JP2004140664A - Photographing device and attached information recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing device capable of recording the attached information of the photographed data selectively in a file, and to provide an attached information recording method. <P>SOLUTION: Photographic conditions, such as aperture, shutter speed and the like, photographing date, user's information, GPS information for indicating a photographing spot obtained by a GPS sensor, and a thumbnail picture are displayed as attached information prepared by a digital camera on a setting screen of the digital camera. In addition, each button of 'ON' and 'OFF' is displayed to each information. A photographer selects 'ON' or 'OFF' for each attached information, and the attached information to be recorded with the image data can be selected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus and an attached information recording method for selectively recording attached information of photographing data in a file.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when shooting is performed with a digital camera, not only a shot image but also shooting conditions such as an aperture and a shutter speed, shooting date and time, user information, thumbnail images, and the like are recorded in the image file as attached information. The format of the image file includes the Exif standard and the DCF standard. FIG. 4 shows the data structure of an Exif format image file. As shown in the figure, an Exif format image file has areas such as an image data area and an attached information area. The attached information area has an IFD (Image File Directory), and each attached information is divided for each IFD, and a tag is recorded in each IFD.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-24982
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In a conventional digital camera, when shooting is performed, all predetermined attached information is stored in an image file. That is, the type of data recorded as attached information does not change. However, not all of the attached information is always required, as some users do not need the attached information at all. In addition, when the auxiliary information is recorded, the data size of the image file increases accordingly, and the memory capacity is wasted by recording unnecessary auxiliary information. For this reason, there has been a demand for a digital camera that can record only necessary accessory information in an image file in accordance with a user's selection.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances and demands, and an object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus and an attached information recording method capable of selectively recording attached information of photographing data in a file.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a photographing apparatus according to the present invention is a photographing apparatus that selectively records attached information of photographing data in a file, and records predetermined attached information for each type of attached information in a file. Setting storage means for storing setting information for recording, and at the time of shooting, based on the setting information stored in the setting storage means, the predetermined attached information is recorded together with shooting data in a file. Accordingly, since only the selected accessory information can be recorded in the file, it is possible to save the capacity of the memory for storing the file by recording only the necessary accessory information.
[0007]
In addition, the photographing apparatus according to the present invention includes a setting screen display unit that displays a screen for setting the setting information (hereinafter referred to as “setting screen”), and the user can refer to the setting information while referring to the setting screen. It is desirable to include an operation means for performing setting.
[0008]
In the photographing apparatus according to the present invention, on the setting screen, an area, a character, or a symbol for selecting whether to record in a file is displayed for each type of attached information. The corresponding area, character or symbol is preferably displayed in distinction from other selectable accessory information so that the user cannot operate or set it.
[0009]
Also, the attached information recording method according to the present invention is an attached information recording method for selectively recording attached information of photographing data in a file, and records predetermined attached information for each type of attached information in a file. If the setting information is set, the predetermined attached information is recorded in a file together with the shooting data at the time of shooting.
[0010]
Furthermore, in the attached information recording method according to the present invention, the user sets the setting information while referring to a screen for setting the setting information.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a photographing apparatus and an attached information recording method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a digital camera that records attached information in an image file together with a photographed image will be described as an example of the photographing apparatus according to the present invention.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital camera. As shown in the figure, the digital camera includes a photographing unit 11, an operation unit 12 for a user to operate the digital camera, a display unit 13 for displaying a photographed image and attached information, and a user to the digital camera. It is configured to include a setting storage unit 14 that stores set information, a program, and the like, a control unit 15 that controls each unit according to the program, and a GPS sensor 16 that acquires GPS information that is latitude and longitude information of the shooting location. Yes. The operation unit 12 corresponds to the operation unit in the claims, the display unit 13 corresponds to the setting screen display unit, and the setting storage unit 14 corresponds to the setting storage unit.
[0013]
In the digital camera having the above-described components, a setting screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display unit 13 by operating the operation unit 12. In the setting screen, shooting conditions such as aperture and shutter speed, shooting date and time, user information regarding the photographer and copyright holder, GPS information, and attached information such as thumbnail images (record tags) are recorded together with the shot images in an image file. This is a screen for setting whether to record or not, and the user can select either “ON” or “OFF” for each attached information by operating the operation unit 12. Note that even more detailed conditions such as aperture and shutter speed included in the shooting conditions may be selectable for each condition.
[0014]
Information relating to the presence / absence of recording (ON / OFF) of the attached information set by the user (corresponding to the setting information in the claims) is stored in the setting storage unit 14, and “ON” is selected at the time of shooting. Only the attached information is recorded in the image file. Note that the Exif standard, the DCF standard, and the like are used as the format of the image file in the conventional manner, and each attached information is recorded in the corresponding tag. Therefore, the tag corresponding to the accessory information not recorded is blank.
[0015]
FIG. 3 is a setting screen similar to FIG. 2 displayed by a digital camera not provided with the GPS sensor 16. However, since the GPS information cannot be obtained with the digital camera, the display is grayed out as shown in FIG. 3 so that the user cannot select whether or not the GPS information is recorded. In addition to gray-out display, other attached information may be displayed in a different color, or an error may be displayed when “ON” is selected. Therefore, the user can identify the selectable accessory information.
[0016]
It should be noted that in the DCF standard or the like, the predetermined attached information may not be selected “OFF”. However, if the attached information for which “OFF” selection is prohibited is selected by the user, for example, a message such as “Cannot be selected because it is DCF standard” is displayed on the display unit 13 or “OFF” is displayed. The attached information forbidden to be selected is displayed in gray, or displayed in a different color from the other attached information.
[0017]
As described above, according to the digital camera and the attached information recording method of the present embodiment, only the attached information selected by the user can be recorded in the image file. Therefore, only the necessary attached information is recorded. The memory capacity for storing image files can be saved.
[0018]
Note that the setting screen described above is an example, and each attached condition may be selected ON / OFF using a setting screen customized by the user. In the above embodiment, a digital camera has been described as an example. However, a device such as a digital video camera may be used.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the photographing apparatus and the attached information recording method of the present invention, since only the selected attached information can be recorded in the file, the file is stored by recording only the necessary attached information. It is possible to save the memory capacity.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a setting screen. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing another display example of a setting screen. Explanatory diagram showing data structure [Explanation of symbols]
11 photographing unit 12 operation unit 13 display unit 14 setting storage unit 15 control unit 16 GPS sensor

Claims (5)

An imaging device for selectively recording attached information of shooting data in a file,
Setting storage means for storing setting information for recording predetermined auxiliary information in a file for each type of auxiliary information;
An imaging apparatus characterized by recording the predetermined attached information together with imaging data in a file based on setting information stored in the setting storage means during imaging. Setting screen display means for displaying a screen for setting the setting information (hereinafter referred to as “setting screen”);
Operation means for the user to set the setting information while referring to the setting screen;
The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: On the setting screen, an area, a character or a symbol for selecting whether or not to record in a file is displayed for each of various attached information,
3. The area, character, or symbol corresponding to non-selectable auxiliary information is displayed in distinction from other selectable auxiliary information so that the user cannot operate or set the auxiliary information. Shooting device. Attached information recording method for selectively recording attached information of shooting data to a file,
If the setting information is set to record the specified attribute information in the file for each type of attribute information,
Attached information recording method, wherein at the time of shooting, the predetermined attached information is recorded in a file together with shooting data. 5. The attached information recording method according to claim 4, wherein the user sets the setting information while referring to a screen for setting the setting information.

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