JP2000184104A - Adapter device, image pickup device, and image pickup system provided with these devices - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an adapter device, an image pickup device, and an image pickup system provided with these device which surely transmit and receive picture data independently of the classification of a used telephone line. SOLUTION: When picture data picked up by an electronic camera 1 is put on the radio telephone channel of a digital portable telephone 3, a PHS 4, or the like, picture data is converted into a data structure, with which picture data can be communicated, by an RISC-CPU 11, and the data structure is converted into data according with the classification of the radio telephone channel by a docking adapter 2 connected to the electronic camera 1 with respect to software and is transmitted and received.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging device capable of transmitting and receiving image data using a telephone line, an adapter device connected to the imaging device, and an imaging system including these devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, techniques for transmitting and receiving digital data using a transmission line such as a telephone line are widely known. In recent years, image data captured by an electronic camera using the telephone line or the like has been known. The technology for transmitting and receiving is also being established. In carrying out such communication, a technique is often adopted in which an adapter such as a modem is connected to the electronic camera, and the electronic camera is connected to a telephone line via the adapter.

On the other hand, in recent years, wireless portable telephones such as a so-called digital portable telephone (PDC) and PHS have been widely used. These are wireless and highly portable, and considering the actual situation of electronic cameras that are often carried and used, these wireless telephone lines are optimal as transmission paths for image data.

Here, an example of the configuration of a conventional image transmission system for transferring data relating to an electronic camera to a wireless portable telephone will be briefly described.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of such an image transmission system.
2 shows an image transmission system for connecting the digital mobile phone 103 via the communication system 2.

As shown in the figure, a PC card 102 has a digital error correction circuit 12 configured as hardware.
2a, high-speed synchronous serial RX, high-speed synchronous serial T
X, low-speed asynchronous serial RX, low-speed asynchronous serial T
X, a communication I / F 122 having a function of processing each signal of the transmission / reception control signal, a predetermined I / F unit, and the like.
F122 is controlled by the CISC-CPU 121. Further, the PC card 102 is connected to the electronic camera 101 via a PC card header section 113, and further includes a connector section 123 to which the digital mobile phone 103 is connected.

[0007] The electronic camera 101 includes a RISC-CPU 111 for controlling the entire apparatus.
A connection I / F 112 for connection with the H.02 is provided.

In the conventional image transmission system having such a configuration, the type of the wireless telephone to be connected is limited to one for the reason described later. Currently, digital cellular phones and PHSs are known as types of wireless telephones, but these cannot be commonly used when considered as digital data transmission means. That is, the digital error correction circuit and the telephone I / O
The F means is different, and it is necessary to change the PC card used according to the type of telephone.

[0009] On the other hand, such a PC card exists as a variety of independent adapters according to the type of telephone to be connected. Therefore, the digital error correction circuit need only include a dedicated circuit. , And is configured by hardware without being realized by software.

[0010]

As described above, it is convenient to transmit and receive image data using a wireless telephone line. However, these digital portable telephones and PHS have completely different data transmission methods. Therefore, the modems connected to the line have no commonality. In terms of the digital data transmission system, all of these wireless telephone lines are different from ordinary wired telephone lines, and modems are also different.

That is, the user of the electronic camera needs to prepare a modem corresponding to the type of telephone line (wired, wireless or mobile phone, type of PHS), which is extremely uneconomical and carries a plurality of units. Considering that, it was inconvenient for carrying and moving.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an adapter device, an image pickup device, and an image pickup system including these devices that can reliably transmit and receive image data regardless of the type of telephone line used. The purpose is to:

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, a first adapter device of the present invention comprises an electronic image pickup means for converting a subject image into an image signal, and an image signal converted by the electronic image pickup means. An adapter connected to an imaging device, comprising: an image processing unit that converts an image signal into image data; and a communication processing unit that converts the image data converted by the image processing unit into a communicable data structure. A device, which further converts the communicable data structure converted by the communication processing means at the time of transmission into data according to the type of telephone line, and converts different data at the time of reception according to the type of telephone line. It is characterized by comprising storage means for storing a data conversion program for performing conversion processing into a data structure for the communication processing means.

In order to achieve the above object, the second aspect of the present invention
The adapter device according to the first aspect, wherein
The storage means stores a plurality of types of data conversion programs corresponding to the type of telephone line, and a connection means for connecting to the telephone line, and when connected to the telephone line via the connection means, Detecting means for detecting the type; and selecting means for selecting one specific data conversion program from the plurality of types of data conversion programs stored in the storage means in accordance with a detection result of the detection means. It is characterized by having.

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect of the present invention is provided.
According to the adapter device of the first or second adapter device, the data conversion program is an error correction processing program.

In order to achieve the above object, a fourth aspect of the present invention is provided.
The adapter device of the first to third adapter devices further includes a transmission unit that transmits information indicating the type of telephone line to the imaging device.

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention
The image pickup apparatus includes: an electronic imaging unit that converts a subject image into an image signal; an image processing unit that converts an image signal converted by the electronic imaging unit into image data; and an image processing unit that converts the image signal. A communication processing means for converting the image data into a communicable data structure; and a communicable data structure converted by the communication processing means at the time of transmission, further converting the communicable data structure into data corresponding to the type of telephone line, and receiving the data. Connection means for connecting an adapter device having storage means for storing a data conversion program for converting data which is different depending on the type of the telephone line into a data structure for the communication processing means. Features.

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention
The imaging system of (1) includes an electronic imaging unit that converts a subject image into an image signal, an image processing unit that converts an image signal converted by the electronic imaging unit into image data, and an image processing unit that converts the image signal. A communication processing means for converting the image data into a communicable data structure, and an imaging device including: an adapter device connected to the imaging device;
At the time of transmission, the communicable data structure converted by the communication processing means of the imaging device is further converted into data corresponding to the type of telephone line, and at the time of reception, different data is captured according to the type of telephone line. An adapter device having storage means for storing a data conversion program for converting the data structure into a data structure for communication processing means of the apparatus.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

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

As shown in FIG. 1, the present imaging system includes an electronic camera 1 having a function of transmitting and receiving digital data such as recorded image data to and from an external device by communication, and the electronic camera 1 and a wireless telephone. A docking adapter 2 for inserting digital image data relating to the electronic camera 1 through a wireless telephone line by being inserted between the line (so-called digital cellular phone (PDC) 3 or PHS 4 or the like).

The electronic camera 1 is usually provided with a serial connector (female or male) 32 connected to a personal computer or the like for transmitting and receiving digital data to and from the personal computer or the like. The docking adapter 2 is provided with a serial connector (male or female) 55 corresponding to the serial connector 32, and is directly connected to the electronic camera 1 without a connection cord or the like. The docking adapter 2 is provided with a connector 54 connected to the digital mobile phone 3 or the PHS 4 via a predetermined cable.

The electronic camera 1 includes a lens 16, a CCD 17, an amplifier 18, and an A, as means for converting a subject image into an image signal under the control of the RISC-CPU 11 and image processing means for converting the converted image signal into image data. A / D converter 19, a lens controller 15, a RAM 14, and the like are provided.

The electronic camera 1 also includes a photometric and distance measuring sensor 20, a control circuit (AF / AE circuit) 21, a liquid crystal monitor 24 for displaying a captured or recorded image, the monitor I / F 22, and the electronic camera. 1, an operation key 23a for performing a predetermined operation, a display LCD 23b for performing various displays,
The LCD 23b for displaying the operation keys 23a and the like, a CISC-CPU 12 for controlling a circuit requiring relatively low-speed processing, a D / A converter 27 for outputting a video signal to an external display device, a video output terminal 33, and the electronic camera 1 Memory card 29 for recording image data captured by the camera, an I / F 28 for the memory card, a battery 30 as a power supply of the electronic camera 1, an external power supply terminal 34 for using an external power supply, a DC / DC converter However, since these components are known per se and do not differ from those provided in a general electronic camera, detailed description thereof is omitted.

The electronic camera 1 has communication processing means for converting image data converted by the image processing means into a communicable data structure.
13 can be achieved by performing control based on predetermined information stored in the memory 13.

The electronic camera 1 has a UA for transmitting / receiving digital data such as image data to / from an external device.
An RT 25, a ± 12V converter 26 for providing these digital data for transmission, and a serial connector 32 for connection to an external device and composed of a 9-pin connector are provided. As shown in FIG. 2, by connecting a personal computer 5 or the like to the serial connector 32, digital image data captured or recorded can be transmitted. Alternatively, by connecting a modem 6 having a normal function or the like, digital data can be communicated with a wired telephone line via the modem 6.

Here, the communication function of the electronic camera 1 will be briefly described. The electronic camera 1 according to the present embodiment has a communication function using a telephone line, and its communication procedure is controlled by the ROM 1 under the control of the RISC-CPU 11.
3 is performed in accordance with the information stored in. That is,
It is assumed that the modem 6 is connected to the serial connector 32, is connected to a general wired telephone line via the modem 6, and is in a communication state by the operation keys 23a and the like. At this time, the RISC-CPU 11 performs, based on the information stored in the ROM 13, predetermined communication settings, negotiation processing with a communication destination, protocol conversion for data transfer, and the like.
Performs various processes. Further, control such as data compression is performed as needed. Note that these communication procedures and the like are well-known techniques, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The docking adapter 2 is an adapter device connected to the electronic camera 1 and has the serial connector 55 connected to the serial connector 32 of the electronic camera 1 as described above. Further, a connector 54 connected to the digital mobile phone 3 or the PHS 4 via a predetermined cable is provided. The digital mobile phone 3 and the PHS 4 are both wireless telephone lines, but have different telephone line types. The docking adapter 2 of the present embodiment functions as an adapter for connecting the electronic camera 1 to these wireless telephone lines of different types of telephone lines.

Further, since the digital mobile phone 3 or the like usually has only a digital I / F for audio, a predetermined process is required to transmit image data. The docking adapter 2 also functions as such a processing device.

The docking adapter 2 according to the present embodiment includes a RISC-CPU 51 to exhibit such functions, and the electronic camera 1 is controlled under the control of the RISC-CPU 51.
When the data is transmitted from the electronic camera 1, the communicable data structure converted by the communication processing means in the electronic camera 1 is further converted into data corresponding to the type of telephone line, and when received, data different depending on the type of telephone line is received. ROM / RA as storage means storing a data conversion program for conversion processing for converting data into a data structure for the communication processing means.
M52, and a communication I / F 53 that actually performs an I / F function with a telephone line under the control of the RISC-CPU 51.

As described above, the digital I / F for audio data included in the digital cellular phone 3 or the like is not suitable for transmitting image data, and requires new digital error correction processing and data transfer processing unique to a wireless line. Become. The present embodiment is characterized in that these processes are realized by software. Programs related to these processes are stored in the ROM /
It is stored in the RAM 52 and executed by the RISC-CPU 51.

The type of the connected wireless telephone line is determined by a detecting means described later, and the processing of receiving the result and converting it into data corresponding to the type of the telephone line is also processed by software. A program related to the processing is also stored in the ROM / RAM 52 and stored in the RISC-CPU
51 is executed.

Thus, the communication I / F 53 has a function of processing each signal of a high-speed synchronous serial RX, a high-speed synchronous serial TX, a low-speed asynchronous serial RX, a low-speed asynchronous serial TX, and a transmission / reception control signal. The digital error correction circuit provided in the PC card (see FIG. 7) or the like is not provided as hardware.

The connector 54 is connected to the digital portable telephone 3 or the PHS 4 and has a function for detecting whether the connected wireless telephone is the digital portable telephone 3 or the PHS 4. Acts as a connector. Also, the serial connector 55
Plays a role as a connector for connection to the electronic camera 1 and as a sending means for sending information indicating the type of telephone line to the electronic camera 1.

In the present embodiment, the type of the wireless telephone line connected to the docking adapter 2 can be determined by determining the type of the connector connected to the connector 54. That is, a cable having the PDC connector 61 is prepared when the digital mobile phone 3 is connected, and a cable having the PHS connector 62 is prepared when the PHS 4 is connected, and these are used depending on the wireless telephone used. Thus, the type of the line can be determined.

Specifically, the connectors 61 and 62
The ground pin is different between and RISC-C electrically
The determination is made by the PU 51. Also, whether any telephone is connected to the connector 54 is determined by providing the connectors 61 and 62 with a common ground pin.

Next, the operation relating to the communication of the imaging system of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 show image data captured or recorded by the electronic camera 1 in a general wired telephone line, a digital cellular phone 3, a PHS 4 and the like.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of communication using a wireless telephone line such as that shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a control flow by the control unit (RISC-CPU 11) of the electronic camera 1, and FIG. Control unit (RISC-C
PU51).

As shown in FIG. 3, when the user operates the operation keys 23a and desires to transmit image data while the power of the electronic camera 1 is turned on (step S1), the RIS is set.
The C-CPU 11 controls the related circuits to make various settings related to the transmission mode shown in FIG. That is, the user can set the image data transmission to “single transmission”, “automatic transmission”, “automatic reception” or the like using the operation keys 23a, the display LCD 23b, and the like (step S31). Further, a destination name, a telephone number, a line type to be used, and the like can be registered (step S32).

After setting the various transmission modes, returning to FIG. 3, the RISC-CPU 11 of the electronic camera 1 determines whether or not the docking adapter 2 is connected to the serial connector 32 (step S2). If the docking adapter 2 is connected, the process proceeds to FIG. 4 and the RISC-CPU 51 of the docking adapter 2 determines whether a wireless telephone is connected to the connector 54 (step S21). This determination is made by the connector 54
It can be electrically determined that one of the connectors 61 and 62 for the digital mobile phone 3 or the PHS 4 is connected to the.

If no telephone is connected to the connector 54 in step S21, the RISC-CP shown in FIG.
After proceeding to the process of U11, predetermined error processing and error display processing are performed in steps S4 and S5, and the transmission processing ends.

In step S21, the connector 5
4 is connected to the RISC-CPU 51
Means that this phone (carrier) is a digital mobile phone 3, PH
It is determined which of S4 it is (step S22). This determination can electrically determine whether the connector connected to the connector 54 is the connector 61 for the digital mobile phone 3 or the connector 62 for the PHS4.

In step S22, the connector 5
Processing settings are appropriately performed according to the type of telephone connected to the telephone 4 (steps S23 and S24), and the setting information including the information indicating the type of telephone is transmitted to the RISC-CPU 11 of the electronic camera 1 via the serial connector 55. Sent to
The RISC-CPU 11 controls the display LCD 23b to display the type of the connected telephone, for example.

After that, referring to FIG. 3, the RISC-CPU 1
1 executes dial / line connection processing (step S10) and transmission information transmission / reception processing (step S11) according to the procedure stored in the ROM 13 according to the setting information from the docking adapter 2 side.

Returning to the processing of the RISC-CPU 51 shown in FIG. 4, the type of the connected telephone is discriminated again (step S25), and the transmission protocol, digital error correction processing and line type suitable for each type are determined. The corresponding process is performed (steps S26 and S27).

Thereafter, when the transmission is completed in FIG. 3 (step S9), the transmission processing ends.

On the other hand, if the docking adapter 2 is not connected to the electronic camera 1 in step S2, a personal computer connected to the serial connector 32 or a wired telephone line via a modem is used. The RISC-CPU 11 determines whether or not there is (step S3).

In this step S3, if a personal computer is connected, communication as a telephone line is not performed, so that predetermined error processing and error display processing are performed in steps S4 and S5, and the transmission processing ends.

In step S3, if a modem is connected, under the control of the RISC-CPU 11 alone,
Dial / line connection processing (step S6) and transmission information transmission / reception processing (step S7) are executed. Further, predetermined processing for modem connection is performed (step S8), and after transmission is completed (step S9), the transmission processing ends.

Next, a recording operation of a captured image in the electronic camera 1 will be briefly described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the user selects the recording mode with the operation keys 23a or the like while the electronic camera 1 is turned on (step S41), the RISC-CP
U11 waits for the first release (not shown) to be turned on (step S42). Here, when the 1st release is turned on, the RISC-CPU 11
0, the AF / AE circuit 21 is controlled to perform auto focus and automatic exposure (steps S43 and S44).

Thereafter, the RISC-CPU 11 waits for the second release ON (step S45).
After the subject image is captured by the CD 17 and converted into image data, the image data is once taken into the RAM 14 (step S46). Thereafter, the RISC-CPU 11 appropriately executes image processing and compression processing (steps S47 and S48),
Write the image data to the memory card (step S
49).

As described above, according to the imaging system of the present embodiment, when digital data relating to the electronic camera is loaded on the wireless telephone line, only a docking adapter is attached to the electronic camera, and an expensive and large PC card or the like is transferred to the wireless telephone line. There is no need to prepare according to the type of line, and an imaging system for image transmission excellent in economy and mobility can be provided.

In this embodiment, the docking adapter 2 is connected to the electronic camera 1 by the serial connector 55.
Although it was configured to be directly connected to the serial connector 32 of
The connection is not limited to this, and connection may be made via a predetermined code or the like.

In this embodiment, the type of the wireless telephone line (digital mobile phone 3 or PHS 4) connected to the docking adapter 2 is automatically (electrically) changed by the connectors 61 and 62 connected to the connector 54. Although the determination is made, the present invention is not limited to this, and the switching may be performed manually.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an adapter device, an imaging device, and an imaging system including these devices, which can reliably transmit and receive image data regardless of the type of telephone line used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration when a personal computer or a general wired telephone line is connected to an electronic camera in the imaging system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a camera CPU for communicating image data captured or recorded by an electronic camera using a general wired telephone line, a digital cellular phone, a PHS or other wireless telephone line in the imaging system of the embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an adapter-side CPU for communicating image data captured or recorded by an electronic camera using a general wired telephone line, a digital cellular phone, or a wireless telephone line such as a PHS in the imaging system of the embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a transmission mode setting operation in the imaging system of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an image capturing / recording operation performed by an electronic camera in the image capturing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional image transmission system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 electronic camera 2 docking adapter 3 digital cellular phone (PDC) 4 PHS 5 personal computer 6 modem 11 electronic camera-side RISC-CPU 12 CISC-CPU 13 ROM 25 UART 32 serial connector 51 ... RISC-CPU 52 on the docking adapter side ROM / RAM 53 Communication I / F 54 Telephone connector 55 Serial connector 61 Digital mobile phone connector 62 PHS connector

Continued on front page F term (reference) 5C022 AA13 AB02 AB27 AC03 AC11 AC31 AC42 AC54 AC69 AC73 AC75 5C062 AA01 AA12 AA30 AA37 AB10 AC35 AC40 AC41 AE14 5K067 AA34 BB04 DD52 EE02 HH23 HH25 KK15

Claims (6)

[Claims] An electronic imaging unit configured to convert a subject image into an image signal; an image processing unit configured to convert an image signal converted by the electronic imaging unit into image data; Communication processing means for converting the image data into a communicable data structure, and an adapter device connected to the imaging device, comprising: Further, a storage means for storing a data conversion program for performing a conversion process to data according to the type of telephone line and for converting a different data according to the type of telephone line to a data structure for the communication processing unit upon reception. An adapter device comprising: 2. The storage means stores a plurality of types of data conversion programs corresponding to the types of telephone lines, a connection means for connecting to the telephone line, and a connection means for connecting to the telephone line via the connection means. Detecting means for detecting the type of the telephone line; selecting means for selecting one specific data conversion program from the plurality of types of data conversion programs stored in the storage means in accordance with the detection result of the detecting means The adapter device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 3. The adapter device according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion program is an error correction processing program. 4. The adapter device according to claim 1, further comprising a sending unit that sends information indicating a type of a telephone line to the imaging device. 5. An electronic imaging unit for converting a subject image into an image signal, an image processing unit for converting an image signal converted by the electronic imaging unit into image data, and an image processing unit converting the image signal into image data. A communication processing means for converting the image data into a data structure capable of communication; a transmission processing means for converting the communicable data structure converted by the communication processing means at the time of transmission into data corresponding to the type of telephone line; Connecting means for connecting an adapter device having storage means for storing a data conversion program for converting data which is different depending on the type of the telephone line into a data structure for the communication processing means. Characteristic imaging device. 6. An electronic imaging unit for converting a subject image into an image signal, an image processing unit for converting an image signal converted by the electronic imaging unit into image data, and an image processing unit converting the image signal into image data. A communication processing means for converting the image data into a communicable data structure; and an adapter device connected to the imaging apparatus, wherein the conversion processing is performed by the communication processing means of the imaging apparatus during transmission. The data structure that can be communicated is further converted into data according to the type of telephone line, and at the time of reception, data that differs according to the type of telephone line is converted into a data structure for communication processing means of the imaging device. An imaging system comprising: an adapter device having storage means for storing a data conversion program for storing the data.