JP5398330B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus having a function of sharing image data between imaging apparatuses via a network.

  In recent years, various imaging apparatuses including a digital camera have a wireless or wired network function. In such an imaging apparatus, the captured subject video is digitized into digital image data, stored as an image file in a recording medium in the imaging apparatus, and transmitted to the outside of the imaging apparatus via a network. The transmission destination is an accumulation server connected via a wide area network or another imaging device constructed by a wireless ad hoc network. On the other hand, in the image capturing apparatus on the receiving side, the received image file is stored on the recording medium in the apparatus in the same way as an image file photographed by itself. For this reason, it is possible to share an image file among a plurality of imaging devices. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of an image pickup apparatus including such a transmission unit.

  By the way, there are various file formats of image files generated by the imaging apparatus. For example, there is a RAW file format in which image data output from an image sensor represented by a CCD sensor is subjected to optical correction and lossless compression processing and saved as a file. Alternatively, there is a JPEG file format that performs color space conversion and filter processing after the optical correction, and stores the file as a file after irreversible compression processing. In any case, a desired file format is generated by setting a file format to be saved by the photographer before photographing in the imaging apparatus.

  Patent Document 2 discloses an example in which a file server connected on a wide band network converts an image file received from an imaging device into a file format according to the destination imaging device. According to this disclosure, a file server connected between an imaging device that is a transmission source of an image file and an imaging device that is a reception source grasps a file format that can be decoded by each imaging device that is the reception source. . Then, the file format is converted into a decipherable file format when transmitted to the receiving source. This improves the compatibility of the file format of the image file between the imaging devices.

JP-A-11-32245 JP 2004-193683 A

  When an image file is shared between a plurality of imaging devices by transmitting and receiving each other, there may be a situation in which the file format to be saved differs depending on the sharer. For example, it is desirable for a beginner who is difficult to process an image file on a PC or the like to transmit a format such as JPEG that has already undergone image processing and can be viewed as it is with the viewer software on the PC. On the other hand, it is desirable for advanced users to send the RAW file format because there is a demand to process the image file with software on the PC to perform image processing that suits their preferences.

  However, the conventional technology cannot adaptively select the file format according to the transmission destination of the image file. For this reason, the conventional imaging device records and transmits an image file in a preset file format. After that, the file server on the network had to be converted into a desired file format. Furthermore, when an image file is transmitted directly to another imaging apparatus without going through a file server, it is necessary to record and transmit the image file in all file formats in order to satisfy the demands of all sharers. For this reason, there existed a subject that the communication band at the time of transmission will increase and the data capacity preserve | saved at the recording medium of an imaging device will increase.

In order to solve the problems described above, the present invention is an imaging apparatus that shares captured image data among a plurality of imaging apparatuses via a network, and includes imaging time, geometric information, and sharing as sharer-specific parameters. Setting means for presetting a recording format desired by the person, image processing means for performing different image processing on the image data input from the image sensor and outputting the first image data and the second image data, a sharer specifying means for specifying the sharer of the image data by identifying said first image data according to the shared user identification parameter in accordance with the sharer identified, the first image data or the second of The selection means for selecting at least one of the image data and the first image data or the second image data input from the selection means are shared. Imaging device and the like characterized by comprising a transmitting means, a transmission to an imaging device associated with the user, provides.

  According to the imaging apparatus of the present invention, in order to record and transmit in a file format corresponding to a preset subject according to the subject present in the captured image data, the communication band can be reduced or stored in a recording medium. Data capacity can be reduced.

It is a figure showing the structure of the imaging device of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart showing operation | movement of the imaging device of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows notionally the file sharing method by the wireless LAN ad hoc network of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows notionally the file sharing method by the wireless LAN ad hoc network of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows notionally the method of the file sharing by the wide area network of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure showing the structure of the imaging device of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

<First Embodiment>
A block diagram of an embodiment of a preferred imaging device of the present invention is shown in FIG. The imaging apparatus 100 has a function of recording captured image data on a recording medium (not shown) or transmitting the image data to the outside of the imaging apparatus 100. The image sensor 101 is a CCD or CMOS sensor, converts a subject image into electronic data by photoelectric conversion, and outputs the electronic data to the A / D converter 105. The A / D converter 105 converts the electronic data from analog to digital information and outputs it to the correction processing means 106. The correction processing unit 106 performs correction processing such as correction and noise removal for making the input / output characteristics of the image sensor 101 linear.

  The color space of the corrected second image data 112 differs depending on the sensor structure of the image sensor 101. For example, in the case of a Bayer array sensor structure, one of RGB colors is present per pixel, and in the case of a three-plate sensor structure, there are three colors of RGB per pixel. By applying a lossless compression process to the second image data 112 by the lossless compression means 109, a RAW file as the fourth image data is generated. Since this RAW file is a file format specific to the imaging apparatus, it is not compatible, and dedicated software is required to display the file on a PC or another imaging apparatus. For this reason, the RAW file is intended for intermediate and advanced users who can use the imaging apparatus, but has an advantage that the user can perform image processing according to his / her preference.

  The image processing means 107 receives the second image data 112 and converts the color space unique to the image sensor 101 to a color space used on a PC such as YCbCr (color space conversion). Furthermore, the first image data 111 which is final image data is output by performing pre-programmed image processing such as noise removal and enhancement of the edge portion of the subject by filter processing. The lossy compression means 108 performs irreversible compression processing represented by JPEG on the first image data 111 to generate a JPEG file that is third image data. Unlike a RAW file, this JPEG file can be displayed by software on a PC or another imaging device. Therefore, the JPEG file is intended for beginners who do not have knowledge of image processing.

  The photographer sets a sharer specifying parameter in the sharer specifying unit 104 before shooting. The sharer specifying parameters are geometric information such as face data photographed by the image capturing apparatus 100 corresponding to each sharer, photographing time, recording format, and transmission destination address. The sharer specifying unit 104 determines whether or not all sharers exist by using the face data of the sharer corresponding to the set shooting time for all the first image data 110. The determination result is notified to the selection unit 103 and the transmission unit 115. The selection unit 103 selects a file desired by all the sharing persons existing in the first image data 110 from a plurality of file formats generated at the same time, and outputs the selected file to the transmission unit 115. The transmission unit 115 sequentially transmits the plurality of files input from the selection unit 103 to the corresponding sharer. The transmission destination is a file server on a wide area network or another imaging device connected by a wireless ad hoc network. In addition to the face data, the geometric information may be various marks associated with the sharer in order to identify the sharer.

  Next, the operation flow of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S <b> 201, the user sets the transmission destination addresses of all the sharers in the imaging apparatus 100. In step S202, each photographing time zone and the face image of the subject are registered for all the set sharers. For registration of the face image, each face of the subject is photographed by the image capturing apparatus 100, and features of each face are extracted by a processing unit (not shown) in the image capturing apparatus 100 and held in the sharer specifying unit 104. In step S203, the file format desired by each sharer is set, and in step S204, the file format desired by the photographer is set. By performing in step S204, preparation before photographing is completed.

  In step S <b> 205, the photographer actually photographs the subject with the imaging apparatus 100. In step S206, the sharer specifying unit 104 identifies the face of the subject and checks whether or not the subject set in step S202 exists in the first image data 111. For the subject to be inspected, each shooting time zone set in step S202 similarly includes the current shooting time. If no subject to be shared exists, the process proceeds to step S209, and if present, the process proceeds to step S207.

  In step S207, the selection unit 103 selects a file corresponding to the file format corresponding to the subject to be shared. In step S208, if there are a plurality of subjects in the first image data 111, the process proceeds to step S206 again, and if not, the process proceeds to step S209. In step S209, a file corresponding to the file format desired by the photographer is selected. In step S210, if a file for the subject to be shared exists, each file is transmitted to the address set in step S201. When further photographing is to be performed, the process returns to step S205 and the same procedure is repeated.

  FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an example in which image data captured by an image capturing apparatus of the photographer A is shared between the image capturing apparatuses via a wireless ad hoc network by two persons, a beginner B and an intermediate / advanced person C. . In FIG. 3, the photographer A photographs a subject B, which is a child of a beginner B, and a JPEG file is transmitted from the photographer A's imaging device to the beginner B's imaging device. On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows a case where the photographer A has photographed the subject B, who is a child of the middle-advanced person C, and a RAW file is transmitted in the same manner.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of transmission to a file server on a wide area network via a wireless LAN. When the photographer A photographs the subject C, the imaging apparatus transmits a RAW file to the disk area of the middle-advanced person C on the file server. Thereafter, the subject C downloads the RAW file from the file server after returning home. Then, image processing is performed on the RAW file on the PC, a JPEG file is created, and the image is displayed using viewer software.

<Second Embodiment>
A block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, the image processing means 107 of FIG. 1 is divided into three parts: an image processing means A601, an image processing means B602, and an image processing means C603. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which three persons A, B, and C perform image processing using image processing parameters of their own preference and request a JPEG file. For example, examples of the image processing parameter include hue adjustment and white balance.

  In this case, the image processing parameters of each sharer are set in step 202 of FIG. 2, and the processing for all the image processing parameters is performed by the image processing unit C603 that extends to the image processing unit A601. After that, as in the case of the first embodiment, the selection unit 103 selects and transmits a desired JPEG file according to the output of the sharer specifying unit 104.

  It should be noted that the present invention can also be realized by executing each step of the method of the present invention by a software program acquired via a network or various storage media using a CPU such as a computer.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image pick-up apparatus 101 Image pick-up element 103 Selection means 104 Sharer identification means 105 A / D converter 106 Correction processing means 107 Image processing means 108 Lossy compression means 109 Lossless compression means

Claims (4)

An imaging device that shares captured image data between a plurality of imaging devices via a network,
Setting means for presetting the recording time required by the sharing time as specified by the shooting time, geometric information, and sharing information;
Image processing means for performing different image processing on the image data input from the image sensor and outputting the first image data and the second image data;
A sharer specifying means for specifying the sharer of the image data by identifying said first image data according to the shared user identification parameter,
Selecting means for selecting at least one of the first image data or the second image data according to the identified sharer;
An imaging apparatus comprising: transmission means for transmitting the first image data or the second image data input from the selection means to an imaging apparatus associated with a sharer. The image processing means includes a correction means for performing correction processing of the image sensor on the image data to generate the second image data;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a filter unit that performs color space conversion and filtering on the second image data to generate the first image data. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the geometric information is information related to a face of a subject. The image processing means, with the first image data as input, irreversible compression means for generating third image data by performing irreversible compression processing;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for generating fourth image data by performing reversible compression processing using the second image data as an input.

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