JP4224257B2 - Electronic album creation system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for creating an electronic album based on image data taken with a digital camera.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Digital cameras store captured image data in a memory card such as a built-in memory or smart media. A user connects a camera body or a memory card to an information terminal such as a personal computer, saves and reads image data, and prints it on a display screen or a printer.
[0003]
On the other hand, an increasing number of users edit image data independently and publish them on homepages or create electronic albums. In particular, when the number of shots increases, such as when traveling overseas, we have devised to convey the atmosphere of the shooting location by adding comments and a map of the surrounding area so that the shooting location can be understood for each number of shots.
[0004]
In order to meet the demands of users as described above, a system for storing and displaying a shooting location and image data in association with each other has been proposed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 9-179491 and 9-322109, a position detection unit such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) used for an in-vehicle navigation device or a mobile phone is used to digitally A system for creating an electronic album attached on map data by associating camera image data with position coordinates of a shooting location is described. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-126731 describes a system that uses a visitor database that stores visitor data such as map information and displays / outputs an electronic album in association with shooting locations and image data. Yes.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the operation of creating an electronic album by attaching image data on a map is very complicated for the user, and thus the electronic album cannot be easily enjoyed. In addition, this work depends on the skills of individual users, and is difficult for technically unskilled users such as beginners of personal computers.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic album creation system that allows users to enjoy an electronic album more easily.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises position detecting means for detecting position coordinates of a shooting location, and shooting data storage means for storing image data, shooting date and time, and shooting data including the position coordinates in association with each other. An image data attaching means for attaching the image data to map data in association with the image taking place after collection of the digital camera, and an electronic album created by the image data attaching means. And an electronic album storing means for storing.
[0008]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the digital camera is provided with transmission means for transmitting the image data to an Internet server, and the Internet server is provided with an image data storage area for storing the image data. Further, the electronic album storage means is at least one of a storage medium or an electronic album storage area provided in the Internet server, the access of which is restricted by a specific access code.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 and 2 showing an overview of a digital camera, a camera body 3 of the digital camera 2 is provided with a lens barrel 4, an optical viewfinder 5, and a strobe light emitting unit 6. A grip portion 7, a mode dial 8, and a shutter button 9 are provided on the side surface and the upper surface of the camera body 3. A card slot 11 into which the memory card 10 is inserted is provided on the other side surface of the camera body 3, and a color liquid crystal monitor 12 and an operation unit 13 including cross keys and various function buttons are provided on the back side. Yes.
[0010]
FIG. 3 shows an outline of the internal configuration of the digital camera 2. The microcomputer 21 outputs a control signal to each unit in response to an operation signal from the mode dial 8, the shutter button 9, and the operation unit 13. The imaging unit 22 includes a CCD imaging element disposed behind the lens barrel 4 and a CCD drive control unit, and detects an optical image of a subject formed through the photographing lens as an imaging signal. The detected imaging signal is amplified to a certain level by the signal processing circuit 23, subjected to signal processing such as white balance adjustment and γ correction, and then converted to digital image data.
[0011]
The display control unit 24 displays an image on the color liquid crystal monitor 12 based on the image data. The image data output from the signal processing circuit 23 is output to the display control unit 24, and the image of the subject is continuously displayed on the color liquid crystal monitor 12 at the time of shooting. A buffer memory 25 serving as photographing data storage means performs various processes such as writing, reading, and erasing of image data via the microcomputer 21.
[0012]
The microcomputer 21 is connected to a clock circuit 26 and position detection means 27 for detecting the position coordinates of the shooting location. Each image data stores the shooting date and time based on the clock signal from the clock circuit 26. The position detection means 27 performs position detection by a GPS method using radio waves from an artificial satellite, a Loran method using ground waves, or the like, using an antenna (not shown). These image data, shooting date and position coordinates constitute shooting data 34 (see FIG. 4). The photographing data 34 is stored in the buffer memory 25 in association with each other.
[0013]
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the electronic album creation system. The electronic album creation system 31 includes shooting data attachment means 32 and a storage medium 33 as electronic album storage means. The photographic data attachment means 32 creates an electronic album 35 attached to the map data by associating the photographic data 34 stored in the buffer memory 25 with the photographic location. The storage medium 33 is composed of, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-R or a magnetic disk.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 5, the electronic album 35 has a mark 43 (this map) indicating a shooting location on a map 42a (for example, a Japan map, a world map, or a map according to each region) displayed on a display screen 41 of a personal computer or the like. In this case, a camera mark) is displayed (1). When the cursor 44 is placed on the mark 43 and selected, a more detailed map 42b around the shooting location and its surroundings is enlarged and displayed (2). A thumbnail image 45 is displayed on the map 42b at a position corresponding to the shooting direction. When the cursor 44 is placed on the thumbnail image 45 and selected, the photographed image 46 is displayed (3). When there are a plurality of shots at one shooting location, the thumbnail images 45 are displayed in an overlapping manner. Note that a mark indicating a photograph may be displayed without displaying the thumbnail image 45.
[0015]
Next, a series of processing in the electronic album creation system 31 will be described with reference to FIG. Upon receiving an application for use of the digital camera 2 from the user (A), the provider provides the digital camera 2 to the user (B). The user takes a picture with the digital camera 2 (C). After the end of shooting, the user returns the digital camera 2 to the provider (D). After collecting the digital camera 2, the provider reads the photographic data 34 from the buffer memory 25 (E), and creates an electronic album 35 with the photographic data attachment means 32 (F). Then, the created electronic album 35 is stored in the storage medium 33 (G) and distributed to the user (H). The user views the electronic album 35 stored in the storage medium 33 with his / her personal computer (1). As described above, the user can enjoy the electronic album easily after taking the picture with the digital camera 2 without having to create the electronic album by himself / herself.
[0016]
Note that the digital camera 2 may be provided with transmission means for transmitting the photographed data to the Internet server to constitute an electronic album creating system 51 as shown in FIG. The electronic album creating system 51 is provided with an internet server 55 having a photographing data attachment means 52, a storage medium 53, and a photographing data storage area 54. In the shooting data storage area 54, shooting data 57 transmitted via the transmission means 56 of the digital camera 2 is stored. In this case, shooting data 57 obtained by shooting is transmitted to the server 55 as needed by the transmission means 56 (d) and stored in the shooting data storage area 54 (e). The provider creates an electronic album 58 based on the shooting data 57 (f). When shooting is completed, the user notifies the provider via the transmission means 56 (9). The provider saves the electronic album 58 created in response to the storage medium 53 (h) and distributes it to the user (j). In this way, an electronic album can be created without waiting for the return of the digital camera, and the service can be speeded up.
[0017]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, instead of the storage medium, electronic album storage areas 63 and 73 as electronic album storage means may be provided in the servers 64 and 74. In this case, the provider issues a specific access code for accessing the electronic album storage areas 63 and 73 to the user when returning the digital camera. The user accesses the servers 64 and 74 with this access code and views the electronic albums 66 and 76 through the Internet. In this way, it is possible to provide a service that prints out the electronic albums 66 and 76 stored in the electronic album storage areas 63 and 73 according to an order on the Internet and provides them to the user. Note that a storage medium as an electronic album storage unit and an electronic album storage area may be used in combination.
[0018]
An editing function such as adding a comment to a shooting location on a map or a shot image may be added to the electronic album. However, this editing is not performed directly on the image data, but is written as other data. In this way, the edited electronic album can be returned to the provider again, and the provider can print out and provide the user with a service.
[0019]
The provider here corresponds to a retail store handling photo development such as a DPE store on the street. The administrator of the Internet server corresponds to a manufacturer that manufactures and sells digital cameras, memory cards, and the like.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the electronic album creating system of the present invention, the position detection means for detecting the position coordinates of the shooting location and the shooting data storage for storing the shooting data including the image data, the shooting date and time, and the position coordinates in association with each other. Using the collection type digital camera provided with the means, and after collecting the digital camera, the shooting data attaching means for attaching the shooting data to the map data in correspondence with the shooting location, and the shooting data attaching means Since the electronic album storage means for storing the electronic album is provided, the electronic album can be enjoyed more easily.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a digital camera.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the digital camera.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic album creation system and a diagram for explaining a series of processes.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing a configuration example of an electronic album, in which (1) shows a mark indicating a shooting location on a map, and (2) shows a more detailed map of the shooting location and its surroundings. State (3) shows a state in which the photographed image is displayed.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Digital camera 21 Microcomputer 25 Buffer memory 26 Clock circuit 27 Position detection means 31 Electronic album creation system 32 Photographed data attachment means 33 Storage medium (electronic album storage means)
34 shooting data 35 electronic album 42a, 42b map 54 shooting data storage area 55 internet server 63 electronic album storage area (electronic album storage means)

Claims (3)

In a system that creates an electronic album based on image data taken with a digital camera,
Using a collection type digital camera comprising position detection means for detecting the position coordinates of the shooting location, and shooting data storage means for storing the image data, shooting date and time, and shooting data consisting of the position coordinates in association with each other,
After recovery of the digital camera, the imaging data, and attaches imaging data attaching means to a position corresponding to the photographing direction on the map data in pairs to the mark indicating the shooting location, created by the imaging data attaching means electronic An electronic album creation system comprising an electronic album storage means for storing an album. The digital camera is provided with a transmission means for transmitting the shooting data to an Internet server,
2. The electronic album creating system according to claim 1, wherein a shooting data storage area for storing the shooting data is provided in the Internet server.   3. The electronic album storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the electronic album storage means is at least one of a storage medium or an electronic album storage area provided in the Internet server, the access of which is restricted by a specific access code. Electronic album creation system.

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