JP2005303696A - Photographing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing system, capable of protecting the privacy of a person being a photographing object with higher security by building up the photographing system, in a way that a file server manages images photographed by a plurality of photographing means in an integrated manner and the photographing means cannot access the file server. <P>SOLUTION: The photographing system comprising: the photographing means for including temporary image files to temporarily storing image information, acquired by photographing; the file server for including image files for storing the image information; and a network to which the photographing means and the file server are interconnected, is characterized in to include a communication control means which controls so that the photographing means cannot access the image files of the file server, and that the file server can access the temporary image files of the photographing means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to personal image information in a system in which a plurality of photographing means for photographing a person and a file server having an image file for storing image information photographed by the photographing means are connected by a network. Involved in systems that protect against unauthorized access.

Over the years, analog cameras and silver halide photographic materials have been used for wedding halls and photo studios. The photographed photograph is handed over to the customer whose print is the subject, and the film that is the original image has often been stored in a certain period of time.
In this case, the privacy of the individual who is the subject is protected as long as the film is properly managed by the photographer.

  However, with the advancement of digital technology, photography as described above is also generally taken with a combination of a digital camera and a computer, and the photographed image is stored inside or outside the computer in the form of digital information. Now stored in storage. In addition, there are many examples in which the image is transferred to a predetermined system via a network and used for a service for storing or processing the image.

  In response to environmental changes as described above, image information is acquired from a plurality of image capturing means or image input means via a network, stored in a file server, and then the stored image data is connected to the network. Proposals have also been made regarding a management method for sharing in such a way that the various means that have been used efficiently and without causing inconvenience (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Furthermore, with regard to digitized personal image data, management considerations differ from conventional film management in the analog era, not only in terms of efficient use, but also in terms of protecting the privacy of the subject person. It has become necessary. In particular, in the case of a system in which the file server can be accessed via a network by a plurality of computers, there is always a concern about leakage of information by unauthorized means, and it is necessary to take preventive measures to cope with it.
JP 2004-15308 A (page 8, paragraph 0004)

  The present invention has been made in view of the situation as described above, and images taken by a plurality of photographing means are centrally managed by the file server, and the file server cannot be accessed from the photographing means. An object of the present invention is to provide a photographing system that can protect the privacy of a person who is a subject to a higher level by constructing such a system.

The above problem is solved by realizing the following means.
(1) A photographing unit having a temporary image file for temporarily storing image information acquired by photographing, a file server having an image file for storing image information, and the photographing unit and the file server are connected. In the imaging system configured with a network, the image capturing unit cannot access the image file of the file server, and the file server can access the temporary image file of the image capturing unit. An imaging system comprising a communication control means for controlling.
(2) The photographing system according to (1), wherein the communication control means is a firewall.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image temporarily stored in the photographing unit is automatically transferred to and stored in the file server after the photographing is completed, and from the photographing unit to the file server via the network. Since it cannot be accessed, the image stored on the file server cannot be transferred again to the image capturing means, and the image information stored on the file server is not leaked through the image capturing means, and is related to privacy. The image information in the file server that is information is protected.

  According to invention of Claim 2, the system for protecting the privacy of Claim 1 can be easily constructed | assembled by providing a firewall.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of a general photographing system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control relationship of the photographing system.

  The system shown in the figure includes three photographing means D1, D2, and D3, a network N, and an image file means G. In the figure, three examples of the photographing means are shown, but one photographing means may be used, and any plural photographing means may be used.

  The photographing means D1 includes a digital camera DC1, an illumination means LP1 (not shown in FIG. 1, not shown in FIG. 2), a control means C1, an operation means KB1, and a display means DP1. In addition, since it is the structure similar to imaging | photography means D2 and D3, description is given only about the imaging | photography means D1.

  The digital camera DC1 performs predetermined shooting using a shooting signal sent from the control means C1 and information related to shooting conditions. Image information obtained by shooting is sent to the control means C1 and stored in the designated temporary image file F1 in the memory M of the control means C1.

  The control means C1 is a computer system, and has a memory M and an input / output interface including communication for the CPU.

  The operation means KB1 is an input device composed of a keyboard and a remote control switch.

  The display means DP1 is a display device such as a CRT or LCD.

  The illumination unit LP1 is a light source including a lamp and a strobe. Light control and light emission control are performed by the control unit C1.

  The network N is composed of a well-known LAN technology, and is connected to photographing means C1, C2, C3, image file means G, etc. via a predetermined communication interface.

  The image file means G is a file server and has a large-capacity internal memory and an external storage device for storing image information sent via the network N.

  Although not shown because it is not directly related to the description of the present invention, image processing means for extracting image information from a file server and performing image processing, or image output means for extracting image information from a file server and outputting it as a hard copy, etc. Is also connected to the network N.

  Usually, in the system configuration as described above, an image photographed by the digital camera DC1 is once stored in a predetermined file provided in the control means C1, and then a file server via the network N by file transfer processing. And is stored in a predetermined file in the server.

  In such a system, the image information stored in the file server always has a risk of being called illegally by various information processing apparatuses such as computers connected to the network. The above-described photographing system has the same danger, and particularly when the number of connected photographing means is large and many photographers use the photographing means, the risk increases. .

  As a general method for preventing this danger, there is a method of requesting input of an individual ID code or a personal identification number when accessing from a network or various information devices connected to the network to a file server. Although simple and common, this method is completely vulnerable to fraudulent deliberation by the individual. In particular, this risk increases when a large number of photographing means including a computer as a control means and a file server are connected to the same network.

  In the present invention, images taken by a large number of photographing means are collectively stored in a file server, and this is centrally managed to maintain the file, and the file from the photographing means that is the supply source of the photographed image This prevents the above-described danger by preventing access to the server.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the concept of the photographing system according to the present invention.

  Unlike the imaging system of FIG. 1 which has already been described, a network N1 to which a file server as an image file means G, an image processing means (not shown), an image output means (not shown), etc. are connected, and a plurality of imaging means. Are connected to each other, and a firewall FW is disposed at a connection point between these two networks.

  The firewall FW referred to here is software or a device that is placed between two networks and monitors or controls all communications between the two networks. Even if there is a function, only communication that complies with the safety rules set in advance can be communicated, and communication that does not comply with the rules has a function of disallowing communication. Refers to technical means. Moreover, it can also arrange | position not only between two networks but between a network and a general communication path as needed.

  As the firewall technology, the communication direction, IP address, protocol, port, etc. are combined, and these are set so as to conform to the predetermined safety rules, and the passage of information is controlled to be permitted or not permitted. Many methods are employed, but the method is not limited to such a method, and an appropriate method corresponding to a required safety level may be used.

  In the present invention, the firewall FW is set so that communication accessed from the network N1 to the network N2 is permitted and communication accessed from the network N2 to the network N1 is blocked. Therefore, the image file means G can access the temporary image file in the memory of the control means C1 to C3 of the photographing means D1 to 3, but conversely, the image file of the image file means is accessed from the photographing means D1 to D3. I can't do it.

  4 and 5 are diagrams showing Example 1 and Example 2 that are a combination of a network and a firewall different from the example shown in FIG. In either case, access to the network N from the photographing means D1 to D3 is prohibited, and access from the file server as the image file means G to the temporary image file of the photographing means D1 to D3 is permitted. .

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow from photographing by the photographing means D1 to temporary storage of image information in the photographing system of the present invention.

  After the shooting conditions are set, a shooting instruction signal is sent from the control means C1 to the digital camera DC1 by a shutter button pressed by the photographer, and the digital camera DC1 takes a picture of a person under preset conditions (step S1). ). Image information obtained by shooting is sent to the control means C1 and stored in the temporary image file T1 created in the memory M (step S2). The photographer displays the stored image information on the display means DP1 by an instruction operation using the operation means KB1 (step S3). The person who has become the subject or the photographer carefully checks the displayed image, and if there is no problem, inputs “YES” on the operation means KB1 (step S4: Y). Is input “NO” (step S4: N).

  In the case of “NO”, the contents of the temporary image file T1 are erased and photographing is performed again. In the case of “YES”, a temporary image file F1 having a predetermined name is created in the memory M (step S5), and the image information of the temporary image file T1 obtained by shooting the created temporary image file F1. Is transferred (step S6).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of transferring the image information stored in the temporary image file F1 of the photographing unit D1 to the image file of the image file unit G.

  The image file means G, which is a file server, is composed of a computer and a large-capacity storage means. A predetermined program is activated by an interrupt signal generated based on the clock inside the computer (step S10), and the temporary image file F1 created in the photographing means D1 is called via the network N (step S11). If the temporary image file F1 does not exist (step S12: N), the job is terminated. If the temporary image file exists (step S12: Y), the image information of the temporary image file F1 is transferred to the file server. (Step 13), the temporary image file F1 itself is deleted (step 14).

  With the flow described above and the firewall provided in the system, captured image information is stored in the file server, and access to the file server from a plurality of imaging means connected to the network is prohibited, Leakage of stored image information is prevented.

  The present invention is a system using a general firewall used for a network, but the function and structure of an OS (operating system) employed in the photographing means and the file server are clear. When the function change is permitted, it is possible to construct a system having the same function as the present invention by changing the OS function or setting.

It is a figure which shows the concept of a general imaging | photography system. It is a block diagram which shows the control relationship of a general imaging | photography system. It is a figure which shows the concept of the imaging | photography system by this invention. This is a combination example 1 of a network and a firewall. It is the example 2 of a combination of a network and a firewall. It is a flowchart which shows the flow from imaging | photography to temporary storage of image information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of transfer of image information.

Explanation of symbols

C1-3 Control means D1-3 Photographing means DC1-3 Digital camera DP1-3 Display means F1 Temporary image file H1 Temporary image file FW Firewall FW1-3 Firewall G Image file means KB1-3 Input means M Memory N Network N1 2 network

Claims (2)

Photographing means having a temporary image file for temporarily storing image information acquired by photographing;
A file server having an image file for storing image information;
In a photographing system composed of a network to which the photographing means and the file server are connected,
In order not to access the image file of the file server from the photographing means,
An imaging system, comprising: a communication control unit configured to control the file server so that the imaging unit can access a temporary image file. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the communication control unit is a firewall.

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