JP2006268401A - Associated information writing program, associated information writing apparatus and associated information writing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To rewrite an image file from which associated information is lost to an image file including the associated information. <P>SOLUTION: A file name of the image file is produced according to the associated information. When the associated information of the image file is lost by editing the associated information by image editing software or the like, the associated information into the image file from which the associated information is lost is written on the basis of the file name produced according to the associated information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an accompanying information writing program, an accompanying information writing device, and an accompanying information writing method.

  Conventionally, an image file of a digital image photographed by a digital still camera or the like includes image data that is data of the image itself and incidental information such as photographing date / time, photographing condition, and position. Then, it has been proposed to create a file name of an image file from information about the position among the incidental information (Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-159068 A

  Apart from this, this supplementary information is used as an application used when a user searches for a desired image file from among a large number of stored image files or when rearranging image files in a predetermined order. There is something to use. However, if the image is edited with image editing software that does not support the format of the supplementary information, the supplementary information may be lost.

  When an image file in which a file name is created based on position information by the method of Patent Document 1 is edited with the above-described image processing software, the file name indicates the position, but incidental information is lost. . For this reason, an application that performs processing using the above-described supplementary information cannot process an edited image file.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to rewrite an image file in which incidental information has been lost to an image file including incidental information.

  In order to achieve this object, in the incidental information writing program according to claim 1, the computer is configured to execute, on the basis of the file name, the image file having the file name created according to the incidental information regarding the image data. It functions as supplementary information writing means for writing supplementary information.

  Further, in the incidental information writing program according to claim 2, the computer is further caused to function as incidental information existence judging means for judging whether or not the image file includes the incidental information. The insertion unit writes the previous period auxiliary information into the image file based on the file name only when the auxiliary information presence determination unit determines that the auxiliary information is not included.

  Further, in the incidental information writing program according to claim 3, further, the computer is caused to function as identifier determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined identifier is given to the file name, and the incidental information writing means The auxiliary information is written to the image file based on the file name only when the identifier determining unit determines that a predetermined identifier is assigned to the file name.

  Further, in the incidental information writing program according to claim 4, the file name for creating the file name based on the incidental information for the image file including the incidental information and the image data is further provided. A creation unit and a monitoring unit that monitors whether the image file having the file name created by the file name creation unit is edited, and the image file has been edited by the monitoring unit. Is detected, the auxiliary information presence determining means determines whether or not the image file includes the auxiliary information.

  In the incidental information writing program according to the fifth aspect, the file name creation means further creates the file name based on predetermined information of the incidental information.

  In the incidental information writing program according to the sixth aspect, the computer is further caused to function as a selection unit for the user to arbitrarily select the predetermined information.

  In the incidental information writing program according to claim 7, the file name creating means creates the file name by encoding the predetermined information.

  Further, in the incidental information writing apparatus according to claim 8, a file name is created according to the incidental information regarding the image data, and the incidental information writing means for the image file including at least the image data includes the file name. The incidental information is written based on

  In the incidental information writing method according to claim 9, a file name is created in accordance with the incidental information related to image data, and the incidental information is added to an image file including at least the image data based on the file name. An incidental information writing method comprising an incidental information writing step for writing.

  According to the incidental information writing program according to claim 1, the incidental information writing device according to claim 8, and the incidental information writing method according to claim 9, the image information lacking the incidental information is converted into the incidental information. Therefore, incidental information is written from the created file name. For this reason, by editing the image file with another application program such as image editing software, even if the incidental information is lost, the incidental information can be written back to the image file based on the file name.

  Further, according to the supplementary information writing program of claim 2, it is determined whether or not the image file contains supplementary information, and the supplementary information is written to the image file only for the image file that does not contain supplementary information. It is. For this reason, useless processing of writing the auxiliary information to an image file that originally includes the auxiliary information is eliminated.

  Further, according to the incidental information writing program according to claim 3, it is determined whether or not a predetermined identifier is given to the file name, and only when the predetermined identifier is given to the file name Written. For this reason, useless processing of writing wrong supplementary information to an image file from a file name that was not originally created according to the supplementary information is eliminated.

  According to the supplementary information writing program of claim 4, it is monitored whether or not the image file whose file name has been created according to the supplementary information is edited, and it is detected that the supplementary information has been lost due to the editing. Then, incidental information is written in the image file. For this reason, even if the additional information is lost by editing the image file with another application program such as editing software, the additional information is automatically written back to the image file based on the file name.

  According to the incidental information writing program of the fifth aspect, a file name can be created according to predetermined information among the incidental information. For this reason, a file name is not created based on unnecessary incidental information.

  According to the supplementary information writing program of the sixth aspect, the user can arbitrarily select predetermined information from the supplementary information and create a file name by the selecting means. For this reason, a file name can be created using only information required by the user.

  According to the incidental information writing program of the seventh aspect, the file name after creation can be shortened.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) for realizing the first embodiment.

  The PC 300 includes a CPU 301, a RAM 302, a ROM 303, a storage device 304, a drive 305, an input device 306, a display device 307, an interface 308, and a bus 309. The CPU 301 reads the incidental information writing program stored in the ROM 303 and executes it. The RAM 302 is used as a work area for executing the incidental information writing program. The ROM 303 stores a program for controlling the CPU. The storage device 304 includes an HD and an HDD. The storage device 304 stores an image file read from the recording medium A via the drive 305, an image file read from the network 500 via the interface 308, and an incidental information writing program. The drive 305 reads an image file from the recording medium 400 and writes an image file to the recording medium 400. The input device 306 is a mouse, a keyboard, or the like for the user to instruct execution or operation of the incidental information writing program. The display device 307 is a display such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display. The interface 308 exchanges data such as image files with the network 500. The bus 309 connects the CPU 301, RAM 302, ROM 303, storage device 304, drive 305, input device 306, display device 307, and interface 308, respectively.

  This embodiment stores data based on the format of “JEIDA Standard Digital Still Camera Image File Format Standard (Exif) Version 2.1 Japanese Version JEIDA-49-1998” (hereinafter referred to as “Exif 2.1 Specification”). This is an accompanying information writing program adapted to the image file. Hereinafter, the incidental information of the image file stored in the format of “Exif2.1 specification” will be referred to as Exif information.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image file stored in the format of “Exif2.1 specification” has a header 10, Exif information 20, and image data 30. The header 10 is information such as the image width, height, and the number of planes. However, when an image file stored in the format of “Exif2.1 specification” is processed by an application program such as editing software that does not support the format of “Exif2.1 specification”, the image file shown in FIG. There are cases where the image file does not have Exif information 20 like a file.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  The user activates the incidental information writing program stored in the storage device 304 by the input device 306, selects a predetermined image file from a plurality of image files stored in the storage device 304, and changes the file name. 4 is started by the CPU 301.

  When the flow of FIG. 4 is started, the CPU 301 first determines whether or not the Exif information 20 is included in the image file selected by the user (S401). If the Exif information 20 is not included (S401: No), the process ends. If the Exif information 20 is included (S401: Yes), the Exif information 20 can be written back from the file name even if the Exif information 20 is lost by editing this image file with another application program. Then, a file name is created according to the Exif information 20 (S402). Details of the file name change will be described later.

  Next, in order to monitor whether or not the image file has been edited by another application program, the changed file name and the date and time when the image file was last edited by another application program are registered in the monitoring table. (S403). The monitoring table is stored in the RAM 302. The OS of the PC 300 is provided with a function for managing file update dates. The update date and time is registered in the monitoring table based on the date and time. As shown in FIG. 5, in the monitoring table, a list of file names of image files monitored by an interrupt processing routine, which will be described later, and an update date and time when the image file was last edited are arranged in association with each other. In this way, when the newly created file name of the image file and the update date and time when the image file was last edited are registered in the monitoring table, the process is terminated.

  Here, the change of the file name in S402 will be described.

  At the stage of the process of S402, the check table shown in FIG. In the “item” column of the check table, items of Exif information 20 are arranged. In the “item ID” column on the left side, IDs assigned to the respective items are arranged corresponding to the items. In the “check box” field on the left side of the box, a check mark is input by the user's operation of the input device 306. A new file name is created in accordance with the item of Exif information 20 specified by this check table.

Create a new file name in the format shown below.
x [number of items] [item ID] [item] _ [item ID] [item] _... [item ID] [item] x. jpg
The x at the beginning and the end are identifiers indicating that the file name is created according to the Exif information 20. In [Number of Items], a symbol indicating the number of items in the Exif information 20 marked with a check in the check table of FIG. 6 is input. In [number of items], only one character of a number from 1 to 9 and a symbol from a to r is input, and the numbers from 1 to 9 indicate that the number of items is literally 1 to 9, Symbols up to r indicate that the number of items is 10 to 27. In [Item ID], the ID of the item of the Exif information 20 marked with a check in the check table of FIG. 6 is input. In [Item ID], a number from 0 to 9 and a symbol from a to q are entered by only one character. In [Item], the information of the item of the Exif information 20 marked with a check in the check table of FIG. 6 is input in a readable format. The number of characters entered in [Item] for each item is fixed. [Item] and the next [Item ID] are separated by a single-byte underscore. [Item ID] and [Item] of the file name are input in order from the one on the check table.

  As an example, it is recorded in the Exif information 20 that a picture was taken at “15:16:39 on December 03, 2004” at a location of “35 degrees 07 minutes 04 seconds north, 136 degrees 55 minutes 21 seconds east longitude”. Foo. A case where the file name of an image file named jpg is changed will be described. The information indicating the shooting date “December 03, 2004 15:16:39” is stored in the “original image generation date” item in the Exif information 20 item, and the shooting location “35 ° 07 minutes north latitude” is stored. The information indicating “04 seconds, 136 degrees 55 minutes 21 seconds east longitude” is “Latitude north-south”, “Latitude (degrees, minutes, seconds)”, “Longitude east-west”, “Longitude (degrees, (Minute, second) ”(see the Exif2.1 specification).

Image file foo. When the name of jpg is changed, the “original image generation date / time”, “latitude north / south”, “latitude (degree, minute, second)”, “longitude east-west”, “longitude” When the item “(degree, minute, second)” is selected by the user, the newly created file name is as follows.
x55200412033151639_dN_e350704_fE_g1366551x. jpg
x55200412033151639_dN_e350704_fE_g1366551x. The file name of jpg will be described. The first character x is an identifier. The second character 5 is [number of items]. Since the number of items selected in the check table of FIG. 6 is 5, 5 is entered. The third character 5 is the first [item ID]. In the check table of FIG. 6, the item “Date and time of original image generation” is checked for the first time, and ID 5 of that item is input. 20041203151639 from the 4th character to the 17th character is the first [item]. Image file foo. Since information indicating “03/15/2004 15:16:39” is stored in the “original image generation date / time” item of the jpg Exif information 20, 200002151639 indicating the date / time is input. . The 19th character d is the second [Item ID]. In the check table of FIG. 6, the item “Latitude north-south” is checked for the second time, and the item ID “d” is input. N of the 20th character is the second [item], and N indicating north latitude is input. The 22nd character e is the third [item ID]. In the check table of FIG. 6, the item “latitude (degrees, minutes, seconds)” is checked for the third time, so the item ID “e” is input. 350704 from the 23rd character to the 28th character is the third [item], and 350704 indicating 35 degrees 07 minutes 04 seconds is input. The 30th character f is the fourth [item ID]. In the check table of FIG. 6, the item of “longitude east and west” is checked for the fourth time, and the ID f of that item is input. E of the 31st character is the fourth [item], and E indicating east longitude is input. The 33rd letter g is the fifth [Item ID]. In the check table of FIG. 6, the item “longitude (degrees, minutes, seconds)” is checked for the fifth time, and the ID g of the item is input. 1365521 from the 34th character to the 39th character is the fifth [item], and 1365521 indicating 136 degrees 55 minutes 21 seconds is input. The 50th character x is an identifier. The 18th character, the 21st character, the 29th character, and the 32nd character _ are input to separate the previous [item] from the next [item ID].

  As described above, the user starts the incidental information writing program, instructs to change the file name, and when the flow of FIG. 4 is performed, a new file name is created for the selected image file and is monitored. The new file name and the date and time when the image file was last edited are registered in the table. Whether or not the image file registered in the monitoring table in this way has been edited by another application program is monitored by the interrupt processing routine of FIG. 7 to be described. And about the image file from which the Exif information 20 was missing by editing by another application program, the process which writes the Exif information 20 based on a file name is performed.

  The flow of FIG. 7 will be described. The interrupt processing routine of FIG. 7 is continuously started at predetermined intervals when the PC 300 is activated. When the interrupt processing routine of FIG. 7 is started, the update date and time of the image file registered in the monitoring table is compared with the update date and time managed by the current OS, and there is an edited image file. Is determined (S701). This comparison is performed for all image files registered in the monitoring table.

  If there is no edited image file (S701: No), since it can be determined that all the image files registered in the monitoring table have the Exif information 20, the process ends without performing anything. . If there is an edited image file (S701: Yes), it is determined whether or not the image file has Exif information 20 (702). If it is determined in S701 that a plurality of image files have been edited, this determination in S702 is performed for all edited image files. When it is determined that all the edited image files have Exif information 20 as in the image file of FIG. 2 (S702: Yes), the update date and time of the monitoring table of the edited image file is updated. (S704), the process ends.

  If there is an image file in which the Exif information 20 is missing as in the image file of FIG. 3 (S702: No), the Exif information 20 is written into the image file based on the file name of the image file, as shown in FIG. It returns to the image file having the Exif information 20 (S703), updates the update date and time of the monitoring table of the edited image file (S704), and ends the process.

  Thus, the image file registered in the monitoring table is always monitored by the interrupt processing routine, and the Exif information 20 is written based on the file name of the image file for the image file in which the Exif information 20 is missing. For this reason, even if the Exif information 20 is lost due to editing by another application program that does not support the “Exif2.1 specification”, the image file registered in the monitoring table always has the Exif information 20. .

  Next, the process performed in S703 will be described in detail with reference to the flow of FIG. First, the beginning and end characters of the file name are read (S801). Next, it is determined whether the first and last characters are x (S802). If the first and last characters are not x (S802: No), the process ends. If the first and last characters are x (S802: Yes), the next character is read (S803). Next, it is determined whether or not the read character is a character in the range of 1 to 9 and a to r (S804). If the read character is not in the range of 1 to 9 and a to r (S804: No), the process ends.

  If the read character is in the range of 1 to 9 and a to r (S804: Yes), the read character is converted to a numerical value (S805), and the next character is read (S806). Next, it is determined whether or not the read character is a character in the range of 0 to 9 and a to q (S807). If the read character is not in the range of 0 to 9 and a to q (S807: No), the process ends.

  If the read character is in the range of 0 to 9 and a to q (S807: Yes), the next character to _, or if there is no _, the character string from the end of the file name to the previous character Read (S808). Next, the read character string is converted into the format of “Exif2.1 specification” and stored in the RAM 302 (S809). This completes conversion for one item of the file name.

  Next, it is determined whether all items having the number of items obtained in S805 are converted into the format of “Exif2.1 specification” and stored in the RAM 302 (S810). If all items have not been converted to the “Exif2.1 specification” format and are not stored in the RAM 302 (S810: No), the process returns to S806. When all items are converted into the format of “Exif2.1 specification” and all of them are stored in the RAM 302 (S810: Yes), all the Exif information 20 stored in the RAM 302 is written into the image file ( S811), the process ends.

  Next, as a second embodiment, if the user selects a predetermined image file from the image files stored in the storage device 304 using the input device 306 and instructs the writing of the Exif information 20, the file A supplementary information writing program in which the Exif information 20 is written in the image file based on the name will be described.

  In the first embodiment, only the image file whose file name has been changed and registered in the monitoring table in the flow of FIG. 4 is added to the image file based on the file name when the Exif information 20 is missing. . Therefore, even if an image file has a file name created according to the Exif information 20, the image file is not registered in the monitoring table, such as an image file stored in the transfer storage device 304 from another user's PC. Even if the Exif information 20 is lost due to editing by another application program, the Exif information 20 is not written based on the file name. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, if the user instructs to write the Exif information 20, the Exif information 20 is written to the image file based on the file name without registering it in the monitoring table. For this reason, if the file name is created according to the Exif information 20, even if the Exif information 20 of the image file is lost, the Exif information 20 can be written back based on the file name.

  The configuration of the PC for realizing the second embodiment is the same as that of the PC 300 of the first embodiment. The storage device 304 stores an image file having a file name created according to the Exif information 20 in the same format as in the first embodiment.

  The difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that, in the second embodiment, the interrupt processing routine shown in FIG. If a predetermined file is selected from the image files stored in the storage device 304 and instructed to write the Exif information 20, the flow of writing the Exif information 20 in FIG. 8 is started. is there.

  Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the first and second embodiments described above, the [item] of the file name is in a readable format. However, if the file name is readable, the file name becomes longer. Various OSs used in the PC 300 have a limitation on the length of the file name. Therefore, in the third embodiment, when the Exif information 20 input to [Item] is binary data, the binary data is not input in a readable format, but alphabets, symbols, numbers, or a combination thereof. Enter the encoded character string consisting of A method called Base 64 is widely used as a method of encoding binary data into a character string composed of alphabets, symbols, numbers, or combinations thereof.

Base64 considers binary data as 3 bytes aligned and separated into 6 bits and regarded as 0-63 numeric values. This is a method of assigning a total of 64 characters. (Or use the symbol = to substitute if the original data is not a multiple of 3 bytes.)
However, the symbol / cannot be used in the file name, and the case of “Windows (registered trademark)” is not case-sensitive, so the Base64 method cannot be used as it is, and therefore a special encoding method is performed.

Binary data is arranged in 8 bytes, divided into 5 bits, and regarded as a numerical value of 0 to 31, and uppercase letters (26 characters) and 0, 9, 8, 7, +, and _ are assigned to the numerical value. If the original data is not a multiple of 5 bytes, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are assigned to represent the insufficient number of bytes. (Note that since a UNIX (registered trademark) OS distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase letters, it can be used by replacing the symbol / with another symbol = or the like from the result of Base64.)
An example of this special encoding will be described with an example. A case where information indicating 14:54:14 on February 5, 2005 in the item “Date and time of original image generation” in the Exif information 20 will be described as an example. First, the date and time is converted into a numerical value from 1970/01/01 (a general method in PC). 1107928454 (4209A586: hexadecimal notation) is obtained. Then, the binary value before the conversion is “49 09 A5 86”, and when this is used, it is converted to IIE0LBQ7. The number of characters can be reduced from 14 characters to 8 characters as compared with the case of conversion to 200502455414 as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment.

  Further, from IIE0LBQ7, it is converted into 42 09 A5 86, and 14:54:14 on February 5, 2005 can be extracted.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, the image file stored in the “Exif2.1 specification” format has been described. However, an image file in which the auxiliary information is stored in another format may be used.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, x is added to the beginning and end of the file name as an identifier, but other symbols may be used.

  In the third embodiment described above, only the [item] portion of the file name is encoded. However, the entire file name may be encoded. If the entire file name is encoded, the file name can be further shortened.

PC block diagram. An image file having Exif information. An image file having no Exif information. The flowchart of a file name change process. Monitoring table. Check table. The flowchart of an interruption process routine. The flowchart of an Exif information write process.

Explanation of symbols

10 Header 20 Exif information 30 Image data 300 PC
301 CPU
302 RAM
303 ROM
304 storage device 305 drive 306 input device 307 display device 308 interface 309 bus 400 recording medium 500 network

Claims (9)

Computer
A supplementary information writing program that functions as supplementary information writing means for writing the supplementary information on the basis of the file name for an image file having a file name created according to supplementary information attached to the image data. Computer
Function as supplementary information existence judging means for judging whether or not the supplementary information is included in the image file;
The supplementary information writing means writes the supplementary information to the image file based on the file name only when the supplementary information existence judging means judges that supplementary information is not included. Item 1. An incidental information writing program according to item 1. Computer
Function as an identifier judging means for judging whether or not a predetermined identifier is given to the file name;
The supplementary information writing means writes the supplementary information to the image file based on the file name only when the identifier judging means judges that a predetermined identifier is given to the file name. The incidental information writing program according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Computer
File name creation means for creating the file name according to the supplementary information for the image file including the supplementary information and the image data;
Function as monitoring means for monitoring whether the image file with the file name created by the file name creating means is edited,
When the monitoring unit detects that the image file has been edited, the additional information presence determining unit determines whether the additional information is included in the image file. The incidental information writing program according to claim 2 or claim 3.   5. The incidental information writing program according to claim 4, wherein the file name creating means creates the file name based on predetermined information of the incidental information. Computer
6. The incidental information writing program according to claim 5, wherein the program is made to function as selection means for a user to arbitrarily select the predetermined information. The incidental information writing program according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the file name creating means creates an encoded version of the predetermined information as the file name.   A supplementary information writing device comprising supplementary information writing means for writing the supplementary information based on the file name for an image file having a file name created according to supplementary information relating to image data.   An incidental information writing method comprising an incidental information writing step of writing the incidental information to an image file having a file name created according to incidental information regarding image data based on the file name.

Images