JP2007179283A - Image processing device, method for controlling image processing device, program and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device for efficiently performing re-discovery processing. <P>SOLUTION: This image processing device is provided with a discovery processing means including an initialization processing means for performing radio network connection to a device on a network according to a function set by the initialization processing means and a recording means for recording information acquired by the discovery processing means. The discovery processing means performs new discovery processing according to information acquired by the previous discovery processing recorded in the recording means in the case of performing the new discovery processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to function control of a discovery processing protocol, and more particularly to an image processing device provided with wireless communication means, a method for controlling an image processing device, a program, and a storage medium.

  For example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection is known as a communication means between a device as a terminal device such as a personal computer (PC) and a device as an image storage device such as a digital camera. Recently, PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), which is a communication standard of the upper layer of the USB standard, created based on the still image class interface of the USB standard has been studied. This is proposed by PIMA (Photographic and Imaging Manufactures Association, INC.).

  The PTP standard is a data transfer method for digital cameras that electronically capture images and record image data in a semiconductor memory or the like, and image processing devices such as scanners. This PTP standard allows a user to easily import an image file into a PC (Personal Computer) without being aware of the directory structure. For example, a function for displaying a thumbnail image of an image file is included in the PTP standard. Further, various other commands are prepared in the PTP standard, and there are standard commands and vendor extension commands that can be extended by vendors (traders).

  In addition, recently, wireless network technology has advanced, and a movement to incorporate a wireless communication function called Bluetooth or IEEE802.11x into each image processing device such as a digital camera or a scanner has been activated.

  Under these circumstances, in order to establish a wireless network connection between the image processing devices, the wireless network connection is searched for necessary services and image processing devices by discovery processing defined by UPnP (Universal Plug & Play) and the like. Procedure to do is necessary. For example, see US Pat.

When performing the discovery process, each device is set up to search for an image processing device or service (hereinafter referred to as a control point) and to provide a service. Then, the search information is transmitted over a limited wireless network by using a UDP multicast transmission mechanism. Then, a device having a service capable of responding to it returns a response to the transmission, thereby recognizing each other and establishing a wireless network connection between the control point and the image processing device.
JP 2002-112253 A

  In the discovery process in UPnP, the process when the discovery process is interrupted is not considered. Further, when the discovery process is performed again, it is necessary to perform the discovery process from the beginning, which causes a problem that the discovery process takes time. Furthermore, since the process for controlling the selection of the device during the discovery process is not taken into consideration, there is a possibility that a failure may occur when the discovery process is performed on another device during the discovery process.

  When the discovery process is completed and the discovery process is performed again, the discovery process may not be performed from the beginning. As a result, when the discovery process is performed again, the discovery process can be executed at high speed. Also, when the discovery process is performed again by displaying the current progress status of the discovery process on the screen of the digital camera, for example, on the display screen of the digital camera, the user realizes that the discovery process is being performed halfway. it can. Since the display screen of the digital camera is locked during the discovery process, problems caused by performing the discovery process on other devices during the discovery process can be avoided.

  That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device, an image processing device control method, a program, and a storage medium that enable efficient rediscovery processing.

  In order to achieve the above object, in an embodiment of the present invention, a discovery processing unit that includes an initialization processing unit, and performs wireless network connection with a device on a network according to a function set by the initialization processing unit. And recording means for recording the information acquired by the discovery processing means, and the discovery processing means performs the new discovery processing, and the information acquired by the previous discovery processing recorded in the recording means Accordingly, an image processing device for performing the new discovery process is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, in another embodiment of the present invention, discovery includes an initialization process step, and performs wireless network connection with a device on the network according to the function set in the initialization process step. A processing step and a recording step for recording the information acquired in the discovery processing step, and the discovery processing step is acquired in the previous discovery processing recorded in the recording step when performing a new discovery processing. An image processing device control method is provided, wherein the new discovery process is performed according to information.

  In order to achieve the above object, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer-executable program in which the image processing device control method of the above-described embodiment is described in program code.

  In order to achieve the above object, in still another embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program of a method for controlling an image processing device of the above embodiment is provided.

  According to the present invention, an efficient rediscovery process can be performed when an image processing device is connected to a wireless network.

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

<Embodiment 1>
Prior to a detailed description of the operation of the first embodiment, an overall outline of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a digital camera 1 as a device which is an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Furthermore, a personal computer (PC) 20 as a device which is an information terminal device capable of wireless communication with the digital camera 1 is provided, and a state in which a wireless network connection is made via a wireless line 22 is shown.

  The digital camera 1 includes a communication control circuit 2 and an antenna 15 for performing wireless network connection with the PC 20. Furthermore, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 3 that controls the overall operation of the digital camera 1 and a signal processing circuit 4 that performs processing such as compression coding of captured image data, edge enhancement, and noise removal are also included. As a matter of course, an optical unit 5 including an imaging lens, an autofocus mechanism, a zoom mechanism driving motor, and a control circuit thereof is included. Further, the digital camera 1 includes a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 6 used for a temporary storage area of the CPU 3 and a nonvolatile memory circuit 7 including a semiconductor memory capable of nonvolatile storage. Furthermore, an operation unit 8 for a user to give various instructions to the digital camera 1, such as a shutter, a cursor key, a setting / execution button, and a menu key, and a display unit 9 using an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) are included.

  The control program executed by the CPU 3 is stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10 and further has a removable recording medium 11 represented by a semiconductor memory card. Here, the digital camera 1 and the PC 20 are connected via the wireless communication line 22 by wireless network connection based on IEEE 802.11x. Therefore, the communication control circuit 2 of the digital camera 1 includes a wireless module. These are connected to each other via an internal bus 12 in the digital camera 1.

  Similarly to the digital camera 1, the PC 20 also includes a communication control circuit 21, and the communication control circuit 21 of the PC 20 also includes a wireless module. Note that the PC 20 in this embodiment is a general personal computer, and the internal configuration is well known, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a discovery processing procedure executed by the digital camera 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

  First, in step ST200, the wireless module included in the communication control circuit 2 is initialized. In initialization of the wireless module, setting is performed when the digital camera 1 is used as a device to connect to a wireless network, or when the digital camera 1 is used as a control point to connect to a wireless network. In step ST201, it is determined whether the initialization process of the wireless module has been normally completed and no cancellation has been made. If the initialization process of the wireless module is normally performed, the process proceeds to step ST202, and the address resolution process is performed. However, if the initialization process of the wireless module has not been performed normally or has been canceled, the process proceeds to step ST220, the process at the time of cancellation is performed, and the discovery process is terminated.

  Each step of “Cancel?” In the subsequent stage of each step determines whether the processing in the immediately preceding step has been completed normally and no cancellation has occurred. Therefore, the flow is the same as in the case of the previous step ST201, and the description of each step “cancelled” will be omitted.

  In step ST204, it is determined whether or not wireless communication is performed using the step digital camera 1 as a control point. If it is set to perform wireless communication using the digital camera 1 as a control point, it is detected and the process proceeds to step ST205, where an M-SEARCH message is transmitted to check whether a device to be connected to the wireless network exists on the network.

  If there is a device to be connected to the wireless network on the network, the digital camera 1 receives a response from the device to be connected in step ST207. Then, in step ST209, the digital camera 1 receives the device's DESCRIPTION information. Therefore, a GET command described in HTTP is unicast transmitted to a target device to be connected. The digital camera 1 receives the DESCRIPTION information from the device transmitted in response to the unicast transmission in step ST211. Then, the process proceeds to step ST219, where the connection is completed and the device on the network can provide a service to the digital camera 1 that is a control point.

  On the other hand, if the digital camera 1 is set to communicate as a device in step ST204, it is detected and the process proceeds to step ST213, where the digital camera 1 multicasts an SSDP ALIVE message. Thereafter, as shown in step ST215, the digital camera 1 waits until it receives a GET command described in HTTP in order to receive the DESCRIPTION information transmitted from the control point on the network.

  After receiving a GET command described in HTTP for receiving device information transmitted from a control point on the network, the process proceeds to step ST217. Then, the digital camera 1 transmits its own DESCRIPTION information to a control point on the network. Then, the process proceeds to step ST219, where the connection is completed and the control point on the network can request a service from the digital camera 1 as a device.

  As described above, there is a step for checking whether or not cancellation has occurred after the end of each step. If cancellation has occurred, cancellation processing is performed in step ST220. The process at the time of cancellation is executed as shown in FIG.

  The discovery reprocessing, which is the processing at the time of cancellation, will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, it is assumed that the digital camera 1 has already performed discovery processing for a device on another network.

  First, in step ST301, it is determined whether to connect to a device on the same network as the previous discovery process. If it is determined to connect to a device in the same network as the previous discovery process, the process proceeds to step ST302, and it is determined whether the previous discovery process has been completed up to the "address resolution process" in step ST202. When it is determined in step ST302 that the previous discovery process has been completed up to the address resolution process in step ST202, the process proceeds to step ST204, where the discovery process is started from (2) in FIG. On the other hand, assume that it is determined that a connection to a device on a network different from the previous discovery process is attempted. In this case, and when it is determined in step ST302 that the previous discovery process has not been completed until “address resolution process” in step ST202, the process proceeds to step ST200. That is, the discovery process starts from (1) in FIG. 2, that is, from the beginning.

<Embodiment 2>
The second embodiment of the present application relates to a process when the discovery process is canceled during the discovery process.

  Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4.

  First, in step ST401, it is determined whether the discovery process has been completed up to the “address resolution process” in step ST202 of FIG. When it is determined in step ST401 that the previous discovery process has been completed up to the address resolution process in step ST202, the process proceeds to step ST402, and the address information is stored in an internal storage device, for example, the nonvolatile storage circuit 7. However, if it is determined in step ST401 that the previous discovery process has not ended up to the address resolution process in step ST202, the process ends without doing anything.

<Embodiment 3>
In the third embodiment of the present invention, control is performed so that discovery processing cannot be performed with other devices during discovery processing. Furthermore, the discovery process is canceled once and the discovery process is performed again. The user selects a device for performing the discovery process with the mouse of the operation unit 8 or the like while viewing the screen displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating transition of screens displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1. Reference numeral 50 in FIG. 5 denotes a connection device type selection screen. On this connection device type selection screen 50, the user selects the type of device to be connected by using the cursor key of the operation unit 8 or the like. Buttons “PC”, “Printer”, and “Camera” are icon buttons for selecting the type of device to be subjected to discovery processing. In this example, the types of devices that can be selected are personal computers, printers, and digital cameras. The “Cancel” button is an icon button for ending the connected device type selection screen.

  Further, reference numeral 51 in FIG. 5 denotes a connection device selection screen. On the connection device selection screen 51, the user selects a device desired to be connected. On this connection device selection screen, devices on the network corresponding to the device type selected on the connection device type selection screen 50 in FIG. 5 are displayed. When the “Cancel” button is pressed on the connection device selection screen 51 in FIG. 5, the display returns to the connection device type selection screen 50 in FIG.

  5 is a discovery processing status screen. On the discovery processing status screen 52, information indicating the progress status of the discovery processing is displayed. This screen has four lamps and lights up after the processing described below is completed.

  The lamp L1 is turned on after the address resolution process in step ST202 is completed. When the lamp L2 is set as a control point, the lamp L2 is turned on after receiving a response from the device to be connected in step ST207. On the other hand, if it is set as a device, it is lit after the digital camera 1 multicasts the SSDP ALIVE message in step ST213.

  When the lamp L3 is set as a control point, the lamp L3 is turned on after receiving the DESCRIPTION information from the target device to be connected in step ST211. On the other hand, when set as a device, the digital camera 1 is turned on after transmitting its own DESCRIPTION information to a control point on the network. Finally, the lamp L4 is turned on when the connection is completed in step ST219.

  That is, since the lamps L1 to L4 are lit according to the progress of the discovery process, the user can know the progress of the discovery process. In the case of the discovery processing status screen 52 in FIG. 5, the digital camera 1 is set as a device to connect to the PC, and three lamps L1 to L3 are lit. This indicates that the discovery processing status on the discovery processing status screen 52 in FIG. 5 has been completed up to step ST216 in FIG. When the “Cancel” button is pressed here, the discovery process ends, and the screen returns to the connected device selection screen 51 of FIG. During the discovery process, the buttons other than the “Cancel” button are grayed out and cannot be pressed by the user.

  In the following, the user selects a device from the screen of FIG. 5 displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1 and tries to connect to the PC. However, after performing the address resolution, the discovery process is stopped, and another PC is again used. An example of performing discovery processing will be described.

  The user selects “PC” from the connected device type selection screen 50 of FIG. 5 displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1.

  Next, the connection device selection screen 51 of FIG. 5 is displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1. On the connection device selection screen 51, connectable PCs are displayed. It is assumed that the user selects “PC1” as the PC to be connected.

  5 is displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1, and the digital camera 1 starts the discovery process with the PC “PC1” to be connected.

  It is assumed that the user presses the “Cancel” button while the lamp L1 on the discovery processing status screen 52 in FIG. Then, the discovery process with “PC1” ends, and the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1 returns to the connected device selection screen 51 of FIG. At this time, “PC” that can be connected as a device to be connected is displayed.

  The user now selects “PC2” as the device to be connected from the connection device selection screen 51 of FIG.

  A discovery processing status screen 52 of FIG. 5 is displayed on the display unit 9 of the digital camera 1. At this time, since the connection is made to the same network as the network to be connected in the previous discovery process, and the address process is performed in the previous discovery process, the discovery process is performed after the address resolution. Therefore, in the discovery process this time, the lamp on the discovery process status screen 52 in FIG. 5 is lit from the beginning, indicating that the process is performed after address resolution.

  In the embodiment of this specification, the types of devices that can be selected are only PCs, printers, and digital cameras. However, other device types can be displayed on this screen. In addition, although a lamp-type display is used as an indication of progress on the discovery processing status screen 52 in FIG. 5, a progress bar or the like may be used.

  The object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a system or apparatus with a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments. That is, it goes without saying that this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile semiconductor memory card, ROM, or the like can be used. . Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by executing the program code read by the computer.

  However, when the OS (operating system) operating on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Needless to say, is also included.

  Furthermore, the program code read from the storage medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. Needless to say.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the hardware of the digital camera in embodiment of this invention, and connection with PC. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of discovery processing executed by the digital camera of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart figure which judges the starting point at the time of starting the next discovery process. It is a flowchart figure which shows a process when a discovery process is complete | finished on the way. It is the figure which showed the transition of the screen displayed on the display part of a digital camera.

Claims (11)

A discovery processing unit that includes an initialization processing unit, and performs wireless network connection with a device on the network according to the function set by the initialization processing unit;
Recording means for recording information acquired by the discovery processing means,
The image processing device, wherein the discovery processing means performs the new discovery processing according to the information acquired in the previous discovery processing recorded in the recording means when performing the new discovery processing.   The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the information acquired in the previous discovery process is address information of a device on the network. Network information recording means for recording network information to which connection was attempted last time;
A determination means for determining whether the network to be newly connected is the same as the network to which the previous connection was attempted,
2. The determination unit according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the network to be newly connected is the same as the previous network to be connected based on the network information recorded in the network information recording unit. Or the image processing device of 2. When performing the new discovery process by the discovery processing unit, if the determination unit determines that it is the same network as the previous discovery process,
The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein the new discovery processing by the discovery processing unit is resumed from a processing step after acquiring information in the previous discovery processing. When performing the new discovery process by the discovery processing unit, when the determination unit determines that the new discovery process is not the same network as the previous discovery process,
The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein the new discovery process by the discovery processing unit is executed from the beginning.   6. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein a device for performing the new discovery process cannot be selected during the discovery process by the discovery processing unit. A display means,
The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein during the discovery process by the discovery processing unit, the progress of the discovery process is displayed on the display unit.   8. The image processing device according to claim 7, wherein the progress of the discovery process displayed on the display means is displayed in association with each step of the discovery process. A discovery processing step including a wireless network connection with a device on the network according to the function set in the initialization processing step, including an initialization processing step;
A recording step of recording information acquired in the discovery processing step,
The discovery processing step performs the new discovery processing according to the information acquired in the previous discovery processing recorded in the recording step when performing the new discovery processing. Method.   A computer-executable program in which the image processing device control method according to claim 9 is written in program code.   A computer-readable storage medium in which a program for controlling an image processing device according to claim 10 is stored.

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