JP2003047023A - Digital camera and image-outputting apparatus, and image-processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera that is suited for recycling. SOLUTION: The digital camera 10 converts image information into an electric signal by a CCD 12, converts the signal to a digital signal by an A/D converter 14, and then performs reversible compression by a compression section 16 without performing any color signal processing. The compressed digital data are stored in a flash memory 20. When the stored data are to be printed, the digital camera 10 is carried into a shop having an exclusive printer, and data are supplied to the printer. The exclusive printer performs the expansion processing of the inputted data, and further performs color signal processing for restoring the image data before printing and outputting. Color signal processing cannot be made at the side of the digital camera 10 and the data cannot be recognized as images as they are, thus simplifying the configuration of the digital camera 10 and improving recovery.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera, an image output device and an image processing system, and more particularly to a digital camera system suitable for recycling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital cameras have rapidly become popular due to improvements in image quality, reduction in size and weight. Image data taken with a digital camera can be viewed on the LCD monitor provided in the digital camera so that the shot image can be viewed immediately after shooting, and the shot image can be printed by connecting to a computer or a dedicated printer. You can also

On the other hand, in terms of price, digital cameras are still not sufficiently low, and in order for users to enjoy digital cameras more easily, they can be recycled using a single-use digital camera or rental digital camera with limited functions. It is desirable to do. By letting multiple people use the digital camera several times, the price offered to one person can be provided at a low price. For recycling, it is necessary to configure the function to increase the return rate from users.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-19693.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-58242 discloses an image sensor and a digital camera that digitizes signals from the image sensor, performs color signal processing such as exposure correction, white balance, and gamma correction, and then encrypts and stores in a semiconductor memory. There is. This digital camera does not have a circuit for decrypting encrypted signals, so the user brings a digital camera that has already taken a picture to the store, reads the data stored in the semiconductor memory at the store, decrypts it, and writes it in the flash memory. It is stored in a medium such as and is delivered to the user. As described above, when the user wants to view the captured data, he / she must bring the digital camera to the store to decrypt the data, and the digital camera can be recycled.

[0005]

However, in the above digital camera, the signals obtained by the image pickup device must be color signal processed and stored in the semiconductor memory, and the color signal processing circuit, the encryption circuit, and Since a memory capacity for storing the color signal processed data is also required, it is difficult to further reduce the price.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a digital camera having a simple structure suitable for recycling and an image processing system using the digital camera. is there. In particular,
With the aim of reducing the price of rental digital cameras, it aims to build the circuit configuration and increase the collection rate.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image pickup device for converting image information into an electric signal, and a device for converting data output from the image pickup device into a digital signal. It is characterized in that it has a means for compressing the digital signal and a storage means for storing the compressed digital data, and stores the data output from the image sensor without color signal processing.

Here, it is preferable that the storage means stores the characteristic data of the image pickup device in association with the digital data.

Further, it is preferable that the storage means stores selection data for color signal processing the digital data in association with the digital data.

In the digital camera of the present invention, it is preferable that the compression is lossless compression.

The present invention also provides an image output device.
This apparatus comprises means for inputting digital data stored in the digital camera, means for expanding the digital data, means for processing color signal of the expanded digital data, and digital data processed for the color signal. And means for outputting.

In the image output apparatus according to the present invention, the color signal processing means has a plurality of types of color signal processing modes, and the color signal processing is performed in the color signal processing mode according to the selection data included in the digital data. Is preferred.

The present invention also provides a system for outputting image data acquired by a digital camera by an image output device. In this system, the digital camera and the image output device are connected via a communication network, and the digital camera digitizes and compresses image signals obtained by an image sensor to the image output device via the communication network. The image output device outputs the data from the digital camera by decompressing the data and performing color signal processing.

As described above, according to the present invention, the color signal is processed by the digital camera and then the data is not stored in the storage means such as the semiconductor memory as in the prior art, but is compressed and stored without performing the color signal processing. To do. This eliminates the need for a color signal processing circuit and the like, and since the data stored in the storage means is not subjected to color signal processing, it cannot be recognized as image data as it is, and an image output device equipped with color signal processing means is provided. Since the data must be supplied to the user, it is possible to give the user an incentive to return the digital camera. It should be noted that an example of an image output device having color signal processing means is a printer, and another example is a computer that displays color signal processed image data on a monitor or the like, or a writing device that stores color signal processed image data in a storage medium. It is a device.

The color signal processing specifically includes exposure correction, white balance correction, gamma correction, etc., but also includes correction for emphasizing a specific color. Color signal processing also includes processing unique to the characteristics of the image sensor. Conventionally, these data required for color signal processing on the digital camera side are stored in the storage means of the digital camera in association with the data in the present invention, and are supplied to the image output device together with the data. As a result, the image output device can accurately execute color signal processing.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the digital camera according to this embodiment.

The optical system 11 is mainly composed of a lens and guides image information to the CCD 12. CCD 12 is a two-dimensional CCD
It is configured to have a CCD driver that transfers the charges accumulated in the array sensor and the CCD array sensor, and converts light into an electric signal and outputs it as image data. Note that CC
An image sensor such as a CMOS sensor may be used instead of D12. CCD 12 has a color filter,
A specific color component is transmitted and converted into an electric signal in each pixel. As the color filter, a known primary color filter can be used. For example, an array of four adjacent "pixels" shaped pixels is RGGB.
It is possible to use a filter such that Of course, a complementary color filter using CMYG may be used instead of the primary color filter.

The A / D 14 converts the data output from the CCD 12 into digital data and outputs it to the compression section 16.

The compression unit 16 compresses the digital data in a reversible compression format, for example, and writes it in the flash memory 2.
Store at 0. The compression methods include a lossless coding method that can completely restore compressed data when decompressed, and a lossy coding method that cannot be completely restored (lossy coding).
There is. Lossless encoding is used for file compression on a computer that requires the original data to be used when decompressing even if the data is compressed. It was used mainly for In this embodiment, in order to compress the "raw data" output from the CCD 12, a lossless encoding method is used so that the original data is completely restored when decompressed. Further, in the present embodiment, since color signal processing is performed on the printer side as described later, the original data can be expanded without omission. Therefore, for example, JPEG2000 is used as the reversible compression format according to this embodiment. JPEG2
000 is a combination of wavelet transform and entropy coding as lossless coding, which is a conventional DC.
It has the advantages that the compression rate is improved and lossless compression is possible compared to JPEG that uses T conversion. In the wavelet transform, it is decomposed into a plurality of frequencies as a whole without being divided into small blocks like the DCT transform. The coefficients for each frequency band are entropy coded after being quantized and rearranged. Since the DCT conversion is divided into small blocks, a level difference occurs between adjacent small blocks, and block noise (block) occurs in the case of an image, which is not visually good. On the other hand, in the wavelet transform, block distortion can be prevented because the entire image is processed. In entropy coding, data is compressed by assigning a variable length code having a length proportional to the absolute value of the logarithm of the frequency of appearance of a symbol to be coded (a group of appropriately divided data) to the symbol. still,
Although JPEG2000 is given as an example, other lossless encoding can also be applied. The lossless coding includes a fixed length coding method and a variable length coding method. Considering the compression effect, the variable length coding method is suitable. The variable-length coding system includes Huffman code, Lempel-Ziv code, and arithmetic code, and these various coding systems are also applicable to this embodiment.

The reversible processing is performed in this embodiment so that the color signal processing is performed on the printer side so that the original data can be expanded without omission. As described above, in the present embodiment, the color signal is not processed on the digital camera side and is simply compressed and stored in the flash memory 20, so that the circuit configuration is simplified and the capacity required for the flash memory 20 is small. Become. For example, VGA
When image data of quality (the number of pixels of CCD: 300,000 pixels) is color signal processed, it becomes 3 Mbytes or more, but it can be suppressed to about 2.5 Mbytes when color signal processing is not performed. Then, about 2.5 Mbytes of data (“raw” data that has not been color signal processed) is losslessly compressed to 60
It can be compressed to about 0 kbyte, and if a general-purpose 16 Mbyte is used as the capacity of the flash memory 20, about 24 sheets can be easily stored.

The CPU 18 includes an operation unit 22 such as a shutter.
The operation of each of the CCD 12, the compression unit 16, and the flash memory 20 is controlled based on the operation signal from the. Further, the number of shootable images is calculated from the remaining capacity of the flash memory 20 and displayed on the display unit 19 such as a liquid crystal display.

Further, the CPU 18 supplies characteristic data of the CCD 12 and selection data used for color signal processing in the printer to the compression unit 16. The characteristic data of the CCD 12 is CC
This is the CCD-specific data supplied from the manufacturer of D12, and this proper data is required for proper color signal processing. The selection data is data that defines the manufacturer's original print specifications, such as highlighting blue or highlighting red during printing. These characteristic data and selection data are added to the data from the CCD 12 as header information and stored in a storage medium such as the flash memory 20. The characteristic data and the selection data may be combined as ID data into header information.
As header information.

CCD 12, A / D 14, compression unit 16, C
Electric power required for the operation of the PU 18, the flash memory 20, etc. is supplied from the power supply 24.

The operation unit 22 is composed of a shutter, operation buttons, a touch switch, etc., and is operated by the user to obtain a desired image. The shutter may be a mechanical shutter or an electronic shutter that outputs the electric charges accumulated in the CCD 12 all at once.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the state of the signal processing of this embodiment. Image information is converted into an electric signal by the CCD array 12 provided with a primary color filter. Conventionally, four adjacent pixels surrounded by a dotted line in the figure are set as a set of full color information, and exposure correction is performed on the full color information.
Although color signal processing such as white balance correction and gamma correction is executed, in the present embodiment, such color signal processing is not executed. Therefore, the data R, G, R, G ,. .. is digitized as it is, and further compressed by the compression unit 16 and stored in the flash memory 20. It should be noted that the output from the CCD 12 may be a progressive scan that outputs all at once, or an interlace scan that outputs every other line twice.

FIG. 3 shows a data format stored in the flash memory 20. The data is composed of a header part and a data part. The header part includes a password and a serial number. Consists of. The user can input the password from the operation unit 22, and the serial number. Is a number unique to the digital camera 10, and the information includes data unique to the CCD 12 and data for selecting a color signal processing mode. It should be noted that the data in the data section is not the set of full-color image data of RGB as in the past, but the data that is directly output from the CCD 12 and compressed.

In this way, the user can use the digital camera 10
When a desired image is captured using, the data is stored in the flash memory 20. The digital camera 10 itself has neither a circuit for expanding the data stored in the flash memory 20 nor a circuit for processing color signals, and merely stores “raw data”. Even if the data stored in is read, it cannot be recognized as an image.

FIG. 7 shows a conceptual diagram when the digital camera 10 is rented. User 110 is in store 1
At 12, a desired device, for example, the digital camera 10 is loaned and desired image data is acquired. The acquisition of these data is achieved by the user photographing a person or a landscape in various indoors or outdoors such as a theme park, an amusement park, a business exhibition or an urban area. More specifically, it is a commemorative photo taken at a theme park, a mountain landscape, a photo taken with friends in an urban area, a photo taken during a business trip such as an exhibition. After shooting with the digital camera 10 and storing desired data in the memory 20 of the digital camera 10, the user 110 stores the data in the store 112.
The digital camera 110 is returned to. The store 112 is a convenience store or a photo store installed at a predetermined position. In the store 112, the returned digital camera 11
The data acquired by the user 10 from 0 is read. For example, if the store 112 is equipped with a dedicated printer, the digital camera 10 is connected to the dedicated printer, and the data stored in the flash memory 20 is read and the printing process is performed. This dedicated printer is built in the tower type information providing terminal, and the user 110 may freely connect the digital camera 10 to the tower type information terminal to print an image, or the dedicated printer may be installed in the cashier counter of the store 112. The rental digital camera returned by the clerk is connected to a dedicated printer, the image is printed, and the user 110
You can pass it to.

The printer for printing the data taken by the digital camera 10 will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer 50 of this embodiment. The printer 50 includes an input unit 52, a decompression unit 54, an image processing unit 56, and a printing unit 58.

The input section 52 inputs the data stored in the flash memory 20 of the digital camera 10. The data includes "raw data", password data, serial number. Contains data. The password data is collated with the password separately input by the user, and it is determined whether or not they match. If they match, the input data is supplied to the decompression unit 54.

The decompression unit 54 decompresses the reversibly compressed data and supplies it to the image processing unit 56. The decompression process is an inverse operation of the compression process, and the original digital data is reproduced by performing the wavelet inverse transform after performing the entropy decoding. It should be noted that if the passwords match, complete decompression may be performed, and if the passwords do not match, incomplete decompression may be performed to supply data with missing information to the image processing unit 56.

The image processing unit 56 performs predetermined color signal processing (exposure correction,
Data that can be recognized as an image is generated by performing white balance correction and gamma correction, and is supplied to the printing unit 58.
The color signal processing is performed using the characteristic data of the CCD 12 and the color signal processing selection data. Even in a general digital camera, in order to process color signals and recognize them as image data, CC provided by a CCD manufacturer is used.
Data unique to D is required, and without this data, image data cannot be generated from raw data. In other words, the CCD element has a characteristic unique to each manufacturer, and if the color signal processing is not performed by reflecting the characteristic, the raw data of the CCD 12 cannot be recognized as an image even if the color signal processing is performed as it is. is there. In the present embodiment, this unique data is provided from the digital camera 10 to the printer 50, and the printer performs appropriate color signal processing according to the CCD 12. Further, when printing data shot by a general digital camera, color processing unique to each camera manufacturer or printer manufacturer exists. For example, Company A performs color processing that particularly emphasizes blue, Company B performs color processing that particularly emphasizes red, and Company C performs specific color processing on red and yellow. In the present embodiment, the color signal processing is not executed by the digital camera, but the color signal processing is performed by the printer manufactured and used separately from the digital camera. Is provided from the digital camera 10 to the printer 50,
Specific color processing can be performed on the printer side. According to the digital camera of the present embodiment, since the raw data of the CCD 12 is output and the image data is not processed at all, the image data can be easily color-processed in accordance with the color processing unique to each company. It can be said that it is highly versatile.

The data subjected to the color signal processing by the image processing unit 56 is supplied to the printing unit 58, and the printing unit 58 prints the data on a predetermined paper and provides it to the user.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing unit 56. As a functional block, the control unit and A
A company driver, a company B driver, and a company C driver are provided. The control unit selects which driver executes color processing based on the selection data included in the decompressed data. For example, when the selected data specifies the company A, the decompressed data is supplied to the driver for the company A, and the driver for the company A processes and outputs the color signal. It is also possible to prepare three or more types of drivers.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the color signal processing is not performed in the digital camera 10, and the color signal processing is performed in the printer 50 side and the color signal is output, so that the configuration of the digital camera 10 can be simplified more than before. It is possible to further reduce the price, reduce the size, and reduce the weight.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the compressed "raw data" is stored in the digital camera 10 that has been photographed, even if it is read from the flash memory 20 and loaded into a computer or a general-purpose printer, the image is read. Cannot be output as. Since raw signal processing requires color signal processing and data corresponding to CCD characteristics, such hardware and software as well as information are not provided in general consumer products, and information is not available in the world. This is because the general user cannot obtain the image because it is not available in the market. For that reason,
Since the user cannot use it for other purposes after taking the picture, he / she has to bring the digital camera 10 to a store and take out the data on a printout or on the Internet as described later, which prompts the user to collect the digital camera 10. It will be. Further, not only the collection is urged, but even if a third party obtains the digital camera, it cannot be taken out as an image, so that there is an effect of ensuring security.

Further, in this embodiment, the digital camera 1
Although the data stored in 0 is taken into the printer 50 for printing, it is also possible to store the decompressed and color signal processed data in a CD or a semiconductor memory and provide it to the user. The user can check the image by importing the data stored in the CD or the semiconductor memory into a computer or the like. That is, the printer is just an example of the image processing apparatus.

Further, in the present embodiment, the user brings the digital camera 10 into the store and supplies the stored data to the printer 50 by connecting the digital camera 10 to the printer 50. The stored data may be supplied to the printer 50, or may be supplied via the Internet.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a system for processing an image via the Internet. When the user takes a desired image using the digital camera 10, the user uses the digital camera 1 via the Internet 100.
The data stored in 0 is transmitted to the printer 50 in the remote place. The printer 50 receives data from the Internet 100, performs the above-described expansion processing and color signal processing, and prints out. Of course, instead of being printed out by the printer 50, the image data that has undergone decompression processing and color signal processing may be stored in a server designated by the user.

In this system, the Internet 10
Data supplied on 0 is compressed "raw data"
Since it is not recognized as image data as it is, it does not make much sense for a third party to obtain the data, and the security can be maintained without special encryption.

Although the embodiment in which the image data of the rental digital camera 10 is supplied to the dedicated printer has been described above, the image data of this digital camera is transferred to and stored in the database via the Internet so that the user can transfer the image data via the Internet. It can also be applied to a system for obtaining data. This will be described with reference to FIG.

The user 110 photographs with the digital camera 10 and returns the digital camera 110 to the store 112.
At the store 112, the compressed “raw data” is read from the returned digital camera 10 and the user 11
0 is provided with an address for obtaining the acquired data via the Internet 116. The address can be, for example, a URL (uniform resource locator) used in HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) when the data acquired by the user is acquired in the Web page format. If the image data is captured by the tower type information providing terminal, the user 110 can freely operate the tower type information providing terminal,
Read data from digital camera. If the import terminal is in the cashier counter of the store 112,
A clerk performs a read operation from the digital camera 10.

The store 112 that has read the compressed raw data
Transmits the read raw data to the server 114 via the Internet 116. In addition to the data acquired by the user, the above address given to the user 110 is also transmitted to the server 114 at the same time. The server 114 expands the data supplied from the store 112, further performs color signal processing, and stores the data in association with the address. For example, when displaying data on a Web page described in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) format, the URL of the Web page is set to the address given from the store 112.

In this way, the server 114 stores the data obtained by the digital camera borrowed by the user 110 and the address for accessing this data is given to the user 110. The address can be used to access the data acquired by the user 110, and the user 110 can access the Internet 116.
It is possible to obtain the acquired data when needed via. The server 114 is a device owned by a service provider who provides image data in the above system.

The address (for example, http: //
/ Www. sanyo. service / xxxx) is uniquely assigned to the user, but is 1: 1 with each digital camera.
Must be supported by. An alphanumeric character set at the time of factory shipment of the digital camera is set in the portion of "XXX", and the URL is pasted on the digital camera 10 by a numeral so that the digital camera 10 can be recognized only when the camera is returned. See also "XXXXX"
The settings include the manufacturing number, the telephone number of the user 10, the password and serial number of the header as shown in FIG. 3, the alphanumeric characters provided by the service provider via the Internet, and the alphanumeric characters provided by the store. (Store number + serial number) etc. are used. In addition, an acquisition method in which alphanumeric characters do not overlap, or an existing one that does not overlap can be used as an address. Further, part or all of the address information may be represented by a symbol such as a barcode.

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the server 114 shown in FIG. The server 114 includes an input / output interface I / F 114a, a CPU 114b, and a ROM 114.
c, a RAM 114d, a data storage unit 114e and a user data storage unit 114f, a decompression unit 114g that decompresses compressed data, and a color signal processing unit 114h that performs color signal processing on the decompressed data. The address and the compressed data transmitted from the store 112 are supplied to the CPU 114b via the interface I / F 114a. The CPU 114b operates according to a program stored in the ROM 114c. According to the flowchart of FIG. 9, the compressed raw data is once stored in the RAM 114d (S1), and then expanded by the post-expansion unit 114g read from the RAM 114d (S2). The compressed data is decompressed by performing the reverse process of the compression process. The decompressed raw data is stored again in the RAM 114d (S
3). Further, the decompressed data is read from the RAM 114d, and the color signal processing unit 114h adds predetermined color signal processing (exposure correction, white balance correction, gamma correction) with RGB as one set while adding the characteristic data of the CCD element.
Then, data that can be recognized as an image is generated (S
4). Then, the output data of the color signal processing unit 114h is
The data is stored in the data storage unit 114e in association with the address (S5). The user data storage unit 114f is
The personal data of the user, for example, the user's name and ID, past usage history, etc. are stored.

The decompression unit 114g and the color signal processing unit 11
Although 4h is configured as hardware, this processing may be stored in the ROM 114c as a program.

As described above, since the compressed raw data is not recognized as the image data on the Internet 116 as it is, the security can be maintained without special encryption.

FIG. 10 schematically shows the data stored in the data storage section 114e. An ID is assigned to each user 110, and each user is collectively managed based on this ID. Then, the data acquired by the user 110 is stored in association with the address given to each user. For example, the user with the user ID 1 is the address AA, and the data is P1 or the like. When a URL is used as an address, the data is data on a Web page (home page) uniquely specified by this URL. In this case, the server 114 functions as a WWW server.

When the user 110 inputs an address into a personal computer, a mobile terminal or a mobile phone and requests access to the server 114 via the Internet 116, the CPU 114b corresponds to the address stored in the data storage section 114e. Search for the data you want to
Send to user 110 via Internet 116. When using a URL as the address, the user 110
Transmits a URL to the server 114 using the Web browser installed in the terminal, and displays the Web page uniquely indicated by the URL transmitted from the server 114 on the terminal using the browser. This allows user 1
10 can acquire the data acquired by itself through the Internet 116. By the way, the user 110
The third party can easily see the user's own image data by notifying the third party of the URL. This W
As the display format on eb, images can be displayed in a row, images and text documents can be displayed on the same screen, and other album formats and business trip report formats can be displayed.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of the store 112 in FIG. This building block is a tower-type information providing terminal placed in the store 112 or a device placed in a cashier counter. The data input unit 112a of the store 112 reads the compressed raw data from the memory of the digital camera 10 and inputs it. Data transfer is performed by wireless communication using radio waves or infrared rays or wire communication using data lines or connectors. However, in the case of wired communication, use a data line or connector with a special shape that is not compatible with general computers or other devices so that data cannot be imported, or in the case of wireless communication, apply a special transmission method or scramble. If data is transferred using this method, collection rate and security will be further improved. The read compressed raw data is sent to the data transmission unit 112b, and the data transmission unit 112b transmits it to the server 114 via the Internet 116. On the other hand, the address uniquely given to the user 110 is also input to the data input unit 112a.
Is input to the server 11 via the data transmission unit 112b.
4 is transmitted.

By the way, in FIG. 11, the compressed raw data is transmitted to the server 114 as it is. However, between the data input unit 112a and the data transmission unit 112b of FIG. By connecting the image processing units 56 in order, image data that can be recognized as an image may be processed and then transferred to the server 114. However, since recognizable image data is transferred on the Internet, security can be maintained when the server 114 performs expansion and color signal processing.

Although the embodiment has been described above by taking the image data as an example, it goes without saying that the data can be applied to other data such as voice data. There is also a digital camera that can take voices and videos. If such a digital camera stores not only image data but also voice data in the server 114, when viewing an image on the Web, it is possible to listen to the voice together. You can do it, and you can watch videos.

Since the color signal processing in this embodiment can be realized by well-known color signal processing, the description thereof will be omitted. Also,
Since data transmission / reception and WEB access using the Internet can be realized using a well-known Internet protocol, description thereof will be omitted. Further, the printing operation using the image data can be realized by a well-known technique, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to obtain a digital camera suitable for recycling and the like, which has a simpler structure than ever and can be reduced in price. Also,
Since the data stored in the digital camera cannot be recognized as an image as it is, collection efficiency of the digital camera can be improved and recycling can be promoted. Further, according to the present invention, the captured image can be provided as electronic data as well as printed matter while ensuring the collection rate of the digital camera and improving the security of the image data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a digital camera according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of signal processing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a data format according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram of the printer according to the embodiment.

5 is a block diagram of a configuration of an image processing unit in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram when a digital camera is rented.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a server 114.

9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 114. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing data stored in a data storage unit 114e.

FIG. 11 is a configuration block diagram of a store 112.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 digital camera, 12 CCD, 14 A / D,
16 compression unit, 18 CPU, 20 flash memory,
24 power supplies, 50 printers.

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 5/91 H04N 9/07 C 5C055 7/18 101: 00 5C065 9/07 9/79 G // H04N 101: 00 5/91 J H 9/79 H (72) Inventor Akira Yamane 2-5-5 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Keiko Shima, 2 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture 5th-5th Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5B021 AA01 AA02 BB00 BB12 CC08 LG07 LG08 LL05 5C022 AA13 AC42 AC69 5C052 AA12 AA17 CC11 DD02 FA03 FA06 FA08 FC06 GA05 GA08 GA09 GB06 GC05 GE06 5C053 FA09 GA08 GA08 GB36 JA21 LA03 LA11 LA14 5C054 AA02 AA05 CC02 DA09 EG09 GA04 GA05 GC03 HA00 5C055 AA06 BA06 EA05 EA06 EA16 FA21 5C065 AA03 BB48 CC01 DD02 HH02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image sensor for converting image information into an electric signal, means for converting data output from the image element into a digital signal, means for compressing the digital signal, and storing compressed digital data. And a storage unit for storing the data output from the image sensor without color signal processing. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores characteristic data of the image sensor in association with the digital data. 3. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores selection data for color signal processing the digital data in association with the digital data. 4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the compression is lossless compression. 5. A unit for inputting the digital data stored in the digital camera according to claim 1, a unit for expanding the digital data, and a unit for processing a color signal of the expanded digital data. An image output device comprising: a unit configured to output the color signal-processed digital data. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the color signal processing means has a plurality of types of color signal processing modes, and the color signal processing mode is a color signal processing mode according to selection data included in the digital data. A printer characterized by processing. 7. A system for outputting image data acquired by a digital camera by an image output device, wherein the digital camera and the image output device are connected by a communication network, and the digital camera is obtained by an image sensor. The data obtained by digitizing and compressing the image signal is transmitted to the image output device via the communication network, and the image output device expands the data from the digital camera and performs color signal processing for output. Image processing system.