JP2000102673A - Picture processing system using tv game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picture processing system for easily using a pictures shot by a digital camera using a TV game machine. SOLUTION: In a picture processing system comprising a TV game machine 1, a TV receiving apparatus 3 connected to the TV game machine 1, a DC-ROM 7 recording soft ware used to be assembled to the TV game machine 1, a rewrittable memory cassette 9 used to be assembled to the TV game machine 1 for recording a proceeding situation of the game, and a digital camera 11 having this memory cassette 9 as a recording carrier of the shot pictures, the TV game machine 1 reads out the picture shot by the digital camera 11 memorized in the assembled memory cassette 9 on the basis of the soft ware recorded in the assembled CD-ROM 7 to output and display them on the TV receiving apparatus 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing system in which an image captured by a digital camera can be easily handled by a video game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Images taken by a digital camera are:
The image data is stored in a predetermined recording medium such as a mounted memory card or floppy disk in a predetermined image format. Digital camera users can attach this recording medium directly to their personal computers or use a specified interface cable to import them into the personal computer, and then use the specified application software to view and edit the captured images. And have fun. Therefore, it can be said that a personal computer is a necessity for a digital camera.

[0003]

On the other hand, the recent spread of television game machines to ordinary households has been remarkable along with the spread of personal computers, and their performance has been improved to be equal to or greater than that of personal computers. I have. Moreover, video game consoles are cheaper and easier to operate than personal computers,
Many companies that are looking at the marketability of video game consoles are competing to develop software that uses video game consoles.

Incidentally, recently, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-313730 has disclosed
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication, a video game machine equipped with a memory cassette read / write device used for temporarily recording the progress of a game has been developed. The memory cassette used in this video game machine has the same structure as a memory card used as a recording medium of the above-described digital camera in that a non-volatile memory is built therein.

Accordingly, the present inventors have paid attention to this point, and by using a memory card used in a digital camera with a standard common to a memory cassette of a video game machine, an image photographed by the digital camera can be used in the video game machine. We thought that it could be used easily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing system in which an image captured by a digital camera using a video game machine can be easily used.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game machine, a display connected to the video game machine, and a video game device mounted on the video game machine. A portable recording medium L on which software to be used is recorded, a rewritable non-volatile portable recording medium S on which the progress of a game to be used in the video game machine is recorded, and a portable recording medium An image processing system using a video game machine constituted by a digital camera serving as a recording medium of an image obtained by photographing S, wherein the video game machine is recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. Based on the software that is installed, read out the image taken by the digital camera stored in the attached portable recording medium S, and And to display output to the display.

[0008] In the invention according to the second aspect of the present invention, the television game machine automatically executes the operation based on software recorded on the portable recording medium L mounted. First, the digital image is edited.

[0009] In the invention according to the third aspect of the present invention, the video game machine is used based on software recorded on the portable recording medium L mounted. The editing process of the digital image is performed by an interactive process with a user.

[0010] In the invention according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a printer device is connected to the video game machine, and the video game machine records on a portable recording medium L mounted thereon. And a function of printing out an image captured by the digital camera recorded on the mounted portable recording medium S to the printer device based on the installed software.

In the invention according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the television game machine is mounted on the portable recording medium L based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. A video game using images taken by the digital camera recorded on the portable recording medium S is progressed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable game medium in which a video game machine, a display connected to the video game machine, and software used by being mounted on the video game machine are recorded. L, a rewritable nonvolatile portable recording medium S on which the progress of a game used in the video game machine is recorded, and a digital recording medium for recording the photographed image on the portable recording medium S. An image processing system using a video game machine including a camera, wherein the video game machine is mounted based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. It is assumed that a video game is advanced using an image captured by the digital camera recorded on the portable recording medium S.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS === Configuration of Image Processing System =
== FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the image processing system includes a television game machine 1 and a television receiver 3 connected thereto.
(Corresponding to a display in the claims), a printer device 5, and a CD-RO mounted on the video game machine 1.
M7 (corresponding to a portable recording medium L in the claims), a memory cassette 9 (corresponding to a portable recording medium S in the claims), and a digital camera 11 that uses the memory cassette 9 as a recording medium for photographed images. Is done.

FIG. 2 shows a block configuration of the video game machine 1. The video game machine 1 includes a main computer 13 including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, an image processor 15 that generates and outputs image signals, an audio processor 17 that generates and outputs audio signals, and a mounted CD.
C for reading predetermined data recorded in the ROM 7
D-ROM device 19, mounted memory cassette 9
Cassette IF that reads and writes data to
(InterFace) 21, a controller IF 25 to which the game controller 23 is connected, a printer IF 27 to which the printer device 5 is connected, a serial IF 29 for connection to an external device.
The above components are connected via the system bus 30.

The CD-ROM 7 stores software such as a game program executed on the television game machine 1. The video game machine 1 appropriately reads and executes a program recorded on the CD-ROM 7.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the memory cassette 9. Flash EEPROM, a nonvolatile memory element
M31 is built in, and each connection terminal of the flash EEPROM 31 is connected to a contact pin 33 via a lead.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view when the digital camera 11 is viewed from the back. The digital camera 11
A memory mounting portion 41 on the back of which the memory cassette 9 is mounted, a liquid crystal panel 43 for displaying images recorded in the memory cassette 9, and the like, and the digital camera 1
1 is provided with a switch 45 for performing various function settings, and a takeout button 47 for the memory cassette 9 is provided on a side surface. The digital camera 11 records an appropriately photographed image in the memory cassette 9 mounted on the memory mounting unit 41. An optical lens 49 (not shown) and a flash device 51 are provided on the front of the main body of the digital camera 11.
(Not shown), and a shutter 53 and a remaining film number indicator 55 on the upper surface of the main body.

FIG. 5 shows a block configuration of the digital camera 11. The digital camera 11 is mainly composed of a microcomputer 61 that controls the entire apparatus. The microcomputer 61 controls the microcomputer 61 to adjust the focus of the optical lens 49.
3, a distance measuring unit 67 for measuring the subject distance, a photometric unit 69 for measuring the brightness of the subject, a shutter control unit 71 for controlling the shutter 53, and a memory cassette 9 mounted on the memory mounting unit 41 in a predetermined format. A memory control unit 73 for reading and writing an image, a charge coupled device (CCD) 75 on which light passing through the optical lens 49 forms an image, and a CC for controlling an imaging operation (charge accumulation operation) of the CCD 75.
A D control unit 77; an image correction unit 79 that performs color tone correction of pixel signals of the CCD 75 and transmits the pixel signals to the memory control unit 73; a liquid crystal control unit 81 that performs display control of the liquid crystal panel 43; The number indicator 55, the flash device 51, and the like are connected to each other.

=== Usage of Image Processing System === Next, the digital camera 11
An image processing system according to the present embodiment is an example in which a CD-ROM 7 storing a role-playing game having a function of taking in an image photographed by the game and synthesizing the image with a face portion of the main character of the game is mounted. One usage mode will be described. The following description will be made according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the user mounts the CD-ROM 7 in which the role playing game is recorded on the CD-ROM device 19 and performs a predetermined reset operation (100), the video game machine 1 reads the game program from the CD-ROM 7. It is read and its execution is started (110). At the start of the role-playing game, the user first inquires of the game character whether or not to use the image of the digital camera 11 by interactive processing between the user and the television receiver 3 or the game controller 21. (1
20). As a result of this inquiry, when the user does not desire to use the image of the digital camera 11, the game is started using the character image prepared by default (300). On the other hand, when the user desires to use the image of the digital camera 11, it is checked whether or not the memory cassette 9 in which the image photographed by the digital camera 11 is recorded is mounted on the video game machine 1 (130). ), If not,
Request the user to install the memory cassette 9 (1
40).

When the memory cassette 9 is mounted on the video game machine 1, the role playing game asks the user whether to edit the image registered in the memory cassette 9 (150). When the user desires to edit, the image is edited by the following processes (1) to (4).

A list of images recorded in the memory cassette 9 is displayed, and one of the images is selected by the user (160). The selected image is displayed on the screen to provide the user with an image editing function. If the user gives a print instruction during image editing, the image image being edited is printed out to the printer 5 as appropriate (170). The edited image is stored in the memory cassette 9 in response to a predetermined end operation by the user (180). When the user inquires whether to edit another image, the process of (1) to (10) is repeated (190).

Next, in the role playing game, the following processes [1] to [3] are performed to set an image to be used for a character appearing in the game.

[1] A list of characters appearing in the role playing game is displayed on the television receiver 3 and the user selects a character to be set (200). [2] The images recorded in the memory cassette 9 are displayed as a list on the television receiver 3, and the user is allowed to select an image to be combined with the character selected in [1] and to use (210). [3] If the user inquires whether to set another character, the process of [1] to [3] is repeated (220).

When the above setting operation is completed, a role playing game is started.
The game is progressed by appropriately combining the image set in the above-described procedure with the face image of each character displayed during the game (300).

=== Other Embodiments === In the above-described role-playing game, the user is allowed to edit the image fetched from the memory cassette 9 through the interactive processing with the user as described above. However, for example, an algorithm for automatically editing an image fetched from the memory cassette 9 is incorporated into a role-playing game, and an automatic image editing function based on this algorithm and an image editing function based on the manual operation of the user are provided by the user. May be arbitrarily selectable.

The software for editing the image recorded on the memory cassette 9 is not provided as one function of the game software as in the above-described role playing game, but the image recorded on the memory cassette 9 is provided. Is provided by the CD-ROM 7 to specialize in editing (may include a printing function). Further, this software may be stored in a ROM or the like in the video game machine 1 as a standard function of the video game machine 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the video game machine 1 in which the software is supplied by the CD-ROM 7 is described as an example.
The present invention is also applicable to a video game machine of a type in which software is supplied by a ROM cartridge.

Further, the program using the image photographed by the digital camera 11 is not limited to the role-playing game described above. For example, a captured image is used as a background image, and a game character fights in front of the background image. The present invention can also be applied to various other game software such as a martial arts game and a racing game in which a captured image is used for a racer's face to advance the game.

[0030]

According to the image processing system of the present invention, a memory cassette used by being mounted on a video game machine can be used as a memory card for recording images of a digital camera. It can be easily edited and printed by a machine.

In addition, since an original image photographed by a digital camera by a user can be taken in and utilized by game software executed on a video game machine, it is prepared by default in game software as in the prior art. It is possible to provide the user with an enjoyable taste different from the case of playing a game by using an image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a video game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of a memory cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a digital camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart in one use form of the image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Video game machine 3 Television receiver 5 Printer device 7 CD-ROM 9 Memory cassette 11 Digital camera

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toshifumi Nishimura 640 Saedo-cho, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-Terminator in Hori Electric Co., Ltd. 2C001 BA00 BA06 BC00 BC10 CA00 CA09 CB01 CB03 CB05 CC00 CC02 CC07 CC08

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A video game machine, a display connected to the video game machine, a portable recording medium L on which software to be mounted on the video game machine is recorded, and a game for mounting on the video game machine. A rewritable non-volatile portable recording medium S on which the progress is recorded,
A digital camera that uses the portable recording medium S as a recording medium for photographed images. The video game machine is mounted on the portable recording medium L based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. An image processing system using a video game machine, wherein an image taken by the digital camera stored in the portable recording medium S is read out and displayed on a display. 2. The video game machine according to claim 1, wherein said video game machine automatically edits said digital image based on software recorded on said portable recording medium L mounted thereon. The image processing system described in the above. 3. The digital video machine edits the digital image by interactive processing with a user based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein: 4. A printer device is connected to the video game machine, and the video game machine is controlled based on software recorded on an attached portable recording medium L.
4. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a function of printing out an image captured by the digital camera, which is recorded on the mounted portable recording medium S, to the printer device. Image processing system. 5. The digital camera in which the video game machine is recorded on the mounted portable recording medium S based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. The image processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a video game using an image captured by the computer is advanced. 6. A video game machine, a display connected to the video game machine, a portable recording medium L on which software to be mounted on the video game machine is recorded, and a video game machine mounted on the video game machine. A rewritable non-volatile portable recording medium S on which the progress is recorded,
A digital camera that uses the portable recording medium S as a recording medium for photographed images. The video game machine is mounted on the portable recording medium L based on software recorded on the mounted portable recording medium L. An image processing system using a video game machine, wherein a video game is advanced using images taken by the digital camera recorded on the portable recording medium S.