JP2008099147A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor for improving the convenience of a user by making it possible to confirm image data before and after conversion. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor includes: image correction means 36 and 37 for performing deformation processing to the image data obtained by an imaging means 33; and a recording control means 43 for recording the image data before and after conversion in a recording medium 39 as an independent image data file in a prescribed form when deformation processing is executed to the image data by the image correction means 36 and 37. The recording control means 43 stores the image data before and after conversion in different folders when storing the image data in the recording medium 39. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for managing image data stored in a recording medium such as a digital camera.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital cameras that capture an image of a subject with an image sensor such as a CCD sensor and convert it into digital image data and record the digital image data on a recording medium such as a memory card have rapidly spread.
Such digital cameras have been improved in functionality and performance, and for example, those having a retouch function capable of processing and editing captured images are known (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). reference).
The retouch function includes one that corrects tone such as brightness, contrast, gamma correction, hue, and saturation, and one that corrects expressions such as sharpness, blurring, and embossing. In addition, there is a type that can perform deformation processing that adjusts and corrects vertical / horizontal tilt, vertical / horizontal tilt, and the like of an image.

In Patent Document 1, as an example of the deformation process, a processing method for correcting a subject photographed from an oblique angle as if photographed from the front is shown. This processing method is expected to play an active role in shooting various subjects such as bulletin boards, exhibition panels, business cards, and white boards in conference halls.
Patent Document 2 discloses a digital camera that can obtain desired composite image data without requiring a personal computer. Patent Document 3 facilitates file management of image data and the like without reducing operability during data transfer. An image data storage method, an image data storage system, and a program for the same are disclosed.
JP-A-9-289611 JP 2001-309212 A JP 2003-283975 A

However, when transformation is performed on photographed image data, there are many requests from users who want to confirm pre-conversion and post-conversion image data, and countermeasures that satisfy this requirement are desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that can improve user convenience by making it possible to check image data before and after conversion in consideration of the above-described situation.

In order to solve the above problems, an invention according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus that performs image processing on image data. Image correction means that performs image data conversion processing; and A recording control unit that records the image data before conversion and the image data after conversion on a recording medium as independent image data files in a predetermined form when the conversion process is performed; When image data is stored in the recording medium, the image data before conversion and after conversion are stored in different folders.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect is characterized in that the folder in which the converted image data is stored is a folder not to be reproduced.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein when the image data is stored in the recording medium, the file name before conversion and after conversion are the same file name.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein when the image data is stored in the recording medium, a part of the file name before conversion and after conversion is made different.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for performing image processing on image data, an image correction step for performing image data conversion processing, and conversion processing when image data conversion processing is performed by the image correction step. A recording control step of recording the previous image data and the converted image data on a recording medium as independent image data files in a predetermined form, and the recording control step stores the image data in the recording medium In this case, the image data before and after conversion are stored in different folders.
The invention according to claim 6 is the image processing method according to claim 5, wherein the folder in which the converted image data is stored is a folder not to be reproduced.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided the image processing method according to the fifth aspect, wherein when the image data is stored in a recording medium, the file name before conversion and after conversion are the same file name.
The invention according to claim 8 is the image processing method according to claim 5, wherein when storing the image data in the recording medium, a part of the file name before conversion and after conversion is made different.

  According to the present invention, when the recording control means stores the image data on the recording medium, the image data before conversion and after conversion are controlled by recording the image data before conversion and after conversion in different folders. The image data before and after conversion can be confirmed without mixing. In addition, file management becomes easy.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a digital camera as an image photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the digital camera of FIG. 1 as viewed from the back. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the digital camera of FIG. 1 as viewed from above.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the external view of the digital camera A viewed from the top shows a sub LCD 1, a release shutter button 2, and a mode dial button 3. The mode dial button 3 switches between various shooting modes and playback modes, and the sub LCD 1 displays the remaining number of sheets, battery end, and the like.

In the view of the digital camera A as viewed from the front of FIG. 1, a release shutter button 2, a mode dial button 3, a battery cover for inserting a battery and a cover 4 for storing an external memory card such as SD in the camera body, a lens 1 shows a lens barrel unit 5, a remote control light receiving unit 6, a distance measuring unit 7, a strobe light emitting unit 8, an optical viewfinder 9, and the like for measuring the distance to a subject in order to realize autofocus.
In the schematic view of the digital camera A as viewed from the back in FIG. 2, the release shutter button 2, the mode dial button 3, the AF LED 10 for notifying the user that the focal length has been reached by AF (autofocus), and the strobe charging completion 1 shows an LED 11, an optical finder 9, and a zoom switch 12 and a zoom switch 13 for operating the zoom in a wide or telescopic direction.
2, the power switch 14 for turning on / off the main body, the LCD monitor 15 for displaying the monitoring image and displaying the setting screen, and the self-timer / deletion switch. 16 is shown.
2 shows a menu switch 17, an up / strobe switch 18, a right switch 19, a left / image confirmation switch 20, a down / macro switch 21, a display switch 22, and an OK (OK) switch 23.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an apparatus system of a digital camera which is an embodiment of the present invention. 4 includes a lens 31, a mechanical mechanism 32 including autofocus, a CCD 33, a CDS circuit 34, an A / D converter 35, a digital signal processing circuit 36, a compression / expansion circuit 37, and a DRAM 38. A memory card 39, an LCD 40, a driver 41, and an SG (signal generator) 42.
Further, a CPU 43 for controlling the SG (signal generator) 42, an operation unit 44, a strobe 45, a microphone 46, an amplifier / filter (AMP / FILTER) 47, a D / A converter 48, an audio data compression / decompression circuit 49, A / D converter 50, amplifier / filter (AMP / FILTER) 51, OSD 52, DC / DC converter (USB block) 55 as a power supply unit, battery (USB connector) 56, AC adapter (serial block) 57, serial The driver circuit 58, the RS-232C connector 59, and the like are included. The CPU 43 includes a RAM 53 and is connected to various components via a CPU bus (CPUBUS) 54.
The lens unit includes a lens 31 and a mechanical mechanism 32 including an autofocus (AF) / aperture / filter unit, and a mechanical shutter of the mechanical mechanism 32 performs simultaneous exposure of two fields.

A CCD (charge coupled device) 33 converts an image input via the lens unit into an electrical signal (analog image data). A CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit 34 reduces the noise of the electrical signal output from the CCD 33. The A / D converter 35 converts analog image data input from the CCD 33 via the CDS circuit 34 into digital image data.
That is, the output signal of the CCD 33 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 35 through the CDS circuit 34 at an optimum sampling frequency (for example, an integer multiple of the subcarrier frequency of the NTSC signal).
The digital signal processing circuit 36 divides the image data input from the A / D converter 35 into luminance data and color difference data, and performs various processing, correction, and data processing for image compression / decompression.

The image compression / decompression circuit 37 conforms to JPEG, and compresses image data by orthogonal transform and Huffman coding. The image compression / decompression circuit 37 decompresses the image data by performing Huffman decoding / inverse orthogonal transform.
On the other hand, the sound is converted into an electric signal by a sound-electric signal conversion element such as a microphone 46 to become sound data, and is amplified by an amplifier / filter 47. Thereafter, the signal is cut off to the necessary band, and is converted into digital audio data by the D / A converter 48 at a sampling frequency that is twice or more the predetermined band. Further, the digital audio data is subjected to compression / encoding processing by the data compression / decompression unit 49.
The DRAM 38 temporarily stores the compressed image data. The compressed image data is recorded on the memory card 39 as an image data file, and the compressed audio data is recorded as an audio data file.

In addition, an image corresponding to the image data recorded on the memory card 39 is displayed on the LCD 40. Further, on the LCD 40, the state of the set digital camera, for example, the set mode display, error display, and the like are performed. The operation unit 44 includes operation keys for externally performing function selection, shooting instruction, and other various settings.
In response to an instruction from the operation unit 44 or an external operation instruction from a remote controller (not shown), the CPU 43 controls the operation of each unit of the digital camera device system according to a control program stored in a ROM (not shown).
For example, the CPU 43 controls the recording operation of image data and audio data to the memory card 39, and the reproduction operation of image data and audio data recorded on the memory card 39. In FIG. 4, a battery (USB connector) 56 and an AC adapter (serial block) 57 are connected to a DC / DC converter (USB block) 55 which is a power supply unit.

Next, the image data recording operation of the digital camera will be described. First, a subject image input through the lens 31 is converted into an electrical signal (analog image data) by the CCD 33. Thereafter, the signal is input to the A / D converter 35 via the CDS 34, and the analog image data is converted into digital image data.
The converted digital image data is subjected to signal processing by the digital signal processing circuit 36 and stored in the DRAM 38 via the CPU bus 54. The digital image data stored in the DRAM 38 is input to the compression / expansion circuit 37 via the CPU bus 54, subjected to compression processing, and stored in the DRAM 38 again.
When the compression process is completed, the CPU 43 records the compressed image data stored in the DRAM 38 as an image data file in a predetermined format on the memory card 39 via the CPU bus 54. In this case, thumbnail images created by thinning out some of the pixels of the compressed image data at certain intervals are also recorded as the same image data file.

Next, the image data reproduction operation of the digital camera will be described. First, an image data file of the memory card 39 to be reproduced is designated by operating the operation unit 44. As a result, the compressed image data of the designated image data file is read out and stored in the DRAM 38.
The image data stored in the DRAM 38 is input to the compression / decompression circuit 37 via the CPU bus 54, decompressed, and stored in the DRAM 38 again. The image data stored in the DRAM 38 and decompressed is input to the digital signal processing circuit 36 via the CPU bus 54, converted into a video signal, and displayed on the LCD 40.

Next, the audio data recording operation of the digital camera will be described. First, when the voice recording mode is selected by operating the operation unit 44, the voice is converted into an electrical signal by the microphone 48 to become voice data.
The audio data is amplified by the amplifier / filter 47, cut off to the necessary band, and then converted to digital audio data by the A / D converter 50 at a sampling frequency that is twice or more the predetermined band.
Further, the digital audio data is compressed and encoded by the audio data compression / decompression circuit 49 and stored in the memory card 39 as an audio file in a predetermined form by the CPU 43.

Next, audio data playback operation of the digital camera will be described. The sound reproduction mode is selected by operating the operation unit 44, and the sound data file of the memory card 39 to be reproduced is designated.
The compressed audio data of the designated audio data file is read by the CPU 43 and decompressed by the audio data compression / decompression circuit 49. Further, after A / D conversion by the A / D converter 50, the signal is amplified by the amplifier / filter 51 and output from a speaker (not shown).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the format of the memory card. The format of the memory card 39 is the same as that of a personal computer DOS.
As shown in FIG. 5, the memory card 39 includes an attribute area 61 in which card attribute information such as device type, access speed, and storage capacity is stored, a boot selector area 62, and a FAT (file allocation table) area. 63, a directory entry area 64, and an image data file storage area 65 for storing image data files.
In the boot selector area 62, parameters necessary for reading and writing data from the memory card 39, that is, the number of FATs, the number of directory entries, and the like are recorded.
In the FAT area 63, a FAT entry which is information on a state in which data of each file is recorded is written. The unit on the memory in which the data is recorded is indicated by a cluster number that is the number of the data writing unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of data stored in the directory entry area. In the directory entry area 64, as shown in FIG. 6, the file name, file attribute, reserved area, creation / update time, creation / update date, and corresponding file size of the recorded data are recorded.
Alternatively, the directory entry area 64 stores information about the physical position (FAT start number) of the subdirectory entry and the file size. As the file name, when the corresponding file is a data file, a file name including an extension which is one of the attribute information of the file is recorded.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the image data file area. The configuration of the image data file area 65 is as shown in FIG. That is, each image data file (for example, RIMG0001.JPG, RIMG0002.JPG, RIMG0003.JPG, RIMG0004.JPG,...) 65a, 65b, 65c, 65d, 65e is sequentially written as fixed-length data. .
The image data files 65a, 65b, 65c, 65d, and 65e are composed of an image header, main image data, and thumbnail images (reduced images) corresponding to the image data, as shown in the figure. In the image header, file attribute, individual standard name, standard version, related information of the image data main body, and the like are recorded.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of storing the image data of the present invention in a recording medium. Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, as an example of the deformation correction process for image data, an oblique correction photographing mode for correcting a subject photographed from an oblique direction as if photographed from the front is taken up.
The oblique correction shooting mode is different from the normal shooting mode. When shooting a bulletin board, exhibition panel, business card, white board in a conference hall, etc. It is a mode to convert.
4 and 8, in the oblique correction photographing mode, the CPU 43 first determines whether or not the release shutter button is pressed, and if it is pressed, captures image data from the CCD 33 (S1).
“RAW-RGB image data” in a state where signal processing such as white balance setting and gamma setting is performed is temporarily stored in the DRAM 38. Next, “YUV image data” that has been converted into luminance data / color difference data is created and temporarily stored in the DRAM 38.

Next, the CPU 43 starts an oblique correction process so as to create image data as if the captured image data was taken from the front (S2). When the oblique correction process is performed, the corrected YUV image data is created and temporarily stored in the DRAM 38.
The JPEG image data subjected to the JPEG compression process is stored again in the DRAM 38 (S3). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not to record the JPEG image data (converted image data) on the DRAM 38 on a recording medium (S4).
Here, for the converted image data, for example, it is determined whether or not a reproduction target folder having a naming rule based on DCF (Camera File System Design Standard) or the like already exists (S5). If the reproduction target folder already exists, it is stored in the reproduction target folder (for example, “100RICOH” folder) (S6).
If there is no folder, the camera automatically creates a playback target folder (for example, “100RICOH” folder) according to a naming rule such as DCF (S8), and stores the converted image data (S9). The folder name according to the DCF rule is created as shown in the following table.
[Table 1]
Regulations | Folder number (100 to 999) | Free characters (5 characters)
――― │ ―――――――――――――――― ｜ ――――――――――――
Example | 100 | ABCDE
Note that the automatically generated folder names are named 100RICOH, 101RICOH,... According to the DCF rules of the present embodiment, and the folder number is a sequential number of the maximum number + 1.

Next, when the recording of the JPEG image data after the oblique correction processing is finished, JPEG image data obtained by performing JPEG compression on the uncorrected YUV image data captured at the time of shooting is created and recorded on the recording medium.
Here, if the converted image data is not recorded on the recording medium, it is determined whether the image data before conversion does not have a naming rule based on DCF or the like and a folder not to be reproduced already exists (S7). ). If the reproduction target folder already exists, it is stored in a non-reproduction target folder (for example, “TEMPLETE (template)” folder) (S10).
In step S7, if there is no folder, the camera automatically creates a non-reproduction folder (for example, “TEMPLETE (template)” folder) that does not have a naming rule such as DCF (S11), and before conversion. Is stored (S12).

Of course, it is also possible to store the image data as a reproduction target file by generating a reproduction target folder based on a naming rule by using a DCF or the like that is different from the image data storage folder after conversion.
In addition, as for the file name when storing the image data, the file name according to the DCF rule is automatically generated as with the folder name. The file name according to the DCF rule is created as follows.
[Table 2]
Regulations | Free characters (5 characters) | File number (0001 to 9999)
――― │ ―――――――――― ｜ ――――――――――――――――――
Example | ABCD | 0001
In the present embodiment, the file name is, for example, RIMG0001. JPG, RIMG0002. It is named JPG,..., And the file number is a sequential number of the maximum number +1.
Here, the file names after conversion and before conversion may be stored with the same file name (for example, both image data “RIMG0001.JPG”). By doing so, for example, even when image data is moved to an external device for each folder, it is possible to easily search and compare image data before conversion and after conversion.

In addition, even when image data is moved to the same folder on the external device, the same number is assigned to the file number so that the image data before and after conversion can be easily searched and compared. , Some of the free characters in the file name may be different.
For example, the file name of the image data after conversion is “AIMG0001.JPG, AIMG0002.JPG,...”, And the file name of the image data before conversion is “BIMG0001.JPG, BIMG0002.JPG,. And
By doing so, for example, even when image data is moved to the same folder on the external device, the correspondence between the image data before and after conversion can be seen at a glance, and search and comparison of image data before and after conversion can be easily performed Can be done.
In addition, the folder in which the converted image data is stored can be set as a folder not to be reproduced in the reproduction function of the image processing apparatus. In this way, for example, the uncorrected image data that is not so important is not to be reproduced, so that the converted image data can be easily retrieved by the image processing apparatus.

1 is a schematic front view showing a digital camera as an image capturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic which looked at the digital camera of FIG. 1 from the back. It is the schematic which looked at the digital camera of FIG. 1 from the upper part. It is a block diagram which shows the apparatus system of the digital camera which is embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the format of a memory card. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the data stored in a directory entry area | region. It is a figure which shows the structure of an image data file area. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of storing image data of the present invention in a recording medium.

Explanation of symbols

  A digital camera, 33 image pickup means (CCD), 36 image correction means (digital signal processing circuit), 37 image correction means (image compression / decompression circuit), 38 recording medium (DRAM), 39 recording medium (memory card), 43 Recording control means (CPU), 65 image data file area, 65a image data file

Claims (8)

  In an image processing apparatus that performs image processing on image data, image correction means for performing image data conversion processing, and image data before conversion and image data after conversion when image data conversion processing is performed by the image correction means Recording control means for recording data on the recording medium as an independent image data file in a predetermined form, and the recording control means is configured to store the image data before conversion and after conversion when storing the image data in the recording medium. An image processing apparatus that stores data in different folders.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the folder in which the converted image data is stored is a folder not to be reproduced.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the image data is stored in the recording medium, the file name before conversion and after conversion are the same file name.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the image data is stored in the recording medium, a part of the file name before conversion and after conversion is made different.   In an image processing method for performing image processing on image data, an image correction step for performing image data conversion processing, and image data before conversion and image data after conversion when image data conversion processing is performed by the image correction step. And a recording control step for recording the data on the recording medium as an independent image data file in a predetermined form, and the recording control step includes a pre-conversion image and a post-conversion image when the image data is stored in the recording medium. An image processing method characterized by storing data in different folders.   6. The image processing method according to claim 5, wherein the folder in which the converted image data is stored is a folder not to be reproduced.   6. The image processing method according to claim 5, wherein when the image data is stored in a recording medium, the file name before conversion and after conversion are made the same file name.   6. The image processing method according to claim 5, wherein when the image data is stored in the recording medium, a part of the file name before conversion and after conversion is made different.

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