JP2010062778A - Image shooting device and method of controlling image shooting - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image shooting device capable of controlling shooting by using data showing the latest shooting-prohibiting area without arranging a shooting prohibiting area table. <P>SOLUTION: The image shooting device includes: a shooting means 3; a position measurement means 1 for measuring a present position; a means 2 for acquiring data showing a shooting prohibiting area through a communication network; and a control means 7 for determining whether the present position is located in the shooting prohibiting area, and for restricting the image shot by the shooting means 3 in accordance with the determination result thereof. Accordingly, the shooting can be controlled by using the data showing the latest shooting prohibiting area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image capturing device and an image capturing control method, and more particularly to a video camera, a still camera, and a portable image capturing device such as a mobile phone having an image capturing function and an image capturing control method.

  Recent advances in digital technology are remarkable, and it is possible to reduce the size, increase the functionality, and improve the image quality of shooting devices such as digital still cameras and video cameras, as well as those mounted on mobile phones. On the other hand, it may be used for criminal acts such as so-called voyeurism in areas where photography is prohibited. Such criminal acts have recently become a problem in movie theaters, art museums, and eventually bookstores, and the amount of damage and loss has been enormous.

  For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for preventing the photographing of unauthorized still images and moving images in such a photographing prohibited area. According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a GPS (Global Positioning System) function for positioning a position to be photographed, and position information corresponding to the location where the photographing is prohibited and the position of the building are recorded in advance. A shooting prohibition area table is provided, and at the time of shooting, the current position is acquired by GPS, and if this position is a shooting prohibited place registered in the shooting prohibition area table, shooting is prohibited. .

JP 2003-198918 A

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, it is necessary to provide a photographing prohibition area table in the photographing apparatus, and a memory for that purpose is necessary, which is disadvantageous in that it is contrary to the reduction in size and weight of the apparatus. Further, since the data indicating the photographing prohibited area fluctuates, photographing cannot be performed at a place that is no longer a photographing prohibited place unless the data is constantly updated, and vice versa. Therefore, it is necessary to always update the data, and there is a disadvantage that it is extremely complicated for the user.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to eliminate such drawbacks, and the object of the present invention is not to provide a shooting prohibited area table, and shooting is performed using data indicating the latest shooting prohibited area. An image capturing apparatus and an image capturing control method that can be controlled are provided.

  An image photographing apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging means, a positioning means for positioning a current position, a means for obtaining data indicating a photographing prohibited area via a communication network, and whether the current position is within the photographing prohibited area. Control means for determining whether or not the captured image is limited by the imaging means in accordance with the determination result.

  An image capturing control method according to the present invention includes a step of measuring a current position, a step of acquiring data indicating a shooting prohibited area via a communication network, and a determination as to whether or not the current position is within the shooting prohibited area. And a control step for restricting the captured image by the imaging means in accordance with the determination result.

  A program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to perform an operation of controlling a captured image of an image capturing apparatus, and obtains data indicating a photographing prohibited area via a communication network and a process of positioning a current position. And a process for determining whether or not the current position is within the shooting-prohibited area, and a process for limiting the captured image by the imaging unit according to the determination result.

  According to the present invention, since the data of the shooting prohibited area is acquired online via the communication network and it is determined whether the current position is the shooting prohibited area, it is not necessary to provide a shooting prohibited area table, In addition, there is an effect that shooting control can be performed using data indicating the latest shooting prohibited area.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image capturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a GPS positioning unit 1, a communication unit 2, an image capturing unit 3, a memory unit 4, an operation unit 5, a display unit 6, and a control unit 7. And ROM (Read Only Memory) 8.

  The GPS positioning unit 1 has a function for positioning the current position, and has a well-known configuration including a GPS reception function and a GPS positioning function unit. The communication unit 2 has an interface function with the Internet (not shown), and has a well-known configuration. The imaging unit 3 includes a camera function unit and an image processing function unit, and has a well-known configuration. The memory unit 4 has a function for temporarily storing an image captured by the imaging unit 3 as data.

  The operation unit 5 is a man / machine interface for user operations, and the display unit 6 has an image display function and a message display function. The control unit 7 is a CPU (computer) for controlling these units 1 to 6. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 8 is a recording medium in which the control operation procedure of the control unit 7 is stored in advance as a program.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. First, when the user performs a camera activation operation of the imaging unit 3 by the operation unit 5 (step S1), the control unit 7 activates the GPS positioning unit 1 in response to this (step S2). At the same time, the control unit 7 downloads the data to acquire data indicating the photographing prohibited area via the Internet via the communication unit 2 (step S3).

  When the data acquisition is completed (step S4), the control unit 7 refers to the data acquired via the Internet and determines whether or not the current user position obtained by the GPS positioning unit 1 corresponds to a shooting prohibited area. Determine (step S5). As a result, if the current position does not correspond to the shooting prohibited area, the control unit 7 displays a preview of the shot image on the display unit 6 (step S6).

  After confirming the preview image, the user selects whether or not to change the shooting mode (step S7) and presses the shutter (step S8). In response to this, the control unit 7 displays the captured image on the display unit 6 (step S9). Then, the user executes procedures for confirming and registering the captured image (step S10) and saving the image in the memory unit 4 (step S11).

  In step S5, if the current position is a photographing prohibited area, the control unit 7 places a preview output restriction on the photographed image (step S12), prevents the display unit 6 from outputting a preview, and sends a predetermined message. Is displayed on the display unit 6 to allow the user to recognize that the current position is a photographing prohibited area (step S13). As an example of the message in this case, “the camera cannot be activated because of a shooting prohibited area” is given.

  Thereafter, the control unit 7 ends the camera activation process (step S14). However, if the user wants to activate the camera, the control unit 7 needs to go outside the photographing prohibited area. Is determined based on the positioning result (step S15). If the user has moved, the process returns to step S1 again.

  In the flowchart of FIG. 2, when the place where the camera is activated is not in the shooting prohibited area, the image is displayed as a preview, and thereafter, the determination in step S5 is not performed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the camera is activated in the shootable area and the user moves into the shooting prohibited area with the preview displayed, the processing from step S5 to step S12 may be executed to limit shooting. . By doing so, it is possible to perform accurate shooting restrictions even when the user is shooting while carrying the image shooting device.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The functional block diagram of the other embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 1, and therefore the description thereof is omitted. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for explaining the operation of this other embodiment. In FIG. 3, steps equivalent to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the previous embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, the preview image output restriction is applied in the photographing prohibited area. However, in this embodiment, the image storage restriction is applied in the photographing prohibited area. This is an example.

  Referring to FIG. 3, when a camera activation operation is performed (step S1), the GPS positioning unit 1 is activated (step S2). At the same time, the data of the shooting prohibited area via the Internet is acquired (steps S3 and S4). Then, a preview of the photographed image is displayed (step S6), and the photographed image is displayed on the display unit 6 in response to the user pressing the shutter (step S8) (step S9). Then, the user confirms the captured image and selects registration (step S10).

  Here, it is determined whether or not the current position is a photographing prohibited area (step S5). If the current position is not within the shooting prohibited area, the captured image is stored (step S11). If the current position is within the shooting prohibited area, the image storage is restricted (step S16).

  Then, a predetermined message such as “The photographed image cannot be saved because of the photographing prohibited area” is displayed on the display unit 6, and the user recognizes that the current position is the photographing prohibited area (step S13). Thereafter, the camera activation ends (step S14). If the user wants to activate the camera, he / she needs to go out of the shooting prohibited area, so the presence / absence of movement is determined from the positioning result of the GPS positioning unit 1 (step S15). If the user has moved, the process returns to step S1 again.

  In this way, the latest information can be obtained in real time by acquiring the data indicating the shooting prohibited area via the Internet, and the user does not need to perform any operation for updating the data. In addition, since there is no operation control based on old data, there is no problem of malfunction. Furthermore, since data can be downloaded at any time, it is not necessary to save the acquired data every time, and it is not necessary to provide a memory for that purpose.

  The data indicating the photographing prohibited area is acquired via the Internet. However, the data may be acquired not only from the Internet but also from a server connected to a communication network.

It is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 GPS positioning part 2 Communication part 3 Imaging part 4 Memory part 5 Operation part 6 Display part 7 Control part (CPU)
8 ROM

Claims (9)

  An imaging unit, a positioning unit that measures the current position, a unit that acquires data indicating a shooting prohibited area via a communication network, and whether or not the current position is within the shooting prohibited area. And a control unit that restricts a captured image by the imaging unit.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data is latest data.   3. The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit restricts display of the photographed image when the current position is within the photographing prohibited area.   3. The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit restricts storage of the photographed image when the current position is within the photographing prohibition area.   A step of positioning the current position; a step of acquiring data indicating a shooting prohibited area via a communication network; and a determination as to whether or not the current position is within the shooting prohibited area, and imaging is performed according to the determination result And a control step for restricting the photographed image by the means.   6. The image capturing control method according to claim 5, wherein the data is latest data.   7. The image capturing control method according to claim 5, wherein the control step restricts display of the captured image when the current position is within the capturing prohibition area.   7. The image capturing control method according to claim 5, wherein the control step performs storage restriction of the captured image if the current position is within the capturing prohibited area.   A program for causing a computer to perform an operation for controlling a photographed image of an image photographing device, a process for positioning a current position, a process for obtaining data indicating a photographing prohibited area via a communication network, and the current position A program comprising: a process for determining whether or not an image is within the shooting-prohibited area; and a process for restricting a captured image by an imaging means in accordance with the determination result.

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