JP2004336574A - Network customizing service providing method and system for the service - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network customizing service and a system for the same, which enable a user to freely set an image quality of a camera. <P>SOLUTION: Setting items of image quality/functions are acquired and/or changed by communication to a setting change database server connected on a network when images are picked up by a mobile terminal having a function of picking up still or moving images, and thus the user can freely change setting of the image quality/functions when picking up images. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for providing a network customization service and an invention for a system for this service. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for providing a network customization service having at least a function of setting various conditions at the time of a snow image of a mobile phone having a still image or moving image imaging function, and an invention of a system for this service.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, demand for camera-equipped mobile phones has steadily increased, and now, more than half of domestic sales are camera-equipped mobile phones. In addition, demand overseas is also increasing, and it is expected that the spread of camera-equipped mobile phones will steadily increase in the future.
[0003]
Along with this, the demands on camera performance and functions of users have become strict, and the performance and functions of cameras have become multifaceted. The main requirements of the user include resolution, color reproducibility (color reproduction), sensitivity, ease of use (flexibility), and multiple functions. Among these, the resolution, color reproduction, and sensitivity depend on the signal processing in the camera module. Usually, a camera is equipped with an auto white balance and an auto gain control function, and automatically performs optimal color adjustment and gain adjustment in a shooting scene. However, it is difficult to cover all scenes to be used for shooting.
[0004]
In particular, the color reproducibility is greatly influenced by the subjective preference of each user. For this reason, in order to respond to various user requests, it is necessary to provide the device with many setting functions so that the user can make a selection. In such a case, it is limited that the device has various settings in terms of the memory capacity on the device and the scale of the application software. For this reason, the side that sells the mobile phone provides the user with a setting that is considered optimal by the development side (company side) as a default setting. Therefore, although a slight setting change menu can be prepared, it is impossible to provide even a small setting change, and it is difficult to satisfy the demands of all users with such a setting.
[0005]
As an attempt to overcome such difficulties, for example, an apparatus that enables user settings via a network is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-259335 of Patent Document 1 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-108735 of Patent Document 2. As suggested by
FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-259335.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 6, according to the present invention, when a PC terminal that can be used by an unspecified number of persons is used, it is not necessary to set personal preference conditions for each user every time the PC terminal is used. The present invention provides an information recognition system, an information recognition method, and an information recording medium that do not complicate the work of user authentication. A user who uses the user terminal by a server that can communicate with the user terminal through a network. There is known an invention that provides a service for recognizing an image.
[0007]
In the present invention, a user authentication process is performed based on the user recognition information read by the user terminal and the pre-registered recognition information. Further, it is known that the apparatus further includes a change unit configured to change default setting information set for setting conditions of the user terminal to setting information registered in advance based on a result of the authentication processing unit. . However, there is no teaching of an invention for setting conditions of a camera-equipped mobile phone.
[0008]
Next, FIG. 7 schematically shows the configuration of the invention disclosed in JP-A-2002-108735 of Patent Document 2.
As shown in FIG. 7, the present invention provides a screen design changing device for a network terminal that enables a user to use a customized screen in common even when a plurality of personal computers and personal digital assistants are used. A screen management unit 720 for storing a screen design to be displayed on the network terminal 710 together with the user identification information of the network terminal 710, and changing a screen design corresponding to the user identification information of the network terminal 710 according to an instruction from the network terminal 710. And a screen changing means 722 for performing the operation.
However, the present invention has the following differences from the invention relating to the conventional service or apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0009]
The service and apparatus shown in the above-mentioned conventional example are a service and apparatus for a PC terminal used by a plurality of users so that each user does not need to set the environment and screen when using the PC terminal. However, the purpose and configuration of the present invention are fundamentally different from those of the invention in which the user can freely set the image quality of the camera. Also, in both Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-199120 of Patent Document 3 and Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3090922 of Patent Document 4, there is disclosed an invention in which the user can freely set the image quality of the camera as described above. Nothing is taught.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-259335 A [Patent Document 2]
JP 2002-108735 A [Patent Document 3]
JP 2002-199120 A [Patent Document 4]
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3090922
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention is, as described above, in that the user can freely set the image quality of an image pickup means such as a camera, and the specific service contents and apparatus of such an invention are not known.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made for the purpose of disseminating a service capable of quickly setting an imaging unit or a mobile phone having an imaging function, and has a function of capturing a still image or a moving image. The image quality / function setting items at the time of the imaging are obtained and / or changed by communicating with a setting change database server connected to the Internet, and the image quality / function settings at the time of the imaging can be freely set. The feature is that the setting can be changed.
[0013]
The present invention also provides a mobile phone having a function of capturing a still image or a moving image, and a condition setting and / or a change of condition for capturing the still image or the moving image when the function is exhibited. A setting change database server, wherein the setting change database server stores, for each of the mobile phones, settings and / or change conditions of image quality and functions of a still image or moving image capturing means of the mobile phone, and When accessed from the telephone, the stored image quality / function setting and / or change condition list is notified to the mobile phone, and the imaging condition setting and / or condition change of the mobile phone is performed. It is characterized by the following.
[0014]
It is preferable that the mobile phone and the setting change database server are further connected via a base station, a telephone line, a provider, and the Internet.
[0015]
Preferably, the notification is selected from a setting change file stored in the setting change database and downloaded to the mobile phone.
[0016]
Further, it is preferable that the notification is made by directly changing the setting from the setting change database.
[0017]
In particular, it is preferable that access to the setting change database from the mobile phone is performed by an i-mode function.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention is characterized in that, in a portable terminal with a camera, the user can freely change the setting items of the image quality and function of the camera by communicating with a setting change database server connected on the Internet. And
In FIG. 1, a design change database server 106 having a camera setting change file is connected to the Internet 105, and a provider 104 provides a connection service between the telephone line 103 and the Internet 105 to telephone line users.
The mobile phone base station 102 connected to the telephone line 103 communicates with the mobile phone 101 via radio waves. In the present invention, the mobile phone 101 is a camera-equipped mobile phone. Further, it is assumed that an access means to the setting change database server 106 has, for example, an i-mode function.
[0019]
A user who intends to receive the network customization service of the present invention first accesses the setting change database server 106 using the mobile phone 101 by using, for example, an i-mode function (or an Internet function). The setting change database server 106 that has received access from the user extracts the corresponding setting change file data in the database according to the content of the request from the user, and transmits the setting change file to the user (portable terminal 101). In the portable terminal 101, the initialization and setting change (program) of the camera are executed based on the received setting change file, and the image quality and function of the camera are adjusted.
[0020]
As described above, according to the present invention, the setting of the image quality and function of the camera can be changed by communicating only with the mobile phone 101 and the setting change database server 106 connected on the Internet 105. Without depending on the default setting, it is possible to easily change the setting to the user's preference at any time according to each condition (shooting scene) at the time of using the camera.
[0021]
Since the setting change data is stored in the setting change database server provided on the network, there is no need to store several types of data in the mobile phone body, and the amount of memory and cost can be reduced.
In addition, even if the functions of the camera are expanded in the future, the functions can be added.
[0022]
<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows a specific configuration example according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a setting change database server 106 holding setting change data is connected via the Internet 105, and stores camera setting change data as a database in the server 106. The provider 104 is connected to the Internet 105 and the telephone line 103, and provides a connection service of the telephone line 103 and the Internet 105 to a user of the telephone line 103.
[0023]
The mobile phone base station 102 connected to the telephone line 103 communicates with the mobile phone 101 via radio waves. The mobile phone 101 has a normal telephone function, but the mobile phone used in the present invention is a camera-equipped mobile phone (a mobile phone having a camera function). In addition, the means for accessing the setting change database server 106 means that it can be accessed by, for example, the i-mode function or the Internet function.
[0024]
<Description of Operation Example of First Embodiment>
The operation of the invention according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the access is made by the access means using the i-mode function, but the access can be changed to another Internet function.
First, a user who intends to use the network customization service according to the present invention accesses the setting change database server 106 (for example, an i-mode web server) of the service from the mobile phone 101 using the i-mode function (step S1). . In this access, the setting change database server 106 receives a command (setting change) from the mobile phone via the base station 102, and the setting change database server 106 receives a service start request. The setting change database server 106 in this state notifies the user of a list of items whose settings can be changed (step S2).
[0025]
On the mobile phone side receiving this notification, the user selects and inputs desired setting change contents from the setting changeable items (step S3).
Upon receiving the user's request, the setting change database server searches for the corresponding data in the setting change database (step S4). Then, the relevant data is obtained from the database (step S5) and transmitted to the user terminal as a setting change file (step S6). In the user terminal (mobile phone) receiving this, the setting of the camera is changed in the user terminal based on the contents of the setting file.
[0026]
When saving the contents of the setting change file received in step S6, as described below, by requesting saving of the setting contents in step S7, a data saving instruction is issued from the setting change database server 106. Is output to the database 106 (step S8). When the saving is completed (step S9), the user is notified in step S10.
With this save operation, the user can save the set changes once in the database, and can retrieve them whenever necessary.
[0027]
A method of retrieving the setting change content saved as described above will be described below. The operations in steps S11 and S12 are the same as the operations in steps S1 and S2 described above. In step S13, the user (portable terminal) notifies the setting change database server 106 of the setting change file name to be called. Upon receiving the notification, the setting change database server 106 searches the setting change database (step S14), acquires data (step S15), and transmits the data to the user (step S16).
[0028]
Next, the details of the setting change operation by the mobile phone will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the user (mobile phone) starts up the camera (step S302) after turning on the device power of the mobile phone whose setting is to be changed (step S301), the camera performs initialization such as sensors and signal processing every time the camera is started up (step S302). Step S303). In this initialization, initial values such as an operation clock of the camera, a shooting angle of view, an image quality setting, and the like are set, and shooting by the camera can be started. When the initialization (Step S303) operation is completed, photographing with the camera becomes possible, and a preview image of photographing is displayed on the image display LCD on the apparatus (Step S304). While viewing the preview screen, the user checks the composition of the subject to be photographed on the preview screen. If the user looks at the preview screen and determines that the photographing can be performed without any dissatisfaction with the image quality setting, the setting change menu display operation in step S305 is passed, and the process proceeds to the photographing operation in step S309. Then, after the saving operation (step S310), the photographing ends (step S311). In the above-described storage operation step S310, it is possible to perform shooting again before storing the shot image.
[0029]
The above-described series of operations described above is performed when the user is satisfied with the initial setting image of the camera and determines that there is no problem in continuing shooting. If the user is dissatisfied with such a reserved setting and wants to independently perform image quality adjustment, the user can change the setting by instructing the following operation.
[0030]
First, after the preview display in step S304, if it is desired to change the setting of the imaging condition such as image quality, a setting change menu is displayed in the next step S305. This is realized by window display by application software. Next, the user selects an item whose setting is to be changed and its value on the setting change menu (step S306). Based on the setting change instruction in step S306, the setting change database server 106 searches the setting change database for predetermined change data (step S307), and downloads the relevant data to the user as a setting change file (step S308). ).
[0031]
Thereafter, the user re-executes the camera initialization using the setting change file received in step S308 (step S303), so that the image projected based on the new setting is preview-displayed in S304. If the user is satisfied with the image quality and determines that no further setting change is necessary, the next setting change menu display (step S305) is passed, and shooting (step S309) and saving (step S310) are performed. Then, the shooting ends (step S311). If the user wishes to continue the setting change, the setting change menu is displayed again in step S305, and the camera initialization is performed in steps S305 to S308 in step S303. This routine is repeated until the user completes the setting change.
[0032]
By the operation described above, the user can repeat the setting change while confirming the image by the preview display (step S304) according to the photographing condition of the subject and the like, regardless of the default setting of the mobile terminal device. It is possible to shoot with the image quality set.
[0033]
<Other embodiments>
As another embodiment of the present invention, the basic configuration is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, but the setting change in steps S307 and S308 is changed in the first embodiment by downloading a data file. Although the change has been made, the present embodiment proposes a method of directly changing the camera initialization data instead of downloading the data file.
[0034]
4 differs from FIG. 2 in that the setting change database server 106 sends the setting change directly in S6 and S16 instead of the setting change file. This direct setting change may be, for example, in the form of an application program having both a change command and a setting change value. An application program for such a direct setting change may be available, for example, by downloading. Alternatively, the information may be input from any recording medium. The recording medium is not particularly limited.
Similarly, FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 3 in that the setting change file is not received in step S308, and the setting is directly changed.
Other operations are all the same as the operations described in the first embodiment.
In the present embodiment, instead of downloading a file once and changing the settings based on the contents of the file by a camera initialization operation (S503) in the apparatus, data is directly input from a setting change database to store the camera. Since the setting change is performed, the user does not need to perform any operation other than selecting the setting change data from the menu, and the setting can be changed more easily and quickly.
[0035]
The network customization service according to the present invention described above is not limited to the change of camera settings, and the same service can be applied to the change of settings of other functions of a mobile phone such as an LCD. This eliminates the need for time-consuming operations for each model. For example, functions that consume memory such as a telephone directory, mail, ringtones, and screen images can be saved together with the history information of the mobile phone. According to the network customizing service of the present invention, the service can be provided effectively.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention has the following effects.
First, when a user shoots an object with a camera-equipped mobile phone, the system can download a setting change file and change the setting each time according to lighting conditions and preference for image quality adjustment. In addition, since the settings are freely and easily set without being restricted by the manufacturer default values, it is possible to adjust the image quality of an image to be shot in a user-friendly manner.
[0037]
Secondly, since the present invention has a configuration in which the setting change file can be stored in the setting change database on the network, the user can save in advance how many setting contents the necessary imaging conditions and download it at any time. Because it can be used at any time, it can be accessed whenever needed, without taking away the memory of the mobile phone excessively.
[0038]
Third, since the configuration change file is stored on the network, there is no need to store data on the mobile terminal, and the data capacity of the mobile terminal used is not reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a system for a network customization service according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the first embodiment of the method of the network customization service according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating details of a setting change operation performed by the mobile phone according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of another embodiment of the network customizing service method according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating details of a setting change operation by a mobile phone according to another embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the invention described in JP-A-2002-259335 (Patent Document 1).
FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the invention of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-108735 (Patent Document 2).
[Explanation of symbols]
101 Mobile phone 102 Base station 103 Telephone line 104 Provider 105 Internet 106 Setting change database server

Claims (6)

Obtaining and / or changing the setting items of the image quality / function at the time of the imaging of the portable terminal having the function of imaging a still image or a moving image by communicating with a setting change database server connected to the Internet; A method for providing a network customization service, wherein setting of image quality and functions at the time of the image pickup can be freely changed. A mobile phone having a function of capturing a still image or a moving image, a setting change database server in which imaging condition settings and / or condition changes for capturing the still image or the moving image when performing the function are recorded; Has,
The setting change database server stores, for each of the mobile phones, a setting and / or a change condition of the image quality / function of the still image or moving image capturing means of the mobile phone, and when accessed from the mobile phone, stores the setting. The image quality / function setting and / or change condition list is notified to the mobile phone to set and / or change the imaging condition of the mobile phone. system. The system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile phone and the setting change database server are further connected via a base station, a telephone line, a provider, and the Internet. . The system according to claim 2, wherein the notification is selected from a setting change file stored in the setting change database and downloaded to the mobile phone. The system for a network customization service according to claim 2, wherein the notification is performed by directly changing the setting from the setting change database. The system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the mobile phone accesses the setting change database by an i-mode function.

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