JP2004310400A - Information transmitting and receiving system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically perform the switching of a device to a communication mode intended by a user from a host even if the user does not aware of the communication mode state or mode switching of the device. <P>SOLUTION: This information transmitting and receiving system comprises the host and the device connected thereto. The device has a plurality of communication modes differed in communication method, and operates at a set communication mode. The host detects the present communication mode of the device and the communication mode desired by the user. The communication mode desired by the user is detected from an action in the host or device (step S20). When the host determines that the communication mode desired by the user is not matched to the present communication mode of the device (step S24), the host transmits a switching command for switching the present communication mode of the device to the desired communication mode to perform bus reset and reconfiguration. The device performs, in response to this, a protocol conversion for switching the present communication mode to the desired communication mode (steps S28-S34). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information transmission / reception system, and more particularly to a technique for automatically switching a communication mode of a device such as a digital camera connected to a host such as a personal computer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when a digital camera is provided with a mode switch for switching between a shooting mode and a playback mode, and when printing an image based on image data in the digital camera, the digital camera is set to a playback mode by the mode switch. Connect the printer to the digital camera. Then, a printer that instructs the digital camera to transfer image data from the printer and generates display character data such as the number of prints and print image data based on the transferred image data has been proposed (Patent Document 1). .
[0003]
Further, in a digital camera having a still image shooting mode, a playback mode, a moving image shooting mode, and the like, when a personal computer is connected to the digital camera, a moving image shooting mode (PC camera mode) is switched from another mode in conjunction with the connection. ) Has been proposed (Patent Document 2).
[0004]
Furthermore, the conventional digital camera has a mass storage mode and a PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) mode as communication modes when communicating with a personal computer (PC), and these modes are set in the camera setup menu. There are digital cameras that the user can select on the screen. In the case of this digital camera, when the communication mode of the camera is set to mass storage mode, it is recognized as a mass storage device (external recording medium) by the PC, and when it is set to PTP mode, an image to be transferred by the camera is selected. The selected image can be transmitted to a personal computer or the like by pressing a transfer button provided on the camera.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-107981
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-232769
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Incidentally, in the printer described in Patent Document 1, when image data is captured from a digital camera, the user needs to manually operate the mode switch to set the digital camera to the reproduction mode.
[0008]
Further, the digital camera described in Patent Document 2 has a specification that switches to the PC camera mode unconditionally when a PC is connected, and the user wants to operate the camera on the PC for a use different from the PC camera mode. Sometimes, there is a problem that it is not possible to operate according to the user's intention.
[0009]
On the other hand, when a digital camera having the mass storage mode and the PTP mode is connected to a host such as a PC or a printer and a desired image is transferred to the host by pressing the image transfer button of the camera, the setup menu is used to set the camera. It is necessary to manually set the communication mode to the PTP mode. In this case, there is a high probability of forgetting to set the communication mode of the camera to the PTP mode or making a mistake, and using the setup menu Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time to switch the communication mode.
[0010]
The present invention was made in view of such circumstances, and the host can automatically switch the mode of the device without the user being aware of the state of the communication mode or mode switching of the device such as a digital camera, Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information transmission / reception system in which a user can automatically switch to a mode intended by the user without performing troublesome device mode switching operations.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an information transmission / reception system according to claim 1 includes a communication unit having a plurality of communication modes having different communication methods for transferring information to a host, and an automatic switching between the plurality of communication modes. A device having mode switching means, a host to which the device is connected and performing command communication with the device to exchange information, and mode acquisition means for acquiring the current communication mode of the connected device; A host having mode detection means for detecting a communication mode desired by the user to be set in the device or a mode switching control means for controlling switching of the communication mode of the connected device according to an action in the host or device; The mode switching control means of the host includes a current device status acquired by the mode acquiring means. When the communication mode and the desired communication mode detected by the mode detection means do not match, a switching command for switching the current communication mode of the device to the desired communication mode is transmitted, and automatic mode switching of the device is performed. The means switches the current communication mode to the desired communication mode when receiving the switching command from the host.
[0012]
The information transmission / reception system according to claim 1 includes a host and a device, and the host and the device are connected to each other by wire or wireless so that data communication can be performed using a predetermined protocol.
[0013]
The device operates in a set communication mode among a plurality of communication modes having different communication methods, but may not be in a communication mode desired by the user. The automatic mode switching control unit of the host transmits a switching command for switching the current communication mode of the device to the desired communication mode when the current communication mode of the device is not the user desired communication mode. When the device receives a switching command from the automatic mode switching control unit of the host, the device switches the current communication mode to the desired communication mode.
[0014]
The communication mode desired by the user is detected from an action at the host or device. Thus, when the current communication mode is not the user-desired communication mode without the troublesome device mode switching operation being performed by the user, the mode is automatically switched to the mode intended by the user based on the action at the host or device. .
[0015]
As described in claim 2, in the information transmission / reception system according to claim 1, mode identification information for identifying each communication mode is assigned to the plurality of communication modes, and the mode acquisition means is connected. The mode identification information of the communication mode that can be supported by the device is acquired together with the mode identification information of the current communication mode of the device, and the mode switching control means is a communication mode that can be supported by the device acquired by the mode acquisition means. For switching to the desired communication mode only when the mode identification information of the desired communication mode is included in the common mode identification information of the mode identification information of the communication mode and the mode identification information of the communication mode that can be supported by the host. It is characterized by transmitting a switching command.
[0016]
That is, the communication mode that can be supported by the device and the communication mode that can be supported by the host may not completely match. Therefore, the host detects the communication mode that both support in common, and Automatic mode switching is possible within the range of supported communication modes.
[0017]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information transmission / reception system according to the first aspect, an action that always occurs in the host or device, and a communication mode in which an action that does not overlap in each communication mode occurs is set as the desired communication mode. The mode detection unit is registered in advance, and the mode detection unit detects the desired communication mode associated with the action based on the action generated in the host or the device. For example, by selecting an image on the device and pressing the transfer button, the device mode is set to the communication mode (PTP mode) in which an image capture command is transmitted to the host and the selected image is transmitted. If the transfer button is operated when there is not, the communication mode desired by the user is detected from the operation (action) of the transfer button.
[0018]
4. The information transmission / reception system according to claim 1, wherein the device is any one of a digital camera, a scanner, and a copier, and the host is any one of a personal computer, a printer, and a server. It is.
[0019]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information transmission / reception system according to the fourth aspect, the plurality of communication modes include two or more communication modes of a mass storage mode, a PTP mode, and a PC camera mode. .
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an information transmission / reception system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0021]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an information transmission / reception system according to the present invention. The information transmission / reception system shown in FIG. 1 includes a digital camera 100 as a device and a personal computer (PC) 200 as a host. It is configured.
[0022]
The digital camera 100 includes a power switch 102, a shutter button 104, a mode dial 106 for setting various modes such as a shooting mode and a playback mode, zoom operation, frame advance during playback, menu selection, and the like. The multifunctional upper / lower / left / right cross key 108 to be used, the “return” button 110 for canceling the operation or returning to the previous state, the menu screen is displayed, or the cross key 108 is operated on the menu screen. A “menu / execution” button 112 for executing the selected menu, a liquid crystal monitor 114, and a transfer button 116 for transferring the selected image to the host are provided.
[0023]
The PC 200 is configured by connecting peripheral devices such as a monitor device 230, a keyboard 240, and a mouse 250 to the PC main body 210.
[0024]
The digital camera 100 and the PC 200 can be connected to each other by a USB cable 300. The digital camera 100 selects a picture and presses the transfer button 116 to transfer the picture to the PC 200. (Picture Transfer Protocol) mode, mass storage mode in which the host recognizes the digital camera 100 as a mass storage device and reads / writes images from / to the recording media in the digital camera 100, and functions as a PC camera for videoconferencing PC camera mode. These PTP mode, mass storage mode, and PC camera mode have different communication methods, and data communication is performed using different protocols.
[0025]
Further, the PC 200 supports the communication modes of the PTP mode, the mass storage mode, and the PC camera mode, and the communication mode of the digital camera 100 connected to the PC 200 is automatically set to the communication mode desired by the user. The details can be described later.
[0026]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the digital camera 100.
[0027]
As shown in the figure, as an imaging system of the digital camera 100, an image of a subject is formed on a light receiving surface, photoelectrically converted and output as an image signal, and processing such as white balance correction and gamma correction is performed. A signal processing unit 122 that performs the above and an A / D converter 124 that converts an analog image signal into digital image data are provided.
[0028]
As an input system of the digital camera 100, the power switch 102, the shutter button 104, the mode dial 106, the cross key 108, the “return” button 110, the “menu / execute” button 112, the transfer button 116, and the like shown in FIG. The operation unit 126 includes an I / O 128 that is a port for converting each information signal input through the operation unit 126.
[0029]
As an image conversion system of the digital camera 100, a compression / decompression unit 130 that performs compression control of image data by a technique typified by JPEG, and a process of expanding / decompressing compressed data, and a memory card 132 that can attach / detach image data And a card interface 136 for converting data for recording or reading through the card slot 134.
[0030]
As a display system of the digital camera 100, a liquid crystal monitor 114, a D / A converter 140 that converts an image or the like into a signal for display on the liquid crystal monitor 114, and a VRAM or the like for temporarily storing an image or information to be displayed. A configured frame memory 142 and an OSD 144 for on-screen display of characters, icons, and the like are provided.
[0031]
As a communication means of the digital camera 100, bidirectional communication of data including image data is performed between a USB connector 146 connected to the USB cable 300 and an external device connected via the USB connector 146. A USB interface 148 is provided. The digital camera 100 automatically enters the communication mode when connected to the host via USB. Note that the communication mode of the digital camera 100 at this time is a communication mode in which data communication with the host is last performed, or a communication mode that is appropriately set manually by the user thereafter.
[0032]
As a control unit of the digital camera 100, a central processing unit (CPU) 150 that controls the entire digital camera and controls image signal sampling control, image recording control, communication control, display control, and the like is included in the present invention. A system memory 152 composed of a ROM storing various operation programs including the mode switching process and various constants, and a RAM capable of recording an image while serving as a work area when the program is executed; A non-volatile memory 154 that stores various constants and information related to the operation of the digital camera 100 is provided.
[0033]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the PC 200.
[0034]
As shown in the figure, the PC 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 212 that mainly controls the operation of each component, a main memory 214 that stores a control program for the device, and serves as a work area when the program is executed. An operating system (OS) of the PC 200, device drivers for peripheral devices connected to the PC 200, various application software including a mode automatic switching program according to the present invention, a hard disk device 216 for storing user images, etc., and a CD- ROM drive 218, display memory 220 for temporarily storing display data, monitor device 230 such as a CRT monitor or a liquid crystal monitor for displaying images, characters, etc. based on image data, character data, etc. from display memory 220, keyboard 240 and a mouse 250 as a position input device The mouse controller 260 that detects the state of the mouse 250 and outputs signals such as the position of the mouse pointer on the monitor device 230 and the state of the mouse 250 to the CPU 212 and the digital camera 100 can be connected to input image data and the like. It comprises an interface 270 such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) and a bus 280 for connecting the above components.
[0035]
The PC 200 having the above configuration is known except for a mode automatic switching program stored in the hard disk device 216 for automatically switching the communication mode of the digital camera 100. The explanation is omitted.
[0036]
Next, an automatic switching method of the communication mode of the digital camera 100 based on the mode automatic switching program will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0037]
When the digital camera 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as “device”) is connected, the PC 200 (hereinafter simply referred to as “host”) acquires a mode ID indicating a communication mode that can be supported by the device (step S10).
[0038]
This mode ID is identification information unique to each communication mode. For example, the device has an ID number for each mode and an image type that can be supported by that mode as shown below. In response, the mode ID is transmitted.
• PTP mode: ID = 0000, support type: still image • mass storage mode: ID = 0001, support type: still image, video • PC camera mode: ID = 0002, support type: video host receives the mode ID from the device Once fetched, the mode ID of the communication mode supported in common by the host and the device is acquired (step S12). For example, when the host supports the PTP mode, the mass storage mode, and the PC camera mode, and the device supports the PTP mode and the mass storage mode, the mode ID common to the host device is ID = 0000,0001. These are two.
[0039]
The host determines whether or not the host device has a common mode ID. If there is no common mode ID, the host proceeds to step S16, and if there is a common mode ID, proceeds to step S18 ( Step S14).
[0040]
When the host proceeds to step S16, for example, an error message “cannot be connected” is displayed on the host monitor device 230 or the liquid crystal monitor 114 of the device to inform the user that connection for data communication with the device cannot be performed. On the other hand, in step S18, the mode ID of the current communication mode of the device is acquired.
[0041]
After obtaining the mode ID of the current communication mode of the device, the host waits for a specific action to occur in the host or device (step S20).
[0042]
Here, the relationship between each communication mode and a specific action will be described.
[0043]
A specific action is an action that always occurs in each mode, and an action that occurs only in that mode, and is determined in advance for each mode. For example, the host can specify each mode and a specific action as shown below. And have the relationship as information.
PTP mode (ID = 0000): The transfer button is pressed on the device Mass storage mode (ID = 0001): Image display application activation PC camera mode (ID = 0002) Video conference application activation For example, the user When the image is transferred in the PTP mode, the digital camera 100 is set to the playback mode by the mode dial 106 and the image to be transferred is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 114 by operating the left and right keys of the cross key 108. Then, the digital camera 100 and the PC 200 are connected by the USB cable 300, and the transfer button 116 is pressed. That is, when the user tries to transfer an image in the PTP mode, the transfer button is always pressed on the device side, and when the host side presses the transfer button on the device side, the user wants the PTP mode. Judge that
[0044]
The relationship between each mode and a specific action is not limited to the above example. For example, in the case of a PC in a multi-window environment, instead of starting the application, the active window may be changed to an active window. In short, any action may be used as long as it can detect which mode the user desires in relation to the user operation.
[0045]
Further, the specific action for which the presence or absence of an action is determined in step S20 is only an action related to the common mode ID of the host device. For example, in the case of a device that does not have the PC camera mode, even if the video conference application is activated on the host side, it is not determined in step S20 that a specific action has occurred.
[0046]
Next, when it is determined in step S20 that a specific action has occurred, a mode ID (user desired mode ID) corresponding to the action is acquired from the relationship between the predetermined action and the mode ID (step S22). ).
[0047]
Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the mode ID of the current communication mode set in the device matches the desired user ID acquired in step S22 (step S24). If the current mode ID matches the desired mode ID, data communication based on the user action is performed between the host and the device in the current communication mode of the device (step S26).
[0048]
On the other hand, if the current mode ID and the desired mode ID do not match, the host sends a switching command for changing the current communication mode of the device to the user desired communication mode to the device, bus reset, The configuration is redone (steps S28, S30, S32). The device that has received this performs protocol conversion for switching the current communication mode to the desired communication mode, and then returns to step S24 (step S34).
[0049]
When the current communication mode of the device is switched to the user-desired communication mode by the protocol conversion in step S34, the host confirms in step S24 that the communication mode of the device has become the user-desired communication mode, and then the device And data communication in the communication mode desired by the user becomes possible (step S26).
[0050]
When there is a mode-specific action that is not common to the host device while waiting for an action in step S20 in FIG. 4, it is preferable to display an error message and prompt other actions.
[0051]
Further, the device according to the present system is not limited to a digital camera, but can be applied to other devices such as a scanner, a copying machine, a printer, and a combined machine of a printer and a copying machine, and the host according to the present system is not limited to a PC. It can also be applied to printers, servers, kiosk terminals, etc. Furthermore, information passed between the device and the host is not limited to images, but may be music or other information.
[0052]
Furthermore, the communication interface between the device and the host is not limited to USB, but IEEE 1394 can be applied, and is not limited to wired communication, and may be a wireless communication interface.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the current communication mode of the device is set by the switching command transmitted from the host to the device in accordance with the action at the host or device, and the communication mode desired by the user to be set by the device. Therefore, the host can automatically switch the mode of the device without the user being aware of the state of the communication mode of the device and the mode switching. Thereby, the troublesome mode switching operation by the user at the device becomes unnecessary, and the burden of mode switching by the user can be eliminated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an information transmission / reception system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the digital camera shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an internal view of the personal computer shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration. FIG. 4 is a flowchart used to explain the operation of the information transmission / reception system according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Digital camera, 114 ... LCD monitor, 116 ... Transfer button, 132 ... Memory card, 146 ... USB connector, 148 ... USB interface, 150, 212 ... CPU, 152 ... System memory, 200 ... Personal computer (PC), 214 ... Main memory, 216 ... Hard disk device, 230 ... Monitor device, 240 ... Keyboard, 250 ... Mouse, 270 ... Interface, 300 ... USB cable

Claims (5)

A communication unit having a plurality of communication modes with different communication methods for passing information to the host, and a device having an automatic mode switching unit for automatically switching the plurality of communication modes;
A host to which a device is connected and performs command communication with the device to exchange information, and mode acquisition means for acquiring a current communication mode of the connected device and an action in the host or the device A host having mode detection means for detecting a communication mode desired by a user to be set in the device and mode switching control means for controlling switching of the communication mode of the connected device;
The host mode switching control means sets the current communication mode of the device when the current communication mode of the device acquired by the mode acquisition means and the desired communication mode detected by the mode detection means do not match. Send a switch command to switch to the desired communication mode,
The device automatic mode switching means switches the current communication mode to the desired communication mode when receiving the switching command from the host. Mode identification information for identifying each communication mode is given to the plurality of communication modes,
The mode acquisition means acquires mode identification information of a communication mode that can be supported by the device together with mode identification information of the current communication mode of the connected device,
The mode switching control means includes the desired mode information in the common mode identification information of the mode identification information of the communication mode that can be supported by the device acquired by the mode acquisition means and the mode identification information of the communication mode that can be supported by the host. 2. The information transmission / reception system according to claim 1, wherein a switching command for switching to the desired communication mode is transmitted only when mode identification information of the communication mode is included. An action that must occur in the host or device, and in which a communication mode in which a non-overlapping action occurs in each communication mode is registered in advance as the desired communication mode, and the mode detection means is an action that occurs in the host or device The information transmission / reception system according to claim 1, wherein the desired communication mode associated with the action is detected based on the action. 2. The information transmission / reception system according to claim 1, wherein the device is any one of a digital camera, a scanner, and a copying machine, and the host is any one of a personal computer, a printer, and a server. 5. The information transmission / reception system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of communication modes include two or more communication modes of a mass storage mode, a PTP mode, and a PC camera mode.

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