JP2007295492A - Photographing system, and photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing apparatus of which an apparatus configuration is simplified, and photographing system which includes the photographing apparatus and is capable of image quality correction. <P>SOLUTION: The present invention relates to the photographing system including the photographing apparatus and a server wherein the photographing apparatus images an object and transmits digital imaging data representing the object to the server simultaneously with the end of photographing and the server receives the digital imaging data from the photographing apparatus and applies image quality correction processing to the received digital imaging data. Furthermore, the photographing apparatus may also further include a resize means for resizing an object image and a display means for displaying the resized object image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus and a photographing system, and particularly relates to a photographing apparatus having a simplified configuration and a photographing system having the photographing apparatus.

Many models have been proposed that can transmit captured image data by adding a communication function to an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a camera that communicates image data, and Patent Document 3 discloses that an imaging unit including a photographing optical system is configured to be detachable from a camera main body and are separated from each other. A camera that transmits image information by wireless communication is disclosed. In the techniques disclosed in these patent documents, image quality correction is performed by a camera.
JP 2000-287115 A JP 2000-299809 A JP 2004-187127 A

  As described above, any of the techniques disclosed in any of the patent documents has a problem that the image quality correction is performed by the camera, resulting in a complicated apparatus configuration.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus having a simplified apparatus configuration, and a photographing system having the photographing apparatus and capable of correcting image quality.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is an imaging system having an imaging device and a server, wherein the imaging device captures an image of a subject, and the subject imaged by the imaging means. Imaging data transmission means for transmitting digital imaging data to the server at the same time as the end of imaging, the server receiving imaging data receiving means for receiving digital imaging data from the imaging device, and receiving the imaging data receiving means Image quality correction means for performing an image quality correction process on the digital imaged data.

  Here, in the first aspect of the present invention, the imaging device images a subject and transmits digital imaging data representing the subject to the server simultaneously with the end of imaging, and the server receives the digital imaging data from the imaging device. Since the image quality correction process is performed on the received digital image data, a circuit for executing the image quality correction process is not required in the photographing apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to provide an imaging system that has an imaging apparatus with a simplified apparatus configuration and can correct image quality. In addition, by simplifying the apparatus configuration, the photographing apparatus can be reduced in size.

  In the invention of claim 2, the server further includes corrected imaging data transmission means for transmitting the corrected imaging data obtained by performing image quality correction processing on the digital imaging data by the image quality correction means to the imaging apparatus. The photographing apparatus further includes a corrected imaging data acquisition unit that acquires the corrected imaging data, and a recording unit that records the corrected imaging data acquired by the corrected imaging data acquisition unit.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the corrected imaging data subjected to the image quality correction process can be recorded in the recording means.

  In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect of the present invention is the photographing apparatus in the photographing system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the imaging means forms an object image. And a charge coupled device for converting the imaged subject image into digital imaging data.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the image pickup means has only an optical system for forming a subject image and a charge coupled device for converting the imaged subject image into digital image pickup data. Can be simplified.

  The invention of claim 4 further includes an optical viewfinder capable of visually recognizing the subject.

  Here, in the invention of claim 4, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus with a simplified apparatus configuration by using an optical viewfinder that does not require an electric system configuration.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resizing means for resizing the subject image indicated by the digital imaging data to a predetermined size, and a subject image based on the digital imaging data indicating the subject image resized by the resizing means. Display means for displaying.

  In this case, the subject image can be resized in the display area of the display means, and the display means can be made a finder by displaying the resized subject on the display means. It becomes. An example of the display means is a liquid crystal display.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus having a simplified apparatus configuration, and an imaging system having the imaging apparatus and capable of image quality correction.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, configurations of three types of digital cameras are described. Also, modifications of three types of digital cameras will be described. In any configuration, the digital camera transmits digital image data representing the imaged subject to the server. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration including the server.

  FIG. 1 shows a server 70, a plurality of digital cameras, for example, two digital cameras 74 and 76, a wireless LAN access point 72, and a network 78 connecting them.

  The digital cameras 74 and 76 transmit digital image data indicating the imaged subject to the server 70 via the wireless LAN and the network 78. The server 70 has imaging data receiving means for receiving digital imaging data captured by the digital cameras 74 and 76. Then, the server 70 performs image quality correction processing on the received digital imaging data. The image quality correction processing is one or more of white balance adjustment processing, noise reduction processing, distortion correction processing, shading correction processing, gamma processing, and sharpness processing. Also good. The server 70 further includes corrected imaging data transmission means for transmitting the corrected imaging data subjected to such image quality correction processing to the digital cameras 74 and 76.

Hereinafter, the configuration of each digital camera will be described. In the description of each configuration, the description of the same reference numerals is omitted.
[First configuration]
With reference to FIG. 2, an external configuration of the digital camera 10 having the first configuration will be described.

  A front face of the digital camera 10 is provided with a lens 21 for forming an image on a subject and a strobe 44 that emits light to irradiate the subject as necessary during photographing. Further, on the upper surface of the digital camera 10, a release button (so-called shutter button) 56A that is pressed when shooting is performed, and a power switch 56B are provided.

  The release button 56A is pressed to an intermediate position (hereinafter referred to as “half-pressed state”), and is pressed to a final pressed position exceeding the intermediate position (hereinafter referred to as “full-pressed state”). The two-stage pressing operation can be detected.

  In the digital camera 10, the release button 56A is pressed halfway to activate the AE (Automatic Exposure) function to set the exposure state (shutter speed and aperture state), and then AF (Auto Focus (automatic focus) function works to control the focus, and then exposure (photographing) is performed when it is fully pressed.

  Next, the configuration of the electrical system of the digital camera 10 having the first configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

  The digital camera 10 includes an optical unit 22 including the lens 21 described above, a charge coupled device (hereinafter referred to as “CCD”) 24 disposed behind the optical axis of the lens 21, and an input analog. And an analog signal processing unit 26 that performs various analog signal processing on the signal.

  The digital camera 10 also performs an analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as “ADC”) 28 that converts an input analog signal into digital data, and performs various digital signal processing on the input digital data. And a digital signal processing unit 30.

  The digital signal processing unit 30 includes a line buffer having a predetermined capacity, and also performs control to directly record input digital data in a predetermined area of a memory 48 described later.

  The output terminal of the CCD 24 is connected to the input terminal of the analog signal processing unit 26, the output terminal of the analog signal processing unit 26 is connected to the input terminal of the ADC 28, and the output terminal of the ADC 28 is connected to the input terminal of the digital signal processing unit 30. . Accordingly, the analog signal indicating the subject image output from the CCD 24 is subjected to predetermined analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 26, converted into digital image data by the ADC 28, and then input to the digital signal processing unit 30.

  On the other hand, the digital camera 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 40 that controls the operation of the entire digital camera 10, a memory 48 that records digital image data obtained by shooting, and a memory interface that controls access to the memory 48. 46. A VRAM (Video RAM) may be used as the memory 48.

  Further, the digital camera 10 includes a compression / expansion processing circuit 54 that performs compression processing and expansion processing on digital image data, and a wireless LAN interface 60 as imaging data transmission means.

  The digital signal processing unit 30, the CPU 40, the memory interface 46, and the compression / decompression processing circuit 54 are connected to each other via a system bus BUS. Therefore, the CPU 40 can control the operation of the digital signal processing unit 30 and the compression / decompression processing circuit 54 and access the memory 48 via the memory interface 46.

  On the other hand, the digital camera 10 includes a timing generator 32 that mainly generates a timing signal for driving the CCD 24 and supplies the timing signal to the CCD 24, and the driving of the CCD 24 is controlled by the CPU 40 via the timing generator 32.

  Furthermore, the digital camera 10 is provided with a motor drive unit 34, and the CPU 40 controls the driving of a focus adjustment motor, a zoom motor, and an aperture drive motor (not shown) provided in the optical unit 22 via the motor drive unit 34. Is done.

  In other words, the lens 21 according to the present embodiment has a plurality of lenses, is configured as a zoom lens that can change (magnify) the focal length, and includes a lens driving mechanism (not shown). The lens drive mechanism includes the focus adjustment motor, the zoom motor, and the aperture drive motor, and these motors are each driven by a drive signal supplied from the motor drive unit 34 under the control of the CPU 40.

  Furthermore, the release button 56A and the power switch 56B (generally referred to as “operation unit 56” in the figure) are connected to the CPU 40, and the CPU 40 can always grasp the operation state of these operation units 56.

  In addition, the digital camera 10 includes a charging unit 42 that is interposed between the strobe 44 and the CPU 40 and charges power for causing the strobe 44 to emit light under the control of the CPU 40. Further, the strobe 44 is also connected to the CPU 40, and the light emission of the strobe 44 is controlled by the CPU 40.

  In FIG. 3 described above, the configuration within the frame labeled “imaging system” corresponds to the imaging means. The same applies to FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 described later.

  Next, an overall operation at the time of photographing with the digital camera 10 will be briefly described.

  First, the CCD 24 performs imaging through the optical unit 22 and sequentially outputs analog signals for R (red), G (green), and B (blue) indicating the subject image to the analog signal processing unit 26. The analog signal processing unit 26 performs analog signal processing such as correlated double sampling processing on the analog signal input from the CCD 24 and sequentially outputs the analog signal to the ADC 28.

  The ADC 28 converts the R, G, and B analog signals input from the analog signal processing unit 26 into 12-bit R, G, and B signals and sequentially outputs them to the digital signal processing unit 30. The digital signal processing unit 30 accumulates digital image data sequentially input from the ADC 28 in a built-in line buffer and temporarily stores the digital image data directly in a predetermined area of the memory 48.

  The digital image data stored in a predetermined area of the memory 48 is read by the digital signal processing unit 30 under the control of the CPU 40, and the digital signal processing unit 30 generates digital image data of predetermined bits, for example, 8 bits. .

  The digital signal processing unit 30 performs YC signal processing on the generated digital image data of predetermined bits to generate a luminance signal Y and chroma signals Cr and Cb (hereinafter referred to as “YC signal”), and a YC signal. Are stored in an area different from the predetermined area of the memory 48.

  Here, when the release button 56A is half-pressed by the user, after the AE function is activated and the exposure state is set as described above, the AF function is activated and focus control is performed, and then the fully-pressed state is continued. In this case, the YC signal stored in the memory 48 at this time is compressed in a predetermined compression format by the compression / decompression processing circuit 54 and then recorded in the memory 48 via the memory interface 46.

  The digital imaging data recorded in the memory 48 is transmitted to the access point 72 (see FIG. 1) by the wireless LAN interface 60 in accordance with control by the CPU 40, and is transmitted to the server 70 via the network 78.

Since the first configuration described above does not include a circuit for performing image quality correction, a digital camera with a simplified device configuration can be provided. In addition, by simplifying the apparatus configuration, the photographing apparatus can be reduced in size.
[Second configuration]
The second configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. The external configuration of the digital camera 10 having the second configuration is a configuration in which an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is added as display means to the first configuration. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, an LCD 38 for displaying a photographed subject image is provided on the back of the digital camera 10.

  Accordingly, the configuration of the electrical system of the digital camera 10 includes an LCD interface 36 that generates a signal for displaying a subject image on the LCD 38 and supplies the signal to the LCD 38, and a resize circuit 62, as shown in FIG. It becomes composition.

  The resizing circuit 62 thins out pixel data every other pixel in the vertical and horizontal directions from the pixel array of the main image indicated by the input main digital image data, and then sets a reduction ratio that is predetermined according to the display size of the display area of the LCD 38. The main digital image data corresponding to the pixel configuration of the display area of the LCD 38 is generated by filling in the missing pixel data by the linear interpolation method.

  Since the LCD interface 36 is connected to each other via the system bus BUS, the CPU 40 can display the subject image resized by the resize circuit 62 on the LCD 38.

  Further, since the LCD 38 is configured to display a moving image (through image) obtained by continuous imaging by the CCD 24 and use it as a finder, the generated YC signal is transmitted via the LCD interface 36. The data is sequentially output to the LCD 38. As a result, a through image is displayed on the LCD 38.

Since the second configuration described above does not include a circuit that performs image quality correction, a digital camera with a simplified device configuration can be provided.
[Third configuration]
The third configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The external configuration of the digital camera 10 having the third configuration is a configuration in which an optical finder (hereinafter referred to as a finder) that can visually recognize a subject is added to the first configuration. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a finder 20 is provided in front of the digital camera 10. On the other hand, the eyepiece of the finder 20 is provided on the back of the digital camera 10.

  In the case of the third configuration, since the finder is added to the first configuration, the configuration of the electric system is the same as that in FIG.

  Since the third configuration described above does not include a circuit for performing image quality correction, a digital camera with a simplified device configuration can be provided.

  Next, the configuration of the electric system in a modified example in which an interface for external memory and a memory card as recording means are added to the three types of configurations described above will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the configuration of the electric system in the first and third configurations. Moreover, FIG. 8 is a figure which shows the modification of the structure of the electric system in a 2nd structure. 7 and 8 show a configuration in which an external memory interface 50 for making the portable memory card 52 accessible by the digital camera 10 is added. In the modified example, since the corrected imaging data is acquired from the server 70, the wireless LAN interface 60 is also a corrected imaging data acquisition unit.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the CPU 40 and the external memory interface 50 are connected to each other via a system bus BUS. Therefore, the CPU 40 can access the memory card 52 via the memory interface 46 and the external memory interface 50, respectively.

  The memory card 52 records corrected image data obtained by performing image quality correction processing on the digital image data by the server. However, digital image data obtained by shooting may be recorded. Furthermore, smart media (Smart Media (registered trademark)) may be used as the memory card 52 described above.

  The processing executed in the modification described above will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG. The sequence diagram shown in FIG. 9 shows processing performed by the digital camera 10 and the server 70.

  Step 101 is waiting for the end of shooting by the user. At the same time as shooting is completed, the CPU 40 transmits the ID and digital image data generated in advance to the server 70 through the wireless LAN interface 60 in step 102. At this time, information designating what kind of image quality correction processing is to be executed by the server 70 may be transmitted.

  In step 103, the CPU 40 generates an ID used for the digital image data obtained by the next shooting. This ID identifies digital imaging data, but is unnecessary when it is not necessary to identify it.

  The server 70 that has received the ID and the digital imaging data executes image quality correction processing on the digital imaging data in step 104. The corrected image data subjected to the image quality correction is recorded on the hard disk of the server 70 in step 105, for example. Thereafter, in step 106, the server 70 transmits the ID and the corrected imaging data to the digital camera 10.

  In step 107, the digital camera 10 that has acquired the ID and the corrected imaging data records the ID and the corrected imaging data on the memory card.

  According to the modification described above, the corrected imaging data that has been subjected to image quality correction processing by the server can be recorded in the memory card. In the modified example of the second configuration, it is also possible to display the corrected image data recorded on the memory card or the thumbnail of the digital image data by the LCD 38 and the resize circuit 62.

It is a figure which shows the structure containing a digital camera and a server. It is a figure which shows the structure on the external appearance of the digital camera which has a 1st structure. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electric system of the digital camera which has a 1st structure. It is a figure which shows the structure on the external appearance of the digital camera which has a 2nd structure. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electric system of the digital camera which has a 2nd structure. It is a figure which shows the structure on the external appearance of the digital camera which has a 3rd structure. It is a figure which shows the modification of the structure of the electric system in a 1st and 3rd structure. It is a figure which shows the modification of the structure of the electric system in a 2nd structure. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process of a digital camera and a server.

Explanation of symbols

10, 74, 76 Digital camera 20 Viewfinder 21 Lens 22 Optical unit 24 CCD
26 Analog signal processor 28 ADC
30 Digital Signal Processing Unit 32 Timing Generator 34 Motor Drive Unit 36 LCD Interface 38 LCD
42 Charging Unit 44 Strobe 46 Memory Interface 48 Memory 50 External Memory Interface 52 Memory Card 54 Compression / Expansion Processing Circuit 56 Operation Unit 56A Release Button 56B Power Switch 60 Wireless LAN Interface 62 Resize Circuit 70 Server 72 Access Point 78 Network

Claims (5)

An imaging system having an imaging device and a server,
The imaging device
Imaging means for imaging a subject;
Imaging data transmitting means for transmitting digital imaging data representing the subject imaged by the imaging means to the server simultaneously with the end of imaging,
The server
Imaging data receiving means for receiving digital imaging data from the imaging device;
Image quality correction means for performing image quality correction processing on the digital image data received by the image data reception means;
A shooting system. The server
A correction imaging data transmission unit that transmits corrected imaging data obtained by performing image quality correction processing on the digital imaging data by the image quality correction unit to the imaging apparatus;
The imaging device
Corrected imaging data acquisition means for acquiring the corrected imaging data;
Recording means for recording the corrected imaging data acquired by the corrected imaging data acquisition means;
The imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising: The imaging apparatus in the imaging system according to claim 1 or 2,
The imaging means includes
An imaging apparatus having only an optical system that forms a subject image and a charge coupled device that converts the formed subject image into digital imaging data.   The photographing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an optical viewfinder capable of visually recognizing the subject. Resizing means for resizing the subject image indicated by the digital imaging data to a predetermined size;
Display means for displaying the subject image based on digital imaging data indicating the subject image resized by the resizing means;
The imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising:

Images