JP4348219B2 - Camera phone - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera-equipped mobile phone, and more particularly to a camera-equipped mobile phone that can obtain images related to each other using a plurality of cameras.

  Digital cameras tend to be used more and more widely. Since an image photographed by this digital camera can be digitally processed, it has been proposed to obtain a composite image by combining the images.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that images taken from a plurality of cameras are combined as if they were taken by a single camera to obtain a single image with high accuracy. The connection method is not disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses that a camera and a synthesizing device are remotely located and are synthesized by a synthesizing device using a synthesizing device for a plurality of times taken by the same camera in a state where they are synchronized via the Internet.
JP-A-8-138034 JP 2000-77570 A

  By the way, although camera-equipped mobile phones have been widely used, it has not been proposed to synthesize captured images because the camera-equipped cellular phone is not provided with a high function like a camera. . In addition, when a group moves or gathers, there are often a plurality of camera-equipped mobile phones in the group. For this reason, if a composite image can be obtained with a plurality of camera-equipped mobile phones, the usability of the camera-equipped mobile phone is improved in each stage.

  In view of the above fact, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera-equipped mobile phone that can obtain images that are related to each other using a plurality of devices.

The invention according to claim 1 is a camera-equipped mobile phone having a photographing function, in a state where a plurality of connector connection portions formed on the side wall of the phone are connected to each other and the connector connection portions are connected to each other. And a control means capable of controlling so as to share and process images related to each other, and the connector connecting portion has a rotation shaft that can change an angle between adjacent telephones. The shooting mode can be switched according to the angle , and the control means can select one of a panoramic shooting mode, a three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and a multi-shot shooting mode when performing shooting processing by sharing a plurality of cameras. Is selectable by the operator .

Accordingly, a camera-equipped mobile phone that can share and capture images that are related to each other with a simple configuration is realized. In addition, it is good also as a mobile telephone with a camera which can be shared and image | photographed with multiple units | sets even if it is not only a still image but a moving image.
In addition, the operator can select and shoot any one of a panoramic shooting mode, a three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and a multi-shot shooting mode.

The invention according to claim 2 is a camera-equipped mobile phone having a photographing function, in a state where a plurality of connector connecting portions formed on the side wall of the phone and connecting the phones to each other are connected by the connector connecting portion, And a control means capable of controlling so as to share and process images related to each other, and the connector connecting portion has a rotation shaft that can change an angle between adjacent telephones. The shooting mode can be switched according to the angle, and the control means can perform panoramic shooting mode, three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and multi-shot shooting according to the angle when performing shooting processing by sharing with a plurality of cameras. The shooting mode is switched to any one of the modes.

  Accordingly, a camera-equipped mobile phone that can share and capture images that are related to each other with a simple configuration is realized. In addition, it is good also as a mobile telephone with a camera which can be shared and image | photographed with multiple units | sets even if it is not only a still image but a moving image.
  Further, the shooting mode can be switched to any one of the panorama shooting mode, the three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and the multi-shot shooting mode without any operation by the operator.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the connector connecting portion is formed on both side walls of the telephone, and three or more can be connected.

  As a result, it is possible to take three or more images that are related to each other, and a camera-equipped mobile phone with higher functionality is realized.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the connector connecting portions are connected in a male-type relationship and a female-type relationship.

  As a result, they can be easily connected to each other, and convenience is improved.

  In the invention according to claim 5, when a plurality of connectors are connected at the connector connecting portion, the number of telephones that can be input by the operator is limited to one and is set as a master telephone, and the operation of all the remaining telephones The control means is provided with interlocking means for interlocking with the operation of the master telephone.

  Thereby, the operativity in a connection state is remarkably good.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to realize a camera-equipped mobile phone that can obtain images related to each other using a plurality of devices.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described and embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the second and subsequent embodiments, the same components as those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

[First Embodiment]
First, the camera-equipped mobile phone according to the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the camera-equipped cellular phone 10 according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as the cellular phone 10), the lid portion 14 having the display unit 12 capable of displaying an image is rotated to the cellular phone body 16. Installed as possible. The lid 14 is provided with a lens 18 (see FIG. 2) for capturing the subject as an image.

  The mobile phone body 16 is provided with an operation unit 20 on which operation buttons and the like are disposed. And the convex part 24 is formed in the right side wall of the mobile phone main body 16 in a state where the operator points the operating part 20 toward the operator, the concave part 26 is formed in the left side wall, and the convex part 24 is formed in the concave part 26. By being pointed in, it can be mechanically and electrically connected, and as shown in FIG. 2, it can be connected in parallel in the short direction of the mobile phone.

  Note that three or more mobile phones 10 can be connected. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, five mobile phones 10 can be connected.

  FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the electrical system of the mobile phone 40 that is particularly relevant to the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the mobile phone 40 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 41 that controls the overall operation of the mobile phone 40, a ROM 42 that stores various control programs and parameters, and a work area when various control programs are executed. The control is switched according to the RAM 43 used for the communication, the voice communication at the time of the call and the data communication by the packet exchange, and the communication control unit 44 for performing the communication control corresponding to each communication protocol, and the pressing on the numeric keypad and other keys An operation unit 46 that detects an operation and outputs a signal corresponding to the operation to the CPU 41, a display unit 47 that displays various types of information according to display data supplied from the CPU 41, and an audio signal captured by the microphone as digital audio Convert received digital audio data to analog audio signal while converting to data A voice input / output unit 48 that emits sound from a speaker and a communication unit 49 that performs communication corresponding to a predetermined communication protocol between an image display device that forms a composite image and the like are connected to each other by a bus Bus. It is configured.

  The communication control unit 44 modulates a carrier wave with audio data or packet data for transmission under the control of the communication control unit 44, transmits this as a radio signal from the antenna, and transmits a radio signal received from the antenna. A transmitter / receiver 45 that demodulates and restores voice data or packet data is connected.

  Next, mobile phone processing executed by the mobile phone 40 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the mobile phone processing program executed by the CPU 41 built in the mobile phone 40 when a power switch (not shown) of the mobile phone 40 is turned on. The program is stored in advance in a predetermined area of the ROM 42.

  When the power switch is turned on, the mobile phone 10 determines whether or not a plurality of mobile phones 10 are connected (step 60). It should be noted that step 60 is similarly performed when two mobile phones having the power switch turned on in a single state are connected.

  If it is determined in step 60 that the mobile phone 10 is not in the connected state, the process proceeds to step 62 and normal mode processing for handling the mobile phone 10 alone is performed. Note that the normal mode process is the same as the process executed by an existing mobile phone, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  If it is determined in step 60 that the connection state is established, the process proceeds to step 63 to wait for designation of a desired mode by the operator. In the present embodiment, the mode to be specified is either a shooting mode for capturing a captured image from the lens 18 and storing it, or an image display mode for displaying a stored image.

  When the mode is designated, the process proceeds to step 64 to determine whether or not the photographing mode is set. When the shooting mode is designated, the process proceeds to step 66, where an instruction or the like is issued by the CPU 41 so as to switch to the shooting mode in which the mobile phone 10 connected to the camera is switched to the shooting mode. As a result, among the connected mobile phones, the master mobile phone 10M (hereinafter simply referred to as the master mobile phone) in which only the rightmost mobile phone viewed from the operator with the operation unit 20 facing the operator can be input. 10M). Then, the operation of all the remaining mobile phones (slave mobile phones) is linked to the operation of the master mobile phone 10M by the CPU 41.

  If the shooting mode is not designated, the process proceeds to step 68 to determine whether or not the image display mode is set. When the image display mode is designated, the process proceeds to step 70, and a command is given by the CPU 41 so that the connected mobile phone 10 is in the image display mode. If the image display mode is not designated, the process proceeds to step 63 again to wait for the mode designation.

  If the shooting mode is set and the process proceeds to step 66 and the setting is completed, it waits for designation of any variation in the shooting mode.

  That is, first, step 72 is performed to determine whether or not the panorama shooting mode is set. When the panorama shooting mode is designated, the mode is switched to the panorama shooting mode (step 74).

  If the panoramic shooting mode is not designated, step 76 is performed to determine whether or not it is a three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode using parallax. When the 3D stereoscopic mode is designated, the mode is switched to the 3D stereoscopic mode (step 78).

  When the 3D stereoscopic shooting mode is not designated, step 80 is performed to determine whether or not the multi-shot shooting mode (continuous shooting mode) is set. When the multi-shot shooting mode is designated, the mode is switched to the multi-shot shooting mode (step 82). If the multi-shot shooting mode is not designated, the same steps are repeated again from step 72, and the mode designation is waited.

  When the processing is completed after moving to step 74, that is, when the panorama shooting mode is switched, when the shutter switch of the master mobile phone 10M is pressed (step 84), each mobile phone 10 takes a picture in synchronization (step 84). Step 86). And the image which comprises the panoramic image shared and image | photographed with each mobile telephone is displayed on the display part 12 of each mobile telephone (step 88. Refer FIG. 6).

  Similarly, when the process proceeds to step 78 and the processing is completed, that is, when the mode is switched to the 3D stereoscopic mode, when the shutter switch of the master mobile phone 10M is turned on (step 84), each mobile phone 10 is Photographing is performed synchronously (step 86). Then, an image constituting a three-dimensional stereoscopic image taken by each mobile phone is displayed on the display unit 12 of each mobile phone (step 88, see FIG. 7).

  When the processing is terminated after moving to step 82, that is, when the mode is switched to the multi-shot shooting mode, when the shutter switch of the master mobile phone 10M is turned on (step 94), each mobile phone 10 sets the shutter timing. The image is taken while being shifted by a certain time (step 96). And the image which comprises the continuous shooting image shared and image | photographed by each mobile telephone is displayed on the display part 12 of each mobile telephone (step 88. Refer FIG. 8).

  In any case of panoramic photography, three-dimensional stereoscopic photography, and multi-shot photography, after performing step 88, it is displayed whether or not the storage destination of the image is set to each mobile phone (step 100).

  When the operation unit 20 inputs data so as to be stored in each mobile phone, each mobile phone stores the image in the ROM 42 with tag information (step 102).

  When the operation unit 20 does not input so as to store in each mobile phone, the screen is switched to a screen for inputting the mobile phone of the image storage destination (step 104). Then, the image is stored in the ROM 42 of the mobile phone that stores the image (step 106). Note that the master mobile phone 10M is often designated.

  After the image storage is completed, an input is waited for whether or not to end the shooting mode with a plurality of units (step 108). If the shooting mode with a plurality of cameras is not terminated, the process returns to step 72 to perform the next shooting. When the photographing mode with a plurality of cameras is to be ended, an input is waited for whether or not to specify the image display mode with a plurality of cameras (step 110). When the image display mode is designated, the process proceeds to step 70. If not specified, the operation is terminated (step 112).

  Thereafter, on a dedicated image display device capable of connecting and synthesizing images, based on the image data stored in the mobile phone, a panoramic image (see FIG. 6), a three-dimensional stereoscopic image (see FIG. 7), or The continuous shot image (see FIG. 8) is displayed and printed out. When using this image display device, the mobile phone may be directly connected to send image data, or the mobile phone 10 may automatically transfer the image data to a removable medium.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the convex portion 24 is formed on the right side wall of the mobile phone main body 16 and the concave portion 26 is formed on the left side wall, which can be easily connected to each other. Has improved.

  Then, in a connected state, each mobile phone shares and shoots, so that a panoramic image with expandability, a three-dimensional stereoscopic image with stereoscopicity, or a continuous shot image with continuity is obtained. Imaging for forming can be performed.

  Further, when each mobile phone is connected, only the master mobile phone 10M can be input, and the operations of all the remaining mobile phones are linked to the operations of the master mobile phone 10M. Therefore, the operability in the connected state is remarkably good.

  Furthermore, when image data is shared and stored by each mobile phone, it is stored as an image file with tag information, thereby clearly indicating that the image file is saved by synchronous shooting or continuous shooting. Has been. Therefore, when reproducing an image, a necessary image file can be easily taken out, and the versatility and affinity of the image file can be obtained. It should be noted that the same effect can be obtained even if the associated tag information is stored in addition to the tag information.

  In the state where the mobile phone 10 is connected, the image data stored in the ROM 42 may be moved or copied. Thereby, cooperation with a camera-equipped mobile phone that is not used at the time of photographing is improved, and manageability is also improved.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a camera-equipped mobile phone according to a second embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, in the mobile phone with camera 130 of the second embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as the mobile phone 130), the second recess 136 is further provided on the right side wall of the mobile phone main body 136 as compared with the first embodiment. A second convex portion 134 is formed on the left side wall to be engaged with the second concave portion 136.

  Thereby, it is easy to connect the mobile phone 130 mechanically firmly, and the load on the convex portion 24 and the concave portion 26 can be greatly reduced.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a camera-equipped mobile phone according to a third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the camera-equipped cellular phone 140 (hereinafter simply referred to as the cellular phone 140) of the third embodiment is provided with a rotatable pivot shaft 148 on the right side wall of the cellular phone body 146. The convex portion 24 is provided so as to protrude from the side wall of the rotating shaft 148.

  The rotating shaft 148 is provided such that a part of the cylindrical side wall comes out of the case 146 of the mobile phone main body 146, and the case 146 has an opening for exposing a part of the rotating shaft 148. ing.

  The angular range in which the rotation shaft 148 can be rotated is determined by the rotation angle until the convex portion 24 contacts the opening edge 150E of the opening.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the angle θ formed by the adjacent mobile phones 140A and 140B can be changed within the above angle range.

  Accordingly, for example, when the angle θ becomes a predetermined angle, the structure is configured to be locked together with the click sound. When θ is large, the panorama shooting mode is selected, and when θ is 0, the three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode or the multi-shot shooting mode is set. It is possible to switch to a mode.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, these embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

It is a perspective view of the mobile phone with a camera of a 1st embodiment. It is a back perspective view which shows the state which connected two mobile telephones with a camera of 1st Embodiment. It is a back perspective view which shows the state which connected the five mobile telephones with a camera of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram especially of the electric system of the mobile phone with camera of the first embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the mobile telephone processing program performed in 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows obtaining a panoramic image using the image data image | photographed with the mobile phone with a camera of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows obtaining a three-dimensional stereo image using the image data image | photographed with the mobile telephone with a camera of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows obtaining a continuous-shot image using the image data image | photographed with the mobile phone with a camera of 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the mobile telephone with a camera of 2nd Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the mobile phone with a camera of a 3rd embodiment. FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic views as seen from the short direction of the camera-equipped mobile phone, showing that the angle formed between the camera-equipped mobile phones of the third embodiment is variable. FIG.

10 Mobile phone with camera 10M Master mobile phone (master phone)
24 Convex part (connector connection part)
26 Recess (Connector connection)
41 CPU (control means, interlocking means)
42 ROM (control means, interlocking means)
130 Mobile phone with camera 134 Second convex portion 136 Second concave portion 140 Mobile phone with camera

Claims (5)

A mobile phone with a camera having a photographing function,
A connector connecting portion formed on the side wall of the telephone and connecting the telephones to each other;
In a state where a plurality of connectors are connected at the connector connecting portion, control means that can be controlled so as to share and process images related to each other by a plurality of devices,
Have
The connector connecting portion has a rotation shaft that enables an angle formed between adjacent telephones to be changed,
The shooting mode can be switched according to the angle ,
The control means enables the operator to select one of a panoramic shooting mode, a three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and a multi-shot shooting mode when performing shooting processing with a plurality of cameras. Phone.   A mobile phone with a camera having a photographing function,
  A connector connecting portion formed on the side wall of the telephone and connecting the telephones to each other;
  In a state where a plurality of connectors are connected at the connector connecting portion, control means that can be controlled so as to share and process images related to each other by a plurality of devices,
  Have
  The connector connecting portion has a rotation shaft that enables an angle formed between adjacent telephones to be changed,
  The shooting mode can be switched according to the angle,
  The control unit switches the shooting mode to any one of a panoramic shooting mode, a three-dimensional stereoscopic shooting mode, and a multi-shot shooting mode according to the angle when shooting is performed with a plurality of cameras. Mobile phone. The camera-equipped mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the connector connecting portion is formed on both side walls of the phone, and three or more can be connected. The camera-equipped mobile phone according to claim 1 , wherein the connector connecting portions are connected to each other in a male type and a female type relationship. When multiple units are connected at the connector connection section, the number of telephones that can be input by the operator is limited to one and is set as a master telephone, and the operations of all the remaining telephones are linked to the operations of the master telephone. The camera-equipped mobile phone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an interlocking means is provided in the control means.

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