JP6478615B2 - COMMUNICATION DEVICE, ITS CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology in which an information processing apparatus communicates with a communication apparatus via a network.

  In recent years, digital cameras equipped with a communication function are known. There is a system in which a digital camera and an information processing device such as a mobile phone can communicate with each other, and a list of images recorded on the digital camera can be displayed on a display screen of the mobile phone or a selected image can be stored. When there are a plurality of similar images when selecting an image to be stored, there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish between an image already stored in the mobile phone and an image not yet stored. Therefore, there is a function of notifying the user that an already saved image has been saved.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a recorded image management method for managing a transmission status, a transmission destination, and the like so that duplicate transmission of recorded images does not occur.

JP 2000-209536 A

  As a method of storing an image recorded in a digital camera in a mobile phone, there are two modes: a mode for operating a mobile phone and a mode for operating a digital camera. When displaying a list of images in the digital camera on the display screen of the mobile phone, the conventional system displays an icon indicating that the image has already been saved in the image saved in the mobile phone operation mode. Does not display on images saved in mode. If an icon indicating that the image has been saved is not displayed depending on the operation mode, the image and the icon that are actually saved may not be displayed, resulting in confusion for the user.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is that when displaying a list of images in the digital camera on the display screen of the mobile phone, images already stored in the mobile phone are saved regardless of the operation mode. It is to provide a system that displays an icon to prevent duplicate storage.

In order to achieve the above object, one of the inventions according to the present application is a communication device capable of communicating with an imaging device, and is selected by operating the imaging device among images recorded in the imaging device. First receiving means for receiving the first image from the imaging device, first saving means for saving the first image received by the first receiving means in the storage, and saving in the storage. First adding means for adding information relating to the first image to the saved list, and second receiving means for receiving an in-camera image list indicating information relating to the image recorded in the imaging device from the imaging device. Display control means for controlling to display the in-camera image list on the screen, and the imaging in response to a user operation on the communication device based on the in-camera image list displayed on the screen Selecting means for selecting a second image from images recorded in a position, third receiving means for receiving the second image selected by the selecting means from the imaging device, and the third Second storage means for storing the second image received by the reception means in the storage; and second addition means for adding information relating to the second image stored in the storage to the saved list. And the display control means identifies whether the in-camera image list has been saved in the storage for each image based on information about the first and second images added to the saved list. The display is controlled to be displayed .

According to the present invention, when an image is captured from the imaging device to the communication device, it is possible to centrally manage whether the image is actually stored regardless of which device the image is selected. Thus, it is possible to avoid selecting the image stored in the image by mistake and transmitting the image from the imaging device to the communication device many times to perform the storage process .

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the digital camera in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mobile telephone in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a whole system figure showing a use case in one embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the mobile telephone in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the digital camera in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the mobile telephone and digital camera in one Embodiment of this invention.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the form for implementing this invention is demonstrated in detail using attached drawing.

  The embodiment described below is an example as means for realizing the present invention, and may be appropriately modified or changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Moreover, it is also possible to combine each embodiment suitably.

<Configuration of Digital Camera 100>
FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital camera 100 that is an example of an imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. Although a digital camera is described here as an example of an imaging apparatus, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be an information processing apparatus such as a portable media player provided with an imaging unit, a so-called tablet device, or a personal computer.

  The control unit 101 controls each unit of the digital camera 100 according to an input signal and a program described later. Note that instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire apparatus, a plurality of hardware may share the processing to control the entire apparatus.

  The imaging unit 102 includes, for example, an optical lens unit, an optical system that controls the aperture, zoom, focus, and the like, and an imaging device that converts light (video) introduced through the optical lens unit into an electrical video signal. Composed. In general, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is used as the imaging element. The imaging unit 102 is controlled by the control unit 101 to convert subject light imaged by a lens included in the imaging unit 102 into an electrical signal by the imaging device, and perform noise reduction processing or the like to convert the digital data into an image. Output as data. In the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment, the image data is recorded on the recording medium 110 in accordance with the DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) standard.

  The non-volatile memory 103 is an electrically erasable / recordable non-volatile memory, and stores a program to be described later executed by the control unit 101.

  The work memory 104 is used as a buffer memory that temporarily holds image data picked up by the image pickup unit 102, an image display memory of the display unit 106, a work area of the control unit 101, and the like.

  The operation unit 105 is used for the user to accept an instruction for the digital camera 100 from the user. The operation unit 105 includes, for example, a power button for instructing the user to turn on / off the digital camera 100, a release switch for instructing photographing, and a reproduction button for instructing reproduction of image data. Furthermore, an operation member such as a dedicated connection button for starting communication with an external device via a connection unit 111 described later is included. A touch panel formed on the display unit 106 described later is also included in the operation unit 105. The release switch has SW1 and SW2. When the release switch is in a so-called half-pressed state, SW1 is turned on. As a result, an instruction for making preparations for shooting such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing is accepted. Further, when the release switch is in a fully-pressed state, SW2 is turned on. As a result, an instruction for photographing is received.

  The display unit 106 displays a viewfinder image at the time of shooting, displays shot image data, and displays characters for interactive operation. Note that the display unit 106 is not necessarily built in the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 can be connected to an internal or external display unit 106 and only needs to have at least a display control function for controlling display on the display unit 106.

  The recording medium 110 can record the image data output from the imaging unit 102. The recording medium 110 may be configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100 or may be built in the digital camera 100. That is, the digital camera 100 only needs to have a means for accessing at least the recording medium 110.

  The connection unit 111 is an interface for connecting to an external device. The digital camera 100 of this embodiment can exchange data with an external device via the connection unit 111. For example, the image data generated by the imaging unit 102 can be transmitted to the external device via the connection unit 111. In the present embodiment, the connection unit 111 includes an interface for communicating with an external device via a so-called wireless LAN in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The control unit 101 realizes wireless communication with an external device by controlling the connection unit 111. Note that the communication method is not limited to the wireless LAN, and includes, for example, an infrared communication method. The connection unit 111 is an example of a first wireless communication unit.

  Note that the connection unit 111 of the digital camera 100 in this embodiment has an AP mode that operates as an access point in the infrastructure mode, and a CL mode that operates as a client in the infrastructure mode. Then, by operating the connection unit 111 in the CL mode, the digital camera 100 in the present embodiment can operate as a CL device in the infrastructure mode. When the digital camera 100 operates as a CL device, it can participate in a network formed by the AP device by connecting to a peripheral AP device. In addition, by operating the connection unit 111 in the AP mode, the digital camera 100 in the present embodiment is a kind of AP, but operates as a simple AP (hereinafter referred to as a simple AP) with more limited functions. Is also possible. When the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP, the digital camera 100 forms a network by itself. Devices around the digital camera 100 can recognize the digital camera 100 as an AP device and participate in a network formed by the digital camera 100. It is assumed that a program for operating the digital camera 100 is held in the nonvolatile memory 103 as described above.

  Note that although the digital camera 100 in this embodiment is a kind of AP, it is a simple AP that does not have a gateway function for transferring data received from a CL device to an Internet provider or the like. Therefore, even if data is received from another device participating in the network formed by the own device, it cannot be transferred to a network such as the Internet.

  Next, the appearance of the digital camera 100 will be described. 1B and 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of the appearance of the digital camera 100. FIG. The release switch 105a, the playback button 105b, the direction key 105c, and the touch panel 105d are operation members included in the operation unit 105 described above. Further, the display unit 106 displays an image obtained as a result of imaging by the imaging unit 102.

  The above is the description of the digital camera 100.

<Internal configuration of mobile phone 200>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the mobile phone 200 that is an example of the wireless communication apparatus according to the present embodiment. Although a mobile phone is described here as an example of a wireless communication device, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the wireless communication device may be an imaging device or an information processing device such as a digital camera, a tablet device, or a personal computer equipped with a wireless communication function.

  The control unit 201 controls each unit of the mobile phone 200 according to an input signal and a program described later. Note that instead of the control unit 201 controlling the entire apparatus, the entire apparatus may be controlled by a plurality of pieces of hardware sharing the processing.

  The imaging unit 202 converts subject light imaged by a lens included in the imaging unit 202 into an electrical signal, performs noise reduction processing, and outputs digital data as image data. The captured image data is stored in the buffer memory, and then a predetermined calculation is performed by the control unit 201 and recorded on the recording medium 210.

  The nonvolatile memory 203 is an electrically erasable / recordable nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory 203 stores an OS (operating system) that is basic software executed by the control unit 201 and an application that realizes an applied function in cooperation with the OS. In the present embodiment, the nonvolatile memory 203 stores an application for communicating with the digital camera 100.

  The work memory 204 is used as an image display memory of the display unit 206, a work area of the control unit 201, and the like.

  The operation unit 205 is used to receive an instruction for the mobile phone 200 from the user. The operation unit 205 includes, for example, operation members such as a power button for the user to instruct ON / OFF of the power supply of the mobile phone 200 and a touch panel formed on the display unit 206.

  The display unit 206 displays image data, characters for interactive operation, and the like. Note that the display unit 206 is not necessarily provided in the mobile phone 200. The mobile phone 200 can be connected to the display unit 206 and has at least a display control function for controlling the display of the display unit 206.

  The recording medium 210 can record image data output from the imaging unit 202. The recording medium 210 may be configured to be detachable from the mobile phone 200 or may be built in the mobile phone 200. That is, the mobile phone 200 only needs to have at least a means for accessing the recording medium 210.

  The connection unit 211 is an interface for connecting to an external device. The mobile phone 200 according to the present embodiment can exchange data with the digital camera 100 via the connection unit 211. In the present embodiment, the connection unit 211 is an antenna, and the control unit 101 can be connected to the digital camera 100 via the antenna. In connection with the digital camera 100, it may be connected directly or via an access point. As a protocol for communicating data, for example, PTP / IP (Picture Transfer Protocol over Internet Protocol) through a wireless LAN can be used. Note that communication with the digital camera 100 is not limited to this. For example, the connection unit 211 can include an infrared communication module, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module, and a wireless communication module such as WirelessUSB. Furthermore, a wired connection such as a USB cable, HDMI (registered trademark), or IEEE1394 may be employed.

  The public network connection unit 213 is an interface used when performing public wireless communication. The mobile phone 200 can talk with other devices via the public network connection unit 213. At this time, the control unit 201 inputs and outputs an audio signal via the microphone 214 and the speaker 215, thereby realizing a call. In the present embodiment, the public network connection unit 213 is an antenna, and the control unit 101 can be connected to the public network via the antenna. Note that the connection unit 211 and the public network connection unit 213 can be shared by a single antenna.

  The above is the description of the mobile phone 200.

<Description of use case>
FIG. 3 shows a use case example of the diagram of the entire system of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the mobile phone can communicate with the digital camera and display a list of images recorded on the digital camera on the display screen of the mobile phone. In addition, the mobile phone can receive and store images in the camera from the camera. In the present embodiment, there are (1) and (2) modes when the image in the camera is stored in the mobile phone. First, the mobile phone shown in (1) receives information about images stored in the digital camera from the digital camera, displays the list, requests the camera for the selected image, receives it, and stores it. Mobile phone operation mode. Then, there is a camera operation mode (2) in which an image selected from images stored in the digital camera is transmitted to the mobile phone in response to a user operation on the digital camera. The case of (a) is a conventional example, and images stored in both the (1) mode and (2) mode are stored in the mobile phone storage, but the display screen of the mobile phone is in (1) mode Saved icons are displayed only for saved images. In FIG. 3A, images 301 and 302 are stored in the digital camera, and thumbnail images 311 and 312 corresponding to the images 301 and 302 are included in the list display 303. When the image 301 is taken into the mobile phone from the digital camera in the (1) mode and stored in the storage 304 of the mobile phone, the information regarding the image 301 is updated to have been saved. In the list display 303, the thumbnail image 311 is displayed with an icon 305 indicating that it has been saved. On the other hand, even after the image 302 is taken into the mobile phone from the digital camera in the (2) mode and saved in the storage 304, the thumbnail image 312 is not given the icon 305 indicating that it has been saved in the list display 303. This is because in the (1) mode, the mobile phone records whether or not each image is stored for the information related to the image received from the digital camera, and displays a list of information related to the image accordingly. In the (2) mode, since information about the image is not acquired from the digital camera, whether or not the image is stored is not recorded. Therefore, the saved state displayed on the mobile phone does not match the state saved in the storage 304, which may confuse the user.

Therefore, as in the case of (b), if the saved icon is displayed for the image saved in the (2) mode, the saved state displayed on the mobile phone matches the state saved in the storage, The user can correctly grasp the storage state of the image.

<Mobile phone image storage flow>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the movements until the mobile phone 200 displays and stores an image after connection processing with the digital camera 100 is completed and disconnects communication with the digital camera 100.

  The mobile phone 200 activates an application for communicating with the camera stored in the nonvolatile memory 203 and establishes communication with the digital camera 100. When the application is activated, the mobile phone 200 creates a saved list in which the saved image ID is recorded in the work memory 204 in an empty state.

  In step S400, the mobile phone 200 displays a menu screen of the application shown in FIG. 6A on the display unit 206, and determines whether or not the image browsing menu shown in 600 is selected by the user. If the menu 600 is selected, the process proceeds to step S401. If not selected, the process proceeds to step S413.

In step S401, the mobile phone 200 requests the digital camera 100 for a list of images recorded on the recording medium 110 via the connection unit 211, and receives the list in step S402. In step S403, the mobile phone 200 requests the header of each image in the received image list from the digital camera 100, and receives it in step S404. Steps S405 to S409 are a flow of displaying a list of images recorded on the recording medium 110 of the digital camera 100 on the display unit 206 of the mobile phone 200, and are repeated for the number of recorded images. In step S406, the mobile phone 200 displays a thumbnail image 601 on the application screen shown in FIG. In step S407, the mobile phone 200 determines whether the ID of the thumbnail image to be displayed is in the saved list. If not, the process proceeds to step S409 to proceed to processing of a thumbnail image to be displayed next. If so the process proceeds to step S408, the display unit 206 an icon 603 indicating that the saved to the thumbnail images on the screen of the application shown in Figure 6 (b). In step S409, the cellular phone 200 repeats the process until the display of the number of images recorded in the digital camera 100 is completed, and then the process proceeds to step S410. In step S410, if the user selects an image to be saved on the application screen shown in FIG. 6B displayed on the display unit 206 of the mobile phone 200 and presses the save button 602, the process proceeds to step S416. If not, the process proceeds to step S411. If the mobile phone 200 is disconnected from the digital camera 100 in step S411, the process proceeds to step S412. In step S412, the mobile phone 200 deletes the image ID stored in the saved list created in the work memory 204. If the camera is not disconnected in step S411, the process returns to step S400.

  If the image browsing menu 600 is not selected in step S400, the process proceeds to step S413. Steps S413 to S415 are a flow in which image storage is performed in (2) camera operation mode of FIG. If an image is received from the digital camera 100 in step S413, the process proceeds to step S414. This is a case where an image is selected and transmitted by operating the digital camera 100 in step S508 of FIG. 5, and the mobile phone 200 stores the received image in the recording medium 210 in step S414. In step S 415, the mobile phone 200 adds the saved image ID to the saved list in the work memory 204. The process returns to step S400.

  If an image is selected by the user in step S410, the process proceeds to step S416. Steps S416 to S419 are a flow in which image storage is performed in the (1) mobile phone operation mode of FIG. In step S416, the mobile phone 200 requests the digital camera 100 for an image selected by the user via the operation unit 205. In step S417, the mobile phone 200 receives the selected image from the digital camera 100. In step S418, the mobile phone 200 stores the received image in the recording medium 210. In step S419, the mobile phone 200 adds the ID of the saved image to the saved list in the work memory 204. The process returns to step S405.

  In the present embodiment, the content stored in the saved list for storing the image saved from the digital camera 100 to the mobile phone 200 uses the image ID, but other identification information such as an image file name may be used. Good. In addition, the mobile phone 200 discards the saved list from the work memory 204 when the application ends.

  The above is a flow in which the mobile phone 200 receives an image from the digital camera 100 and stores it.

<Digital camera image transmission flow>
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the movement from when the digital camera 100 transmits an image after the connection process with the mobile phone 200 is completed to disconnect the communication with the mobile phone 200.

  In step S500, the digital camera 100 determines whether a list of images recorded on the recording medium 110 is requested from the mobile phone 200 via the connection unit 111. If there is a request, the process proceeds to step S501. In step S <b> 501, the digital camera 100 transmits a list of images recorded on the recording medium 110 to the mobile phone 200. In step S502, the digital camera 100 receives a header request for each image recorded on the recording medium 110 from the mobile phone 200, and the digital camera 100 transmits a header for each image to the mobile phone 200 in step S503. In step S504, the digital camera 100 determines whether the communication with the mobile phone 200 has been disconnected. If disconnected, the digital camera 100 ends. If not disconnected, the process returns to step S500 and waits for a request from the mobile phone 200.

  If there is no image list request from the mobile phone 200 in step S500, the process proceeds to step S505. If there is an image request from the mobile phone 200, the digital camera 100 proceeds to step S506. In step S506, the digital camera 100 transmits the requested image to the mobile phone 200, and the process proceeds to step S504.

  If there is no image request from the mobile phone 200 in step S505, the process proceeds to step S507. In step S507, the image 604 is selected by the user via the operation unit 105 on the screen of the digital camera shown in FIG. If the send button 605 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S508, and if not, the process proceeds to step S504. In step S <b> 508, the digital camera 100 transmits the image selected by the user to the mobile phone 200.

  The above is a flow in which the digital camera 100 transmits an image to the mobile phone 200.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program This process can be realized. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

Claims (4)

A communication device capable of communicating with an imaging device ,
First receiving means for receiving, from the imaging device, a first image selected by operating the imaging device among images recorded in the imaging device;
First storage means for storing in a storage the first image received by the first reception means;
First adding means for adding information about the first image stored in the storage to a saved list;
Second receiving means for receiving an in-camera image list indicating information related to an image recorded in the imaging device from the imaging device;
Display control means for controlling to display the in-camera image list on a screen;
Selection means for selecting a second image from images recorded in the imaging device in response to a user operation on the communication device based on the in-camera image list displayed on the screen ;
Third receiving means for receiving the second image selected by the selecting means from the imaging device;
A second storing means for storing a second image that is more received before Symbol third receiving hand stage to said storage,
Second adding means for adding information relating to a second image stored in the storage to the saved list ;
Wherein the display control unit, the camera image list, based on said information about the saved list added the first and the second image to identify whether saved or not in the storage for each images communication device comprising a benzalkonium controls to display Te. The communication according to claim 1, further comprising a deletion unit that deletes information about the first and second images added to the saved list after communication with the imaging apparatus is disconnected. apparatus. A communication device control method capable of communicating with an imaging device ,
A first reception step of receiving, from the imaging device, a first image selected by operating the imaging device among images recorded in the imaging device;
A first storing step of storing the received first image in a storage;
A first adding step of adding information about the first image stored in the storage to a saved list;
A second receiving step of receiving, from the imaging device, an in-camera image list indicating information relating to an image recorded in the imaging device;
A display control step for controlling to display the in-camera image list on a screen;
A selection step of selecting a second image from images recorded in the imaging device in response to a user operation on the communication device based on an in-camera image list displayed on the screen ;
A third reception step of receiving a second image said selected from the imaging device, and a second storage step of storing the second image which is the received storage,
And a second additional step of adding information about a second image stored in the storage to the saved list,
Wherein in the display control step, the camera image list, based on said information about the saved list added the first and the second image to identify whether saved or not in the storage for each images the communication control method according to claim and Turkey controls to display Te. In a computer that realizes a communication device capable of communicating with an imaging device ,
A first reception step of receiving, from the imaging device, a first image selected by operating the imaging device among images recorded in the imaging device;
A first storing step of storing the received first image in a storage;
A first adding step of adding information about the first image stored in the storage to a saved list;
A second receiving step of receiving, from the imaging device, an in-camera image list indicating information relating to an image recorded in the imaging device;
A display control step for controlling to display the in-camera image list on a screen;
A selection step of selecting a second image from images recorded in the imaging device in response to a user operation on the communication device based on an in-camera image list displayed on the screen ;
A third reception step of receiving a second image said selected from the imaging device, and a second storage step of storing the second image which is the received storage,
Performing a second addition step of adding information about the second image stored in the storage to the saved list ;
Wherein in the display control step, the camera image list, based on said information about the saved list added the first and the second image to identify whether saved or not in the storage for each images program characterized and Turkey controls to display Te.

Images