing image data related to object to portable communication terminal and method providing the image data using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A camera providing image data of an object to a mobile communication terminal and an image data providing method using the camera are provided to transmit the image data to the communication terminal rapidly to enable continuous photographing. CONSTITUTION: A camera includes an image sensor(120), a video processor(130), and an interface(140). The image sensor generates an electric video signal corresponding to the image of an object. The video processor generates reduced image data using the video signal generated by the image sensor when a preview command is input through a communication terminal, and generates compressed video data using the video signal generated by the image sensor when a photographing command is input through the communication terminal. The interface transmits the reduced video data or compressed video data to the communication terminal.

Description

CAMERA PROVIDING IMAGE DATA RELATED TO OBJECT TO PORTABLE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL AND METHOD PROVIDING THE IMAGE DATA USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a camera for providing image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal capable of transmitting and receiving image data with another external terminal and a method of providing image data using the same.

Recently, portable communication terminals such as portable telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) display image data of a subject provided from the outside on a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as "LCD"). Or transmit and receive with another portable communication terminal. Accordingly, a camera is formed to be detachable from a portable communication terminal and to provide a communication terminal with image data of a subject photographed by a user. In this case, the portable communication terminal generates a signal for controlling the camera in response to a control command input from the outside.

Next, a camera for providing image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal of the related art will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the camera 10 according to the related art converts an image of a subject captured by the lens 12 into an image signal which is converted by the image sensor 14 to an image processing module 16. Here, the image of the subject captured by the lens 12 is continuously changed by the shaking of the camera, etc., the image sensor 14 continues the image signal corresponding to the image of the subject to be changed, the image processor 16 To provide.

The image processor 16 provides the communication terminal 20 with image data of a subject based on an input image signal through the interface 18. In this case, the communication terminal 20 is used as a viewfinder for displaying the input image data on the LCD 22.

Subsequently, when the shutter 19 is pressed, the image processor 16 provides the image data of the moment when the shutter 19 is pressed as the captured image data to the communication terminal 20. In this case, the user may transmit the captured image data to another external terminal by using the communication terminal 20.

However, according to the camera of the prior art as described above, when the size of the captured image data is large, the speed of transmitting the captured image data from the camera to the communication terminal is very slow, which is a problem that continuous shooting is impossible.

Further, according to the conventional camera described above, the image of the subject captured through the lens exceeds the size of the image that can be displayed on the LCD of the communication terminal, so that the entire image of the subject captured by the lens is displayed on the LCD. Failure to do so may occur. That is, the entire image of the subject may not be observed through the LCD of the communication camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a camera for providing image data of a subject and a method of providing image data using the same as a portable communication terminal capable of effectively solving the aforementioned problems of the prior art.

In order to more fully understand the drawings used in the detailed description of the invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

1 is a view showing the configuration and use of a camera that provides image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal of the prior art.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and use state of a camera that provides image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal using the camera shown in FIG. 2.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

110: lens 120: image sensor

130: image processing module 132: command determination unit

134: data reduction unit 136: data compression unit

138: image control unit 140: interface

One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is provided with a command input unit for inputting a preview command and a shooting command and a display unit for displaying the reduced image data, the communication terminal for transmitting the compressed image data to an external terminal The present invention relates to a camera for providing an image of a subject in the form of the reduced image data or the compressed image data. According to an aspect of the present invention, a camera includes: image sensing means for generating an electric image signal corresponding to an image of a subject; When the preview command is input through the communication terminal, the reduced image data is generated by using the image signal generated by the image sensing means. When the photographing command is input through the communication terminal, the image sensing is performed. Image processing means for generating the compressed image data using an image signal generated by the means; And an interfacing means for transmitting the reduced image data or the compressed image data generated by the image processing means to the communication terminal.

Another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object relates to a method of providing image data of a camera for providing an image of a subject in the form of the image data to a portable communication terminal capable of transmitting image data to a display or an external terminal. . According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing image data, the method comprising: A) generating an electric image signal corresponding to an image of the subject; B) determining whether a command input from the outside is a preview command or a photographing command; In the step B), when the input command is confirmed as a preview command, based on the video signal, reduced image data obtained by reducing the image of the subject to a predetermined size is generated, and the generated reduced image data is communicated. Providing C to the terminal; And in step B), when the input command is confirmed as a photographing command, compressed image data obtained by compressing image data representing an image of the subject is generated based on the image signal, and generating the compressed image data. And providing step D) to the communication terminal.

In order to fully understand the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention, and the objects achieved by the practice of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and the contents described in the accompanying drawings.

Next, a camera for providing image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal according to the present invention and a method of providing image data using the same will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and use state of a camera that provides image data of a subject to a portable communication terminal according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 100 according to the present invention is mounted on the portable terminal 200 and includes a lens 110, an image sensor 120, an image processing module 130, and an interface 140. do. Here, the camera 100 receives a user's control command, that is, a preview command and a photographing command, through the portable terminal 200 having the command input unit 210.

The lens 110 captures an image of a subject and provides it to the image sensor 120, and the image sensor 120 generates an electrical image signal corresponding to the image of the subject. In this case, when the position of the lens 110 is changed and the image of the captured subject is changed, the image sensor 120 continuously generates an image signal corresponding to the image of the subject to be changed.

The image processing module 130 receives an image signal generated from the image sensor 120 and generates predetermined image data in response to a command input to the communication terminal 200. Specifically, the image processing module 130 may generate reduced image data obtained by reducing the entire image of the subject captured by the lens 110 to a predetermined size, or compress the image of the photographed subject to compress the compressed image data. Create Here, the reduced image data is data reduced in size to observe the entire image of the subject through the LCD 220 of the communication terminal. The compressed image data is image data compressed so that the communication terminal 200 can transmit the data to another terminal. The image processing module 130 provides the image data generated through the interface 140 to the communication terminal 200. Accordingly, the image processing module 130 includes a command determination unit 132, a data reduction unit 134, a data compression unit 136, and an image control unit 138.

The command determining unit 132 determines whether the control command input from the communication terminal 200 is a preview command or a photographing command, and the input command is determined by the data reduction unit 134 or the data compression unit 136. Optionally provided to either.

The data reduction unit 134 generates a plurality of reduced image data by continuously reducing the image signals continuously generated by the image sensor 120 in response to the preview command input from the command determination unit 132. At the same time, the generated plurality of reduced image data are sequentially transmitted to the image controller 138. That is, the data reduction unit 134 transmits the image of the subject to the image controller 138 as a continuous image frame.

The data compression unit 136 responds to a recording command input from the command determining unit 132, and the data corresponding to the video signal of the time point at which the shooting command is input among the video signals continuously generated by the image sensor 120. And compresses the compressed image data (ie, the compressed image data) to the image controller 138.

The image controller 138 provides the compressed terminal data and the reduced image data provided from the data reduction unit 134 and the data compression unit 136 through the interface 140 to the communication terminal 200. When the reduced image data is provided, the communication terminal 200 performs a function as a viewfinder for displaying the reduced image data. Preferably, the interface 140 is any one of a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter, a serial peripheral interface, and a universal Serival bus capable of transmitting and receiving image data and power. For reference, the Espia is used for communication between chips and an interface with an external device, and three to four pins are required for communication, and a clock signal is transmitted along with transmission of signal data, thereby improving transmission speed. Communication interface. In this case, the camera 100 may be driven by receiving operation power from the communication terminal 200.

In the method for providing image data to the communication terminal using the camera of the present invention configured as described above, as shown in Figure 3, the image of the subject through the lens 110 of the camera mounted on the communication terminal 200 If captured (S305), the image sensor 120 continuously generates an image signal corresponding to the entire image of the captured subject (S310).

In this state, the user's command is input to the command input unit 210 of the communication terminal (S315), the communication terminal 200 generates a control signal (S320), and the image processing module 130 of the camera is interfaced. The control signal is received through 140 (S325).

At this time, the command determination unit 132 of the image processing module interprets the user's command input through the communication terminal 200 (S330). That is, it is determined whether the input user command is a preview command or a photographing command.

In the analysis step (S330), if it is determined that the user's command is a preview command, the data reduction unit 134 of the image processing module uses the image signal output from the image sensor 120, the LCD of the communication terminal Continuously generating reduced image data obtained by reducing the entire image of the subject to a size that can be displayed on the display unit 220 (S335), and transmitting the reduced image data to the image controller 138. In this case, the image controller 138 provides the reduced image data to the communication terminal 200 through the interface 140 (S340). Then, the communication terminal 200 displays the entire image of the subject provided from the camera 100 on the LCD 220 (S345). That is, the communication terminal 200 operates as a viewfinder of the camera 100.

In this way, since the camera 100 reduces the entire image of the subject and transmits the image to the communication terminal 200, the camera 100 of the present invention can not only relatively increase the transmission speed of the image data, but also The entire image may be displayed on the LCD 220 of the communication terminal.

On the other hand, in the analysis step (S330), if it is determined that the user's command is a recording command, the data compression unit 136 of the image processing module inputs the recording command from the image signal output from the image sensor 120 The compressed image data is generated by compressing the image data at the time point at which the image is captured (S350). Thereafter, the data compression unit 136 transmits the generated compressed image data to the image control unit 138, and the image control unit 138 provides the reduced image data to the communication terminal 200 through the interface 140. (S355).

In this way, since the camera 100 makes the image of the photographed subject into compressed image data and provides it to the communication terminal 200, according to the camera 100 of the present invention, the photographed image data is quickly transmitted. Continuous shooting is possible.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

According to the camera for providing the image data of the subject to the portable communication terminal according to the present invention and the image data providing method using the same, since the captured image data is compressed and provided to the communication terminal, the image data can be quickly transmitted. This makes continuous shooting possible.

In addition, according to the camera of the present invention and a method of providing image data using the same, since the image of the subject is reduced and provided to the communication terminal which is a viewfinder, the entire image of the subject is displayed on the LCD of the communication terminal, so that the user You can check the entire image of the subject captured by.

Claims (4)

A command input unit for inputting a preview command and a photographing command, and a display unit for displaying reduced image data, wherein the image of the subject is transmitted to the communication terminal for transmitting compressed image data to an external terminal. In the camera provided in the form of data, Image sensing means for generating an electrical image signal corresponding to the image of the subject; When the preview command is input through the communication terminal, the reduced image data is generated by using the image signal generated by the image sensing means. When the photographing command is input through the communication terminal, the image sensing is performed. Image processing means for generating the compressed image data using an image signal generated by the means; And Interfacing means for transmitting the reduced image data or compressed image data generated by the image processing means to the communication terminal Camera comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the image processing means A data reduction unit generating the reduced image data in response to a preview command input from the communication terminal; A data compression unit configured to generate the compressed image data in response to a recording command input from the communication terminal; A command discrimination unit for determining whether the command inputted from the communication terminal is the preview command or the photographing command, and selectively providing the input command to either the data reduction unit or the data compression unit; And An image control unit for providing the generated reduced image data or compressed image data to the interfacing means. Camera comprising a. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the interfacing means A camera, which is any one of a general-purpose serial communication interface, Espia, and USB. In the image data providing method of the camera for providing a video of the subject in the form of the image data to a portable communication terminal that can transmit the image data to the display or an external terminal, A) generating an electric image signal corresponding to the image of the subject; Determining whether the command input from the communication terminal is a preview command or a photographing command; In the step B), when the input command is confirmed as a preview command, based on the video signal, reduced image data obtained by reducing the image of the subject to a predetermined size is generated, and the generated reduced image data is communicated. Providing C to the terminal; And In step B), when the input command is confirmed as a photographing command, compressed image data is generated by compressing image data representing an image of the subject based on the image signal, and the generated compressed image data is communicated. Step D) provided to the terminal Image data providing method of the camera comprising a.