KR20090124711A - Apparatus and method for processing digital image using global positioning system information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device and a method for processing digital image using GPS information are provided to store image file with the location information file using GPS and map information. CONSTITUTION: A GPS sensor(39) receives GPS information from a GPS satellite in a constant time interval(200). A region name is searched from map information, and a directory name generating unit(41-2) creates a directory with a photographed region. The photographed region is searched from the map information, the photographing place information generating unit(41-3) creates photographed region information file. The photographed region name and photographed region information are extracted from the internal memory(41-1), a control unit(41-4) controls the directory generation. The control unit performs a control to store the photographed image and photographed region information to the generated directory.

Description

Apparatus and method for processing digital image using global positioning system information}

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to generate a photographing area name directory and a photographing location information file for classifying an image file using GPS information and map information, and photographing location information together with the image file in the directory. A digital image processing apparatus using GPS information for storing a file and a method of operating the same.

Although there are some unique methods for creating a directory in the digital image processing apparatus using photographing date information, generally, a serial number method using a design rule for camera file system (DCF) rule as shown in FIG. 1 is used. do. This method limits directory names to eight characters. The last 5 of these 8 letters use the characters chosen by the developer, and the first 3 letters use numbers. This number is a serial number that increments by one each time a new directory is created.

The directory name generation method that follows this DCF rule may be effective for file management and retrieval in the digital image processing device. However, from the user's point of view, the directory name generation method is only a simple number, and thus little information can be estimated from the directory name alone. . Therefore, some users ignore the meaningless directory name and view the contents of the image files in the directory, and then create a proper directory in the PC and reclassify it.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to create a shooting area name directory and shooting location information file for image file classification using GPS information and map information, and GPS information for storing the shooting location information file together with the image file in the directory. The present invention provides a digital image processing apparatus and an operation method thereof.

Digital image processing apparatus using GPS information for solving the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention comprises a GPS sensor for receiving GPS information from the GPS satellites at a predetermined time interval; And digital signal processing means for generating a photographing area name directory and a photographing location information file using the GPS information and the internal map information, and storing the photographed image file and the photographing location information file in the photographing area name directory.

In the present invention, the digital signal processing means includes an internal memory for storing map information including each region name and region information; A directory generator for searching a region name from the map information and generating a photographing region name directory; A photographing location information generating unit searching for photographing location information from the map information and generating a photographing location information file; And retrieving location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information, extracting a photographing region name and photographing location information corresponding to the retrieved location information from the internal memory to control the directory generation, an image captured in the generated directory, and It may include a control unit for controlling to store the photographing location information.

In the present invention, the first three characters of the directory name of the eight-character directory name following the DCF rule may generate a directory having the five characters of the photographing area name following the existing serial number.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a digital image processing apparatus using GPS information, the method comprising: receiving GPS information from a GPS satellite at a predetermined time interval; (b) generating a photographing area name directory and a photographing location information file using the GPS information and the internal map information; And (c) storing the photographed image file and the photographing location information file in the photographing area name directory.

In the present invention, step (b) comprises the steps of: (b-1) retrieving location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information; (b-2) generating a photographing area name directory by extracting a photographing area name corresponding to the searched location information from the internal map information; And (b-3) extracting photographing location information corresponding to the photographing area name from the internal map information to generate a photographing location information file.

In the present invention, the first three letters of the eight-character directory name following the DCF rule when the directory is created in step (b-1) are generated according to the existing serial number and the latter five characters are taken as the photographing area name. can do.

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can conveniently know what kind of images are stored in the corresponding directory only by the directory name. In addition, since the location information is stored in the directory, it is convenient for the user to use the recorded information automatically recorded without having to memorize or separately record the information of the shooting location.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital image processing apparatus using GPS information according to the present invention, and includes a digital image processing apparatus 100 and a GPS satellite 200.

As shown in FIG. 2, the digital image processing apparatus 100 that captures an image and generates and stores an image file includes a shutter-release button 11, a power button 13, and a wide-angle zoom. And a button 15w, a telephoto-zoom button 15t, a function button 17 and a display 19.

The shutter release button 11 is opened and closed to expose the CCD or film to light for a predetermined time, and records the image on the CCD by properly exposing the subject in conjunction with an aperture (not shown). The power button 13 is input to supply power to and operate the digital image processing apparatus. The wide-angle zoom button 15w or the tele-zoom button 15t increases or decreases the angle of view depending on the input, particularly when the size of the selected exposure area is to be changed. When the wide-zoom button 15w is input, the size of the selected exposure area is reduced, and when the tele-zoom button 15t is input, the size of the selected exposure area is increased. The function button 17 includes a total of five buttons including an up button, a down button, a left button, a right button and a menu / OK button. The function button 17 is input to execute various menus related to the operation of the digital image processing apparatus 100. Each of the keys may also be used as a shortcut key.

The GPS satellite 200 is equipped with four precise watches that differ only about one second every 160,000 years. Based on this, the GPS satellite 200 provides 30m of error and time information of 10 ^-9 units or less, and also includes three-dimensional latitude, longitude, and altitude. Tells you where you are

The digital image processing apparatus 100 receives and stores its location information, that is, latitude, longitude, altitude, time, acceleration, and direction information from the GPS satellite 200 at a predetermined time interval (for example, every 10 seconds). .

3 is a detailed block diagram of the digital image processing apparatus of FIG. 2, wherein the digital image processing apparatus 100 includes a display unit 19, a user input unit 31, an imaging unit 33, and an image processing unit 35. , A storage unit 37, a GPS sensor 39, and a digital signal processing unit 41.

Referring to FIG. 2, the user input unit 31 may include a shutter release button 11 that opens and closes to expose a CCD or a film to light for a predetermined time, and a power button 13 that turns on / off an operation of the digital image processing apparatus. In order to execute various menus related to the operation of the wide-angle zoom button 15w or the tele-zoom button 15t and the digital image processing apparatus 100 that widen the angle of view or narrow the angle of view according to the input. There is a function button 17.

The imaging unit 333 includes a shutter-release button 11, a lens unit not shown in the figure, an aperture, a charge coupled device (CCD), and an ADC.

The shutter release button 11 is a mechanism for adjusting the amount of light exposed together with the aperture. The lens unit receives light from an external light source and processes an image. At this time, the iris adjusts the amount of light incident (light quantity) according to the degree of opening and closing. The opening and closing degree of the iris is controlled by the digital signal processor 41.

The CCD accumulates the amount of light input through the lens unit and outputs an image captured by the lens unit in accordance with the accumulated light amount in accordance with the vertical synchronization signal. Image acquisition of the digital image processing apparatus 100 is performed by a CCD that converts light reflected from a subject into an electrical signal. The ADC converts an analog video signal output from the CCD into a digital signal.

The image processor 35 performs signal processing to display a digitally converted image signal. The device used in the CCD is sensitive to a change in temperature and generates a dark current according to the changed temperature, which includes an unwanted black level in the image signal. The image processor 115 removes the black level generated by the dark current in this way.

The image processor 35 also performs gamma correction. Since human vision reacts nonlinearly to brightness according to Weber's law, when a limited bit depth is given, linearly recording the brightness of the light can cause posterization. This happens. Therefore, in order to show the maximum image quality under a given bit depth, it is necessary to encode using a nonlinear function. In this way, encoding information according to nonlinearity of human vision is called gamma correction. The gamma correction of the image processor 35 gamma corrects and outputs an image signal input by the gamma curve. For example, the input luminance level of a 12 bit image signal is corrected to an 8 bit luminance level and output.

The image processor 35 performs CFA interpolation to interpolate the Bayer pattern implemented by the RGRG line and the GBGB line of the gamma corrected predetermined data into the RGB line. The CFA interpolation of the image processing unit 35 first restores the G channel from the pixels having only the R or B channel value, and then fills the empty values in the order of the B channel, the R channel, or the R channel, the B channel, to R, G. , B restores three channels.

The image processing unit 35 converts the interpolated RGB signal into a YUV signal and filters the Y signal by a high band filter to clearly process the image, and uses the standard color coordinate system to adjust the color values of the U and V signals. Perform color correction to correct and remove their noise.

The image processor 35 compresses and signals the Y, U, and V signals from which the noise is removed to generate a JPEG file as an image file, and the generated JPEG file is displayed on the display unit 19 and the storage unit 37. Are stored in. All operations of the image processor 35 are controlled by the digital signal processor 39.

The GPS sensor 39 receives location information from the GPS satellites 200 and outputs the location information to the digital signal processor 39. The location information includes latitude, longitude, altitude, time, acceleration, and direction information as disclosed above. The GPS sensor 39 outputs the GPS information to the digital signal processor 41 at a predetermined time interval (for example, 10 seconds), and the digital signal processor 41 updates the GPS information at a predetermined time interval.

The digital signal processor 41 generates a photographing area name directory and a photographing location information file using the GPS information received from the GPS sensor 39 and the internal map information, and records the image file and the photographing location information file photographed in the photographing area name directory. Save it.

To this end, the digital signal processor 41 includes an internal memory 41-1, a directory name generator 41-2, a photographing location information file generator 41-3, and a controller 41-4.

The internal memory 41-1 stores map information including each region name and region information. In order to extract the name and information of the region from the GPS information, map information must be embedded, and such map information is stored in the internal memory 41-1. Since this map information is mapping data of simple GPS coordinates and corresponding location information, it does not need as much capacity as car navigation.

In addition, the internal memory 41-1 stores GPS information received from the GPS sensor 39.

The directory name generation unit 41-2 searches for the area name from the map information stored in the internal memory 41-1 and generates a shooting area name directory. To generate a directory name, the directory name generation unit 41-2 searches for location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information stored in the internal memory 41-1, and selects a photographing area name corresponding to the retrieved location information from the map information. Extract and create a directory name directory.

The directory name generation unit 41-2 maintains the existing serial number method in order to distinguish a specific directory from the first three letters among the eight letter directory names that follow the DCF rule when the shooting area name directory is generated. However, the following five characters use characters that can specify a place, that is, a photographing area name. 4 shows an example of generating a photographing area name directory, which is 001 Pyeongchon Park, 002 Jeju Island, and 003 Sheep Ranch. In this way, the directory name is generated as the name of the region at the time of shooting, and the user can intuitively know what kind of image is stored in the corresponding directory by using the directory name alone.

The photographing location information file generating unit 41-3 generates a photographing location information file which can know the simple information on the region at the time of photographing from the map information stored in the internal memory 41-1. The generated photographing location information file is stored in the photographing area name directory together with the photographed image file. Therefore, the user can conveniently use the location information file without having to memorize or separately record the information of the shooting location.

4 shows an example of a photographing location information file associated with Daegwallyeong sheep herd ranch. The photographing location information file shown in FIG. 4 is in a text document format, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

The control unit 41-4 controls the information input / output control of the internal memory 41-1, the directory name generation control of the directory name generation unit 41-2, and the information file generation of the photographing location information file generation unit 41-3. do.

The controller 41-4 searches the location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information stored in the internal memory 41-1, and extracts the photographing region name and the photographing location information corresponding to the retrieved location information from the internal memory 41-1. By controlling the directory name generation unit 41-2 to generate a photographing area name directory.

The controller 41-4 retrieves the photographing location information from the internal memory 41-1 and controls the photographing location information file generation unit 41-3 to generate the photographing location information file.

The controller 41-4 controls the photographed image and the photographing location information to be stored in the generated photographing region name directory. 4 shows an example in which a photographing location information file and a photographed image file regarding a Daegwallyeong sheep herd ranch are stored in a 003 sheep ranch directory.

Hereinafter, an operation method of a digital image processing apparatus using GPS information according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5. The operation method of the digital image processing apparatus using the GPS information according to the present invention may be performed inside the digital image processing apparatus as shown in FIG. 3. According to an embodiment, the main algorithm of the operation method may include peripheral components in the apparatus. It may be performed inside the digital signal processor 41 with the help of these.

The digital signal processor 41 stores the location information received by the GPS sensor 39 from the GPS satellites 200 at predetermined time intervals (step 501). The digital signal processor 41 updates the GPS information received by the GPS sensor 39 at predetermined time intervals (for example, 10 seconds).

Thereafter, when an image is captured by the user (step 503), the digital signal processor 41 retrieves the location information at the time of the shooting from the stored GPS information (step 505).

The digital signal processor 41 detects a region name at the time of photographing according to the searched location from the map information stored therein and generates a photographing region name directory in step 507. The digital signal processor 41 has an internal memory for storing GPS information received by the GPS sensor 39 and map information including each region name and region information. The digital signal processor 41 retrieves the area name from the map information stored in the internal memory and generates a photographing area name directory. To generate a directory name, the digital signal processor 41 searches for location information at the time of image capturing from GPS information stored in an internal memory, and extracts a photographing area name corresponding to the searched location information from map information to generate a photographing area name directory. do. The digital signal processing unit 41 maintains the existing serial number method in order to distinguish a specific directory from the first three letters of the eight letter directory name following the DCF rule when the photographing area name directory is generated. However, the following five characters use characters that can specify a place, that is, a photographing area name. 4 shows an example of generating a photographing area name directory, which is 001 Pyeongchon Park, 002 Jeju Island, and 003 Sheep Ranch.

Thereafter, the digital signal processor 41 generates a photographing location information file from which map information stored in the internal memory knows simple information on the region at the time of photographing (step 509). 4 shows an example of a photographing location information file associated with Daegwallyeong sheep herd ranch. The photographing location information file shown in FIG. 4 is in a text document format, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

When the image capturing, the photographing region name directory generation and the photographing location information file generation are completed, the digital signal processor 41 controls the photographed image and photographing location information to be stored in the generated photographing region name directory. 4 shows an example in which a photographing location information file and a photographed image file regarding the Daegwallyeong sheep herd ranch are stored in the 003 sheep ranch directory.

In this way, the directory name is generated as the name of the region at the time of shooting, and the user can intuitively know what kind of image is stored in the corresponding directory by using the directory name alone. The shooting location information file is stored in the shooting area name directory together with the captured image file, so that the user can conveniently use the shooting location information file without having to memorize or record the shooting location information.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining directory name generation by a general DCF rule.

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital image processing apparatus using GPS information according to the present invention.

3 is a detailed block diagram of the digital image processing apparatus of FIG. 2.

4 is a view showing a photographing area name directory generated by FIG. 3, an image file and a photographing location information file stored in the directory.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a digital image processing apparatus using GPS information according to the present invention.

Claims (6)

As a digital image processing device, A GPS sensor for receiving GPS information from the GPS satellites at a predetermined time interval; And Digital using GPS information, including digital signal processing means for generating a photographing region name directory and a photographing location information file using the GPS information and the internal map information, and storing the photographed image file and the photographing location information file in the photographing region name directory. Image processing device. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing means An internal memory for storing map information including each region name and region information; A directory generator for searching a region name from the map information and generating a photographing region name directory; A photographing location information generating unit searching for photographing location information from the map information and generating a photographing location information file; And Search for location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information, extract the photographing region name and photographing location information corresponding to the searched location information from the internal memory to control the directory generation, the image photographed in the generated directory and the And a controller for controlling the photographing location information to be stored. The method of claim 2, wherein the directory generating unit The first three letters of the eight-character directory name following the DCF rule are generated according to the existing serial number. As an operation method of the digital image processing apparatus, (a) receiving GPS information from a GPS satellite at a predetermined time interval; (b) generating a photographing area name directory and a photographing location information file using the GPS information and the internal map information; And and (c) storing the captured image file and the photographing location information file in the photographing region name directory. The method of claim 4, wherein step (b) (b-1) retrieving location information at the time of image capturing from the GPS information; (b-2) generating a photographing area name directory by extracting a photographing area name corresponding to the searched location information from the internal map information; And (b-3) generating a photographing location information file by extracting photographing location information corresponding to the photographing area name from the internal map information. The method of claim 5, wherein the directory is generated in the step (b-1). Operation method of the digital image processing apparatus using the GPS information, characterized in that the first three letters of the directory name of the eight letters following the DCF rule create a directory having the last five letters as the shooting area name according to the existing serial number. .

Images