JP2009015865A - Image input and output system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To read image data recorded on a recording medium by use of a file system of a camera to perform direct printing. <P>SOLUTION: A printer 1 comprises PTP (picture transfer protocol) 24 and STI (still imaging class) 25 for handling a device of USB imaging class in addition to a storage class driver 26 for handling a device of USB mass storage class. The camera 10 is connected to the printer 1 by either the mass storage class or the imaging class. When the device is connected by the imaging class, an image file recorded on the recording medium 15 can be read by use of the file system 32 of the camera 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image input / output system that inputs and outputs image files via a communication interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus).

  For example, an interface for connecting electronic devices such as a personal computer, an external storage device, an image input device, and an image output device can be roughly classified into a parallel interface and a serial interface. As a parallel interface, for example, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) or the like is known. On the other hand, as a serial interface, for example, IEEE 1394 or USB is known.

  Here, the USB is a so-called master / slave interface in which the roles of the USB host and the USB device are clearly divided, and all the USB devices are connected to the USB host in a star topology. Also, hubs arranged in the center of each star can be connected by a daisy chain method.

  USB is widely adopted mainly for low-speed devices and medium-speed devices because the number of electric wires is small, the wiring is easy, the line length is long, and the transmission speed is improved. In USB, device drivers corresponding to the use of each device are defined. Device classes include, for example, an HID (Human Interface Devices) class used for devices such as keyboard switches, an audio class used for devices such as speakers, a printer class used for devices such as printing devices, and a mass storage used for devices such as hard disk devices. Classes are known.

  Therefore, so-called direct printing has been proposed in which an image file is transmitted from a digital camera to a printer for printing without using a personal computer by causing the digital camera to function as a mass storage class device.

  The printer recognizes the digital camera as an external storage device by connecting the printer and the digital camera via USB and causing the digital camera to function as a mass storage class device. Thereby, the printer can read out the image file from the memory of the digital camera and print it.

  However, since the USB mass storage class was originally developed to connect a personal computer and an external storage device, there are some parts that are not suitable for direct printing in which a printer and a digital camera are directly connected.

  For example, since a printer uses a digital camera as a storage device, if the printer does not grasp the physical structure (format information, etc.) of a storage device such as a memory device attached to the digital camera, a desired image file can be obtained. Cannot read. That is, the printer cannot read the image file as an object, and must read the data by specifying the data length from the start address of the image file.

  Further, as described above, when reading an image file from a printer, since it depends on the physical structure of the storage device of the digital camera, the data readability and flexibility are low. For example, when there are a plurality of types of storage devices in a digital camera such as a built-in memory and a PC card, it is difficult to freely use each storage device from a printer.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image input / output system in which an image output device can easily read an image file held in an image input device.

  An image input / output system according to the present invention causes an image file input by an image input device to be output by an image output device, and the image input device and the image output device have the following configuration.

  An image input device includes an input unit that inputs an image file, a storage unit that stores the image file, a storage control unit that controls the storage unit, and a file management unit that performs an input / output operation of the image file via the storage control unit And a communication interface for performing bidirectional communication with the image output apparatus. The image output device includes a communication interface for performing bidirectional communication with the image input device, a file acquisition unit for acquiring an image file stored in the storage unit via the communication interface, and a predetermined image in the acquired image file. Image processing means for performing processing, and output means for outputting an image file subjected to image processing. The file acquisition unit has a first file acquisition mode for acquiring an image file from the storage unit via the file management unit.

  Here, examples of the “image input device” include a digital camera, a digital video camera, a scanner device, a mobile phone with a digital camera, and the like. Examples of the “image output device” include a printer, a copier, a display device, and the like.

  According to the present invention, the file acquisition unit of the image output device acquires the image file from the storage unit of the image input device via the file management unit of the image input device in the first file acquisition mode. Therefore, the file acquisition unit can acquire a desired image file by requesting the file management unit by specifying information (file name or the like) specifying the image file. Since the configuration is such that the reading of the image file from the storage means is left to the file management means, the file acquisition means need not grasp the details of the storage means under the management of the file management means.

  Specifically, the image input device and the image output device are connected by a USB imaging class, and the first file acquisition mode can acquire an image file based on the USB imaging class.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the file acquisition unit further has a second file acquisition mode in which an image file is acquired by accessing the storage unit via the storage control unit.

  Specifically, the image input device and the image output device are connected by a USB mass storage class, and the second file acquisition mode can acquire an image file based on the USB mass storage class.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the image input device further includes mode selection means for selecting one of the first file acquisition mode and the second file acquisition mode.

  One of the first file acquisition mode and the second file acquisition mode can be selected according to the usage pattern and the like. Note that either the first file acquisition mode or the second file acquisition mode can be selected as the initial setting value. Further, when either the image input device or the image output device has only one of the first file acquisition mode and the second file acquisition mode, there is no room for selection, and the image input device and the image output device The image file is transmitted and received in the file acquisition mode possessed by both.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the image input device and the image output device are connected by a communication interface having a master-slave relationship, and the image input device performs a subordinate communication operation in response to a command from the image output device. It has become.

  An example of a communication interface having a master-slave relationship is USB. The image output device is a main device that performs a communication operation, and the image input device is a subordinate device that performs a communication operation. The image input device transmits an image file in response to a command from the image output device.

  The present invention can also be understood as an image input device and an image output device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the embodiment, a digital camera will be described as an example of an image input device, and a printer will be described as an example of an image output device.

  First, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of the image input / output system according to the present embodiment.

  As will be described later, the printer 1 includes a USB device controller 2, a USB host computer 3, a control unit 4, a storage unit 5, a print engine 6, and a user interface 7.

  The USB device controller 2 is for USB connection with a USB host device such as a personal computer (PC). The USB host controller 3 is for connecting a digital camera 10 described later as a USB device device. The control part 4 is comprised as a microcomputer system from CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., Each function mentioned later is each implement | achieved by running various programs. The storage unit 5 includes a memory device, a hard disk device, and the like, and temporarily stores the acquired image file. The print engine 6 prints an image converted into printing image data on a printing paper, and is configured as a serial color printing type print engine, for example. The user interface 7 includes, for example, a display device, a switch, and the like, and is used for receiving an operation input from the user or providing information such as a print status to the user.

  A digital camera (hereinafter abbreviated as “camera”) 10 captures an image and stores it as electronic data, and can directly transmit the stored image file to the printer 1 for printing.

  The camera 10 is compatible with, for example, the DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard. In DPOF, print specifying information such as information for specifying an image selected by the user, the number of copies to be printed, a printing method, and the like is stored in a text-based file (DPOF script file). It is stipulated that automatic printing can be performed without going through a personal computer by sending it to a laboratory printer.

  The camera 10 includes a USB device controller 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, an imaging unit 14, a recording medium 15, and a user interface 16. The USB device controller 11 is for performing data communication with the printer 1 which is a USB host device. The control part 12 is comprised as a microcomputer system from CPU etc., and exhibits a various function based on the program read from ROM. The storage unit 13 is configured as a memory device such as a RAM or a hard disk device, for example. The imaging unit 14 includes, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) element, a lens, a preprocessing circuit, and the like, and captures an image of a subject in an electronic manner.

  The recording medium 15 is a rewritable recording medium such as a PC card or a memory, and is detachably attached to the card slot of the camera 10. The recording medium 15 stores an image file D1 taken by the user and a DPOF script file D2 for designating printing. The user interface 16 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display, operation switches, and the like, displays captured images, operation menus, and the like, and receives instructions from the user.

  As described above, the printer 1 and the camera 10 are connected via the USB cable C, and the image file D1 and the DPOF script file D2 are transmitted from the camera 10 to the printer 1, so that printing is performed. ing.

  More specifically, the recording medium 15 of the camera 10 functions as a USB imaging class or USB mass storage class USB device as will be described later, so that an image file or the like stored by the USB host controller 3 of the printer 1 can be read. It has become.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a functional configuration of the image input / output system.

  The functions of the printer 1 can be roughly divided into an application layer, a class layer, and a transport layer. The application layer includes an application program 21 for performing direct printing, a class abstraction program 22 for abstracting classes, and a file system 23. In the class layer, PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) 24 and STI (STill Imaging class) 25, which are protocols for transferring images, a USB storage class 26, and a periodic request using an interrupt pipe as will be described later. An extended interrupt 27 for realizing the inquiry command is included. The transport layer includes a USB host controller 3 for performing data communication using a USB interface.

  On the other hand, the functions of the camera 10 can also be divided into an application layer, a class layer, and a transport layer. The application layer includes a direct printing application program 31 and a file system 32. The class layer includes a PTP 33 and an STI 34 and a storage controller 35 for controlling the recording medium 15.

When the printer 1 and the camera 10 are connected by USB, three types of logical channels are provided: a control pipe, a bulk pipe, and an interrupt pipe. The image file is transmitted to the printer 1 via the bulk pipe. The control pipe is used for transmission of various control commands. The interrupt pipe is used for transmission of a request inquiry command (Interrupt In) from the printer 1 to the camera 10. Using this structure, a print request can be issued from the camera 10 to the printer 1.
For example, a request inquiry command can be repeatedly transmitted from the printer 1 to the camera 10 at a relatively short cycle, and a print request can be returned from the camera 10 to the printer 1 as a response to the request inquiry command. Alternatively, the print request can be stored in a predetermined location of the recording medium 15, and the printer 1 can periodically access the predetermined storage location to determine whether there is a print request.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, an image file acquisition method based on the USB imaging class will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of commands and image files according to the USB imaging class.

  After the USB connection is established and the initialization process is completed, the direct printing application program 21 of the printer 1 issues a command for acquiring a list of image files from the camera 10 (F1). The list acquisition request command is input from the class abstraction program 22 to the PTP 24 and STI 25 and converted into packet data according to a predetermined protocol (F2, F3). Then, the list acquisition request command is transmitted from the USB host controller 3 to the USB device controller 11 of the camera 10 (F4, F5).

  The list acquisition request command transmitted to the camera 10 is input to the file system 32 via the STI 34 and the PTP 33 (F6 to F8). Upon receiving the list acquisition request command, the file system 32 of the camera 10 outputs a control command to the storage controller 35 (F9), and reads a predetermined image file from the recording medium 15. The image file read from the recording medium 15 is input to the direct printing application program 21 of the printer 1 via the paths R1 to R9, contrary to the conventional case.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a state of data communication between the printer and the camera according to the USB imaging class. When the printer 1 and the camera 10 are connected by the USB cable C, bus enumeration (USB device initialization work) is performed.

  The control unit 12 of the user or the camera 10 selects whether to perform device connection in the USB mass storage class or the USB imaging class (S1). For example, a selection screen for selecting the type of device connection can be displayed on the user interface 16 of the camera 10 and can be selected by the user.

  On the other hand, the printer 1 obtains a device descriptor that describes the device configuration of the camera 10 (S2). This device descriptor includes an interface descriptor describing the class (USB imaging class) selected in S1. The interface descriptor includes a string descriptor describing an endpoint used for data transmission / reception. Specifically, in the string descriptor, an endpoint that the USB imaging class device should have and an endpoint unique to the present invention for use in sending and receiving periodic request inquiry commands are described.

  Next, the printer 1 transmits a printer protocol confirmation command to the camera 10 through the control pipe, and notifies the camera 10 of the protocol type and version information used by the printer 1 (S5).

  After the communication connection is established, a request inquiry command “Interrupt In” is transmitted to the camera 10 through the interact pipe in a short cycle such as once every 1 ms, for example (S2). Only one is shown in the figure. Each time the camera 10 receives a request inquiry command, the camera 10 checks whether any control command or the like is generated in the camera at that time. When no control command is generated, the camera 10 returns a “Nak” message indicating no request to the printer through the control pipe (S4). On the other hand, when any control command or the like is generated, the camera 10 returns the control command or the like to the printer 1 via the control pipe as a response to the request inquiry command.

  When performing direct printing, the printer 1 requests the camera 10 for an object list, that is, a list of image files (S11). The file system 32 of the camera 10 creates a list of image files recorded on the recording medium 15 and assigns a handle for identifying each image file (S12).

  The list created in this way is transmitted to the printer 1 (S13). The printer 1 requests image file information (for example, file name, format type, data size, etc.) based on the image file list (S14). The file system 32 of the camera 10 detects the information of the image file and sends it back to the printer 1 (S15, S16). This operation is repeated for the number of images on the image file list.

  Next, the printer 1 requests the camera 10 for an image file (S17). The file system 32 of the camera 10 reads the image file of the designated handle by accessing the recording medium 15, and transmits the read image file to the printer 1 (S18, S19). The printer 1 causes the user interface 7 to display the acquired image. Thereafter, although not shown, the printer 1 prints the designated image file in the designated number of copies.

  Next, an image file acquisition method using the USB mass storage class will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A command issued by the direct printing application program 21 of the printer 1 is input from the class abstraction program 22 to the file system 23 of the printer 1 (F1). The file system 23 delivers this command to the storage class 26 (F2). The storage class 26 directly operates the storage controller 35 of the camera 10 to access the recording medium 15 (F3 to F5), and reads the requested data. The read data is input to the direct printing application program 21 through the reverse path (R1 to R9).

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a state of data communication between a printer and a camera according to the USB mass storage class.

  The printer 1 (storage class 26) requests FAT (File Allocation Table) data of the recording medium 15 from the camera 10 (S31). The FAT is a table in which information for physically managing files on the recording medium 15 is recorded.

  The camera 10 (storage controller 35) returns FAT data to the printer 1 (S32). The printer 1 analyzes the FAT data and calculates and displays the number of images (S33). Next, the printer 1 designates the start sector number and the sector length and requests data reading (S34). In response to this, the camera 10 transmits block data in the designated range to the printer 1 (S35). This process is repeated for the required number of images.

  Here, it should be noted that in the case of device connection by the USB imaging class, an image file is transmitted as an object from the camera 10 to the printer 1, whereas in the case of device connection by the USB mass storage class, the image file is an object. It is a point that data is read as simple block data, not data, and transmitted from the camera 10 to the printer 1.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, either the USB mass storage class or the USB imaging class can be selected, the image file can be transmitted from the camera 10 to the printer 1, and direct printing can be performed.

  In the case of the USB imaging class, since the image file is read using the file system 32 of the camera 10, the printer 1 does not need to grasp the physical structure of the recording medium 15, and can handle it as an object. In addition, since it is not limited by the structure of the recording medium managed by the file system 32 of the camera 10, an image file can be easily read even if the recording medium 15 is various media such as a PC card, a hard disk, and a memory. it can. Accordingly, when the camera 10 is provided with a storage device (for example, a RAM) different from the recording medium 15, data stored in the separate storage device can also be read and used.

  The above-described embodiments of the present invention are examples for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art can implement the present invention in various other modes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall outline of an image input / output system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the function structure of an image input / output system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the command and data by USB imaging class. It is a flowchart which shows the processing method by a USB imaging class. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the command etc. by USB mass storage class. It is a flowchart which shows the processing method by a USB mass storage class.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer, 2 ... USB device controller, 3 ... USB host controller, 4 ... Control part, 5 ... Memory | storage part, 6 ... Print engine, 7 ... User interface, 10 ... Digital camera, 11 ... USB device controller, 12 ... Control 13: Storage unit, 14: Imaging unit, 15 ... Recording medium, 16 ... User interface, 21 ... Direct print application program, 22 ... Class abstraction, 23 ... File system, 24 ... PTP, 25 ... STI, 26 ... Storage class 27 ... Extended interrupt, 31 ... Direct print application program, 32 ... File system, 33 ... PTP, 34 ... STI, 35 ... Storage controller.

Claims (8)

In an image input / output system that causes an image output device to output an image file input by an image input device,
The image input device includes:
Input means for inputting the image file;
Storage means for storing the image file;
Storage control means for controlling the storage means;
File management means for performing input / output operations of the image file via the storage control means;
A communication interface for bidirectional communication with the image output device,
The image output device includes:
A communication interface for bidirectional communication with the image input device;
File acquisition means for acquiring an image file stored in the storage means via the communication interface;
Image processing means for performing predetermined image processing on the acquired image file;
Output means for outputting the image file subjected to the image processing,
The image input / output system, wherein the file acquisition means has a first file acquisition mode for acquiring the image file from the storage means via the file management means.   The image input device and the image output device are connected by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) imaging class, and the first file acquisition mode acquires the image file based on the USB imaging class. The image input / output system according to claim 1.   The image input / output system according to claim 1, wherein the file acquisition unit also has a second file acquisition mode for acquiring the image file by accessing the storage unit via the storage control unit.   The image input device and the image output device are connected by a USB mass storage class, and the second file acquisition mode acquires the image file based on the USB mass storage class. Image input / output system.   The image input / output system according to claim 3, wherein the image input device further comprises mode selection means for selecting any one of the first file acquisition mode and the second file acquisition mode. .   The image input device and the image output device are connected by a communication interface having a master-slave relationship, and the image input device performs a communication operation dependently in response to a command from the image output device. Item 6. The image input / output system according to Item 5. In an image input device that holds an image file for output to an image output device,
Input means for inputting the image file;
Storage means for storing the image file;
Storage control means for controlling the storage means;
File management means for performing input / output operations of the image file via the storage control means;
A communication interface connected to the image output device by a USB imaging class;
An image input apparatus that transmits an image file read from the storage means to the image output apparatus via the file management means based on a request from the image output apparatus. In an image output device that outputs an image file acquired from an image input device,
A communication interface connected to the image input device by a USB imaging class;
File acquisition means for acquiring an image file stored in the storage means of the image input device via the communication interface;
Image processing means for performing predetermined image processing on the acquired image file;
Output means for outputting the image file subjected to the image processing,
The image output apparatus characterized in that the file acquisition means has a first file acquisition mode for acquiring the image file from the storage means via a file system of the image input apparatus.

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