JP2005286410A - Cellular phone - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate classifying or arranging images photographed with a cellular phone. <P>SOLUTION: When photographing conditions shown in (a) in a figure are stored, if a release button 40 is depressed during a photographing mode, photographing in accordance with default photographing condition set by a manufacturer is performed. If "1" of a ten key board 42 is depressed, monochromatic photographing is performed, and if "2" is depressed, macro photographing is performed. In case of folder designation condition shown in (b) of the figure, if the release button 40 and "1" or "2" of the ten key board 42 are depressed after photographing, each of photographed images is stored in a usual folder, a family folder and a company folder of a memory card 23. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile phone, and more particularly to a mobile phone having a camera function for photographing a subject.

In recent years, mobile phones having a camera function such as a CCD camera and capable of storing a large amount of images taken by the camera in an external recording medium have become widespread. When recording a photographed image on an external recording medium, as a technique that makes it easy to organize and search the recorded image, there is a technique for selecting a recording medium according to the data size to be recorded, as in Patent Document 1, for example. is there. According to Patent Document 1, the insertion state of media in two media slots is determined. When a medium is inserted in either of the two media slots, it is determined whether or not the file size to be recorded is larger than a threshold value. If the file size is smaller than the threshold, a slot in which a medium having a small storage capacity is inserted is selected as a recording medium slot. If the file size is larger than the threshold, a slot in which a medium having a large storage capacity is inserted. Is selected as the recording media slot. In this way, the number of files stored in each recording medium can be averaged, which is convenient for organizing and searching image files after recording. On the other hand, when a medium is inserted into only one of the two media slots, the media slot is selected as a recording media slot.
JP 2001-245248 A, paragraphs 0057-0065.

  However, in the technique of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, in order to average the number of files stored in the recording medium, a plurality of recording media are required, and the number of files stored when there is only one recording medium. A technique for averaging the above is not specifically disclosed. In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to facilitate the classification and organization of images taken with a mobile phone without depending on a recording medium.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 1 includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and outputs an image representing the image of the subject, and a plurality of operation buttons. Means, condition storage means for storing conditions relating to image classification corresponding to each operation button, and output from the imaging means based on conditions relating to image classification corresponding to the operation button that has accepted the start of imaging And a storage control unit that stores an image in a storage medium.

  According to this invention, the image is stored in the storage medium based on the condition relating to the classification of the image corresponding to the operation button that has accepted the start of imaging. Therefore, shooting can be started by operating the operation buttons, and conditions relating to image classification can be specified together. Since the images are stored based on the designated classification, the classification and arrangement of the images stored in the storage medium are facilitated.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the condition is a folder for storing the image.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the mobile phone according to claim 2, further comprising folder creating means for creating a folder corresponding to each operation button in the storage medium.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the condition is a shooting condition, and the imaging means performs imaging under a shooting condition corresponding to an operation button that has accepted the start of the imaging. The mobile phone according to the above.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the mobile phone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising display control means for displaying the condition on a display device.

  According to the above invention, the image is stored in the storage medium based on the condition relating to the classification of the image corresponding to the operation button that has accepted the start of imaging. Therefore, shooting can be started by operating the operation buttons, and conditions relating to image classification can be specified together. Since the images are stored based on the designated classification, the classification and arrangement of the images stored in the storage medium are facilitated.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(1) Functional Configuration FIG. 1 is a functional configuration diagram of a mobile phone 1 which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The cellular phone 1 includes an electronic camera 11 such as a CCD, an image processing unit 12, a transmission unit 15, an antenna 16, an operation unit 18, a control unit 21, a card interface 22 to which a memory card 23 is attached and detached, and an image represented by image data. A display unit 31 including a liquid crystal display for displaying is provided.

  The operation unit 18 includes a plurality of operation buttons as will be described later. The operation unit 18 receives an input of a predetermined operation such as an operation for starting photographing with the electronic camera 11, and indicates a signal indicating that the operation has been performed (hereinafter, operation Signal) is output to the control unit 21. A configuration example of the operation unit 18 will be described later. In response to the output of the operation signal, the electronic camera 11 forms an image of the subject on the light receiving surface, performs photoelectric conversion, and outputs the image data to the image processing unit 12. The image processing unit 12 performs processes such as changing the number of pixels of image data output from the electronic camera 11, sharpness correction, gamma correction, contrast correction, and white balance correction.

  The transmission unit 15 encodes the image data according to the control of the control unit 21 and outputs the encoded image data to the antenna 16 or the card interface 22. The antenna 16 wirelessly transmits image data to another mobile phone using a carrier wave. The control unit 21 includes an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) and the like, and performs sampling timing control of image data, exposure control such as an aperture and shutter speed of the electronic camera 11, focus control, zoom control, and the like. Other processes performed by the control unit 21 will be described later. The mobile phone 1 further includes a wireless communication circuit that wirelessly connects to other telephones to transmit and receive audio signals, a microphone that inputs audio, a speaker that outputs audio of the received audio signals, and the like, but details thereof are omitted. .

  FIG. 2 is a configuration example of buttons included in the operation unit 18. As shown in FIG. 2, a release button 40 is arranged below the display unit 31. A cross button 41 for executing designation / selection of a telephone number, characters, and image data is below the release button 40. A numeric keypad button 42 for directly inputting a telephone number is arranged. The cellular phone 1 shifts to the shooting mode by pressing and holding the release button 40 and ends the shooting mode by pressing the “clear” button of the numeric keypad button 42. Then, shooting is started by pressing any one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad 42 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a button) during the shooting mode. That is, unlike a conventional mobile phone, shooting is started even when the numeric keypad 42 is pressed, but details will be described later. Note that the display unit 31 displays not only a still image shot in response to a button pressing operation but also an image before the operation (moving image or intermittent image).

  The control unit 21 stores conditions corresponding to the buttons of the operation unit 18 as shown in FIG. The conditions corresponding to each button are, for example, shooting conditions corresponding to each button (for example, black-and-white shooting, macro shooting, wide focus shooting, resolution, etc.), but the shooting conditions as shown in FIG. When the release button 40 is pressed during the shooting mode, shooting is performed according to the default shooting conditions set by the manufacturer. When “1” of the numeric keypad 42 is pressed, monochrome shooting is performed. “2” When is pressed, macro shooting is performed.

  In addition, the control unit 21 stores a folder designation condition for designating a folder in which a photographed image is stored in a folder existing in the memory card 23 by pressing the button as a condition corresponding to each button. For example, in the case of the folder designation condition shown in FIG. 3B, when “1” and “2” of the release button 40 and the numeric keypad 42 are pressed after shooting, the shot images are respectively stored in the normal folder of the memory card 23. Stored in the family folder and the company folder. Note that the above shooting conditions and folder specification conditions are merely examples, and the user can arbitrarily change, add, delete, and update by operating the operation unit 18. For example, the button “3” of the numeric keypad 42 has a button “3”. The folder designation condition may be changed to correspond to “personal folder”.

(2) Image Storage Processing Hereinafter, the flow of image storage processing executed by the control unit 21 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. This processing is performed in accordance with the depression of the release button 40 or the numeric key button 42, and shooting is performed under the photographing conditions corresponding to the depressed button. Store the captured image in a folder. This process starts when the shooting mode described above is entered.

  In S11, the control unit 21 detects from the operation signal that one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad 42 has been pressed. If any button press is detected, the process proceeds to S12. If no button press is detected, the process waits for the button press. In S12, the control unit 21 refers to the stored shooting conditions, and causes the electronic camera 11 to shoot the subject under the shooting conditions corresponding to the button detected to be pressed in S11.

  In S13, the control unit 21 receives an instruction to create a folder in the memory card 23 by pressing any button. When the folder creation is instructed, the process proceeds to S14, and when the folder creation is not instructed, the process proceeds to S15. In S14, a folder corresponding to the button pressed in S13 is created in the memory card 23, and the newly created folder and the corresponding button are added to the folder designation information as shown in FIG. Although not shown, a process may be provided in which an unnecessary folder can be specified and deleted by pressing a button.

  In S15, the control unit 21 displays folder designation information as shown in FIG. Instead of displaying the folder name as it is as shown in FIG. 3B, an icon indicating each folder may be displayed in correspondence with the button name. In this way, the correspondence between the folder and the button can be easily grasped in the limited space of the display unit 31. In S16, the control unit 21 causes an arbitrary folder to be selected from the folder designation information displayed on the display unit 31 by pressing a button. If one of the buttons is pressed and a folder is selected, the process proceeds to S17. If the folder is not selected, the process waits until the button is selected. In S17, the control unit 21 stores the image captured in S12 in the folder selected in S16.

(3) Features of the cellular phone according to the present embodiment As described above, when one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad 42 is pressed, shooting is started under shooting conditions corresponding to the pressed button. (S12). Therefore, by pressing any button during the shooting mode, it is possible to perform shooting under the desired shooting conditions set corresponding to the button.

  In addition, when one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad 42 is pressed after shooting, the shot image is stored in the folder corresponding to the pressed button (S17). Therefore, the captured images can be distributed to each folder, and the images can be easily organized and searched. Further, since a folder corresponding to any one of the release button 40 and the numeric keypad 42 can be created (S14), the user can further easily organize images by arbitrarily creating a folder corresponding to the button.

  In the first embodiment described above, the shooting conditions and the folder designation conditions are stored separately as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. However, the shooting conditions and the folder designation conditions are included in one condition. Also good. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 21 may store a condition in which one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad button 42, a shooting condition, and a folder are associated with each other. When one of the release button 40 or the numeric keypad 42 is pressed during the shooting mode, shooting is performed under shooting conditions corresponding to the pressed button, and the obtained image is used as the pressed button. You may make it memorize | store in a corresponding folder. In this way, the images shot under the shooting conditions are stored in the folders classified according to the shooting conditions, so that the images can be easily organized and classified. As in the first embodiment, the user may arbitrarily change the shooting condition / folder corresponding to the button by operating the operation unit 18, and the folder corresponding to each button may be created. Also good.

  In the above-described second embodiment, the shooting conditions may not be associated with each button at all, or the same shooting condition may be associated with any button. In this case, the control unit 21 does not accept the selection of the folder for storing the photographed image as in S16 of the first embodiment, and immediately stores the photographed image in the folder corresponding to the button operated in S11. It may be. In this way, the folder to store the image is immediately specified by the button pressed at the time of shooting, and it becomes unnecessary to select the folder after shooting.

  In the first to third embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 21 may create a management file that associates a captured image with which button is pressed to capture the image. . Then, the control unit 21 outputs the management file together when outputting an image to an external device such as a personal computer or a PDA. When the external device receives the image and the management file, the control unit 21 reads the management file. A folder corresponding to the button may be created on a recording medium such as a hard disk, and an image may be stored in this folder. In this way, it is possible to classify and organize images in the external device according to the button pressed during shooting.

1 is a functional configuration diagram of a mobile phone according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An example of a button included in the operation unit. An example of a condition associated with a button. The flowchart which shows the flow of an image storage process. Another example of conditions associated with buttons. An example of a management file.

Explanation of symbols

1 .. Mobile phone, 11 .. Electronic camera, 12 .. Image processing unit, 15 .. Transmission unit, 18 .. Operation unit, 21 .. Control unit, 22 .. Card I / F, 23 .. Memory card , 31 .. display part

Claims (5)

Imaging means for imaging a subject and outputting an image representing the subject image;
A plurality of operation buttons, each operation button, an operation means for accepting the start of the imaging;
Condition storage means for storing conditions relating to image classification in association with each operation button;
A storage control unit that stores an image output from the imaging unit in a storage medium based on a condition relating to the classification of the image corresponding to the operation button that has accepted the start of imaging;
A mobile phone comprising:   The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the condition is a folder for storing the image.   The mobile phone according to claim 2, further comprising a folder creation unit that creates a folder corresponding to each operation button in the storage medium.   4. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the condition is a shooting condition, and the imaging unit performs imaging under a shooting condition corresponding to an operation button that has accepted the start of the imaging.   The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for displaying the condition on a display device.

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