JP4306251B2 - Information terminal with camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information terminal device with a camera. Specifically, in addition to the information terminal processing system that downloads information from external peripherals such as personal computers and displays it on the display unit, the subject image captured by the built-in imaging system is displayed intermittently on the same display unit An imaging camera processing system for controlling the information terminal processing system and the imaging camera processing system, an interface unit for controlling the imaging camera processing system from the information terminal processing system, and an imaging camera. By providing an interface unit for displaying image information obtained by the processing system on the display unit, it is possible to intermittently display the subject image while reducing the load on each control unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A terminal that can share the functions held by each terminal device and exchange information by connecting another portable terminal device to a portable terminal device or mounting it inside. The device is known. For example, a digital camera is mounted on a mobile phone (for example, Patent Document 1), a digital camera is connected to a portable information terminal device (PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), and an image taken by the camera is recorded on the information terminal device. What was made to display is known (for example, patent document 2).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-176572 A [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-141977
Patent Document 2 is an example in which an external digital camera is connected to an information terminal device, but in order to incorporate this, a configuration as shown in FIG. 2 is conceivable.
In FIG. 2, an information terminal device with a built-in camera (hereinafter referred to as an information terminal device with a camera) 10 has a control unit 12 having a CPU configuration that controls the entire device. The control unit 12 performs processing as an information terminal, that is, various types of information processing such as e-mail processing, address book, schedule management, audio processing for recording and reproducing media such as music, and processing of a digital camera. The digital camera processing includes imaging processing, compression processing of captured imaging signals, imaging signal display processing, and the like.
[0005]
Therefore, the control unit 12 is connected with a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display unit) 14 capable of input selection by a stylus with a pen (not shown) as an information processing function, and connected to an external peripheral device such as a personal computer. There is provided a transmission / reception processing unit 16 for performing communication between them and transferring information. Further, an information processing unit 18 for processing various kinds of information stored in an internal memory means (RAM or the like) and displaying the information on the display unit 14 is provided.
[0006]
Further, an image pickup system 22 for picking up the subject image 20 is provided. The image pickup signal obtained here is subjected to, for example, compression processing in the image pickup signal processing system 24, and the image pickup signal subjected to the compression processing is stored in a memory means (RAM etc.) 26. At the same time, it is displayed on the display unit 14.
A part of the image signal picked up by the image pickup system 22 is intermittently displayed on the display unit 14 as a still image.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the case of the configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the camera processing must be performed in addition to the information processing by one control unit 12, so the processing speed is inevitably slowed down. In particular, although the image displayed on the display unit 14 is intermittent, image information of about 10 frames per second is sent to the display unit 14 while maintaining a certain level of image quality, so that continuous image display processing is performed by processing inherent to the apparatus. If execution is performed in parallel with certain information processing, the load on the control unit 12 increases. The image quality of a certain level refers to an image quality as required by a normal digital camera and having a resolution of about 320 × 240 pixels as the number of pixels after compression processing.
[0008]
When an image signal having such an image quality is sent to the display unit 14 and information terminal processing and imaging camera processing are processed asynchronously, the load on the control unit (central processing unit CPU) 12 alone becomes large. Therefore, the image display processing speed is also slowed down. As a result, transmission processing and display processing of about several frames per second are limited. This makes the movement of the image displayed on the display unit 14 unnatural. In addition, it is preferable that the display unit 14 functions as an electronic viewfinder when capturing a subject image. Therefore, it is difficult to say that the display unit 14 functions sufficiently as an electronic viewfinder when continuous image display is not possible. is there.
[0009]
Even in Patent Document 1, the image quality of the image displayed on the display unit is inferior to that of a normal digital camera, and only a still image of about several frames per second is displayed. Raise the problem.
[0010]
Therefore, the present invention solves such a conventional problem, and proposes an information terminal device with a camera that can process and display moving image-like imaging information without particularly degrading image quality. is there.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, in the information terminal device with a camera according to the first aspect of the present invention, the displayed internal information is selected and the external information performed with the external terminal is displayed on the display unit. A first control unit that controls the information terminal processing system that can display the image, and an image that converts the optical image obtained by capturing the subject image into an imaging signal and can display the subject image on the display unit Obtained by imaging with a second control unit that controls the camera processing system, a first interface unit that exchanges data between the first and second control units, and the imaging camera processing system A second interface unit for displaying the subject image related to the imaging signal on the display unit as an electronic viewfinder, and the first control unit is supplied via the second interface unit. Imaging signal An object image displayed on the display unit as an electronic viewfinder about, the second control unit is supplied through the first interface unit from said first control unit of the information terminal processing system instructions and it controls the imaging camera processing system including the second interface unit based on.
[0012]
In this invention, as a control unit (central processing unit) that controls the entire apparatus, a control unit (first control unit) that mainly performs terminal processing of information and a control unit (second control unit) that mainly performs camera imaging processing. The processing load generated asynchronously is reduced by dividing the control unit).
[0013]
The first control unit performs normal information terminal processing. Specifically, general information terminal processing such as input selection by the display unit, image display processing, information acquisition from external devices, and display processing is performed. Do. On the other hand, camera control, particularly optical system processing such as zoom processing and aperture processing, imaging processing, and camera control processing such as compression processing by a digital signal processor (DSP) are performed by the second control unit. . If camera imaging processing including processing of the optical system is necessary, the first control unit and the second control unit are connected by an interface, and zoom processing and imaging processing for the optical system, and further a DSP. A command (command) to the second control unit for the compression processing by the can be executed via the first control unit. By doing so, the information terminal process and the camera imaging process can be performed independently and independently without affecting each other's processing speed.
[0014]
Apart from these, the imaging signal acquired by the imaging camera processing system is supplied to the display unit via the second interface unit. The second interface unit performs encoding processing as a pre-processing in order to convert it into a signal format necessary for displaying an image on the display unit. The second interface unit is connected to the processing system and the first control unit, respectively. Supplied to the display unit. Since only the display process needs to be executed in the first control unit, the processing load is not excessive.
[0015]
By newly providing such a display processing system, it is possible to send an imaging signal close to a moving image and display it as a subject image. That is, for example, an image of about 10 frames per second can be displayed while maintaining an image quality (in the case of a compressed image) of about (320 × 240 pixels). Since this image display processing does not interfere with the original information terminal processing or camera imaging processing, it is possible to display a moving subject image on the display unit although it is intermittent. Can sufficiently function as an electronic viewfinder.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of an information terminal device with a camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a system diagram of a main part of a portable information terminal device 10 with a camera according to the present invention. The information terminal device 10 with a camera comprises an information terminal system 10A and an imaging camera processing system 10B.
[0017]
The information terminal system 10A has a function similar to that of a so-called portable terminal device (PDA), and includes a control unit (first control unit) 30 including a CPU that controls the entire information terminal process. An operating system (OS) for performing information terminal processing, a program for an application (driver accessory), and the like are all stored in the ROM 31.
[0018]
A display unit 32 using a liquid crystal display element or the like is provided in association with the first control unit 30. The display unit 32 is configured as a display unit also serving as an input, and can select a specific menu from a menu screen displayed on the display unit 32 or input specific characters, symbols, and the like. A stylus 34 with a pen is used for menu selection and character input.
[0019]
A USB interface connector 36 provided in the apparatus main body is connected to a transmission / reception unit 38 for transmitting / receiving data, and data downloaded from an external device such as a personal computer via the transmission / reception unit 38 or data read from the recording means 44. Are stored in the RAM 39 as the memory means provided in the inside under the control of the first control unit 30, or displayed on the display unit 32, or processed (added, deleted, etc.) while displayed. Correction processing). Therefore, a data processing unit 40 for processing is provided in association with the first control unit 30 as necessary. The processed data is stored in the RAM 39 or recorded in the recording means 44. The recording means 44 can be configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body. In this case, a memory card or the like can be used as the recording means 44.
[0020]
As described above, in order to realize a plurality of functions in the first control unit 30, control processing, input processing, and the like on the display unit 32 are executed on the above-described operating system.
[0021]
The imaging camera processing system 10B is also provided with a control unit (second control unit) 50 constituted by a CPU. The second control unit 50 also performs various camera control processes including image capturing based on the operating system stored in the ROM 52 which is a memory means. For example, in addition to signal processing such as subject imaging to compression, and storing signal processed image information as a file, normal mechanical processing performed in a digital camera is performed.
[0022]
First, the subject image 20 is guided to the optical imaging system 60. The optical imaging system 60 is not a so-called fixed focus type, but a variable focus type, and an optical lens system 62 and an aperture device 64 are provided for this purpose. Both the optical lens system 62 and the diaphragm device 64 are controlled by the driving means 66. The driving means 66 includes a motor and its driver.
[0023]
In this example, which is an image sensor, the subject image 20 whose size and brightness have been adjusted is imaged on a CCD 68 and converted into an image signal (image signal). A CCD driving signal generator (signal generator) 69 is provided to obtain an imaging signal, and both the control for the signal generator 69 and the control for the driving means 66 are output from the second controller 50. This is done by command.
[0024]
The imaging signal is supplied to the signal processing circuit 70. The signal processing circuit 70 is provided with an analog signal processor 72, which performs correlated double sampling processing for noise processing, gain adjustment processing by a programmable gain amplifier for sensitivity adjustment, and luminance signal. Conversion processing to an analog imaging signal composed of Y and color signal C is performed. The analog imaging signal that has been subjected to noise processing and gain adjustment processing is converted into a digital imaging signal having a predetermined number of bits by an A / D converter 74. A digital signal processor (DSP) 76 in the subsequent stage performs compression processing and the like on the digitally converted image signal using a working RAM 78. In this example, a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) system is adopted as a compression example of a high-definition image, and an image pickup signal is compressed by the JPEG system. The compressed imaging signal is stored in the RAM 54 as a memory means in a file format. Starting with the imaging start timing, the various signal processes as described above are performed based on a command from the second control unit 50.
[0025]
The digital image signal before compression supplied to the DSP 76 or the digital image signal compressed by the DSP 76 is supplied to the information terminal system 10A side via the second interface unit 80 and displayed on the display unit 32. Therefore, the display unit 32 functions as an electronic viewfinder (EVF) during imaging. Since the display unit 32 can also be used as an electronic viewfinder during imaging, there is no need to provide a dedicated viewfinder.
[0026]
Therefore, the second interface unit 80 includes a video encoder 82. The digital image data is converted (encoded) by the video encoder 82 into a signal format that can be displayed on the display unit 32 (in this example, R, G, B primary color signals). Thereafter, the digital image data is supplied to the bus converter 84. The bus converter 84 is a buffer means provided in a subsequent stage, in this example, a buffer means 86 in a FIFO (First In First Out) format. Is converted to a bus format that can be received in frame units. The digital image data temporarily stored in the buffer means 86 is supplied to the display unit 32 via the first control unit 30 in units of frames. The image data supplied to the video encoder 82 may be analog data.
[0027]
Here, since the first control unit 30 and the second control unit 50 operate asynchronously, the timing of receiving the digital image data depends on the capturing timing on the first control unit 30 side. As described above, in this example, image data of about 10 frames per second is captured, so that the subject image is displayed on the display unit 32 in units of 10 frames per second. That is, at the time of imaging, the display unit 32 functions as an electronic viewfinder, and specific display image data is taken into the RAM 54 at an appropriate timing (corresponding to a timing when the shutter is pressed) in the display image.
[0028]
The first control unit 30 and the second control unit 50 described above exchange commands and the like via the first interface unit 90. Therefore, the first interface unit 90 includes a first control unit side interface 92 and a second control unit side interface 94, which are internally connected. In this example, they are connected by a USB (Universal Serial Bus), and commands and the like are transmitted / received via the USB. Therefore, in the embodiment, the first control unit side interface 92 functions as a USB host driver, and the second control unit side interface 94 functions as a USB device driver. The USB host driver 92 is controlled by the first control unit 30, and the USB device driver 94 is controlled by the second control unit 50.
[0029]
By providing the first interface unit 90, the first control unit 30 becomes the master of the imaging camera processing system 10B, and the imaging camera processing system 10B is asynchronous, but the command from the information terminal system 10A is set to USB. Will be received through. Accordingly, the camera control (zoom and wide processing, subject capture timing (shutter processing)) for the imaging camera processing system 10B is given a command (command) to the second control unit 50 via the first interface unit 90. . When the capture timing for the subject is instructed, the second control unit 50 executes a compression process, a file storage process, and the like on the imaging signal regardless of the processing of the information terminal system 10A.
When the file storage process is completed, the status information is transmitted to the first control unit 30 via the first interface unit 90. After confirming this status information, an instruction to read out the image file stored in the RAM 54 is issued from the first control unit 30 side via the first interface unit 90. The designated image file is taken into the information terminal system 10A via the first interface unit 90 and stored in, for example, the RAM 39 or the recording unit 44, or displayed on the display unit 32. Since the image data is compressed, the data transfer speed is fast. The stored image file can be transferred to an external device such as a personal computer via the transmission / reception unit 38. Alternatively, by connecting a mobile phone or a modem (both not shown) to the interface connector 36, this image file can be transmitted to the outside as mail attachment information.
[0030]
Here, zooming, wide processing, shutter processing, and the like in the optical imaging system 60 described above are performed by instructing corresponding keys from the operation key group (software display keys) displayed on the display unit 32 with the stylus 34 with a pen. Is called. These key input units (not shown) may be provided in the main body of the apparatus in association with the first control unit 30, and this key input unit may be operated.
[0031]
In addition, the outputs of the video encoder 82 and other outputs of the USB host driver 92 and the USB device driver 94 can be displayed directly on the display unit 32 via the first control unit 30 as shown in FIG. The data can also be stored in the RAM 39 or the recording means 44 via the first control unit 30.
[0032]
The above processing is organized as follows.
First, the subject imaging mode is selected using the pen-equipped stylus 34 when the subject is imaged. An instruction for the imaging mode is sent from the first control unit 30 side to the second control unit 50 via the first interface unit 90. When an imaging condition instruction such as zooming or wide is input, the second control unit 50 performs all processing for imaging processing based on the instruction from the second control unit 50. In the process of imaging the subject, control such as control on the driver 66, control of the image sensor 68 by the signal generator 69, and control such as analog and digital processing frequently occur. These frequently occurring controls are performed only by the second control unit 50, and the processing is separated from the information terminal processing system 10A, so that the processing load of the second control unit 50 is increased. There is nothing wrong.
[0033]
Further, the processing in the second interface unit 80 is also performed by an instruction from the second control unit 50, and the image data is sequentially fetched into the buffer means 86 in accordance with the processing timing of the second control unit 50 in units of frames. Then, in accordance with the processing timing on the first control unit 30 side, the image data in the buffer means 86 is read out in units of frames, and the read image data is supplied to the display unit 32 and sequentially displayed as a subject image. . About 10 frames per second are read and displayed.
The display period of the subject image, that is, the period in which the display unit 32 is used as an electronic viewfinder, is executed until a capture instruction (capture instruction to the RAM 54) for the subject image is issued, as will be described later. It is displayed on the display unit 32 continuously for a predetermined time.
[0034]
When capturing (capturing) a subject image, the user sends a capture instruction to the second control unit 50 via the first control unit 30 and the first interface unit 90. When there is a capture instruction, the second control unit 50 instructs the DSP 76 to perform image compression processing and generates image data. The generated image data is filed and stored in the RAM 54. When the storage in the RAM 54 ends, the end status information is transferred to the first control unit 30 side via the first interface unit 90.
[0035]
The image file stored in the RAM 54 is transferred based on an instruction from the first control unit 30 side. On the first control unit 30 side, after confirming the above-mentioned end status information, a file transfer instruction is issued. The recording process for the recording means 44 for the image data transferred to the first control unit 30 side and the transfer process to the outside are performed using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 32.
[0036]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the digital camera is built in the apparatus that mainly performs the information terminal processing according to the present invention has been described. However, the information terminal may be used in a normal digital camera that can perform zoom processing, wide processing, and the like. The present invention can also be applied to a portable information terminal device equipped with a processing function. In this case, the first control unit is controlled via the second control unit.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, the first control unit that performs the information terminal processing and the second control unit that performs the imaging process using the built-in imaging system are provided, and these are connected by the first interface unit. An instruction related to the imaging process is given to the second control unit via the first control unit, and the captured imaging signal is provided in association with the first control unit via the second interface unit. This is supplied to a display unit that also serves as input selection.
[0038]
According to this, although the instruction regarding the imaging process is given to the second control unit via the first control unit, the second control unit is not limited to the information terminal processing content in the first control unit. The imaging process can be executed and the imaging signal can be transmitted to the display unit side. As a result, the subject image can be captured while performing optical imaging processing similar to that of a normal handy video camera, such as a zoom operation. It can be sent to the display unit without being lowered, and has a feature that a more natural subject image can be reproduced on the display unit.
[0039]
In addition, since the image data transferred through the first interface unit is compressed image data, it has the advantage of reducing the data transfer time, and the view at the time of imaging is displayed on the display unit through the second interface unit. Since the finder information can be sent, an effect such as eliminating the need for a special viewfinder can be obtained.
[0040]
Therefore, the present invention is very suitable when applied to an information terminal device with a camera such as a PDA incorporating a digital camera.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an essential part showing an embodiment of an information terminal device with a camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing a conventional example of an information terminal device with a camera.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Information terminal device, 10A ... Information terminal processing system, 10B ... Imaging camera processing system, 30 ... 1st control part, 32 ... Display part, 50 ... 2nd Control unit 60 ... Optical system 68 ... Imaging unit (CCD) 76 ... DSP 80 ... Second interface unit 82 ... Encoder 90 ... First interface , 92... USB host driver, 94... USB device driver

Claims (6)

A first control unit for controlling the information terminal processing system , which selects the displayed internal information and allows external information performed with the external terminal to be displayed on the display unit ;
A second control unit that controls an imaging camera processing system capable of converting an optical image obtained by imaging a subject image into an imaging signal and displaying the subject image on the display unit ;
A first interface unit for exchanging data with the first and second control units;
And a second interface unit for displaying a subject image about the imaging signal obtained by imaging by the imaging camera processing system on the display unit as an electronic view finder,
The first controller is
Displaying a subject image relating to the imaging signal supplied via the second interface unit on the display unit as an electronic viewfinder;
The second controller is
It said information terminal processing system of the first camera with an information terminal for controlling said image pickup camera processing system comprising a control unit based on the supplied instruction through the first interface portion of the second interface unit apparatus. It said first and second control unit, a camera-equipped information terminal apparatus 請 Motomeko 1, wherein that consists in CPU. The first interface unit, a camera-equipped information terminal apparatus 請 Motomeko 1, wherein that consists in USB interface. The first interface unit, the a USB driver which is provided in connection with the first controller, the second structured Ru請 Motomeko 1 described and USB driver provided in association with the control unit Information terminal with camera. The USB driver provided in the first control unit is a host driver,
The first 2 USB driver provided in the control unit of the camera-equipped information terminal apparatus Oh Ru請 Motomeko 4 wherein the device driver. The aforementioned imaging camera processing system, in addition to the optical imaging system, a camera-equipped information terminal apparatus 請 Motomeko 1, wherein it includes a digital signal processor for processing the image pickup signal.

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