JP2006270263A - Photographing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing system which can remotely control simply one digital camera by a plurality of users. <P>SOLUTION: The photographing system 2 includes the digital camera 3 and a portable telephone 4. The portable telephone 4 transmits a photographing directing signal including unique ID information by an infrared ray communication. In the digital camera 3, an infrared ray communication part 24 receives the photographing direction signal transmitted from the portable telephone 4, and an ID collating part 25 collates whether it coincides with the ID information in which the ID information contained in the photographing direction signal is registered into an ID registration part 26. When a collating result by the ID collating part 25 coincides, a system controller 12 controls each part, forms still image data from an image pick-up signal outputted from a CCD image sensor 11, add the ID information to the still image data, and writes it in a memory card 23. Thereby, a plurality of users each having the portable telephone 4 can remotely operate the one digital camera 3 simply. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing system capable of remotely controlling a digital camera.

2. Description of the Related Art Digital cameras that convert subject light captured by an image sensor such as a CCD image sensor into digital image data and record it on a recording medium such as a built-in memory or a memory card have become widespread. Among such digital cameras, Patent Document 1 discloses a shutter release that can be remotely operated by a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller). A remote controller used for such remote operation is disclosed in Patent Document 2.
JP 2004-120368 A JP 2003-298902 A

  However, since the above-mentioned remote control is manufactured exclusively for a digital camera, when one digital camera is shared by a plurality of users, it is costly to have each user own the remote control. There's a problem.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a photographing system in which a plurality of users can easily operate one digital camera remotely.

  The imaging system of the present invention includes a mobile phone having a wireless transmission unit that transmits a wireless signal including unique identification information, and a still image that generates still image data from an imaging signal output from an imaging device and records the still image data on a recording medium. A digital camera having a still image photographing means for performing photographing processing and a wireless receiving means for receiving the wireless signal, wherein the still image photographing means transmits a still image photographing instruction transmitted from the mobile phone as the wireless signal; When the wireless transmission means receives a signal, the still image shooting process is executed and the identification information is added to the still image data.

  The radio signal is preferably an infrared signal or a radio signal. The mobile phone is preferably a camera-equipped mobile phone including a button having a shutter function, and transmits the radio signal in response to an operation of the button under a predetermined mode.

  In addition, the digital camera has a registration unit for registering the identification information and a verification for verifying whether the identification information registered in the registration unit matches the identification information included in the still image shooting instruction signal. It is preferable that the still image photographing unit executes the still image photographing process when the collation result by the collating unit coincides.

  In addition, the still image capturing unit receives the still image capturing instruction signal within a predetermined period after the collation result by the collation unit is matched, and further, the collation result by the collation unit is coincident In addition, it is preferable that the still image capturing process is continuously executed by the number of received still image capturing instruction signals.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a priority in the case where the still image shooting process is continuously executed is added to the identification information registered in the registration unit.

  The digital camera further includes a moving image shooting unit that performs moving image shooting processing for generating moving image data from a plurality of consecutive frames of imaging signals output from the image sensor and recording the moving image data on the recording medium. It is preferable that the moving image shooting process is started or ended when the wireless transmission unit receives a moving image shooting instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone as the wireless signal.

  Further, the digital camera receives the still image shooting instruction signal during execution of the moving image shooting process, and when the collation result by the collating unit matches, the frame output from the image sensor at the time of reception of this signal A setting means for setting the identification information included in the still image shooting instruction signal, and a frame to which the identification information is added from the moving image data recorded on the recording medium after the moving image shooting processing is completed. It is preferable that the image processing apparatus further includes a still image generation unit that extracts and generates still image data.

  Further, the digital camera includes a thumbnail image generation unit that generates a thumbnail image from the still image data recorded on the recording medium, and a wireless transmission unit that transmits the thumbnail image to the mobile phone by wireless communication. It is preferable.

  In the photographing system according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, when the digital camera receives the still image photographing instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone, the digital camera executes the still image photographing process and converts the still image data to be obtained. Since the identification information of the mobile phone is added, a plurality of users having the mobile phone can easily remotely operate one digital camera, and the still image data recorded on the recording medium is in accordance with the instruction of which mobile phone. It is possible to easily classify whether the image was taken.

  Further, in the photographing system according to claim 4 of the present invention, since the still image photographing process is executed when the collation result of the identification information matches, it is possible to limit mobile phones that can remotely operate the digital camera. In addition, malfunction due to other wireless communication can be prevented.

  In the photographing system according to claims 5 and 6 of the present invention, when a plurality of still image photographing instruction signals having the same identification information are received within a predetermined period, the number of received still image photographing instruction signals is the same. Since the still image shooting process is continuously executed, still image data for each mobile phone can be acquired even when a shooting instruction is issued almost simultaneously from a plurality of mobile phones.

  In the photographing system according to claim 7 of the present invention, the digital camera starts or ends the moving image photographing process when receiving the moving image photographing instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone. The user can remotely operate the digital camera to execute moving image shooting in addition to still image shooting.

  In the imaging system according to claim 8 of the present invention, when a still image shooting instruction signal with the correct identification information is received during the execution of the moving image shooting process, the frame output from the image sensor at the time of reception of this signal is received. ID information is set in the frame, and still image data is generated by extracting the frame with the identification information from the movie data after the movie shooting is completed. be able to.

  In the photographing system according to claim 9 of the present invention, a thumbnail image is generated from still image data recorded on a recording medium, and this is transmitted to a mobile phone by wireless communication. The user can easily check the captured image with the mobile phone.

  In FIG. 1, the photographing system 2 includes a digital camera 3 and a camera-equipped mobile phone 4 that remotely controls the shutter release of the digital camera 3. The digital camera 3 includes an imaging lens 10, a CCD image sensor (imaging device) 11, a system controller 12, a ROM 13, a RAM 14, an operation unit 15, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 16, and the like. The system controller 12 controls the operation of each unit via the data bus 17 based on a photographing instruction signal input from the operation unit 15 or the mobile phone 4. The ROM 13 is a non-volatile memory for storing control programs and various setting data, and the RAM 14 is a working memory.

  The CCD image sensor 11 captures (photoelectrically converts) the subject light captured through the photographing lens 10. The CCD image sensor 11 sequentially outputs image pickup signals to the outside in accordance with pulses supplied from the CCD driver 18. The analog signal processing unit 19 takes in the imaging signal output from the CCD image sensor 11 and performs predetermined analog signal processing such as correlated double sampling processing and gain adjustment. The A / D converter 20 digitizes the imaging signal output from the analog signal processing unit 19.

  The still image signal processing unit 21 takes in the imaging signal output from the A / D converter 20, and performs luminance / color difference signal conversion processing, gamma correction, sharpness correction, contrast correction, white balance correction, and the like on the imaging signal. In addition to performing predetermined image processing, still image data is generated by performing compression processing according to a predetermined compression format (for example, JPEG format). The media controller 22 writes still image data to the memory card (recording medium) 23 under the control of the system controller 12.

  The infrared communication unit 24 performs infrared data communication with the mobile phone 4 and receives a photographing instruction signal including individual ID information (identification information) given to each mobile phone 4. The imaging instruction signal received by the infrared communication unit 24 is sent to the ID verification unit 25. In the ID registration unit 26, ID information of a predetermined mobile phone 4 is registered. The ID collation unit 25 collates whether there is any ID information registered in the ID registration unit 26 that matches the ID information included in the imaging instruction signal received by the infrared communication unit 24. If the results match, an imaging instruction signal is transmitted to the system controller 12.

  Upon receiving the shooting instruction signal, the system controller 12 controls the operation of the still image signal processing unit 21 to perform shooting processing, and adds the ID information to the obtained still image data. Then, the media controller 22 is controlled to write the still image data with the ID information added to the memory card 23. The system controller 12, the still image signal processing unit 21, and the media controller 22 constitute a still image photographing unit.

  The digital camera 3 includes a normal shooting mode in which a shooting operation is performed according to a shutter button included in the operation unit 15 and a remote operation mode in which a shooting operation is performed based on a shooting instruction signal from the mobile phone 4. .

  In FIG. 2 illustrating the configuration of the mobile phone 4, the system controller 30 controls the operation of each unit based on an input signal input from the operation unit 31. The ROM 32 is a non-volatile memory for storing control programs and various setting data, and the RAM 33 is a working memory. The ROM 32 stores ID information unique to the mobile phone 4.

  The imaging device (camera unit) 34 has the same configuration as the photographing lens 10, the CCD image sensor 11, the analog signal processing unit 19, the A / D converter 20, and the still image signal processing unit 21 included in the digital camera 3. Then, the subject light is imaged (photoelectric conversion), and digitized still image data is acquired. The operation unit 31 includes a shutter button 31a, and still image data is acquired by operating the shutter button 31a. The acquired still image data is displayed on the LCD 35. In addition, various information such as a telephone number is displayed on the LCD 35. Note that the shutter button 31a does not have to be a dedicated button for the shutter function, and may be any button as long as it has a shutter function.

  The radio communication unit 36 transmits and receives radio signals (sending signals and receiving signals) to and from other mobile phones and fixed phones via the base station and the line network. The audio processing unit 37 converts the radio signal received by the radio communication unit 36 into an electrical audio signal. The reception speaker 38 converts this electrical audio signal into sound and outputs it to the outside. The transmission microphone 39 converts the voice of the speaker into an electric voice signal. In contrast to the above, the audio processing unit 37 converts an electrical audio signal into a radio wave signal and causes the radio wave communication unit 36 to output it.

  The infrared communication unit 40 performs data communication using infrared rays with the digital camera 3 as described above. The infrared communication unit 40 outputs a photographing instruction signal including ID information stored in the ROM 32 when a predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit 31. The cellular phone 4 has a remote operation mode for remotely operating the digital camera 3. When the shutter button 31 a is operated in this remote operation mode, a photographing instruction signal is output from the infrared communication unit 40. .

  Note that the mobile phone 4 may be a mobile phone that does not include the imaging device 34 (not equipped with a camera). In the case of this mobile phone, since the shutter button 31a is not provided, the photographing instruction signal is output in response to a specific operation related to infrared communication.

  Next, the operation of the imaging system 2 configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, when the digital camera 3 is set to the remote operation mode, the digital camera 3 waits for a shooting instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone 4 (step S101). When the infrared communication unit 24 receives a shooting instruction signal from one mobile phone 4 (Yes in step S101), the ID collation unit 25 registers the ID information included in the shooting instruction signal in the ID registration unit 26. It is checked whether the ID information (registered ID) is present (step S102).

  If the ID information is a registered ID (Yes in step S103), the system controller 12 controls each part to execute a shooting operation (step S104), and still image data is stored in the memory card 23 together with the ID information. Write (step S105). On the other hand, if the ID information is not a registered ID (No in step S103), the process returns to the standby state in step S101.

  According to the first embodiment, a plurality of users having the mobile phone 4 can easily operate the digital camera 3 remotely. In addition, since the still image data recorded in the memory card 23 contains the ID information of the photographed mobile phone 4, it is easy to determine which mobile phone 4 each still image data was photographed. Can be classified.

  In the first embodiment, only one shooting instruction signal transmitted from one mobile phone 4 is received for shooting. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of mobile phones 4 can be used. It is also preferable to perform shooting by receiving a plurality of shooting instruction signals.

  Hereinafter, as a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention, an example in which a plurality of photographing instruction signals from a plurality of mobile phones 4 can be received will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. In addition, about the process same as FIG. 3, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted. When the digital camera 3 receives a shooting instruction signal from a certain mobile phone 4 and the ID information included in the shooting instruction signal is a registered ID (Yes in step S103), the system controller 12 Within this (for example, within 0.5 seconds), it is determined whether or not the imaging instruction signal transmitted from the other mobile phone 4 has been received by the infrared communication unit 24 (step S201). If no other shooting instruction signal is received within the predetermined period (No in step S201), the shooting operation is executed only once (step S104), and still image data is written in the memory card 23 together with the ID information (step S104). Step S105).

  On the other hand, when another shooting instruction signal is received within the predetermined period (Yes in step S201), the ID collation unit 25 determines whether or not the ID information included in each received shooting instruction signal is a registered ID. (Step S202), and if none of the ID information is a registered ID (No in step S203), the process proceeds to step S104 and the same photographing operation as described above is executed only once. On the other hand, if the registration ID exists (Yes in step S203), the registration ID detected in step S102 and the registration ID detected in step S202 are combined to determine the priority (step S204). The priority order is determined by giving a priority order to the registration ID in the ID registration unit 26 in advance.

  After that, according to the priority order, the number of received shooting instruction signals is continuously taken (steps S205 to S207). At this time, in step S206, ID information included in each received shooting instruction signal is added to each still image data in descending order of priority each time each shooting is performed.

  According to this modification, even when a shooting instruction signal is transmitted almost simultaneously from a plurality of mobile phones 4 to one digital camera 3, the digital camera 3 can perform shooting, and each mobile phone 4 Still image data can be generated.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the digital camera 3 performs still image shooting has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and digital that enables moving image shooting in addition to still image shooting. The present invention can also be applied to a camera.

  In FIG. 5, a shooting system 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a digital camera 51 that enables still image shooting and moving image shooting, and a camera-equipped mobile phone 4. The digital camera 51 has basically the same configuration as the digital camera 3 shown in FIG. 1 except that it includes a moving image signal processing unit 52, an ID setting unit 53, and a still image generation unit 54. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same part as FIG. 1, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The digital camera 51 has a moving image shooting mode, and the moving image signal processing unit 52 performs predetermined image processing on a plurality of frames of imaging signals sequentially output from the A / D converter 20 in the moving image shooting mode, and a moving image including a plurality of frames. Generate data. The number of pixels in this frame is the same as the number of pixels in the frame during still image shooting. The system controller 12, the moving image signal processing unit 52, and the media controller 22 constitute moving image photographing means.

  The ID setting unit 53 sets (adds) ID information to a frame output from the CCD image sensor 11 when a still image is shot during moving image shooting, as will be described later. The still image generation unit 54 cuts out (extracts) a frame in which ID information is set from the moving image data after moving image shooting, and generates still image data.

  In the remote operation mode, the mobile phone 4 receives a still image shooting instruction signal S for causing the digital camera 51 to perform still image shooting, and a moving image shooting instruction signal M for causing the digital camera 51 to start / end moving image shooting. Can be sent. In the remote operation mode, the digital camera 51 starts moving image shooting when it receives the moving image shooting instruction signal M, and ends moving image shooting when it receives the moving image shooting instruction signal M again.

  The operation of the photographing system 50 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, when the digital camera 51 is set to the remote operation mode under the moving image mode, the digital camera 51 waits for a moving image shooting instruction signal M transmitted from the mobile phone 4 (step S301). When the infrared communication unit 24 receives the moving image shooting instruction signal M from one mobile phone 4 (Yes in step S301), the ID collating unit 25 indicates that the ID information included in the moving image shooting instruction signal M is the ID registration unit 26. It is checked whether or not the ID information (registered ID) is registered in (step S302).

  If the ID information is a registered ID (Yes in step S303), the system controller 12 controls each unit to start moving image shooting (step S304). Next, the digital camera 51 performs moving image shooting and waits for a still image shooting instruction signal S transmitted from the mobile phone 4 (step S305). When the infrared communication unit 24 receives the still image shooting instruction signal S from a certain mobile phone 4 (Yes in step S305), the ID verification unit 25 registers the ID information included in the still image shooting instruction signal S as an ID. Whether the ID information (registered ID) is registered in the unit 26 is collated (step S306).

  If the ID information is a registered ID (Yes in step S307), the ID setting unit 53 records the ID information in a frame output from the CCD image sensor 11 at that time (step S308). Thereafter, in step S305, whenever the still image shooting instruction signal S is received, steps S306 to S308 are executed. When the infrared communication unit 24 receives the moving image shooting instruction signal M again (Yes in step S309), The system controller 12 controls each unit to finish moving image shooting (step S310) and the moving image signal processing unit together with the ID information of the mobile phone 4 to which the moving image shooting instruction signal M instructing start / end of moving image shooting is transmitted. The moving image data generated by 52 is written in the memory card 23 (step S311).

  Then, the still image generation unit 54 generates still image data by cutting out the frame in which the ID information is recorded from the moving image data recorded in the memory card 23 (step S312), and generates the still image data together with the ID information. (Step S313).

  According to the second embodiment, the mobile phone 4 can be used to remotely control the start / end of moving image shooting of the digital camera 51. In addition, it is possible to respond to a still image shooting instruction by receiving a still image shooting instruction even during the execution of moving image shooting and creating still image data from the moving image data after the moving image shooting is completed.

  In the first and second embodiments, the infrared communication unit 24 of the digital cameras 3 and 51 receives the shooting instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone 4, but the image is transmitted via the infrared communication unit 24. It is also preferable to transmit data to the mobile phone 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a thumbnail image creation unit 60 for creating a thumbnail image (confirmed reduced image) from still image data obtained by shooting is provided in the digital camera 3 of the first embodiment. The thumbnail image created by the thumbnail image creation unit 60 may be automatically transmitted to the mobile phone 4. ID information included in the still image data of the creation source is given to the thumbnail image, and only the mobile phone 4 that matches this ID information can receive this thumbnail image. Similarly, the thumbnail image creation unit 60 may be provided in the digital camera of the second embodiment.

  In the first and second embodiments, data transmission / reception is performed by infrared communication between the infrared communication unit 24 of the digital cameras 3 and 51 and the infrared communication unit 40 of the mobile phone 4. The invention is not limited to this, and the digital cameras 3 and 51 may be provided with a radio wave communication unit to perform data communication with the mobile phone 4 by radio wave communication using a microwave or the like. Further, for data communication between the digital cameras 3 and 51 and the mobile phone 4, a wireless signal from any other type of wireless communication means can be used.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the mobile telephone with a camera concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the imaging | photography system concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example in which a plurality of photographing instruction signals can be received. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the digital camera concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention which enables still image photography and moving image photography. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the imaging | photography system concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example which provided the thumbnail image creation part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2,50 Shooting system 3,51 Digital camera 4 Mobile phone 11 Image sensor 12 System controller 21 Still image signal processing part 23 Memory card 24 Infrared communication part 25 ID collation part 26 ID registration part 30 System controller 31 Operation part 31a Shutter button 40 Infrared communication unit 52 Video signal processing unit 53 ID setting unit 54 Still image generation unit 60 Thumbnail image creation unit

Claims (9)

A mobile phone having wireless transmission means for transmitting a wireless signal including unique identification information;
A digital camera having a still image photographing means for performing still image photographing processing for generating still image data from an image pickup signal output from the image pickup device and recording the still image data on a recording medium; and a wireless receiving means for receiving the wireless signal ,
The still image shooting means executes the still image shooting process when the wireless transmission means receives a still image shooting instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone as the wireless signal, and adds the still image data to the still image data. An imaging system characterized by adding identification information.   The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is an infrared signal or a radio signal.   The mobile phone is a camera-equipped mobile phone including a button having a shutter function, and transmits the radio signal in response to an operation of the button under a predetermined mode. Or the imaging system of 2.   The digital camera includes a registration unit for registering the identification information, and a verification unit for verifying whether the identification information registered in the registration unit matches the identification information included in the still image shooting instruction signal. 4. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the still image photographing unit executes the still image photographing process when a collation result by the collating unit coincides.   The still image photographing means receives the still image photographing instruction signal within a predetermined period after the collation result by the collation means matches, and further, when the collation result by the collation means matches, 5. The photographing system according to claim 4, wherein the still image photographing process is continuously executed by the number of received still image photographing instruction signals.   6. The photographing system according to claim 5, wherein a priority in the case where the still image photographing process is continuously executed is added to the identification information registered in the registration unit.   The digital camera includes moving image shooting means for performing moving image shooting processing for generating moving image data from a plurality of continuous frames of imaging signals output from the imaging device and recording the moving image data on the recording medium. 7. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein when the wireless transmission unit receives a moving image photographing instruction signal transmitted from the mobile phone as a wireless signal, the moving image photographing process is started or ended. .   The digital camera receives the still image shooting instruction signal during execution of the moving image shooting process, and when the collation result by the collating unit matches, the frame output from the image sensor at the time of receiving the signal, A setting means for setting the identification information included in the still image shooting instruction signal; and a frame to which the identification information is added is extracted from the moving image data recorded on the recording medium after the moving image shooting processing is completed. 8. The photographing system according to claim 7, further comprising still image generation means for generating still image data. The digital camera includes thumbnail image generation means for generating a thumbnail image from the still image data recorded on the recording medium, and wireless transmission means for transmitting the thumbnail image to the mobile phone by wireless communication. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the photographing system is characterized in that:

Images