JP2001094962A - Information processor, control method therefor and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily update an image contained in a document for transmission on a network and to include an image of a photographing object within an intended visual field range, without having to designate the photographing position with high accuracy. SOLUTION: An HD 106 stores data, to which a photographing time and a photographing state by a camera 111 whose panning angle, tilt angle and zooming are variable are set. When the set time is reached, a plurality of variations is given to the set contents to conduct photographing and the HD 106 stores an obtained image. When a candidate edit program is operated, a CRT 103 displays a preceding document to which an image is inserted. When a desired image is designated, the image is replaced with an image candidate newly photographed corresponding to the designated position. Then the generated document is uploaded to a WWW server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a storage medium, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus for creating an electronic document using an image captured and stored by a video input apparatus, a control method thereof, and a storage medium. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the number of users connected to the Internet has significantly increased. It is also possible to provide a homepage on the Internet as a source of information, not just as an accessing side. In addition, networks within the framework of companies and affiliated companies, so-called intranets, are also becoming popular.

Until now, it has been common to use newspapers (and their inserts) and magazines or broadcasts when advertising their own stores. However, by setting up a homepage, it is possible to eliminate the problem of resource saving, and from the viewpoint of the purpose of promoting your store, it is thought that this form will spread more and more in the future, Small stores will often use such services.

[0004]

In order to change the homepage, it is necessary to edit the homepage on its own terminal and upload the result to a WWW server.

In the case of a personal homepage, it is considered that the frequency is not so high. However, when the homepage is frequently changed, this work is complicated and incurs another cost.

[0006] For example, consider a homepage displayed such as a cafeteria menu. In this case, when the item is changed, it is desired to update the published image list page immediately. Specifically, each item is photographed again with a digital camera or the like, and the image data is captured using an HTML document editor or the like, and editing is performed. Then, the procedure will be to upload the final data to the WWW server.

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to promptly contact the editor in charge of the item change and immediately perform the editing operation.
In other words, the editor must wait for a time when there is a possibility of changing the item, which in turn causes an operation cost.

That is, it takes time and effort to accurately arrange the photographing target in accordance with the photographing position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can easily update an image to be included in a document to be transmitted on a network, and can accurately capture an image without specifying a capturing position. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a storage medium that enable an image of an object to be included in an intended visual field range.

[0010]

To solve this problem, for example, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, an information processing apparatus for transmitting document information via a network, comprising: an image input unit; a schedule input unit for inputting schedule information for image capture by the image input unit; and the schedule input unit input by the schedule input unit. Correction means for correcting the schedule information, image storage means for storing the obtained image in accordance with the new schedule information corrected by the correction means, and document information based on the image stored in the image storage means. Document creation means for creating.

[0011]

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

<First Embodiment> First, a basic configuration and operation according to the present invention will be described as a first embodiment.
Embodiments according to the present invention will be described from the second embodiment onward.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram in the embodiment. In the figure, 100 is a camera server that functions as an image editing system, and 110 is a network (the Internet or the like). 202, a client connected to the network 110; 203, a WWW server 203 for providing a WWW (World Wide Web) service
It is.

In the present embodiment, a home page (hereinafter simply referred to as a page) is edited and created based on the image photographed and recorded by the camera server 100, and uploaded to the WWW server 203. And client 2
By accessing the WWW server 203 from 02, an image (page) captured by the camera server 100 is browsed.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a camera server 100 that operates as an image editing system in the embodiment.

The camera server 100 includes a memory 101 for storing programs and data necessary for starting up the system, a central processing unit 102 for controlling arithmetic and processing, and a display for displaying characters, symbols, pictures, and the like. A display device 103, an image input interface 104 for capturing images, a serial interface 105 for transmitting and receiving control commands and the like, an auxiliary storage device (such as a hard disk) 106 for storing data, a keyboard device 107 for inputting characters, etc., and displayed characters A pointing device 108 for instructing the operation with a cursor, and a network communication interface 109 for transmitting and receiving data between multiple points are connected via a bus 112.

The camera server 100 is connected to a network 110 via a network communication interface 109.

The camera 111 is connected to an image input interface (VC) 104 for capturing an image and a serial interface (RS) 105 for receiving a control command or the like and transmitting a status signal (current state or the like). I have. That is, control relating to photographing of the camera 111 (pan angle, tilt angle, zoom magnification, exposure, etc.)
Is performed by sending a command via the RS 105, and the captured image is received by the VC 104 and taken in as digital data. A program for this control is stored in the memory 101.

The memory 101 roughly stores an operation setting program 113, a recording execution program 114, a candidate editing program 115, and a page selection program 116.

The above program is stored in a storage medium (not shown), and is loaded and executed on the memory 101 via a drive device (not shown) of the storage medium connected to the bus 112. May be. In other words, although the camera server 100 has an interface for connecting the camera 111, it can also use a general-purpose information processing device (for example, a personal computer).

The operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described in detail below in order.

When the time set by the operator by the execution of the operation setting program 113 is reached, the camera server 100 displays an image at a predetermined position on the camera 11.
Let 1 shoot and accumulate it.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an operation setting for setting the photographing schedule of the camera server. The flow of the operation setting program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, existing setting data (not shown) is read from the auxiliary storage device 106 (S601), and a setting page screen such as 301 in FIG. 3 is displayed according to the read data (S602). When there is no setting data, the items described below are left blank.

On this screen, a field 302, a field 303, and a field 304 are fields for inputting a shooting start time, a shooting end time, and a shooting interval, respectively.

The pan of the first preset position,
The tilt and zoom information are respectively described in a field 306.
-1p, 306-1t, and 306-1z. Information on the pan, tilt, and zoom of the second preset position is respectively described in fields 306-2p and 306-2.
t, 306-2z. Similarly, in this embodiment, up to five preset positions can be input in each field. Of course, it is possible to increase or decrease the number.

Thereafter, the setting input process of step S604 is repeated until the setting save button 307 is pressed, and the process proceeds to step S605 when the setting save button 307 is pressed (S603).

In the setting input processing (step S604),
Check data entry in various fields and change the display of input data. In the example of FIG. 3, the shooting start time,
The shooting end time, shooting interval, and camera angle information of the first to fourth preset positions are set.

Since no data is specified in the fifth preset position, the shooting and recording at the four preset positions are specified at the specified shooting intervals from the shooting start time to the shooting end time.

In step S605, the displayed information is written to the auxiliary storage device 106 as a setting file.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the interval between 10:00 and 11:40 is the first time at 20-minute intervals (a total of 6 times).
Camera angle of preset position (pan value 9.7
2, tilt value 0.00, zoom value 46.80) image from the camera angle at the fourth preset position (pan value 1)
(1.30, tilt value: 5.00, zoom value: 40.00) The setting of photographing four images at a time is stored.

At this time, registration is performed in the operating system so that the recording execution program 114 is activated at each photographing time. This is the end of the description of the operation setting program.

At the time designated by the operation setting program, the recording execution program 114 is called, and the video is taken and stored.

Here, the flow of the recording execution program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, data of a setting file (not shown)
Is read from the auxiliary storage device 106 (step S70).
1) By sending an image acquisition command at a predetermined camera angle to the camera 111 for each preset position, an image is acquired by controlling the camera 111, and the image is stored in the auxiliary storage device at each timing and each preset position. (Step S702).

For example, for the first preset position shown in FIG.
11 is issued.

GetStillImage? Pan = 9.72 & tilt = 0.00 & zoom = 46.80 & ... Then, as shown in FIG. 1, from the shooting time 10:00, the image of the first preset holding image is displayed as "image data 120-
1-1 ", the image at the second preset position is" image data 120-2-1 ", the image at the third preset position is" image data 120-3-1 ", and the image at the fourth preset position is" image data 120-2-1 ". 120-4-1 "as a file in the auxiliary storage device 106.

Similarly, from the next photographing time 10:20, the image at the first preset position is displayed as “image data 120”.
-1-2 ", the image at the second preset position is stored as" image data 120-2-2 "... This is the end of the description of the recording execution program.

In the above description, the operation setting data is
Although the example in which the data is stored in the auxiliary storage device 106 has been described, the data may be stored in the memory 101 if the data is not erased even after the operation setting program 113 ends.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the flow of image editing.

Here, the flow of the candidate editing program 115 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. this is,
The process starts when the page candidate editor activates the page selection program 115.

In this embodiment, the "canteen menu page"
An example will be described in which an intranet is built in the company and a menu page of the employee cafeteria is created.

First, when there is no image page candidate, an image page in which a list of images at a specific time at each photographing position is displayed based on the photographed and accumulated image data is generated.

Then, a candidate list screen 410 for selecting an edit page is displayed (step S801).

When one of the candidates is selected, an image page generated by the system is displayed as a page plan 1 and a changed image selection screen 411 is displayed (step S802).

Here, page plan data 401 before editing
As shown in FIG. 2, page plan 1 is composed of image data 120-1-1, 120-2-1, and
, The first candidate image of each preset position is used.

Next, when the completion button is pressed, step S is executed.
Proceed to 806. When one of the display images is selected, the process proceeds to step S805 (steps S803 and S80).
4).

In step S805, a replacement image selection screen 412 is displayed in which the images captured at the same preset position as the selected image at the respective times are displayed as replacement candidate images. If one of them is selected, it is replaced with the image at that time, and step S802
And the process is repeated. That is, the changed image selection screen 4
13 is displayed.

For example, by clicking on image 421-2-1 to change it, this image is selected, and the flow advances to step S805.

The image 421-2-1 is composed of the image data 120
-2-1, and is the first captured image of the second preset position. Then, a selection screen for selecting an image candidate having a different shooting time at the second preset position is displayed. Therefore, when the image 421-2-3 is selected, the page plan data 402 in which the image data 120-2-1 is replaced with the image data 120-2-3 is created.

When the completion button 422 is pressed in this manner, the page plan data 402 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 106 (step S806), the candidate list is updated (step S807), and in the next editing process, the candidate list screen is displayed. As shown at 414, one candidate is added and displayed. This is the end of the description of the candidate editing program.

When all the image replacement editing is completed, the page selection program 116 performs page approval processing and upload processing to the WWW server 203.

This is because the approver has the page selection program 1
The process is started by activating 16.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the flow of the page approval.
Here, the flow of the page selection program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, a connection to the WWW server is made. At this time, an authentication screen 501 for the approver is displayed first, and an authentication process is performed (step S901). If not authenticated, the process is interrupted.

When the user is authenticated, a candidate page selection screen 502 is displayed.
Is displayed (step S902), and when a target candidate is selected, a page approval processing screen 503 is displayed (step S903). Here, when the reject button 510 is pressed, the processing ends, and the approval button 511 is pressed. If it is determined that it has occurred (step S904), the process proceeds to step S905.

In step S905, the approved image page is uploaded and transferred to the WWW server 203,
The process ends. If a general public line is used instead of a network such as an intranet (for example, the Internet may be used), it is also possible to perform a line disconnection process after the transfer is completed.

According to the above procedure, the WWW server 2
The image page is made public on the network by the WWW service on 03, and can be accessed and displayed from the WWW browser on the client.

This is the end of the description of the page selection program.

It is to be noted that a plurality of persons can utilize the present system as an image page catching editor.

Based on a page edited by an editor,
Different editors can easily create different image pages. Therefore, it becomes possible to create a candidate proposal on a volunteer basis, and finally, the responsible person can select and approve one of the candidates and publish the page.

In the above description, the operation setting program 11
3. Recording execution program 114, candidate editing program 1
15. The page selection program 116 is the camera server 1
The example executed on the camera server 10 has been described.
If 0 interprets the command and returns the photographed image to the information processing device that sent the command, the information processing device may execute these programs.

For example, the WWW server 203 can perform operation setting, recording execution, candidate editing, and page selection processing. In this case, the operation setting program 113, the recording execution program 114, the candidate editing program 115, and the page selection program 116 are connected to the CGI (Common Gateway Interface).
ace) If described as a program, the user
Each program can be executed via the WWW service on the server 203.

With such a configuration, the image page editor or approver does not need to visit the camera server 100, and can also edit data for shooting at a remote place via a network.

Further, the recording execution program 114 is executed by the camera server 100, and the operation setting program 113,
Candidate editing program 115, page selection program 11
6 may be executed on the WWW server 203.

In this case, the data set by the operation setting program may be transferred to the camera server 100, and the recording operation may be performed based on the transferred data. Then, the candidate editing program 115 and the page selection program 116
Then, when image data is required, the image data may be transferred from the camera server 100 and processed.

In this case, since the photographing and recording of the image are performed locally, there is also an effect that even if the band of the network is narrow, the image is not missed.

Although the application of the present embodiment is directed to the creation of pages for displayed products such as a cafeteria menu, it is also possible to create a pet list page of a pet shop in which breeding boxes are stacked, or to create a page such as a gardening shop. It can also be applied to create a list page of pot plants that are widely arranged on the floor. In addition, the present invention can be applied to shooting a street corner, a resort facility, and the like, and creating an image page with a best shot at each camera angle. In addition, regardless of the camera angle, if images from a plurality of cameras are used as the respective portions of the image, it can be applied to the creation of the best shot collection for each camera site.

Instead of selecting an image automatically captured and stored by the camera in each part of the image page, the image page is divided into a plurality of parts, and candidate images are prepared in advance in each part. A plurality of editors may collaboratively create an image page by changing an image as a partial image for an arbitrary part.

For example, by preparing, as candidate images, product images having variations in chromaticity, lightness, and saturation, illustrations showing a sense of season, and illustrations reminiscent of various scenes such as sports and hobbies, etc. It is possible to easily create a product catalog page, a facility information page, and the like jointly.

Further, the image itself is divided into a plurality of areas,
The image of each part may be replaced or the image of each part may be modified. When the facility guide or event guide is represented by an image like a schematic map, or when a product or exhibit is introduced along with various illustrations and cuts in one picture, each part By replacing or correcting the partial images every time, it becomes easy to jointly create a guide board, a guide map, and the like.

<Second Embodiment> In addition to the above-mentioned basics, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

The configuration diagram of the camera server on which the second embodiment operates is almost the same as FIG. Therefore, here, the description will be made with reference to FIG. 1 while replacing parts unique to the camera server constituting the second embodiment.

In the memory 101, as shown in FIG.
An operation setting program 10 which is a feature of the second embodiment.
113, a recording execution program 10114, and a candidate editing program 10115 are stored.

Further, data which is a feature of the second embodiment is stored in the auxiliary storage device 106 (see FIG. 11).
See below).

The basic operation of the second embodiment having the above-described configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.
The operation of the embodiment will be described.

First, the camera server 100 shoots an image of a place determined at a time set by the operator by executing the operation setting program 10113 in advance.
accumulate.

The flow of the operation setting program is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, and the flow charts of FIGS. 3 and 6 will be described by replacing only the parts unique to the second embodiment.

In FIG. 6, steps S601 to S6
The operation up to step 04 is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, in step S605, the second embodiment operates as follows.

First, each information displayed on the setting page screen 301 is written to setting data (not shown) on the auxiliary storage device. Next, displacement camera angle information is generated for each preset position from the camera angle information of each preset position.

The displacement camera angle information is new camera angle information consisting of a value slightly shifted back and forth from a value designated by the operator. For example, when two pan values are set at 9.72, 8.72, 10.72, and 11.72, respectively, when the pan value 9.72 is set to a displacement difference of 1, and the displacement value is 1, the information has the pan values. This is generated for each of the pan value, the tilt value, and the zoom value. Screen 301
FIG. 12 shows an example of a list of displacement camera angle information generated from the camera angle information of the first preset position in FIG.

In the example shown in FIG. 12, two of the pan value, the tilt value, and the zoom value are fixed to generate the displacement value. Further, two displacement values are generated before and after each value from one value, but the generated range is not limited thereto. Alternatively, these may be input and designated by the operator. The displacement setting screen 10201 shown in FIG. 13 is an example.

When the displacement camera angle information for each preset position is generated, it is written into displacement setting data (not shown) on the auxiliary storage device.

At each shooting time, the recording execution program 10
The registration is performed in the OS so that 114 is started.

The description of the operation of the operation setting program 10113 has been completed.

When the time specified by the operation setting program comes, the recording execution program 10114 is called by the OS, and the image is captured and stored. Here, the operation of the recording execution program will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the setting data stored in the auxiliary storage device is read (step S10301), and then the displacement setting data is determined. This is done by reading displacement setting data (not shown) from the auxiliary storage device, or by uniformly determining and calculating the displacement difference from the setting data as described above (step S10302).

The setting data is sequentially taken out from the top in preset position units. If the preset position data is not the end, the program proceeds to step S10304, and if the end is reached, this program ends (step S1030).
3).

In step S10304, the camera angle of the taken out preset position is photographed and stored.
A predetermined command is sent to the camera 111 to control the camera and acquire an image.

The acquired images are accumulated by writing to the auxiliary storage device 106. If this is the first shooting time of the second preset position, this is used as image data 10000-2-
1-0, if m-th shooting time, image data 1000
0-2-m-0.

Subsequently, the data of the corresponding preset position is extracted from the displacement setting data, and is processed sequentially from the head. If the data is not over, step S1030
In step 6, if all data has been processed, step S10
Return to 303.

In step S10306, the displacement camera angle at the corresponding preset position is photographed and stored.
A predetermined command is sent to the camera 111 to control the camera and acquire an image.

The acquired image is accumulated by writing to the auxiliary storage device 106. At the first photographing time of the third preset position, if the displacement angle is the first displacement angle, this is set to image data 10000-3-1-1, and if the displacement angle is the kth displacement angle, it is set to 10000-3-1-1-k3. save.
10,000-3-m for the m-th shooting time
-1 and stored in 10000-3-mk3. This is the end of the description of the recording execution program 10114.

Next, the operation of the candidate editing program 10115 in the second embodiment will be described.

The flow of the candidate editing program is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, and the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 8 will be described by replacing only the parts unique to this embodiment. FIG.
5 and 16 correspond to FIGS. 4 and 8, respectively.

The page candidate editor is the candidate editing program 1
The process is started by activating 0115.

If there is no image list page candidate, an image list page in which images at a specific time at each preset position are displayed in a list is generated based on the photographed and stored image data. A candidate list page screen 410 that is a list of image list pages for selecting a target to be edited from a group of newly generated or existing image list pages.
Is generated and displayed (step S19801).

When a candidate to be edited is selected, the selected image list page is changed to a changed image selection screen 41 as a page plan.
1 is displayed (step S19802). Here, the image list page 401 generated by the system is referred to as page proposal 1, and images 10000-1-1-1, 10000-2-1-1 captured and accumulated at the beginning of each preset position are set.
0.10000-3-1-0,10000-4-1-0
Is used.

If the user presses the completion button, the process advances to step S19806. If any image is selected, the process advances to step S19805.

In step S19085, a replacement image of the selected image at the displacement angle position at the preset position and the image group at the other shooting time of the preset position and the displacement angle position is displayed as a replacement candidate. Image selection screen 1040
1 (FIG. 17) is displayed.

On the selection screen 10401, images of all photographing times and displacement angle positions relating to the preset position are displayed. When the page candidate editor selects an image that is considered optimal from among them, the screen returns to the changed image selection screen 413 (S19802), but is replaced with the image selected in step S19804.

After the above replacement process has been repeated an arbitrary number of times, the completion button is pressed, and step S198 is performed.
Proceeding to 06, a new image list page based on the replaced image is created. Here, it is page plan 2 which is the second page plan, and the page plan data 402 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 106. Further, step S19807
The new page plan is added to the candidate list and updated.

The operation of the candidate editing program 10115 has been described above. The subsequent operation is the same as that of the page selection program 116 of the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment, not only the camera angle set for photographing / accumulation, but also angles in the vicinity thereof are automatically photographed / accumulated with a slight additional setting, so that the position of the subject can be changed. Even when the image is not completely fixed, the optimum image can be selected and replaced.

As described above, even if the position to be displayed and the size of the plate are uncertain, it is acceptable to prepare some settings for photographing within the range in which they are changed. An image can be captured, and an image page in which a target object is well in view can be easily created.

<Third Embodiment> In the third embodiment, the candidate editing program 10115 of the second embodiment is replaced with a program unique to the present embodiment. Otherwise, the second embodiment is the same as the second embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the operation of the candidate editing program will be described with reference to FIGS. The candidate editing program (not shown) which is a feature of the third embodiment is a
As in the case of the embodiment 10115, it is stored in the memory 101 and activated by the page candidate editor.

First, a candidate page selection screen 10501 is displayed (step S10601). The candidate page selection screen has an area 10511 for inputting a candidate time and an area 10512 for selecting from an existing candidate list. If the candidate editing program is started first in a series of processes, there is no existing candidate list yet, so that it is not displayed.

If the candidate page to be edited is input as a candidate time, the flow advances to step S10603, and if it is selected from an existing list, the flow advances to step S10604 (S10602).

In step S10603, each preset angle image photographed at the designated time is searched from the image data stored in the auxiliary storage device 106, and a candidate page to be edited is created.

In step S10604, the candidate page 10502 created or selected in the immediately preceding step is displayed. If the completion button is pressed here, step S1
If any image is selected at 0609, the process proceeds to step S10607 (S10605, S1060
6).

In step S10607, a displacement angle replacement image selection screen 10503 displaying a group of images at the displacement angle position at the photographing time of the selected image as replacement candidates is displayed. The page candidate editor compares the image at the preset position with the image at each displacement angle position, selects the image considered to be optimal, and presses the complete button 10531, to end the displacement angle replacement process.

Subsequently, in step S10608, another time-replacement image selection screen 10504 is displayed, in which images at other displacement times at the displacement angle position selected in the immediately preceding step S10607 are displayed as replacement candidates. The page candidate editor compares the image at the shooting time selected in step S10602 with the image at the other shooting times, selects an image considered to be optimal, and clicks a complete button 10541.
When the user presses, the alternative time replacement process ends, and the screen returns to the changed image selection screen 10502 (S10604). At this time, the image is replaced with the image selected in step S10608.

After the above replacement process is repeated an arbitrary number of times, when the completion button is pressed, step S106 is performed.
In step 09, a new image list page based on the replaced image is created and stored in the auxiliary storage device 106.
Further, in step S10610, a new page plan is additionally updated in the candidate list, and the operation of the program ends.

The operation of the above candidate editing program 18115 is summarized as follows from the viewpoint of the page editor.

When the candidate editing program is started, the page editor first selects a candidate editing page. To edit another candidate page or an existing candidate page that you have created in the past, select from the existing candidate page list. In order to create a new candidate page, the shooting time is determined based on the knowledge about the shooting target (such as the cafeteria menu opening time in the case of the cafeteria menu) and the time when the candidate page obtained from past candidate editing experience is easily obtained. , Create and display candidate pages.

Next, the image to be replaced is determined from the images of the preset angles on the candidate page, and the image (angle) is selected. Then, a list of displaced images having slightly different pan, tilt, and zoom values of the image is displayed. An image at an angle that is considered to be optimal is selected and replaced with the displaced angle.

Further, a list of images at other shooting times of the displacement angle is displayed. Similarly, an image at a time considered to be optimal is selected and replaced with the shooting time. This completes the image replacement for one preset angle.

If it is necessary to replace another preset angle image, this is repeated, and when all replacements have been completed, the completion button is pressed on the changed image selection screen to complete the editing of the candidate page.

According to the third embodiment, when replacing each preset position image, after selecting the displacement angle position image, it is possible to select another photographing time image, and the displacement angle position image can be selected. It is easy to select the replacement image when there are many images with different shooting times.

In the description of the third embodiment, the different-time replacement processing is performed after the displacement-angle replacement processing is performed. However, the processing order is changed, and the selection based on the different-time image is performed. You may make it select a displacement angle image.

For example, in the case of the cafeteria menu, it is meaningless to determine the displacement angle in the image before the sample is placed. It is better to select the most suitable image after the sample is placed in the list of different time images, and then determine the displacement angle according to the position where the sample is placed.

Also, when the object to be photographed is an animal or moves, as in the case of a pet shop or the like, it is better to first narrow down by time, and then adjust the mark by displacement.

On the other hand, especially in the case of a preset angle having a large zoom magnification, the subject may not be within the shooting range even with a slight displacement of the pan or tilt. In such a case, it is better to give priority to displacement angle replacement as described in the present embodiment.

<Fourth Embodiment> The fourth embodiment is different from the fourth embodiment in that
The recording execution program and the candidate editing program in the third embodiment are replaced with those specific to the fourth embodiment. Otherwise, the third embodiment is the same as the third embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the operations of the recording execution program and the candidate editing program, which are features of the fourth embodiment, will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The recording execution program is stored in the memory 101, and is executed at the time designated by the operation setting program.
Called by S. The basic operation is the same as that of the recording execution program in FIG.
Between step S10303 and acquisition of an entire image specific to the present embodiment.
Step S17303, which is a save process, is inserted.

In step S17303, step S10
From the setting data read in 301, a camera angle at which each preset position can be photographed at a time is calculated, and a predetermined command for acquiring an image of the angle is issued to the camera 111.
The image is acquired by controlling the camera, and is written and stored in the auxiliary storage device 106. Depending on the preset position and the angle performance of the camera, it may not be possible to photograph each position at once. In this case, after the image is shot a plurality of times, the entire image may be synthesized and accumulated. Subsequent steps are the same as those in FIG. 14, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the operation of the candidate editing program according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 22.

The candidate editing program is placed on the memory 101 and is started by the page candidate editor. The basic operation is the same as that of FIG. 19 described above, but steps S1061, S10602, and S1060 in FIG.
3 is a candidate page selection screen display processing step S16601, a candidate page display selection input processing step S16602, and a candidate page creation step S16 unique to the fourth embodiment.
603 respectively.

First, a candidate page selection screen 10701 is displayed (step S16601). The candidate page selection screen has an area 10711 for displaying / selecting the entire image and an area 10712 for selecting from the existing candidate list. If the candidate editing program is started first in a series of processes, there is no existing candidate list yet, so that it is not displayed.
In the whole image area 10711, the whole images photographed and accumulated in step S17303 by the recording execution program are displayed in a time series.

If the candidate page to be edited is selected in the whole image, the flow advances to step S16603, and if the candidate page is selected from the existing list, the flow advances to step S10604 (S16602).

In step S16603, each preset angle image shot at the time when the designated whole image is shot is searched from the image data stored in the auxiliary storage device 106, and a candidate page to be edited is created.

The subsequent operation is the same as that of the candidate editing program of the third embodiment.

The operation of the candidate editing program according to the fourth embodiment is summarized as follows from the viewpoint of the page editor.

When the candidate editing program is started, the page editor first selects a candidate editing page. To edit another candidate page or an existing candidate page that you have created in the past, select from the existing candidate page list. When a new candidate page is created, an image in which each preset angle is photographed as a whole is selected from the entire images arranged in chronological order, and the candidate page is created and displayed.

For example, in the case of the cafeteria menu, if an image is displayed in which no person stands as much as possible in front of the case from the entire image of the entire display case and editing is started, a person stands at each preset angle. It is possible to reduce the operation of replacing the image with an image having no time.

According to the present embodiment, the selection of a candidate page to be edited can be made visually while viewing the whole image instead of the time, and editing can be performed more quickly.

<Fifth Embodiment> A fifth embodiment will be described. When the position of the shooting target changes, for example, in the case of menu display shelves in the cafeteria, if the `` stage '' of the display shelf is fixed, but the number of menus, the number of dishes, etc. varies from day to day, it is predicted in advance. There may be a case where the shooting target is placed at a position different from the set shooting position.

In such a case, when several photographing positions are set as in the first embodiment, the set positions are automatically interpolated, and photographing and recording are performed on the interpolated positions. It is possible to deal with this.

Although various interpolation methods are conceivable depending on the purpose, for example, it can be realized by dividing the set photographing position into a designated number and adding the divided position to the photographing position.

For example, when setting the operation of the first embodiment,
The example which improved the interface which set a plurality of preset positions is shown. FIG. 23 shows FIG. 3 of the first embodiment.
Numerical input fields (201-01 to 201-04) are added between the preset numbers of the image position setting section, and the preset positions on both sides are added to the numbers indicated by the numbers (positive integers) input here. It is assumed that points at which the setting values of are equally divided are registered as the photographing positions.

In the above-mentioned interpolation method, it is possible to photograph one stage evenly by setting the photographing positions at both ends of the stage and dividing it into an arbitrary number.

When editing a candidate page, it is not necessary to create a list using all the images at the interpolated positions. If the position of the shooting target does not change significantly over time, once you select multiple positions where the shooting target is reflected at an appropriate time and create the original candidate page, the subsequent editing work will be Is fixed, and it is sufficient to replace images at different photographing times for each position.

This state is shown in FIG. 24 and a flowchart FIG.

First, in step S203- of the flowchart,
In step 1, all images at all shooting positions (set and interpolated) at a predetermined time determined by a shooting time list or input (details are omitted) are displayed as candidates. In FIG. 24, reference numeral 202-1 denotes an example in which images (15 images) of all photographing positions at 11:35 are displayed. A plurality of images including the object to be photographed are selected with the pointing device 108 from these (step S203-04). The selected image is highlighted and registered in the selection list (step S203-05). Here, it is assumed that selection / non-selection is toggled every time the pointing device is operated.

When all the images at the photographing positions in which the desired photographing target is shown are completed, 202 of FIG. 24 is selected.
When the "Create" button of "-1" is selected (step S203)
-02), an initial candidate page is created (step S20)
3-06), the process ends.

To cancel the processing, click "Cancel".
If the button is selected (step S203-03), the selection list as the work data is discarded (step S203).
-07), the process ends.

In the example of FIG. 24, six positions are selected from the fifteen photographing positions, and the initial candidate page 20 is selected.
2-2 has been generated.

In the present embodiment, when the number of interpolated photographing positions is large, an image to be displayed may not be displayed due to selection. In such a case, the screen shown in the selection screen 202-1 can be dealt with by dividing the screen into a plurality of screens and adding a button or a pull-down menu for selecting one of them.

When the photographing position is divided into a plurality of stages as described above, it can be realized, for example, as follows. That is, the processing is performed such that the steps are divided on the basis of the point where “0” is input in the numerical input fields 201-01 to 201-04 indicating the number of divisions in FIG.

For example, if the field 201-03 is "0"
When a number other than 0 is input, the presets 1, 2, and 3 are treated as the first stage, and the presets 4, 5 are treated as the second stage. In the processing flow in that case, steps S203-01 to S203-05 in the flowchart of FIG. 25 are performed for each stage, and when all the stages have been selected, an initial candidate page is created in step S203-06. It is.

As described above, if selection can be made for each row, even if the number of menu objects is particularly large, one selection object is narrowed down, so that the operation becomes easy and it can be expected that erroneous selection is reduced. .

<Sixth Embodiment> In the fifth embodiment,
The method of creating the initial candidate page from the image of the interpolated photographing position has been described. However, in the case of editing the page candidate of the first embodiment, and in the fifth embodiment, the configuration (the number of images) , Order). An embodiment that enables this will be described with reference to FIG. 26 and a flowchart in FIG.

FIG. 26 is a modification of FIG. 4 (the flow of image editing) of the first embodiment, and the same functional parts are denoted by the same reference numerals for the sake of simplicity.

FIG. 27 is a modification of the main flow of the candidate editing program shown in FIG. 8, and portions having similar functions are denoted by common numbers.

The candidate page selected from the candidate list in FIG. 27 is displayed at 250-01 in FIG. Here, in the first embodiment (FIG. 4), only the change (replacement) operation of the target image is considered.
As shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the change, buttons for deletion, insertion, and addition are added. The configuration change of the candidate page using these will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

Step S251-Modified part from FIG.
At 01, a delete operation is performed. With the image selected,
When the delete button is pressed, the deletion process of step S251-02 is performed, and the selected image is deleted from the link structure of the image.

When the change button is pressed while an image is selected, a replacement image selection process (step S251-04) is performed in step S251-03.
This is a process similar to step S805 in FIG.

In the state where the image is selected, the image is inserted (step S251-05) or added (step S251-).
When 07) is selected, a screen for selecting a shooting position (angle) indicated by 250-02 in FIG. 26 is displayed. When a desired angle is selected from the screen, the image is displayed at the designated position ( The image selected in 250-01 is inserted before (for insertion, after) for addition.

FIG. 26 illustrates a flow in which the image 5-1 is "added" after the image 2-1 of 250-01.

In some cases, it is necessary to interrupt (cancel) these processes in the middle, but such processes are not particularly exemplified.

The deletion process can be executed even when a plurality of images are selected. However, the respective processes of change, insertion, and addition (steps S251-04, S251-06, S25)
In step 1-08), no operation is performed when a plurality of images are selected.

As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, when the page candidates of the first embodiment are edited,
Also in the fifth embodiment, it is possible to change the configuration (the number and order of images) after the initial candidate page is created.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage medium (or a storage medium) on which a program code of software for realizing the functions of each of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or an apparatus, and a computer of the system or the apparatus. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by a program (or CPU or MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. The functions of the above-described embodiments are not only realized by the computer executing the readout program code, but also the operating system running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code.
It goes without saying that the (OS) performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, the CPU included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
Just select an appropriate image for each position,
Image pages can be created, and the burden of editing work can be greatly reduced.

Further, of the image pages automatically generated by the system, it is possible to correct the image page only by selecting the replacement of the photographed image only at the position that needs to be changed. This improves the editing work load.

Further, on a volunteer basis, several candidate image pages can be created by a plurality of volunteers, and one good image page is selected from the created candidate image pages. Just by selecting, the image page is uploaded to, for example, a WWW server, and the image page can be made public, thereby further reducing the operation cost.

In addition, it becomes possible to select an image at a more appropriate angle for each position without manually obtaining a new image, thereby reducing the burden of editing work and making it possible to create an image page with better images.

Further, the photographing time of the image list page at which editing is started by utilizing knowledge and experience can be selected, and editing work can be reduced.

Further, the editing work can be performed separately for the time and the angle, and when a large number of images are stored, the image with the appropriate time and angle can be more easily selected.

Further, it is possible to select the photographing time of the image page at which editing is to be started, based on the image that grasps each position as a whole, thereby reducing editing work.

[0175]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image to be included in a document to be transmitted on a network is
It can be easily updated, and the image of the object to be photographed can be kept within the intended visual field range without specifying the photographing position with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a camera server according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation setting for setting a shooting schedule of a camera server.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flow of image editing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flow of page approval.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of an operation setting program.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a recording execution program.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a candidate editing program.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a page selection program.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a camera server according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a storage state of image data in an auxiliary storage device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a list of displacement camera angle information generated from camera angle information according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a displacement camera angle setting screen according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a recording execution program according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a flow of image editing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a candidate editing program according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a replacement image selection screen according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of an editing screen according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a candidate editing program according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a recording execution program according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a candidate editing program according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of an editing screen according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an operation setting for setting a shooting schedule of a camera server according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen in creating an initial candidate page according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating the content of an initial candidate page creation process according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating a flow of image editing according to the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a candidate editing program according to the sixth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 100 camera server 101 memory 106 auxiliary storage device 113 operation setting program 114 recording execution program 115 candidate editing program 116 page selection program 120-1-1, 120-1-2, ..., 120-nm
Image data 401, 402 Image data 301 Setting page screen 410 Candidate list screen 411 Changed image selection screen 412 Replacement image selection screen 502 Candidate page selection screen 503 Page approval processing screen 10000-1-1, 10000-1-2, ..., 100
00-nm image data 10201 Displacement setting screen 10401 Replacement image selection screen 10501 Candidate page selection screen 10502 Change image selection screen 10503 Displacement angle replacement image selection screen 10504 Different time replacement image selection screen 10701 Candidate page selection screen

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Eiji Kato, Inventor 3- 30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Akihiro Kawano 3- 30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (72) Inventor Tadashi Yamakawa 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) 5B089 GA23 GB03 HA10 JA23 JB02 KA01 KC23 KC51 LB10 LB17 5C064 BA01 BA04 BB05 BC18 BC23 BD02 BD08 BD13

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for transmitting document information via a network, comprising: an image input unit; a schedule input unit for inputting schedule information for image capture by the image input unit; Correction means for correcting the obtained schedule information, image storage means for storing the obtained image in accordance with the new schedule information corrected by the correction means, and based on the image stored in the image storage means. An information processing apparatus comprising: document creation means for creating document information. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transferring document information created by said document creating means to said network server. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit calculates a new photographing position that is changed within a predetermined range around one photographing position in the schedule information. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit includes a unit that creates a new position for interpolating between two positions of the image input unit. . 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an editing unit for deleting, inserting, and adding an image in the document information created by said document creating unit. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying and selecting an image of each displacement for selecting an image to be stored in a document. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit that captures a wide range of images when capturing images based on the schedule information and stores the images in the image recording unit. Information processing device. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document information is HTML-format document information. 9. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus having image input means and transmitting document information via a network, comprising: an input step of inputting schedule information for image capture by the image input means; A correcting step of correcting the corrected schedule information, a storing step of storing the obtained image in accordance with the corrected new schedule information, and a document preparing step of generating document information based on the stored image. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: 10. A storage medium having an image input means and storing a program code of an information processing apparatus for transmitting document information via a network, wherein the input means inputs schedule information for image capture of the image input means. A program code of a process, a program code of a correction process for correcting the input schedule information, a program code of a storage process for storing an obtained image according to the corrected new schedule information, A storage medium for storing a program code of a document creation step of creating document information based on the program code. 11. An information processing apparatus for updating an image in document information to be transmitted via a network, comprising: video input means capable of remotely controlling a shooting position; a shooting position of the video input means; Schedule storage means for storing schedule information having: a calculation means for calculating a plurality of new shooting positions from the shooting positions in the schedule information stored in the schedule storage means; and a new calculation position calculated by the calculation means. Control means for energizing the video input means in accordance with a shooting position and the shooting time, and storing the obtained image in a predetermined image storage means; and storing document information based on the image stored in the image storage means. An information processing apparatus comprising: a document creation unit that creates a document. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for transferring document information created by said document creating means to said network server. 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said calculating means calculates a new photographing position within a predetermined range centering on one photographing position. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined range is provided for each of a pan angle, a tilt angle, and a zoom magnification of the video input unit. 15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said calculating means calculates a plurality of displacement photographing positions for interpolating between two photographing positions. 16. A method for selecting an image to be included in a document,
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising means for displaying and selecting an image of each displacement. 17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a unit that captures an image of a wide area and stores the image in the image recording unit when capturing an image based on the schedule information. Information processing device. 18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the document information is HTML-format document information. 19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an editing unit for deleting, inserting, and adding an image in the document information created by said document creating unit. 20. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: a video input unit capable of remotely controlling a photographing position, wherein the video input unit captures an image in document information to be transmitted via a network, A step of storing schedule information having a photographing position and a photographing time of the image input means, and from a photographing position in the stored schedule information,
Calculating a plurality of new photographing positions; energizing the video input means according to the calculated new photographing positions and the photographing time, and storing the obtained image in a predetermined image storing means; And a step of creating document information based on the image stored in the image storage means. 21. A computer program code for an information processing apparatus, comprising video input means capable of remotely controlling a photographing position, and causing the video input means to photograph an image in document information to be transmitted via a network. A storage medium, comprising: a program code of a step of storing schedule information having a shooting position and a shooting time of the image input unit; and a shooting position in the stored schedule information.
A program code for calculating a plurality of new photographing positions, and the video input unit is energized in accordance with the calculated new photographing position and the photographing time, and the obtained image is stored in a predetermined image storing unit. And a program code for creating document information based on the image stored in the image storage means.