JP4697927B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is related to imaging equipment capable of transmitting photographed image through a network connected device.

  Recent digital cameras not only have a function of storing a captured digital image in a storage medium such as a memory card, but also the captured digital image via a network interface conforming to IEEE 1394 serial bus, USB (Universal Serial Bus), or the like. And a function of transferring to other devices. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera that transfers a captured digital image to a file server via a wireless LAN card.

In addition, with the spread of networks in recent years, imaging devices that transmit still images and moving images obtained by imaging to other devices via the network have been proposed. In this type of imaging apparatus, in order to transmit data to a desired transmission destination via a network, network connection information including a network environment to be connected and a transmission destination address is referred to. There has been proposed an imaging apparatus having a function of reading a file including such network connection information from an external memory and saving it in a memory in the apparatus itself. There has also been proposed an imaging apparatus having a function of saving network connection information saved in a memory in the apparatus as a single file in an external memory. Furthermore, although the imaging device itself does not have a network connection function, there is an imaging device that can be connected to a network via a network connection device.
JP 2003-283900 A

  In the imaging apparatus described above, only one set of network connection information can be stored. One file can be stored in the external memory. For example, in the case of an imaging apparatus that transmits data over a network via a network device, it is necessary to change the setting contents of the network connection device in order to change the data transmission destination. However, while there are a wide variety of information to be set in the network connection device to connect to the network, in an imaging device that does not have a large-screen liquid crystal like a personal computer and has limited operation members The operation for setting information for connecting to a network in a network connection device is very difficult. That is, it is very difficult to change the setting contents of the network connection device by operating the imaging device. Furthermore, since the imaging apparatus does not have a function for protecting the setting contents, the setting contents may be changed due to an erroneous operation.

  As described above, with the development of network technology, the number of electronic devices having network functions is increasing. However, unlike personal computers, imaging devices that capture, record, and play back still images and moving images are sufficient for users. No operating means are provided. For this reason, it is very difficult to set information in a network connection device for network connection.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of easily changing the setting of the network connection device.

An imaging apparatus according to the present invention is an imaging apparatus having an internal memory for storing a plurality of network setting information, and is a first for enabling a captured image to be transmitted to a device on a network via a network connection device. When causing the imaging apparatus to set network setting information in the network connection device, the user selects the first network setting information from the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory. A first selection screen for displaying the second network setting information, which is one of the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory, is stored in an external memory removable from the imaging apparatus. wherein the plurality of network when to perform the imaging apparatus, which is stored in the internal memory that Second selection screen for selecting the second network setting information to the user from the constant information is displayed, and a third which is one of the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory In order to allow the user to select whether or not to change the network setting information, in order to instruct the imaging apparatus whether or not to change the third network setting information stored in the internal memory. Display means for displaying the third selection screen, setting means for setting the first network setting information selected via the first selection screen in the network connection device, and the second selection screen possess a storage means of said selected second network setting information stored in the external memory via the stored in the internal memory third network When the imaging apparatus is instructed to prohibit changing the setting information via the third selection screen, the third network setting information stored in the internal memory is stored in the external memory. The image pickup apparatus is configured to cancel the prohibition of the change of the third network setting information stored in the internal memory via the third selection screen so as not to be changed by the fourth network setting information. The third network setting information stored in the internal memory can be changed by the fourth network setting information stored in the external memory .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus capable of easily changing the setting of the network connection device.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Configuration of imaging device>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imaging apparatus according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus main body 100, a power supply unit 101, external memories 200 and 210, and a lens unit 300.

  In FIG. 1, 310 is a photographing lens, 311 is an aperture, 121 is a mirror, 12 is a shutter, 14 is an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS sensor that converts an optical image into an electrical signal, and 16 is an analog signal output of the image sensor 14. Is a digital signal. The timing generation circuit 18 is controlled by the memory control circuit 22 and the system control circuit 50, and supplies a clock signal and a control signal to the image sensor 14, the A / D converter 16, and the D / A converter 26.

  The image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined pixel interpolation processing and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 16 or the data from the memory control circuit 22. The image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and the system control circuit 50 performs photometry circuit 40, distance measurement circuit 42, flash 48, aperture control based on the obtained calculation result. The circuit 312 and the distance measurement control circuit 313 are controlled to perform TTL (through the lens) AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing. . Further, the image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using captured image data, and also performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained arithmetic result.

  The memory control circuit 22 controls the A / D converter 16, the timing generation circuit 18, the image processing circuit 20, the image display memory 24, the D / A converter 26, the memory 30, and the compression / decompression circuit 32. Data of the A / D converter 16 is written into the image display memory 24 or the memory 30 via the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22 or directly via the memory control circuit 22.

  Display image data written in the image display memory 24 is displayed by an image display unit 28 such as an LCD or an organic EL display via a D / A converter 26. The electronic viewfinder function can be realized by retracting the mirror 121 and sequentially displaying the image data captured by the image sensor on the image display unit 28. In the present embodiment, either a mode in which the mirror 121 is set at the illustrated position and the optical finder 104 is used, or a mode in which the mirror 121 is retracted and the electronic finder function is used can be selected. Further, the image display unit 28 can arbitrarily turn on / off the display according to an instruction from the system control circuit 50. When the display is turned off, the power consumption of the apparatus main body 100 can be significantly reduced. it can.

  The memory 30 is a storage device for storing captured still images and moving images, and has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined time of moving images. Therefore, even in continuous shooting or panoramic shooting in which a plurality of still images are continuously shot, it is possible to write a large amount of images to the memory 30 at high speed. The memory 30 can also be used as a work area for the system control circuit 50.

  The compression / decompression circuit 32 reads an image stored in the memory 30 and performs a known data compression process or expansion process using adaptive discrete cosine transform (ADCT), wavelet transform, etc., and stores the processed data in the memory Write to 30.

  Based on the photometric result of the photometric circuit 40, the aperture control circuit 312 controls the aperture 311 and the shutter control circuit 44 controls the shutter 12 for controlling the exposure amount to the image sensor 14. Further, the system control circuit 50 realizes a flash light control function by the flash 48 based on the photometry result of the photometry circuit 40.

  A distance measurement control circuit 313 controls focusing of the photographing lens 310, and a zoom control circuit 314 controls zooming of the photographing lens 310. The lens control circuit 315 controls these control circuits 313 and 314 based on an instruction from the system control circuit 50. The flash 48 functions as an auxiliary light source at the time of photographing and also has a light control function. It also has a function of projecting AF auxiliary light. The photometry circuit 40 and the distance measurement circuit 42 are controlled using the TTL method. Based on the calculation result obtained by calculating the captured image data by the image processing circuit 20, the system control circuit 50 includes an aperture control unit 312 and a distance measurement control unit. Control is performed for 313.

  The system control circuit 50 is a CPU, for example, and controls the entire apparatus main body 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 52. The memory 52 stores constants, variables, programs, etc. for operating the system control circuit 50.

  The display unit 54 is configured by a combination of output devices such as an LCD, an LED, a speaker, and the like, and outputs an operation state, a message, and the like using characters, images, sounds, and the like according to execution of a program by the system control circuit 50. . One or a plurality of the display units 54 are installed at positions in the vicinity of the operation unit 68 of the apparatus main body 100 that are easily visible. A part of the display unit 54 is installed in the optical viewfinder 104. The display content of the display unit 54 includes, for example, single shot / continuous shooting display, self-timer display, compression rate display, recording pixel number display, recording number display, remaining image number display, shutter speed display, aperture value display, Exposure compensation display, flash display, red-eye reduction display, macro shooting display, buzzer setting display, clock battery level display, battery level display, error display, multi-digit number information display, external memory 200 and 210 attachment / detachment status Display, communication I / F operation display, date / time display, display showing connection status with external computer, focus display, shooting preparation completion display, camera shake warning display, flash charge display, external memory write operation display, etc. is there. A part of this is displayed in the optical viewfinder 104.

  The nonvolatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable / recordable memory, and for example, an EEPROM or the like is used.

  The shutter switches 62 and 64 and the operation unit 68 constitute an operation means for inputting various operation instructions to the system control circuit 50, and are a single unit such as a button, a switch, a dial, a touch panel, pointing by line-of-sight detection, and a voice recognition device. Alternatively, it is composed of a plurality of combinations. The shutter switch SW1 (62) is turned on during halfway operation of a shutter button (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 100, and AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, AWB (automatic) Instructs the start of operations such as white balance processing and EF (flash pre-emission) processing.

  The shutter switch SW2 (64) is turned on when the operation of a shutter button (not shown) is completed (fully pressed), and the signal read from the image sensor 14 is transferred to the memory 30 via the A / D converter 16 and the memory control circuit 22. Exposure processing written as data, development processing using operations in the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22, image data is read from the memory 30, compressed by the compression / decompression circuit 32, and image data is stored in the external memory 200 or 210 Is instructed to start the operation of a series of processing called recording processing.

  The operation unit 68 includes various buttons, a touch panel, etc., and includes a menu button, a set button, a macro button, a multi-screen playback page break button, a single shooting / continuous shooting / self-timer switching button, a menu moving + (plus) button, a menu moving − (Minus) button, playback image movement + (plus) button, playback image-(minus) button, shooting image quality selection button, exposure correction button, date / time setting button, compression mode switch, and the like.

  The power control unit 80 includes a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit that switches a block to be energized, and the like, detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. The DC-DC converter is controlled based on an instruction from the system control circuit 50, and a necessary voltage is supplied to each unit for a necessary period.

  The power source 86 includes a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, or an AC adapter, and is attached to the apparatus main body 100 by connectors 82 and 84.

  The external memories 200 and 210 such as a memory card and a hard disk have recording units 202 and 212 composed of a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, and interfaces 204 and 214 and connectors 206 and 216 with the image processing apparatus 100. . The external memories 200 and 210 are attached to the apparatus main body 100 via connectors 206 and 216 on the medium side and connectors 92 and 96 on the apparatus main body 100 side. Interfaces 90 and 94 are connected to the connectors 92 and 96.

  In the present embodiment, the apparatus main body 100 is described as having two interfaces and connectors for attaching an external memory. However, any number of interfaces and connectors for attaching an external memory can be provided. Different standard interfaces and connectors may be used for each system. As the interface and connector, for example, a PCMCIA card, a CF (Compact Flash (registered trademark)) card, or the like conforming to a standard can be used.

  In addition, when the interfaces 90 and 94 and the connectors 92 and 96 are configured using a PCMCIA card, a CF (Compact Flash (registered trademark)) card, or the like, a LAN card, a modem card, a USB card, IEEE1394. Image data and management information attached to image data are transferred to and from peripheral devices such as other computers and printers by connecting various communication cards such as cards, P1284 cards, SCSI cards, and PHS communication cards. I can meet each other.

  The optical finder 104 is, for example, a TTL finder, and forms an image of a light beam that has passed through the lens 310 using a prism or a mirror (121, 122). By using the optical viewfinder 104, it is possible to perform shooting without using the electronic viewfinder function of the image display unit 28. In addition, as described above, some functions of the display unit 54, for example, in-focus display, camera shake warning display, flash charge display, shutter speed display, aperture value display, exposure correction display, and the like are included in the optical viewfinder 104. Information is displayed.

  The communication unit 110 performs various communication processes such as RS232C, USB, IEEE1394, P1284, SCSI, modem, LAN, and wireless communication. A connector (an antenna in the case of wireless communication) 112 connects the image processing apparatus 100 to another device via the communication unit 110.

  In the above configuration example, an interchangeable lens type image capturing / reproducing apparatus in which the lens unit 300 is replaceable is shown.

<Overview of network communication and network settings>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state where the imaging device 1 described in FIG. 1 is connected to the network connection device 2. The imaging device 1 is connected to the network connector device 2 using the connector 112 shown in FIG. 1, and performs communication via the network under the control of the communication unit 110. The imaging device 1 transfers a captured image / audio file / moving image file or the like through the network connection device 2. The network connection device 2 has one or both of a wireless network connection function and a wired network connection function. In the present embodiment, the network connection device 2 is an external accessory, but a network connection function may be built in the imaging apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of network setting information set in the network connection device 2. All the contents shown in FIG. 3 are collected as one unit, and in the present embodiment, this is described as a profile for convenience. The network connection device 2 shown in FIG. 2 can transfer the captured image / audio file / moving image file to a desired transmission destination on the network by setting each item shown in FIG. 3 correctly. . Therefore, a profile is required according to the address of the transmission destination and the network to which the transmission destination is connected, that is, for each transmission destination. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 3, the profile includes a profile number 31 and the network configuration information 32. In this embodiment, the profiles 1 to 5 are stored in the memory 52. The profiles 1 to 5 are identified by referring to the profile number 31.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing that a plurality of sets of profiles shown in FIG. 3 are stored in the memory 52 in the imaging apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that five profiles (profiles 1 to 5) can be stored in the memory 52 as shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the profile stored in the external memory 200 (210) is stored as, for example, profile 1 in the memory 52, and this is set in the network connection device 2. As a method for storing the network setting information in the memory 52 in the image pickup apparatus 1, “a method of reading profile information from an external memory” and “members (buttons, dials, etc.) provided in the image pickup apparatus are used. Two methods of “setting while confirming with the image display unit 28” are conceivable. Of these two methods, the latter is very difficult due to the poor user interface of the imaging device. In the present embodiment, a plurality of pieces of network setting information (a plurality of profiles) are stored in the memory 52 by the former method.

<About network setting information settings>
Next, the setting operation of the network setting information (profile) from the imaging apparatus 1 having the above configuration to the network connector 2 will be described.

  The imaging apparatus 1 of the present embodiment holds a plurality of profiles as described with reference to FIG. 4, and selects a desired profile from these and sets it in the network connection device 2. For this purpose, a user interface as shown in FIG. 5 is used. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a profile selection method using the display of the image display unit 28. The user selects one desired profile from the profiles listed on the image display unit 28 (profiles 1 to 5 in FIG. 5). The contents shown in FIG. 3 are set in each profile. Then, by instructing “profile setting”, the selected profile is transmitted to the network connector 2 and set.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing by the system control circuit 50 when the user selects a profile. When the user selects network settings from the top menu, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S501). When profile setting is selected from this menu, a profile selection screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed (steps S502 and S503). In the profile selection screen displayed in step S503, when one desired profile is selected from the displayed plurality of profiles and execution of profile setting is instructed, the content of the selected profile is transmitted to the network connection device 2. And set (steps S504 and S505). If the profile setting is canceled, this process is terminated as it is (step S504).

  According to the above configuration, the contents of the profile are diverse as shown in FIG. 3. However, it is not necessary to change the settings of the network connection devices without having to change the individual contents individually. This can be realized by selecting one of the profiles. For this reason, the operability with respect to the change of the network setting information of the network device is improved.

<Save profile to external memory (Batch profile save)>
Next, processing for saving the profile stored in the memory 52 to the external memory will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a method of storing a plurality of sets of profiles set in the imaging apparatus 1 as a single file in an external memory. As indicated by 61 to 65, the profiles stored in the imaging device 1 (memory 52) and the profiles stored in the external memories 200 and 210 correspond 1: 1. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of profiles are collectively saved as one file 66 in an external memory. In this specification, the storage form shown in FIG. 7 is referred to as batch profile storage.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing of the system control circuit 50 for realizing the collective profile storage shown in FIG. When the network setting is selected from the top menu by the user, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S601). When the batch profile saving is selected from this menu (step S602), the process proceeds to step S603, and it is determined whether or not the external memory that is the profile saving destination is in a state where the profile can be saved (the memory is mounted and the profile is stored). Is stored if there is an area that can be stored). In the present embodiment, two external memories can be mounted, and when two external memories (200, 210) are mounted, any one of them may be in a state capable of storing a profile.

  If it is determined in step S603 that the external memory cannot store the profile, a message to that effect is displayed on the image display unit 28 in step S606, and the process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the external memory can store the profile, the process proceeds to step S604. If save execution is instructed, the process proceeds to step S605, and if canceled, the process ends. In response to a save execution instruction from the user, in step S605, one file including a plurality of profiles (in this embodiment, five profiles) is generated and saved in the external memory determined to be saveable in step S603. To end this process.

  In the saving process, the file name of the file saved in the external memory may be designated. However, the setting of the file name can be realized by applying the conventional technique, and thus the description thereof is omitted individually.

<Read profile from external memory (collective profile read)>
Next, processing for reading the profiles stored in the external memories 200 and 210 into the memory 52 in the imaging apparatus 1 will be described.

  FIG. 9 shows a state in which a plurality of profiles are collectively stored as one file 77 in the external memory 200 (210), and the file 77 is read from the external memory 200 (210) into the memory 52 in the imaging apparatus 1. FIG. As indicated by 71 to 75, the profile in the memory 52 corresponds to the profile stored in the external memory at 1: 1. That is, the memory 52 has an area for storing the profiles 1 to 5, and the file 77 includes data corresponding to the profiles 1 to 5 (profiles with profile numbers 1 to 5). FIG. 9 shows a mode in which a file including a plurality of profiles is read, a plurality of profiles included in the file are extracted, and the plurality of profiles are collectively stored in the memory 52 (hereinafter referred to as profile batch reading). .

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system control circuit 50 for reading a profile into the memory 52 in the imaging apparatus 1 by the profile batch reading shown in FIG. When the user selects the network setting from the top menu, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S701). When the batch profile reading is selected from this menu (step S702), the process proceeds to step S703, and it is determined whether the file to be read exists in the external memory 200 (210).

  If it is determined in step S703 that there is no file to be read into the external memory, the process proceeds to step S707, a message to that effect is displayed, and the process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S703 that a profile exists in the external memory, the process advances to step S704 to display a list of files existing in the external memory. This is to allow the user to select a desired file from among a plurality of files in which a plurality of profiles are recorded in the external memory. However, when the number of files recorded in the external memory is limited to one, step S704 is not necessary.

In step S705, it is determined whether execution of reading or cancellation is instructed. If cancellation of reading is instructed, this processing is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if the start of reading is instructed, the process proceeds to step S706, the one that records a plurality of profiles of file (file selected from the list displayed in step S 704) from the external memory 200 (210) in the memory 52 Read. Then, taking out a plurality of profiles included in the file by analyzing the file, and stores them as a profile (1) to (5). When the profile 77 includes only profiles (1) to (3), the profiles (1) to (3) on the memory 52 side of the imaging device 1 are updated, but other profiles (4), (5) shall be kept as it is.

<Profile protection settings>
Next, a description will be given of profile protection settings that prohibit individual changes to the profiles recorded in the memory 52. The imaging apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment prevents a situation in which a necessary profile is erroneously changed by reading a profile or the like by performing protection setting on a desired profile recorded in the memory 52.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a state in which change prohibition is set individually for each profile. A profile in which change prohibition is set (in FIG. 11, profiles (1), (4), and (5) are set to change prohibition (protected state)), the information contents shown in FIG. It becomes impossible. Note that the profile for which change prohibition is set is either “a method of reading profile information from an external memory” or “a method of setting while checking on a liquid crystal monitor using members (buttons, dials) provided in the imaging apparatus”. This method cannot be changed. Therefore, for example, when the batch profile reading is attempted as described in FIG. 9, the profiles (2) and (3) in the memory 52 are overwritten by the profiles (2) and (3) recorded in the file 77. However, the profiles (1), (4), and (5) in the memory 52 are not overwritten (changed). The profiles (1) to (5) can be identified using the profile number 31 registered in the profile.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the system control circuit 50 when the user sets the profile change prohibition. When the network setting is selected from the top menu by the user, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S801). If “protection setting” is selected from this menu (step S802), the process proceeds to step S803, and a list of profiles recorded in the memory 52 on the image display unit 28 (a list display similar to FIG. 5) is displayed. Is displayed. The user selects a profile for which protection setting or cancellation is desired from this profile list, and instructs the execution of protection setting or cancellation.

  When the protection setting is instructed, the process proceeds from step S804 to step S805, and setting content change prohibition is set for the selected profile. If cancellation of protection is instructed, the process advances from step S804 to step S806 to cancel the change prohibition (protection) of setting contents for the selected profile.

<Save profile to external memory (individual profile save)>
In the above-described batch profile saving and batch profile reading, in a state where a plurality of profiles are stored in one file, the file is stored from the memory 52 of the imaging apparatus 1 to the external memory 200 (210), or the external memory 200 ( 210), the configuration for storing in the memory 52 has been described. Hereinafter, as another form of saving and reading profiles, a configuration for saving and reading each profile as a unit will be described. First, saving to an external memory in profile units (hereinafter referred to as individual profile saving) will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a plurality of profiles stored in the memory 52 are individually stored in the external memory one by one, that is, how individual profiles are stored. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the contents of profile (1) are stored as one file 1301 in external memory 200 (210).

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing of the system control circuit 50 for realizing the individual profile storage shown in FIG. When the network setting is selected from the top menu by the user, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S901). When “store individual profile” is selected from this menu (step S902), the process proceeds to step S903, and a list of profiles recorded in the memory 52 is displayed. When the user selects a profile to be stored in the external memory from the list, the process proceeds from step S904 to step S905, and a profile storage screen is displayed.

  In the profile saving screen, if files already exist in the external memory 200 (210), these are displayed as a list (steps S906 and S907). If a plurality of external memories are mounted, all external memories are subject to list display. However, the user may be able to select an external memory to be displayed (save destination) for list display. When a desired file is selected in the list display and execution of saving is instructed, it is determined that the selected file is overwritten with the contents of the new profile, and the process proceeds from step S908 to step S910. In step S910, the selected profile is registered in the external memory 200 (210) with the file name of the selected file.

  On the other hand, if execution of saving is instructed without selecting a file from the file list display, it is determined that the profile is to be saved without being overwritten, and the process proceeds from step S908 to step S909. Alternatively, if it is determined in step S906 that no file exists in the external memory 200 (210), the process also proceeds to step S909. In step S909, the file name to be saved is determined by the user. Thereafter, in step S910, the one selected profile is stored with the file name determined in step S908. The method for determining the file name may be freely selected by the user, or may be determined automatically on the device side such as adding a number to a predetermined file name.

  Since profiles are stored one by one, when storing a plurality of sets of profiles, the operations in steps S901 to S908 are repeated.

<Read profile from external memory (read individual profile)>
Next, processing for reading a profile from the external memory in units of profiles (hereinafter referred to as individual profile reading) will be described.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing how profiles are individually read from the external memory 200 (210) into the memory 52 in the imaging apparatus 1 one by one. Read the file 1501 registered the stored one profile 15 the external memory 200 in (210), how to register in the memory 52 is shown as a profile (1).

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the processing of the system control circuit 50 for realizing the individual profile reading shown in FIG. When the user selects the network setting from the top menu, a network setting menu screen as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the image display unit 28 (step S1001). When “read individual profile” is selected from this menu (step S1002), the process proceeds to step S1003, and the profile list in the memory 52 is displayed. When a registration destination (reading destination) of a new profile is selected from the displayed profile list, the process proceeds from step S1004 to step S1005, and a file (each file corresponds to a profile) recorded in the external memory 200 (210). Display a list. When a plurality of external memories are mounted, a file list is displayed for all the mounted external memories. However, the user may be able to select an external memory to be displayed as a list.

  When a desired file is selected from the file list displayed in step S1005 (profile to be read), the process proceeds from step S1006 to step S1007. In step S1007, a profile reading screen is presented. When the execution of profile reading is instructed by the user, the process advances from step S1008 to step S1009, and the file selected from the file list displayed in step S1005 is stored as a profile selected from the profile list displayed in step S1003. 52. FIG. 15 shows a state in which the file 1501 and the profile (1) are selected and the contents of the file 1501 are registered as the profile (1). If the profile reading is cancelled, the process ends from step S1008.

  Since the profiles are read one by one, when reading a plurality of sets of profiles, the operations in steps S1001 to S1006 are repeated.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, network settings can be made by registering a plurality of profiles and selecting a desired profile. For example, the network setting for the network connection device can be easily switched without performing a complicated operation.

  Also, according to batch profile saving and batch profile reading, multiple profiles (network connection information) can be handled in a batch, so when saving multiple profiles to external memory or loading them into the imaging device This eliminates the need to repeat the same operation over and over. Therefore, it is easy to move the network connection information from the imaging device to the imaging device or from the personal computer to the imaging device, which is particularly effective when making the same setting for a plurality of imaging devices.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, since protection setting can be performed for each profile, the possibility of changing network connection information due to an erroneous operation is eliminated.

  Further, if a plurality of network connection information files are stored in the external memory, the user can set the network connection information in the network connection device without limitation on the number. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, even if only five profiles can be stored in the imaging apparatus 1, the number of profiles that can be used is unlimited by using the profiles held in the external memory. It is also effective when managing network setting information individually.

  In the above embodiment, the selected network setting information is transmitted to the network connector 2 in order to realize network communication via the network connector 2. However, when the imaging apparatus itself has a network communication function, settings are made for the network communication function of itself using the selected network setting information.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the imaging device by embodiment. It is the figure which showed the connection of the network connection apparatus and imaging device by embodiment. It is the figure which showed the data structural example of the profile by embodiment. It is a figure explaining the flow of the setting of the profile in embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the profile list display screen for the profile selection of embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the inside of the setting of the network setting information by embodiment. It is a figure explaining the method to preserve | save a several profile collectively to an external memory. It is a flowchart explaining the process which preserve | saves a some profile collectively in an external memory. It is a figure explaining the method of reading a some profile collectively from an external memory. It is a flowchart explaining the process which reads a some profile collectively from an external memory. It is a figure explaining a mode that setting change change prohibition is set to a desired profile. It is a flowchart which shows the process which sets the change prohibition of a setting content to a desired profile. It is a figure explaining the method to preserve | save one profile in an external memory. It is a flowchart explaining the process which preserve | saves one profile in an external memory. It is a figure explaining the method of reading one profile in the memory in an imaging device. It is a flowchart explaining the process which reads one profile in the memory in an imaging device. It is a figure which shows the example of a menu screen of a network setting.

Claims (3)

An imaging device having an internal memory for storing a plurality of network setting information,
In the case where the imaging apparatus is configured to set the first network setting information for enabling transmission of a captured image to a device on the network via the network connection device, the internal memory stores the first network setting information. Displaying a first selection screen for allowing the user to select the first network setting information from the plurality of stored network setting information, and the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory When storing the second network setting information, which is one of the above, in the external memory removable from the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus stores the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory. second selection screen for selecting the second network setting information to the user display from being, When the user selects whether to prohibit the change of the third network setting information, which is one of the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory, the above-mentioned stored in the internal memory Display means for displaying a third selection screen for instructing the imaging apparatus whether to prohibit the change of the third network setting information ;
Setting means for setting the first network setting information selected via the first selection screen in the network connection device;
Have a storage means for storing said second network configuration information selected through the second selection screen on the external memory,
When the imaging device is instructed to prohibit the change of the third network setting information stored in the internal memory via the third selection screen, the information stored in the internal memory is stored in the internal memory. Preventing the third network setting information from being changed by the fourth network setting information stored in the external memory;
When the imaging device is instructed via the third selection screen to cancel the prohibition on changing the third network setting information stored in the internal memory, the change is stored in the internal memory. The imaging apparatus, wherein the third network setting information can be changed by the fourth network setting information stored in the external memory .   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of network setting information stored in the internal memory is acquired from the external memory and stored in the internal memory. . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by further comprising a connecting means connected to the network connection apparatus.

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