JP6335494B2 - Image recording apparatus, control method and program thereof, and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, a control method and program thereof, and a storage medium.

  Information equipment that integrates image display and operation using a display device with a touch panel has become widespread, and is also widely used in digital video cameras.

  Patent Document 1 describes that in a digital video camera, characters and figures are superimposed on a moving image by freehand input by a touch operation.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes a technique for recognizing a subject included in a captured image and displaying the subject name superimposed on the image in a video camera.

JP 2012-124612 A Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-160413

  With the technique described in Patent Document 2, the subject can be identified by its name at the time of shooting. However, on the list display screen of representative images (moving image thumbnails), the superimposed name is difficult to read and does not serve to identify the subject. When the subject is an infant or a small animal, it is more difficult to distinguish from the representative image list.

  By storing a management file that associates a captured image with text information of a subject included in the image, the subject can be read with the text information or the like when a list of representative images is displayed. This method can be applied only to a subject for which text information or the like is prepared in advance. That is, it is necessary to prepare text information and the like for many subjects in advance and store them in the storage device of the imaging device. In addition, since a unique management file is prepared, the subject cannot be identified by the text information or the like when the captured image is displayed or viewed on another information device. That is, it lacks versatility or availability.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus, a control method and program thereof, and a storage medium that can eliminate such inconvenience and easily identify a subject even on a representative image.

An image recording apparatus according to the present invention stores image information and subject information including information on an item to be superimposed on an image, which is different in display form for each subject, and is not a character string, for a plurality of subjects. said storage means, and selecting means for selecting one of the object of the subject corresponding to the subject information stored in the storage means, together with the items included in the subject information regarding the subject selected by the selection means And a superimposing unit that displays characters related to the subject , superimposes the item and the character on the image of the subject input by the image input unit, and a recording unit that records the output of the superimposing unit on a recording medium. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, since items having different display forms are superimposed on an image depending on the subject, an image including a specific subject can be identified by the superimposed item.

It is a schematic block diagram and an external appearance perspective view of one Example of this invention. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of a display screen of a present Example. It is an example of image transition in a present Example. It is an example of the index screen of a prior art example and a present Example. It is a flowchart of the stamp drawing process of a present Example. It is another flowchart of the stamp drawing process of a present Example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1A shows a schematic block diagram of a video camera incorporating an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B shows an external perspective view seen from the back side.

  The CPU 107 of the video camera 100 reads a control program from the program / data storage unit 108 and controls the operation of the entire camera 100. The CPU 107 can execute a plurality of tasks of the control program read from the program / data storage unit 108 in parallel. Specifically, a mode control task, a camera control task, a recorder control task, and a display control task operate in parallel on the CPU 107. The CPU 107 that executes the display control task functions as a display control unit.

  The temporary storage unit 103 functions as a work area of the CPU 107, and is used as a moving image frame buffer and an OSD frame buffer described later.

  The camera unit 101 is an image input unit that inputs an analog image signal to the camera 100. Specifically, the camera unit 101 includes a photographing lens that forms an image of light from a subject, an imaging element that photoelectrically converts a subject image formed by the photographing lens, a circuit that drives the imaging device, and the like. The video processing unit 102 converts an analog image signal input from the camera unit 101 into digital moving image data, and performs correction based on predetermined image processing such as noise removal. A camera control task executed by the CPU 107 controls these operations of the camera unit 101 and the video processing unit 102.

  The encoder / decoder unit 104 includes an encoder that encodes the moving image data from the video processing unit 102 and a decoder that decodes the encoded moving image data. The moving image data encoded by the encoder / decoder unit 104 is temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 103 and then stored in the moving image storage unit 105 together with accompanying management data. The moving image storage unit 105 includes a removable memory card or a recording medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory as an internal recording medium. The encoder / decoder unit 104 is a recording unit that records an image in a moving image storage unit 105 that is a recording medium.

  On the contrary, at the time of reproducing a moving image, the encoded moving image data read from the moving image storage unit 105 is supplied to the encoder / decoder unit 104 via the temporary storage unit 103 and decoded. The encoder / decoder unit 104 expands the reproduced image data obtained by the decoding into the moving image frame buffer of the temporary storage unit 103. The recorder control task executed by the CPU 107 controls these operations of the encoder / decoder unit 104 and the moving image storage unit 105.

  The management data read from the moving image storage unit 105 is used to generate OSD data, that is, data for character display or GUI (Graphical User Interface) to be superimposed on a captured image or a reproduced image. Then, the CPU 107 renders the generated OSD data in the OSD frame buffer (VRAM) in the temporary storage unit 103. The contents of the moving image frame buffer and the OSD frame buffer are superimposed on the display control unit 110 and displayed on the LCD panel 111.

  Both the operation key 106 and the touch panel 109 are operation units that accept operation instructions from the user. The touch panel 109 is arranged so as to overlap the screen of the LCD panel 111. For example, the touch panel 109 is configured so that the light transmittance does not hinder the display of the LCD panel 111, and the touch panel 109 is attached to the upper layer of the display surface of the LCD panel 111. By associating the input coordinates on the touch panel 109 with the display coordinates on the LCD panel 111, it is possible to configure a GUI as if the user directly operates an image displayed on the LCD panel 111. The touch panel 109 includes various types such as a resistive film type, a capacitance type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared type, an electromagnetic induction type, an image recognition type, and an optical sensor type. You may use the thing of this system.

  The communication unit 112 is connected to another device via a wireless or wired communication medium, and is used to transmit / receive various data including image data to / from the other device.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the video camera 100 includes a main body 120 having a camera unit 101, and a vari-angle LCD unit 122 rotatably attached to the main body 120 by a hinge. The vari-angle LCD unit 122 includes an integrated LCD panel 111 and a touch panel 109.

  The CPU 107 can detect the following operations or states on the touch panel 109. Hereinafter, touching the touch panel 109 with a finger or a pen is referred to as touch-down. Hereinafter, touching the touch panel 109 with a finger or a pen is referred to as touch-on. Moving the touch panel 109 while touching it with a finger or a pen is hereinafter referred to as touch-move. The release of the finger or pen that has been touching the touch panel 109 is hereinafter referred to as touch-up. Hereinafter, a state in which nothing is touched on the touch panel 109 is referred to as touch-off.

  The CPU 107 is notified of these operations / states on the touch panel 109 and the position coordinates where the finger or pen touches the touch panel 109 via the internal bus. The CPU 107 determines an operation on the touch panel 109 based on the information notified from the touch panel 109. That is, the CPU 107 functions as a touch detection unit that detects a touch operation on the touch panel 109.

  For the touch move, the CPU 107 can determine the vertical component and the horizontal component on the touch panel 109 based on the change of the position coordinates for the moving direction of the finger or pen moving on the touch panel 109. In addition, the CPU 107 determines that a stroke has been drawn when touch-up is performed on the touch panel 109 through a certain touch move from touch-down. The operation of drawing a stroke quickly is called a flick. Flicking is an operation of quickly moving a certain distance while touching a finger on the touch panel 109 and releasing it as it is, in other words, an operation of quickly tracing the touch panel 109 with a finger. When it is detected that a touch move has been performed at a predetermined speed or more over a predetermined distance and a touch-up is detected as it is, the CPU 107 determines that a flick has occurred. In addition, when it is detected that a touch move is performed at a predetermined distance or more and less than a predetermined speed, the CPU 107 determines that it is a drag.

  The mode control task executed by the CPU 107 changes the operation state of the camera 100 in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit (operation key 106, touch panel 109), a request from another task, and a change in an internal state managed by the mode control task itself. Let If necessary, the mode control task notifies the related task of the transition of the operation state as a task event.

  In this embodiment, in a drawing mode by touch input, a figure, a character, or the like drawn by a user by a touch operation can be superimposed on a recorded video (moving image). Either the case where it is embedded in an image inseparably or the case where it is added as metadata and displayed in combination during reproduction may be used. Types of drawing by touch input include pen, stamp, eraser, and animation.

  The video camera 100 can select a shooting mode (hereinafter referred to as a baby mode) for shooting a baby or a child as a kind of moving image shooting mode or recording mode. The baby mode is set, for example, when the photographer touches an icon indicating the baby mode in a state where the shooting mode selection screen is displayed on the LCD panel 111.

  When the baby mode is set, the CPU 107 stores the fact that the baby mode is set in the temporary storage unit 103 or the program / data storage unit 108, and sets each unit to camera settings suitable for photographing a baby. For example, an exposure setting (aperture and shutter speed) that blurs the background and makes a person stand out, and a white balance setting that is suitable for taking baby's skin are applied. In order not to wake the sleeping baby, notification sounds and various operation sounds at the start of shooting, at the end of shooting, and at the time of various errors are set to off (silence).

  Furthermore, the moving image shot in the baby mode is registered in the shooting order in a play list for moving images set in the baby mode (referred to as “baby album”). The baby album includes management data in which information (file name, storage area link information, etc.) necessary for reproduction of the moving image set in the baby mode is recorded, and is recorded in the moving image storage unit 105. By referring to the baby album and sequentially playing a plurality of videos registered in the baby album, you can view the baby's growth step by step. That is, it is possible to manage a plurality of moving images shot in the baby mode separately from moving images shot in other modes.

  When the baby mode is set, a stamp (item or icon) that can be input in the drawing mode by touch input is added, and the baby mode stamp can be used. The baby mode stamp includes an age stamp, a weight stamp, and a height stamp. On the age stamp, weight stamp, and height stamp, the age, weight, and height can be entered by character input using the touch panel 109, respectively. In this embodiment, three types of stamps having different display forms are prepared in advance for each of age, weight, and height, and the photographer can select one of the three types of stamps to be applied at the time of shooting. .

  2A to 2G show examples of display screens on the LCD panel 111. FIG. With reference to FIGS. 2A to 2G, examples of each screen displayed on the LCD panel 111 at the time of shooting (during moving image recording standby and during moving image recording) will be described.

  FIG. 2A shows a display example during shooting standby and during recording in the shooting mode (or recording mode). On the LCD panel 111, a through image 201 (also referred to as a live view image) captured by the camera unit 101 is displayed on a full screen as a moving image. The through image 201 is an image of the subject 208. At the top of the screen, shooting time information 203, recording state icon 204, remaining battery information 205, and baby mode icon 206 indicating baby mode are displayed in OSD. The shooting time information 203 indicates the elapsed time from the start of recording, and in FIG. A menu button 202 and a touch drawing mode switching button 207 are further displayed on the screen as OSDs. The photographer can touch the menu button 202 and the touch drawing switching button 207 with the touch panel 109.

  These items displayed on the OSD are displayed on the screen superimposed on the captured image, and are not recorded. In this specification, such an item is referred to as a “display item”. In the display example shown in FIG. 2A, the menu button 202, shooting time information 203, recording state icon 204, remaining battery information 205, baby mode icon 206, and touch drawing switch button 207 are display items. The recording state icon 204 indicates whether recording is in progress or recording standby.

  These display items 202 to 207 notify the user of corresponding information or prompt an operation, and are not recorded together with the moving image of the captured image in the moving image storage unit 105. 2A is generally shown in FIG. 2A except that the time of the shooting time information 203 is advanced and the recording state icon 204 is in a display form indicating the recording state before moving to the touch drawing mode during moving image recording. The display configuration is maintained.

  When the photographer touches the touch drawing switching button 207 in the display screen example illustrated in FIG. 2A, the CPU 107 transitions to a touch drawing mode that enables handwriting input using the touch panel 109. FIG. 2B shows an example of a display screen on the LCD panel 111 immediately after the transition to the touch drawing mode from FIG. 2A. On the LCD panel 111, the through image 201 captured by the camera unit 101 is displayed on a full screen as a moving image, and the subject 208 is located in the center.

  At the top of the screen, a recording state icon 204 and remaining battery information 205 are displayed in OSD. Further, on the screen, a touch drawing type selection button 211, an animation selection button 212, a baby mode stamp selection button 213, and a close button 214 are respectively displayed in OSD. These buttons 211 to 214 are touch buttons for inputting a corresponding instruction to the CPU 107 by a touch operation on the touch panel 109. The close button 214 is used to instruct the CPU 107 to exit the touch drawing mode and return to the normal shooting mode. The baby mode stamp selection button 213 is displayed only when the baby mode is set. Even in the touch drawing mode, the recording state icon 204 is in a display form indicating the recording state during moving image recording.

  FIG. 2C shows an example of a screen for selecting the type of pen and stamp. When the touch drawing type selection button 211 is touched on the screen shown in FIG. 2B, the screen is displayed on the LCD panel 111. On the screen, a screen title and a return button 221 for instructing to return to the previous screen are displayed in OSD.

  In addition, buttons 222 to 229 indicating various editing tools are displayed by the OSD. The small nib button 222 and the large nib button 223 are used to indicate the thickness of the pen. The heart button 224 and the star button 225 are used for designating the shape of the stamp (heart and star). The eraser small button 226 and the eraser large button 227 are used to designate an eraser of each size. The color selection button 228 is used to designate selection of a pen or stamp color. The clear button 229 is used to instruct the CPU 107 to erase all items drawn or selected by the editing tool.

  When a pen is selected, a continuous line can be drawn along the trajectory by continuously tracing the screen from the touched down point until touching up as a touch operation for drawing. When a stamp is selected, the selected stamp can be drawn at a position based on the touched-down position.

  The graphic drawn by the pen and the stamps (including those animated) added by the heart button 224 and the star button 225 are superimposed on the captured image and recorded in the moving image storage unit 105 together with the captured image. Items such as these figures and stamps that are superimposed on the captured image and recorded together with the captured image are referred to as superimposed items. When characters can be input with a numeric keypad or the like, the input characters are superimposed items when they are recorded superimposed on a captured image.

  The following two methods are conceivable as a method for recording the superimposed item, either of which may be adopted. In the first method, the CPU 107 or the video processing unit 102 controlled by the CPU 107 synthesizes the superimposed item with the image captured by the camera unit 101 in an inseparable manner, and the moving image storage unit 105 Store as a file. In the second method, the CPU 107 causes the moving image storage unit 105 to store the image captured by the camera unit 101 as a moving image file, and stores the superimposed item related information in association with the moving image file. The superimposed item related information includes at least data for specifying the superimposed item, and further includes coordinate data indicating a time (such as a time code) in a moving image on which the superimposed item is to be superimposed and a spatial position on the screen. The data for specifying the superimposed item includes the image data itself of the superimposed item or ID data indicating the type of the superimposed item. The superimposition item related information may be recorded as header information (attribute information) of a moving image file, or may be recorded in another file associated with the moving image file.

  FIG. 2D shows a display example of the animation selection screen. When the user touches the animation selection button 212 on the screen shown in FIG. 2B, the screen is displayed on the LCD panel 111. On this screen, the user can select the type of animation. On the screen, a screen title, a return button 221 for instructing the CPU 107 to return to the previous screen, and a plurality of animation buttons 231 are displayed in OSD. The selected animation is superimposed on the captured image as a superimposed item.

  FIG. 2E shows a display example of the baby mode stamp selection screen. When the user touches the baby mode stamp selection button 213 on the screen shown in FIG. 2B, the screen is displayed on the LCD panel 111. On this screen, the user can select which baby to shoot, and can select display / non-display of the baby mode stamp. On the screen, a screen title, a return button 221 for instructing the CPU 107 to return to the previous screen, and a plurality of touch operable buttons 2241 to 248 are displayed in OSD superimposed on the through image 201.

  The first baby selection button 241, the second baby selection button 242, and the third baby selection button 243 are buttons for designating a baby to be photographed, and only one of them can be selected. In FIG. 2E, the first baby selection button 241 is selected. In this state, the baby to be photographed can be changed by tapping the baby second person selection button 242 or the baby third person selection button 243.

  In the date stamp display setting button 244, the time stamp display setting button 245, the age stamp display setting button 246, the height stamp display setting button 247, and the weight stamp display setting button 248 are collectively referred to as “display setting buttons”. The display setting buttons 244 to 248 are displayed in a transparent state, and the user can visually recognize the through image 201 on the back of the display setting buttons 244 to 248. Each of the display setting buttons 244 to 248 is a toggle button, and the stamp indicated by each display setting button is switched on and off each time it is touched. When turned on, the CPU 107 applies a color to the rectangle at the left end of the button, and superimposes the turned-on stamp on the captured image (the output image of the video processing unit 102). Conversely, when turned off, the CPU 107 erases the rectangular color at the left end of the button, and erases the stamp superimposed on the captured image. In FIG. 2E, the date stamp display setting button 244 and the time stamp display setting button 245 are in the display off state, and the age stamp display setting button 246, the height stamp display setting button 247, and the weight stamp display setting button 248 are in the display on state. It is.

  Also, on the right side of the display setting buttons 246 to 248, a birth date setting button 249, a height setting button 250, and a weight setting button 251 that can set the display contents of each stamp are displayed by the OSD.

  In the example of the display screen shown in FIG. 2E, the baby to be imaged is switched by selecting one of the first baby selection button 241, the second baby selection button 242, and the third baby selection button 243. In accordance with this selection operation, the CPU 107 also switches the display forms of the displayed age stamp, height stamp, and weight stamp at the same time. A specific example of switching will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2F shows a display example of the date of birth setting screen. When the date of birth setting button 249 in FIG. 2E is touched, it is displayed on the LCD panel 111. On this screen, the user can input the date for the age stamp. When the height setting button 250 and the weight setting button 251 are touched, a similar numerical value input screen is displayed. In this embodiment, the settings of the date of birth, height and weight can be held for each of the three babies.

  In the birth date setting screen shown in FIG. 2F, in addition to the screen title and the return button 221, a year input unit 261, a month input unit 262, and a day input unit 263 are displayed by the OSD, and input values of the input units 261 to 263 are displayed. Is changed by the value adjustment button 264. The date set here is stored in the program / data storage unit 108 which is a nonvolatile memory. The CPU 107 calculates the difference between the date of birth and the date of photographing acquired from a clock (not shown) provided in the video camera 100, and displays the age, month of age or number of days after birth on the stamp. To do.

  FIG. 2G is a display example of a result of drawing by a stamp for baby mode and freehand input in the touch drawing mode. On the LCD panel 111, the through image 201 captured by the camera unit 101 is displayed in full screen as a moving image. The through image 201 is an image of the subject 208. On the left part of the screen, a handwritten character 274 (a character string “Hello!”) Drawn by a touch operation is displayed in OSD. The handwritten character 274 is drawn on the locus of the touch operation of the user.

  Further, an age stamp 271, a weight stamp 272, and a height stamp 273 that are “superimposed items” that are dedicated to the baby mode are displayed on the screen in OSD. The age stamp 271 represents information related to the elapsed time since the birth of the subject 208, and may represent the number of days after birth, the number of months after birth (month age), or the child's school year. Weight is entered in the weight stamp 272, and height is entered in the height stamp 273.

  FIG. 2H is another display example of a result of drawing by a baby mode stamp and freehand input in the touch drawing mode. It is a display example when a baby different from that in FIG. 2G is taken as an object to be photographed, and it is assumed that the second baby is selected by the second baby selection button 242.

  In the display example shown in FIG. 2H, stamps 281 and 282 having a different display form from the stamp shown in FIG. 2G are displayed by the OSD. That is, the age stamp 281, the weight stamp 282 and the height stamp 283 are set for the second person. Information (weight, age, and height) displayed on each of the stamps 281 to 283 is combined with the stamps 281 to 283 that are read from the setting information for the second person stored in the program / data storage unit 108.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the screen transition of the present embodiment for changing the baby to be recorded and turning on / off the stamp will be described.

  Frames 301, 311, 312, 313, and 314 represent frame images at a certain timing among the recorded moving images, and are arranged in time series. A frame 301 shows an example of an image in a state where the baby to be photographed is selected as the second person by the baby second person selection button 242. In the frame 301, each stamp is turned on by an age stamp display setting button 246, a height stamp display setting button 247, and a weight stamp display setting button 248. As a result, each stamp of age, weight, and height is displayed in the display form for the second baby.

  A frame 311 shows an image example after the height stamp is moved by a drag operation in the frame 301. A frame 302 shows an image example during the drag operation. When a finger is placed on the height stamp and moved upward as shown by the frame 302 and released, the frame 311 is brought about.

  When the age stamp display setting button 246 is turned off in the frame 311 as shown in FIG. 2E, the frame 321 is obtained.

  The frame 331 becomes the frame 331 when the baby to be photographed is switched to the first in the frame 321. Switching the baby to be photographed is realized by selecting the first baby selection button 241 in the screen example shown in FIG. 2E. In accordance with the switching of the baby to be photographed, the CPU 107 changes the display form and display contents of the weight stamp and the height stamp to corresponding ones. The display position of the stamp is maintained before and after the baby to be photographed is changed.

  When the age stamp display setting button 246 is turned on in the screen example shown in FIG. 2E in the frame 331, the frame 341 is obtained. The display position of the date of birth stamp remains the previous display position regardless of the baby to be photographed. The reason why the display position of the stamp is not moved when the display form is changed is that the photographing layout desired by the user is not destroyed.

  An example of an index screen displayed on the LCD panel 111 in the playback mode will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows an example of an index screen of the conventional example, and FIG.

  In the index screen example of the conventional example shown in FIG. 4A, all the baby mode stamps displayed on each thumbnail (representative image) are the same. That is, even if the baby to be photographed is different, the display form of the stamp is not changed.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the same stamp is assigned to the same baby by the photographer's own operation, and an image photographed in the baby mode is a single baby mode image regardless of who the photographing object is. It is registered in the playlist and recorded. In the playback mode, as shown in FIG. 4B, the images registered in the baby mode play list are displayed as a list with their representative images. That is, in the list display, images of a plurality of photographing subjects are mixed. However, in this embodiment, since the same stamp is superimposed on the same baby as shown in FIG. 4 (b), it becomes obvious at a glance whether the images of the same baby are the same due to the difference in the display form of the stamps. That is, the photographing object can be identified from the display form of the stamp.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the baby stamp drawing process of the present embodiment. This process is realized by the CPU 107 reading and executing a corresponding program from the program / data storage unit 108.

  When the video camera 100 is activated in the moving image shooting mode and the user taps the baby mode stamp selection button 213 in the screen example shown in FIG. 2B, the CPU 107 starts the processing shown in FIG. In the following description of the operation, it is assumed that the screen shown in FIG. 2E is displayed on the LCD panel 111.

  In step S501, the CPU 107 determines whether the return button 221 has been tapped. If the return button 221 is tapped, the CPU 107 ends the stamp selection screen. If the return button 221 is not tapped, the CPU 107 proceeds to S502.

  In S502, the CPU 107 determines whether or not the baby mode stamp display setting button has been pressed. In FIG. 2E, baby mode stamp display setting buttons are an age stamp display setting button 246, a height stamp display setting button 247, and a weight stamp display setting button 248. If the baby mode stamp display setting button is tapped, the CPU 107 proceeds to the process of S503, and if not tapped, the process proceeds to S501.

  In step S503, the CPU 107 detects a change in the baby mode stamp display setting button and determines whether or not the baby mode stamp display setting button is on. If it is determined that the CPU 107 is in the on state, the CPU 107 proceeds to the process of S505. Otherwise (if it is determined to be in the off state), the CPU 107 proceeds to the process of S504.

  In step S504, the CPU 107 performs stamp deletion processing and redrawing the entire screen, and the process advances to step S501. Specifically, the CPU 107 refers to the temporary storage unit 103, acquires the stamp whose setting has been changed, the display position / area of the stamp, and fills the drawing area with the background color. Further, the CPU 107 redraws the entire screen because there is a possibility of overlapping with another stamp.

  In step S <b> 505, the CPU 107 refers to the temporary storage unit 103, acquires the shooting target person setting information set in the main body, and proceeds to step S <b> 506. The photographing subject setting information is information indicating which baby to be photographed corresponds to. In the example shown in FIG. 2E, the photographing subject setting information indicates which of the first baby selection button 241, the second baby selection button 242, and the third baby selection button 243 is enabled.

  In S506, the CPU 107 draws a stamp having a display form corresponding to the subject to be photographed acquired in S505, and the process proceeds to S507. The program / data storage unit 108 stores a stamp of a display form corresponding to the person to be photographed for a predetermined number of people. In step S506, the CPU 107 expands an appropriate image from the program / data storage unit 108 to the temporary storage unit 103 and draws it on the screen. In this embodiment, an image of an age stamp, a height stamp, and a weight stamp is prepared for one person to be photographed. Needless to say, stamps that do not depend on the subject, such as date stamps and time stamps, need not be switched by the subject.

  In S507, the CPU 107 draws the individual information of the person to be photographed acquired in S505 on the stamp, and the process proceeds to S501. The individual information of the person to be imaged is the age calculated from the date of birth and the height and weight set by the user input, and are stored in the program / data storage unit 108.

  With the above-described operation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to display a stamp having a display form corresponding to the person to be photographed when the stamp is drawn.

  FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the drawing process at the time of switching the person to be photographed. This process is realized by the CPU 107 reading and executing a corresponding program from the program / data storage unit 108.

  When the video camera 100 is activated in the moving image shooting mode and the user taps the baby mode stamp selection button 213 in the screen example shown in FIG. 2B, the CPU 107 starts the processing shown in FIG. In the following description of the operation, it is assumed that the screen shown in FIG. 2E is displayed on the LCD panel 111.

  In step S601, the CPU 107 determines whether the return button 221 has been tapped. If the return button 221 has been tapped, the CPU 107 ends the stamp selection screen, and if the return button has not been tapped, the CPU 107 proceeds to S602.

  In S602, the CPU 107 determines whether or not the baby mode shooting target selection button has been tapped. If it is not the shooting target selection button, the process proceeds to S601, and if it is a shooting target selection button, the process proceeds to S602. The photographing target selection button is any one of the first baby selection button 241, the second baby selection button 242, and the third baby selection button 243 in the screen example shown in FIG. 2E.

  In S603, the CPU 107 determines whether or not there is a change in the photographing subject. If there is a change in the photographing subject, the process proceeds to S604, and if there is no change in the photographing subject, the process proceeds to S601.

  In S604, the CPU 107 determines whether or not a baby stamp is displayed. If the baby stamp is displayed, the process proceeds to S605. If not, the process proceeds to S601. Whether or not the baby stamp is displayed is determined by referring to the setting state stored in the temporary storage unit 103 for the age stamp display setting button 246, the height stamp display setting button 247, and the weight stamp display setting button 248. .

  In step S605, the CPU 107 performs stamp deletion processing and redrawing the entire screen, and the process advances to step S606. Specifically, the CPU 107 refers to the temporary storage unit 103, acquires the stamp whose setting has been changed, the display position / area of the stamp, and fills the drawing area with the background color. Further, the CPU 107 redraws the entire screen because there is a possibility of overlapping with another stamp.

  In S <b> 606, the CPU 107 refers to the temporary storage unit 103, acquires the shooting target person setting information set in the main body, and proceeds to S <b> 607.

  In step S <b> 607, the CPU 107 draws a stamp having a display form corresponding to the subject to be acquired acquired in step S <b> 606, and the process proceeds to step S <b> 608.

  In step S608, the CPU 107 draws information corresponding to the photographing target acquired in step S606 on the stamp, and the process advances to step S601.

  According to the flow shown in FIG. 6, the baby stamp can be changed to a display form corresponding to the subject to be photographed as the subject to be photographed is changed.

  As described above, by changing the stamp display form according to the person to be photographed, the person to be photographed can be associated with the stamp display form. As shown in FIG. The person to be photographed can be easily identified. This makes it possible to easily identify the seed subject even for a small image such as an index-displayed thumbnail image.

  Although the operation in which the subject to be photographed is a baby has been described, the present invention can also be applied to other subjects such as animals such as dogs, cats, and rabbits. That is, according to the present invention, for a plurality of subjects, subject information including information on items to be superimposed on images in different display forms is stored, and the same item is superimposed on an image of a specific subject according to a user's selection instruction. To do.

  The stamp display data stored in the program / data storage unit 108 may be transferred from another device via the communication unit 112 or USB and stored in the program / data storage unit 108 before use.

  The date of birth, weight, and height are given as examples of the type of stamp. However, a nickname, name, and / or blood type that identifies the subject may be used or added.

  Control by the CPU 107 may be realized by a single piece of hardware, or may be realized by a plurality of pieces of hardware sharing processing.

  While the embodiment used for a particular application has been described, this is illustrative and the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described above. That is, various forms within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

  Although the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a video camera has been described, the present invention can be applied to various apparatuses having an image recording apparatus for recording a moving image or a still image. For example, the present invention can be applied to personal computers, PDAs, mobile phone terminals, portable image viewers, printer devices having a display, digital photo frames, music players, game machines, electronic book readers, and the like.

  (Other Embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program code. To be executed. In this case, the program and a computer-readable storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

Claims (10)

Image input means;
Storage means for storing subject information including information on items that are superimposed on an image and that are not character strings in a display form different for each subject for a plurality of subjects;
Selecting means for selecting one of the subjects corresponding to the subject information stored in the storage means;
Superimposing means for displaying characters relating to the subject together with the item included in the subject information relating to the subject selected by the selection means , and further superimposing the item and the characters on the image of the subject input by the image input means. When,
An image recording apparatus comprising: recording means for recording the output of the superimposing means on a recording medium.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit that selects whether or not the superimposing unit superimposes the item on an image input by the image input unit. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by further comprising input means for inputting characters to be added to the item to be superimposed on the image input by the previous SL image input means. 4. The subject information includes information regarding the item and one or more persons of a nickname, name, date of birth, weight, height, and blood type that identify the subject. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1.   5. The image according to claim 1, wherein when displaying the image output to the superimposing unit and recorded on the recording medium, the image is displayed in a list without being divided for each subject. Recording device.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input unit is an imaging unit. Furthermore,
Mode setting means for setting baby mode as a recording mode;
7. The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to control the recording unit so that the recording unit records the output of the superimposing unit on the recording medium when the baby mode is set. The image recording apparatus according to any one of the above. For a plurality of subjects, the items corresponding to the subject information stored in the storage unit that stores the subject information including the information of the item that is superimposed on the image and is not a character string in the display form different for each subject. A selection step for selecting one of the subjects,
A superimposition step of displaying characters relating to the subject together with the item included in the subject information relating to the subject selected in the selection step, and further superimposing the item and the character on an image input by an image input means;
And a recording step of recording the output of the superimposing step on a recording medium.   A program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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