JP2001359077A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup device that is applied to e.g. a mobile video camera and can simply transmit the result of. e.g. image pickup from various places to a desired communication object. SOLUTION: The image pickup device acquires information of a processing condition from a prescribed information providing device 3 via a 2-way communication means depending on the selection of a menu item displayed on a prescribed display means 6 and processes the result of image pickup according to the information of the processing condition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging device,
For example, it can be applied to a portable video camera.
The present invention obtains processing condition information from a predetermined information providing device via a two-way communication unit in response to selection of a menu displayed on a predetermined display unit, and obtains an imaging result according to the processing condition information. By performing the processing, for example, the imaging result can be easily transmitted from various places to a desired communication target.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a portable video camera, a desired subject can be imaged and an imaged result can be recorded. Such an imaged result can be recorded as a moving image or a still image. Has been made.

[0003]

By the way, if the imaging result obtained by the imaging device such as a video camera can be easily transmitted from various places to a desired communication object, the usability of this type of imaging device is improved. It can be improved.

Some of these types of imaging devices have a so-called editing function, and if the imaging result can be easily transmitted to a desired communication target as described above,
It is thought that such materials and the like to be provided for editing can be easily acquired on the go, and the usability can be improved accordingly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to propose an imaging apparatus capable of easily transmitting an imaging result from various places to a desired communication target.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising:
Processing condition information is acquired from a predetermined information providing device, and the imaging result is processed according to the processing condition information.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, information on processing conditions is obtained from a predetermined information providing apparatus, and the imaging result is processed according to the information on the processing conditions. In some cases, the communication device registered in the mobile phone can be selected on the imaging device side and a communication line can be connected, whereby the imaging result can be easily transmitted via the information providing device.

[0008]

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

(1) First Embodiment FIG. 1 is an external view showing a video camera system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The video camera system 1 captures an image of a desired subject with a video camera 2 and records an image capturing result. Further, in the video camera system 1, a telephone line is connected via the mobile phone 3, the imaging result is transmitted to a desired communication target via the telephone line, and further, the Internet is connected to various homepages (H).
From P), it is possible to acquire imaging conditions, editing materials, and the like.

Here, the video camera 2 is formed so that a desired subject can be imaged by the lens 4 arranged in front, and furthermore, the lid 5 arranged on the side is opened, and the video camera 2 is arranged inside the lid 5. The imaging result is monitored by the display unit 6 using a liquid crystal display panel, and various menus can be selected. The lid 5 is configured to be rotatable in various directions, so that the imaging result can be confirmed from the subject side as shown in FIG. The display unit 6 includes a transparent touch panel 6
A is arranged so that a menu or the like can be selected.

The video camera 2 is further provided with various controls 7 on the lens 4 side of the lid 5 so that operations such as zooming can be performed by operating these controls 7. Is viewfinder 8 on the other side
However, an antenna 9 for Bluetooth communication is arranged on the upper side of the side opposite to the display unit 6.

On the other hand, the mobile phone 3 has a display section 11 formed of a liquid crystal display panel, various operators 12, a speaker 13, and a microphone 14, which are arranged on the front of a substantially rectangular casing.
An antenna 15 for the telephone line is on the upper side and Blueto on the side.
An antenna 16 for oth communication is arranged.

Here, Bluetooth communication is performed at 2.4 [GH].
z] This is a short-distance communication method based on the SS method using the frequency of the band, and the video camera 2 and the mobile phone 3 check various device IDs and the like set for each device, thereby enabling various devices capable of Bluetooth communication. More specifically, after mutually confirming that the device is a device registered in advance, a process described later is executed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the video camera 2. In the video camera 2, the imaging recording unit 21 includes:
The imaging results are obtained and recorded as still image data and video data, and the image data and video data thus recorded are reproduced and output. Further, the image data and video data are output as described above. The image data of the edited result obtained by recording is recorded.

That is, in the image pickup recording section 21, the image pickup system 22 is composed of the above-described lens 4, an image pickup device, etc., outputs the image pickup result of the subject, and the signal processing circuit 23
This imaging result is processed to output image data and video data.

The recording / reproducing section 24 records the video data thus obtained together with separately obtained audio data on a predetermined recording medium, and reproduces and outputs the recorded video data and audio data. Also, video data of the editing result obtained by outputting such video data is input from the mixer 27 and recorded in the same manner as the video data based on the imaging result.

The image memory 25 records and holds a still image by recording video data output from the signal processing circuit 23. Further, the image memory 25 outputs the held image data under the control of the control unit 26, and records and holds the image data of the editing result obtained from the mixer 27 by outputting the image data.

The display unit 6 is driven by image data and video data output from the signal processing circuit 23, so that the imaging result can be monitored. The display unit 6 also controls the image memory 2 via the mixer 27.
5 and the video data reproduced by the recording / reproducing unit 24 are input.
5 and a moving image recorded by the recording / reproducing unit 24 can be confirmed. Further, the display unit 6
In the monitor of such an imaging result, the mixer 27
, The image data held in a memory (not shown) in the mixer 27,
The still image and the moving image can be edited by the video data or the image data and the video data received by the receiving unit 31 (the image data and the video data are the materials described later) so that the editing result can be monitored. It has been done. Thus, the image memory 25 and the recording / reproducing unit 24 described above are capable of recording the editing result by the mixer 27 by feeding back the output data of the mixer 27 to the input side and recording the output data again. ing.

Further, the display unit 6 switches the display image according to the image data output from the control unit 26, thereby displaying various operation menu screens, and furthermore, the transmission destination of the still image recorded in the image memory 25 and the like. Have been made selectable.

The receiving section 31 is a receiving section related to Bluetooth communication, and receives signals transmitted from the mobile phone 3 by processing signals received by the antenna 9.
The receiving unit 31 outputs the received information to the control unit 26 under the control of the control unit 26 and according to the attribute of the information, so that an electronic mail address or the like can be selected under the control of the control unit 26. In such a case, the data is output to the mixer 27 and can be combined with image data and video data.

The transmitting section 32 is a transmitting section related to Bluetooth communication, and under the control of the control section 26, various information output from the control section 26, image data held in the image memory 25, and output from the recording / reproducing section 24. The transmitted video data and the like are transmitted from the antenna 9.

The control unit 26 is a controller for controlling the operation of the video camera 2. The controller 26 executes a processing procedure, which will be described later, in accordance with the operation of the operation unit 7 and the touch panel 6A, so that the imaging result can be transmitted to a desired communication target. And various materials for editing and various data for adjustment can be obtained from the Internet or the like.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a portable telephone. In the mobile phone 3, the transmitting unit 47 and the receiving unit 46
Is a transmitting unit and a receiving unit that perform the functions of a general mobile phone, and executes a series of processes related to a mobile phone call via the antenna 15 under the control of the control unit 43. That is, the transmission unit 47 and the reception unit 46 transmit the user's voice signal obtained from the microphone 14 to the call target via the antenna 15, receive the voice signal of the call target via the antenna 15, and Output. As a result, the mobile phone 3 can talk with the microphone 14 and the speaker 13 in the same manner as a normal mobile phone.

In addition to this, the transmitting unit 47 and the receiving unit 4
6 transmits the data from the video camera 2 received by the receiving unit 46 to the call target in place of the audio signal from the microphone 14 by the switching control of the selection circuit 45 by the control unit 43, and conversely, Instead of outputting the audio signal transmitted from the call target from the speaker 13, the data transmitted from the call target is output to the video camera 2 via the transmission unit 47. Thus, the video camera system 1 can select a communication target, transmit an imaging result from a telephone line, and acquire various editing materials and various adjustment data via the Internet or the like.

In this way, the receiving unit 46 and the transmitting unit 47
Are a transmission unit and a reception unit for Bluetooth communication, and are capable of transmitting and receiving various data to and from the video camera 2 under the control of the control unit 43.

Under the control of the control unit 43, the selection circuit 45 performs data exchange between the video camera 2 and the call target, instead of transmitting and receiving voice to and from the call target using the microphone 14 and the speaker 13. Switch the operation of.

The information storage section 48 is storage means for storing data and the like for assisting the operation of the video camera 2, and sends out the data held under the control of the control section 43 to the video camera 2 via the transmission section 47. . Here, the data stored in the information storage unit 48 are the registered telephone number of the call target, the e-mail address, and the Internet homepage address.
These can be recorded under the control of the control unit 43 in response to the operation such as 2.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the control unit 26 for controlling the video camera 2. Control unit 2
The control unit 6 controls the operation of the image capturing and recording system in response to the operation of the operating element 7 and the touch panel 6A, and records the image capturing result and the editing result in the image memory 25 and the recording / reproducing unit 24. Further, when the user instructs transmission of the imaging result and the editing result recorded in this way, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 is executed.

In this processing procedure, the control unit 26 proceeds from step SP1 to step SP2, and accepts selection of data to be transmitted here. Here, the control unit 26 displays the still image recorded in the image memory 25 as a still image based on a thumbnail, and the moving image recorded in the recording / reproducing unit 24 displays the first image of each scene as a still image based on a thumbnail. It is displayed in the section 6. Further, the selection of the data to be transmitted is accepted by the user's selection operation by the pressing operation of the touch panel 6A with respect to the still image by the thumbnail displayed in this manner.

Then, the control section 26 proceeds to step SP3, and requests the mobile phone 3 to send out a list of communication targets recorded in the mobile phone 3 here. In response to this request, the control unit 43 of the mobile phone 3 sets the information storage unit 4
From the record of No. 8, the list of the communication targets recorded by the telephone number or the e-mail address is transmitted, and the control unit 26 acquires this list in the following step SP4.

In the subsequent step SP5, the control unit 26 displays the list thus obtained on the display unit 6, and accepts the selection of the transmission destination by the user by operating the touch panel 6A. In this process, if the call target desired by the user is not registered in the mobile phone in this process, the control unit 26 accepts an input of a telephone number or an e-mail address by separately operating an operation element.

When the transmission destination is received in this way, the control unit 26 proceeds to step SP6 and requests the mobile phone 3 to perform a line connection process based on the transmission destination. Thus, in the control unit 43 of the mobile phone 3, if the destination selected in this way is a call target registered by a telephone number, a call is transmitted by this telephone number and a series of line connection processing is executed. . On the other hand, if the destination selected in this way is a call target registered by an e-mail address, the line connection processing is executed so as to access the mail server recorded on the mobile phone 3. Mobile phone 3
When the line is connected in this manner, the control unit 43 notifies the video camera 2 of the line connection.

In the control section 26, the following step SP
In step 7, in response to the notification of the line connection, the image data of the still image or the moving image selected by the user is transmitted to the mobile phone 3, and the mobile phone 3 transmits the data to the connected call target. When the data transmission to the desired destination is completed, the control unit 26 instructs the mobile phone 3 to cut off the line, and then proceeds to step SP8 to end the processing procedure. Thus, in the video camera system 1, the imaging result and the editing result can be easily transmitted to a desired communication target from various places.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control unit 26 when the user instructs the online acquisition of the material during the editing process. The control unit 26 controls a still image held in the image memory 25 under the control of the mixer 27 in response to a user operation,
The moving image recorded in the recording / reproducing unit 24 is edited, and the overall operation is controlled so that the edited result is recorded in the image memory 25 and the recording / reproducing unit 24.

At this time, titles, marks, illustrations, frames, and the like to be superimposed on the image are stored in a memory (not shown) as image data, and the image data is output to the mixer 27 to be image-combined to insert the title and the like. I do.

In the video camera system 1, in addition to the titles and other materials recorded in the memory of the video camera 2 as described above, various materials such as titles are provided by a homepage, and furthermore, video-based materials such as scenic spots in various places, Further, a material based on map image data or the like is provided. In the control section 26, when the user instructs the selection of the material from such a homepage in such an editing work, FIG. The processing procedure shown in is executed.

That is, the control unit 26 determines in step SP11
The process then proceeds to step SP12, where the mobile phone 3 is requested to provide a homepage list. In response to this request, the control unit 43 of the mobile phone 3 sends out a list of related homepages from the record in the information storage unit 48, and
6 obtains this list.

In the following step SP13, the control unit 26 displays the list thus obtained on the display unit 6, accepts the user's selection by operating the touch panel 6A, and in the following step SP14, accesses the home page. Request to phone 3.

As a result, the mobile phone 3 is
Connect to the Internet via the provider registered by the user and access the homepage selected by the user. When the user accesses the homepage, the data transmitted from the homepage is transmitted to the video camera 2. The control unit 26 of the video camera 2 displays the homepage data transmitted in this manner on the display unit 6.
In response to an operation on the touch panel 6A corresponding to the display on the display unit 6, and instructs the mobile phone 3 to access to follow the link. Through a series of these processes, the control unit 26 acquires the material list from this homepage in step SP15, and accepts the selection of the material by the user in the subsequent step SP16.

When the selection of the material is received in this manner, the control unit 26 requests the mobile phone 3 to acquire the material in the following step SP17 by instructing access following the same link, and In response to this request, the control unit 43 of the telephone 3 acquires the material from the homepage, and transmits the acquired material to the video camera 2. Accordingly, in the subsequent step SP18, the control unit 26 acquires this material, instructs the mobile phone 3 to disconnect the line, and then proceeds to step SP19 to end the processing procedure. Video camera 2
Then, the image data of the material acquired in this way,
The imaging result is edited based on the video data.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for acquiring the conditions for imaging. Video camera 2
In the case of imaging under special conditions such as setting the whole color to sepia, or when processing the once recorded image in the same way, this processing is performed in response to the operation of the user. The procedure is executed, and the color balance, chroma level adjustment, and the like in the signal processing circuit 23 are switched according to data obtained from a predetermined homepage.

That is, the control unit 26 determines in step SP21
Then, the process proceeds to step SP22, where a list of related homepages is acquired from the record of the mobile phone 3, and in step SP23, the list of homepages is displayed to accept selection by the user.

Subsequently, the control unit 26 proceeds to step SP24, instructs the mobile phone 3 to access the home page selected in this way, and acquires home page information from the mobile phone 3. The control unit 26 displays the obtained information on the display unit 6 and instructs the mobile phone to follow the link by operating the touch panel 6A as in the case of acquiring the material. Get the list of conditions set in. Note that here, the conditions are as follows:
It is composed of a description that characterizes the imaging result, such as monotone imaging.

In the following step SP26, the control section 26 accepts the selection of the user by this list, and in the following step SP27, instructs the mobile phone 3 to access the list, thereby making it possible to display the list selected by this user. Request acquisition of adjustment data. In response to this request, the control unit 43 of the mobile phone 3 obtains the corresponding data from the homepage and notifies the video camera 2, and the control unit 26 obtains this data in the subsequent step SP28, and After instructing to disconnect the line, the process proceeds to step SP29, and this processing procedure ends.

Thus, the control unit 26 sets the operation of the signal processing circuit 23 and the like based on the data thus obtained, thereby obtaining various imaging results according to the conditions desired by the user, and further recording once. The imaging result can be processed.

According to the above configuration, in response to the selection of the menu displayed on the display unit 6 as the predetermined display means, the processing is performed by the mobile phone 3 as the predetermined information providing apparatus via the two-way communication means. By acquiring information on the conditions and processing the imaging results according to the information on the processing conditions, for example, the imaging results can be easily transmitted from various places to a desired communication target.

(2) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a video camera to transmit a photographing result and an editing result, and data of an editing material and photographing conditions are transmitted. Although the case of acquiring is described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a case where the same processing is executed by applying to various imaging devices such as an electronic still camera.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which a connection is made to a public line via a mobile phone.
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be widely applied, for example, when connecting to a local area network or the like and uploading an imaging result to a desired server, and even when acquiring data of imaging conditions from this server. it can.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, information on processing conditions is obtained from a predetermined information providing device via a two-way communication means in response to selection of a menu displayed on a predetermined display means. By processing the imaging result according to the information on the processing condition, for example, the imaging result can be easily transmitted from various places to a desired communication target.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a video camera system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a video camera in the video camera system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a mobile phone in the information providing system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for transmitting an imaging result in a control unit of the video camera in FIG. 2;

5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of acquiring a material in a control unit of the video camera in FIG. 2;

6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when acquiring data of an imaging condition in a control unit of the video camera in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... video camera system, 2 ... video camera, 3
... mobile phone, 26, 43 ... control unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 5C022 AA13 AB66 AC03 AC72 5C064 BA07 BB02 BB05 BC10 BC20 BC23 BC25 BD02 BD08 5K027 AA11 BB01 CC08 EE01 EE11 FF01 FF22 HH29 KK02 MM17 5K101 KK03 NN12 MM04 NN06 NN06

Claims (3)

[Claims] An information processing apparatus obtains processing condition information from a predetermined information providing device via a two-way communication means in response to selection of a menu displayed on a predetermined display means, and obtains an imaging result in accordance with the processing condition information. An imaging device characterized by processing. 2. Accessing a desired information source by connecting to a public line via the information providing device, thereby acquiring information on the processing conditions held in the information source from the information providing device. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is connected to a public line via the information providing apparatus and sends an image pickup result to the public line according to the processing condition information.