JP2017085213A - Image capturing and recording method and image attribute information generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a content of an image captured just before may not be grasped in accordance with an operation in an electronic imaging apparatus such as erasing the image captured just before and in the case where such a situation occurs, if an operation for recording additional information while associating the additional information with the image captured just before is performed, the additional information may be erroneously recorded in association with an unintended image.SOLUTION: Additional information is prevented from being erroneously recorded by changing a button configuration on operation equipment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for editing and setting attribute information recorded in association with an image in an image management apparatus that records attribute information in association with an image recorded on a recording medium.

  In recent years, electronic imaging devices such as digital still cameras and digital video cameras that record images taken on a small and lightweight memory card have become widespread. Such an electronic imaging device is multi-functional and can record various attribute information in association with a captured image as well as a captured image (Patent Document 1). For example, character information such as photographer information, shooting location information, and comments can be recorded together with the shot image. The attribute information associated with the photographed image is used, for example, as information for searching for a target image when performing editing work.

  Generally, attribute information is edited using a computer and recorded on a memory card before photographing. Then, the memory card is attached to the electronic imaging apparatus, the attribute information is read from the memory card, and the read attribute information is recorded in association with the captured image. The read attribute information or the attribute information recorded in association with the photographed image cannot be added, modified, or corrected by a simple operation in the electronic imaging apparatus. That is, a computer is required to easily perform the attribute information change process. However, using a computer has a problem that portability is low and the operation of removing the memory card is troublesome.

  On the other hand, in the field of computers, tablet PCs are widely used as portable computers having a touch panel display and an input unit. Many tablet PCs have a wireless function, and various data can be transferred wirelessly. In the field of mobile phones, smartphones having a touch-panel display and input unit and a wireless function are widespread, and similarly, data can be transferred wirelessly.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 2, a wireless function is installed in the image capturing apparatus, and attribute information edited by a tablet PC or a smartphone having excellent portability is transferred to the image capturing apparatus using the wireless communication, so that the attribute information It is disclosed that the change process can be easily performed.

  Among them, a means for selecting whether to associate attribute information with an already recorded image or to record attribute information with an image to be taken is performed by an operation on the electronic imaging apparatus. This is a troublesome work in a busy shooting site and has a problem that it may lead to an erroneous operation. Another problem is that the next shooting cannot be started during a series of processes in which the attribute information is selected on the tablet PC or the like, the attribute information is edited with a tablet PC, transferred to the electronic imaging device, and recorded. there were. Therefore, instead of an operation on the electronic imaging apparatus, an image management apparatus that selects whether to associate the attribute information with the image recorded immediately before by the tablet PC or to associate with the image to be captured and transfers the attribute information to the electronic imaging apparatus. Has been proposed.

JP 2004-273076 A JP 2003-188950 A

  However, the conventional example described above does not prevent erroneous operation at a busy shooting site.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image management apparatus that can prevent a user from accidentally associating and recording attribute information with an unintended image.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention,
In the image recording device,
A receiving means for receiving image attribute information from outside;
Mode switching means for switching the operation mode of whether to add the image attribute information received by the receiving means to the recorded image information or to the image information to be recorded next;
When the image attribute information is acquired by the receiving means, a reception history determining means for determining whether it was the first reception after power-on,
When the image attribute information is acquired by the receiving unit, an image information recording state determining unit that determines whether there is already recorded image information;
In accordance with the determination by the reception history determination unit and the image information recording state determination unit, it has an automatic mode selection unit that performs mode switching by the switching unit,
According to the timing of attribute information transmission, the mode for automatically adding attribute information is switched, and it is possible to automatically add information to an image intended by the user.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The automatic mode selection means is the first reception after the power-on judgment result by the reception history judgment means, and when the judgment result by the image information recording state judgment means includes recorded image information, a recorded image The mode switching means switches to the mode to be added to the information, and it is possible to reflect the user's operation intention more reliably.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The recorded image includes both the recorded image information and the image information being recorded, and timing adjustment is possible when moving image information is captured.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The recorded image does not include image information being recorded, and provides another means for timing adjustment when moving image information is captured.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The receiving means receives forced mode information added to image attribute information and transmits the information, and can acquire information when a user desires an operation other than automatic setting.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The automatic mode selection means is characterized in that when forced mode information is received by the receiving means, mode switching is performed in accordance with the forced mode information. When the user desires an operation other than automatic setting, the desired operation is performed. The mode can be switched according to the mode.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
A user who operates the external device by transmitting the current setting mode information to the external device, characterized by having a transmission unit capable of transmitting the mode setting state set by the automatic mode selection unit to the outside. It is possible to notify the status information to.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
Transmitting means for transmitting image attribute information generated in the image attribute information generating apparatus to an external device, mode information acquiring means for acquiring setting information of an operation mode for adding image attribute information in the external device, and transmitting by the transmitting means When the operation mode setting acquired by the mode information acquisition means at the time of the previous transmission is different from the current operation mode setting, the display has a display means for indicating that the operation mode is unintended. Thus, it is possible to prevent the receiving side from processing the image attribute information.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
When the display by the display means is performed, it is possible to transmit information on the operation mode in addition to the image attribute information, and the receiving side tries to process the image attribute information in an operation not intended by the user. Information can be sent to the receiving side.

Furthermore, according to the present invention,
The user has selection means capable of selecting the current operation mode and a mode different from the current mode, and when a mode different from the current mode is selected, the current mode is used as information regarding the operation mode. It is possible to transmit mode information different from the mode, and when the receiving side tries to process the image attribute information in an operation not intended by the user, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the receiving side.

  According to the image attribute information generation device of the present invention, depending on the usage of the user, whether the attribute information is associated with the already recorded image or whether the attribute information is associated with the image that is about to be captured. It is possible to select an image to which attribute information is added, and to prevent erroneous operation at a busy shooting site.

2 is a hardware block diagram of the digital video camera 100. FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of a mobile terminal 200. FIG. 6 is a flowchart when attribute information is received by the digital video camera 100. 6 is a flowchart at the time of transmission of an attribute information processing mode of the digital video camera 100. It is an example of a display of the attribute information setting screen of the portable terminal 200. It is a flowchart at the time of attribute information transmission of the portable terminal.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show an example of the configuration of an image management apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. The image management apparatus can be configured using the digital video camera 100 (camcorder) shown in FIG. 1 and the portable terminal (200) shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, the following components are connected to the control unit 10. An image compression / decompression unit 11, an imaging unit 12, an image processing unit 13, a wireless communication unit 14, a display unit 15, an operation unit 16, a ROM 17, a RAM 18, and a removable recording medium I / F (19). The control unit and each component unit can exchange data with each other.

  The control unit 10 is a system control unit that controls the overall system of the digital video camera 100. The control unit 10 develops and executes the program recorded in the ROM 17 on the RAM 18 to control each component, and executes a flowchart described later. The ROM 17 is a nonvolatile recording medium and stores a program executed by the control unit 10. The RAM 18 is a volatile recording medium used as a work memory for the control unit 10.

  The RAM 18 performs image data captured by the image capturing unit 12 and subjected to image processing by the image processing 13 or image data read from the removable recording medium 20, and image data is compressed or expanded by the image compression / decompression unit 11. For this reason, it is also used as a VRAM that is temporarily stored for display on the display unit 15. Furthermore, it is also used as a RAM for temporarily storing attribute information to be recorded in association with the captured image. The attribute information can be received from the mobile terminal 200 from the wireless communication unit 24.

  The digital video camera 100 can be loaded with a recording medium for recording image data. For this purpose, an interface of a detachable recording medium I / F (19) is provided. The removable recording medium I / F (19) is a slot into which a removable recording medium such as a memory card can be inserted. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the removable recording medium (20) is attached to the removable recording medium I / F (19). The digital video camera 100 has been described with the configuration in which the image data is recorded on a detachable recording medium. However, a configuration in which the detachment is impossible and the image data is recorded in a memory built in the digital video camera 100 is also conceivable.

  The image processing unit 13 performs predetermined pixel interpolation, resizing processing, and color conversion processing on the image data captured by the imaging unit 12. In addition, the image processing unit 19 performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and the control unit 10 performs various controls (exposure control, auto white balance) related to imaging by the imaging unit 12 based on the obtained calculation result. Control).

  The image compression / decompression unit 11 performs a process of compressing the image data processed by the image processing unit 19 and a process of expanding the image data read from the removable recording medium 20. The imaging unit 12 includes a photographic lens (including a zoom lens and a focus lens) and an imaging element, images a subject under the control of the control unit 10, and acquires image data such as a still image and moving image data.

  The display unit 15 is a display for displaying various setting states, images picked up by the image pickup unit 12, images read out from a detachable recording medium, and reproduced based on the control of the control unit 10. It is configured as a display in a view-type finder or a vari-angle LCD monitor.

  The operation unit 16 includes a power switch for supplying power to the digital video camera 100, a shooting start button, a mode switching button that can be switched to a camera mode (shooting mode) and a playback mode, and the like. Part. When the operation unit 16 includes a touch panel, the control unit 10 can detect the following operations on the touch panel. Touching the touch panel with a finger or a pen (hereinafter referred to as touchdown). The touch panel is touched with a finger or a pen (hereinafter referred to as touch-on).

  The touch panel is moved while being touched with a finger or a pen (hereinafter referred to as a move). The finger or pen that was touching the touch panel is released (hereinafter referred to as touch-up). A state where nothing is touched on the touch panel (hereinafter referred to as touch-off). The control unit 10 is notified of these operations and the position coordinates where the finger or pen touches the touch panel, and the control unit 10 determines what operation has been performed on the touch panel based on the notified information. . Regarding the move, the moving direction of the finger or pen moving on the touch panel can also be determined for each vertical component / horizontal component on the touch panel based on the change of the position coordinates.

  It is also assumed that a stroke is drawn when touch-up is performed on the touch panel through a certain move from touch-down. The operation of drawing a stroke quickly is called a flick. A flick is an operation of quickly moving a certain distance while touching a finger on the touch panel and then releasing it, in other words, an operation of quickly tracing a finger on the touch panel. If it is detected that the moving is performed at a predetermined speed or more over a predetermined distance, and a touch-up is detected as it is, it can be determined that a flick has been performed. In addition, when it is detected that the movement is performed at a predetermined distance or more and less than a predetermined speed, it is determined that the drag has been performed.

  The touch panel may be any of various types of touch panels such as a resistive film method, a capacitance method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, an image recognition method, and an optical sensor method. .

  The wireless communication unit 14 transmits and receives data to and from an external device such as an external camera or a personal computer based on the control of the control unit 10. The data transmits setting information and operation information of the digital video camera 100, and receives command information for operating the digital video camera 100, attribute information recorded together with image data, and the like. Data that can be transmitted and received includes digital image data and analog video signals.

  In FIG. 2, the following components are connected to the control unit 21. Display unit 22, operation unit 23, wireless communication unit 24, ROM 25, RAM 26. The control unit and each component unit can exchange data with each other.

  The control unit 21 is a system control unit that controls the entire system of the mobile terminal 200. The control unit 21 develops and executes the program recorded in the ROM 25 on the RAM 26, thereby controlling each component and executes a flowchart described later. The ROM 25 is a nonvolatile recording medium and stores a program executed by the control unit 21. The RAM 26 is a volatile recording medium used as a work memory for the control unit 21.

  The display unit 22 is a display for displaying various setting states and data (including digital image data and analog video signals) received from the wireless communication unit 24 based on the control of the control unit 10. The operation unit 23 is an operation unit that receives an operation from the user, such as a power switch for supplying power to the mobile terminal 200. The operation unit 23 includes a touch panel as with the operation unit 16.

  The wireless communication unit 24 transmits and receives data to and from an external device such as an external camera or a personal computer based on the control of the control unit 21. The data receives setting information and operation information of the digital video camera 100, and transmits command information for operating the digital video camera 100, attribute information to be recorded together with image data, and the like. Data that can be transmitted and received includes digital image data and analog video signals.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a process flow of attribute information after the attribute information is received by the wireless communication unit 14 after the power is turned on.

  When the attribute information is received (S301), it is determined whether or not the mandatory attribute information processing mode set on the mobile terminal (200) side is included in the received information (S302). If it is, proceed to S304. In S303, the current attribute information processing mode is switched to the mode set in the compulsory attribute information processing mode. In S304, it is determined whether or not the attribute information processing mode is a mode to be added to the image information scheduled to be recorded next. If so, the process proceeds to S306; otherwise, the process proceeds to S305.

  In S305, the received attribute information is added to the recorded image and recorded, and the process ends (S307). In S306, the attribute information is backed up to be added to the image information scheduled to be recorded next, and the process ends (S307). FIG. 4 is a flow of information transmission when the camera body enters a communication state with an external device.

  This process is basically performed at regular intervals. When the process starts (S401), it is determined whether or not the attribute information has been received after the power is turned on (S402). If it has been received, the process proceeds to S406 and the attribute information processing mode is maintained. If it has not been received, the process proceeds to step S403. In S403, it is determined whether there is image information recorded immediately before. Here, the moving image information being recorded may be handled as the image information recorded immediately before. Alternatively, it may be handled as image information to be recorded next time. If there is a recorded image, the process proceeds to S404. If not, the process proceeds to S405.

  In S404, the mode is switched to a mode in which attribute information is added to the image information recorded immediately before. In S405, the mode is switched to a mode in which attribute information is added to image information to be recorded next time. The above mode switching is performed, the mode information is transmitted in S407, and the process is terminated (S408).

  FIG. 5 is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 22 of the mobile terminal 200 when the external device control mode is entered. Here, a screen for performing an operation of transmitting attribute information edited by the mobile terminal 200 to the digital video camera 100 will be described. The attribute information editing screen 400 is a screen for performing an operation of editing attribute information recorded in association with a clip shot by the digital video camera 100 and transmitting data to the digital video camera 100. The user operates the cross key included in the operation unit 23 to edit each item. The clip title 401 is a field for inputting a clip title.

  A photographer 402 is a field for inputting a photographer who photographed a clip. The shooting location 403 is a field for inputting the shooting location of the clip. The shooting content is a field for inputting the shooting content of the clip. A Trans To Cam button 405 is a button for transmitting input attribute information to the digital video camera 100 via the wireless communication unit 24. The additional mode status display 406 displays the current attribute information processing mode on the camera body side indicating whether the input attribute information is added to the image information captured immediately before or added to the image information to be captured. In the case of the mode added to the image information captured immediately before, “Next Clip”, and in the mode added to the image information captured from now on, Prev.Clip is described.

  The transmission confirmation screen 410 is a confirmation screen that is displayed when the addition mode state at the time of previous transmission is changed when the button 405 is clicked on the attribute information editing screen 400. Here, the additional mode that was automatically switched is presented to the user, and if it is acceptable to keep that mode, OK is displayed. If the mode is switched, the other button is clicked to send the attribute information along with the forced attribute. The information processing mode information is also added and transmitted.

  Each process in FIG. 6 is realized by the control unit 21 configuring the mobile terminal 200 developing a program stored in the ROM 25 on the RAM 26 and executing the program.

  When the process is started (S601), the attribute information set on the screen 400 is acquired (S602). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the attribute information processing mode has changed since the previous transmission (S603). If there is no change, the process proceeds to S607, and if there is a change, the process proceeds to S604.

  In S604, a transmission confirmation screen 410 is displayed. As a result, the input from the user is discriminated (S605), and if the processing mode is switched, the process proceeds to S606, and if there is no switching, the process proceeds to S607. In S606, the compulsory attribute information processing mode is added to the attribute information to be transmitted. Thereafter, if the attribute information is added in S607, the compulsory attribute information processing mode is transmitted, and the process ends (S608).

(Other examples)
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program This process can be realized. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

10 control unit, 11 image compression / decompression unit, 12 imaging unit, 13 image processing unit,
14 wireless communication unit, 15 display unit, 16 operation unit, 17 ROM, 18 RAM,
19 Removable recording I / F, 20 Removable recording medium, 21 Control unit, 22 Display unit,
23 operation unit, 24 wireless communication unit, 25 ROM, 26 RAM,
40 Removable recording medium detection unit, 50 Removable recording I / F2,
51 Removable recording medium 2, 100 Digital video camera, 200 Mobile terminal,
400 Attribute information setting screen, 410 Attribute information confirmation screen

Claims (12)

A receiving means for receiving image attribute information from outside;
Mode switching means for switching the operation mode of whether to add the image attribute information received by the receiving means to the recorded image information or to the image information to be recorded next;
When the image attribute information is acquired by the receiving means, a reception history determining means for determining whether it was the first reception after power-on,
When the image attribute information is acquired by the receiving unit, an image information recording state determining unit that determines whether there is already recorded image information;
An image photographing / recording apparatus comprising: an automatic mode selection unit that performs mode switching by the switching unit according to the determination by the reception history determination unit and the image information recording state determination unit. The automatic mode selection means is the first reception after the power-on judgment result by the reception history judgment means, and when the judgment result by the image information recording state judgment means includes recorded image information, a recorded image 2. The image shooting / recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit switches to a mode to be added to information. The image recording / recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recorded image includes both recorded image information and image information being recorded. The image recording / recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recorded image does not include image information being recorded. The image capturing / recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit receives forced mode information added to image attribute information and transmitted. 6. The image recording / recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the automatic mode selection unit performs mode switching according to the forced mode information when the reception unit receives the forced mode information. 7. The image recording / recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit a mode setting state set by the automatic mode selection unit to the outside. A transmission means for transmitting the generated image attribute information to an external device;
Mode information acquisition means for acquiring operation mode setting information for adding image attribute information in an external device;
When the transmission is performed by the transmission unit, if the operation mode setting acquired by the mode information acquisition unit at the previous transmission is different from the current operation mode setting, the transmission unit has a display unit that displays a difference. Image attribute information generation device. The image attribute information generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the display by the display unit is performed, information on an operation mode can be transmitted in addition to the image attribute information. The user has selection means capable of selecting the current operation mode and a mode different from the current mode, and when a mode different from the current mode is selected, the current mode is used as information regarding the operation mode. The image attribute information generation device according to claim 9 which transmits mode information different from a mode. The image capturing / recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time after the power is turned on is a timing at which an image capturing mode is activated. The image shooting / recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the mode capable of shooting excludes a standby mode.