JPH11127414A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent relevance between picture data and an ID added to this from being lost. SOLUTION: When a subject is photographed by a photographing part 16, handwritten characters inputted from a handwriting inputting part 26 after the photographing are recognized as characters by a character recognizing part 28, and defined as ID data. A CPU 10 converts this into picture data, and synthesizes this with the subject picture data from the photographing part 16 for preparing synthetic picture data, and the synthetic picture data are recorded in a picture data recording medium 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera for photographing and storing a desired image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, digital cameras have been used as input devices for image data. This digital camera stores an image captured by an image pickup device such as a CCD as digital image data in a recording medium such as a memory or a magnetic medium, and transfers the image data stored in the recording medium to a personal computer by wire / wireless. There is also known an apparatus having a function of performing the above operation, and an apparatus having a detachable recording medium itself, which is capable of reading stored image data by being attached to a medium drive device provided in a personal computer.

In such a digital camera, a plurality of photographed image data can be stored in a recording medium, and a name of a subject, a photographing place, and the like are added to each image data as an ID so that each can be identified. Some are made available.

[0004]

However, the above I
Since D is stored separately in association with the image data, the association may be lost when transferring to a personal computer or editing image data on a personal computer. In such a case, This makes it difficult to identify each image data.

In addition, a dedicated key input unit is required for inputting the ID, and the input operation is troublesome. An object of the present invention is to prevent the relationship between image data and an ID added thereto from being lost. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ID added to image data.
Is to be easily created.

[0006]

Means of the present invention are as follows. The photographing means photographs a subject to obtain subject image data. The image data storage means is for storing image data. The ID input means is for inputting a desired ID. The image data control means converts the ID input by the ID input means into image data to obtain ID image data, and combines the ID image data with the subject image data from the photographing means to generate composite image data. Then, the composite image data is created and stored in the image data storage means.

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. When the subject is photographed by the photographing means, the image data control means converts the ID input from the ID input means to image data before or after the photographing to obtain ID image data,
The ID image data and the subject image data from the photographing means are combined in, for example, a predetermined spread-fitting form to create combined image data, and the combined image data is stored in the image data storage means. Therefore, since the ID is embedded in the image data of the subject, the association between the image data and the ID is not lost.

The ID may be data itself input by voice or handwriting, or may be recognition data obtained by recognizing the input data. Also,
When an already stored ID is input, an identification number such as date and time or a serial number may be automatically added to the ID. Furthermore, when the ID is not input, the immediately preceding ID may be used, and the updated ID may be used as the ID corresponding to the new subject image data.

The means of the invention according to claim 8 is as follows. The photographing means photographs a subject to obtain subject image data. The image data storage means stores the subject image data from the photographing means. The ID generation storage means extracts and recognizes a predetermined image from the subject image data from the photographing means, and stores the recognized data as an ID for identifying the subject image data.

The operation of the means of the invention of claim 8 is as follows. When the subject is photographed by the photographing means, the subject image data is stored in the image data storage means,
A predetermined image, for example, a character image or a code image such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code is extracted from the subject image data by the generation storage unit, and the character recognition or code recognition is performed. It is stored as an ID for identifying the subject image data. Therefore, the ID added to the image data of the subject can be created without performing a special input operation.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and reference numeral 10 in the figure controls the entire digital camera. It is a CPU as a control unit. 12 is the CPU 10
And a RAM 14 used as a work area. Reference numeral 16 denotes a photographing unit including a lens, a CCD, and the like (not shown). Reference numeral 18 denotes a shutter switch (SW) for instructing the photographing unit 16 to photograph a subject. Reference numeral 20 denotes an image data recording medium for storing image data photographed by the photographing unit 16, and reference numeral 22 denotes an image data recording medium for transmitting the image data stored in the image data recording medium to a personal computer (PC) by wire or wirelessly. It is a communication control unit.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a display unit which is a liquid crystal display for displaying a subject image or image data stored in an image data recording medium. Reference numeral 26 denotes a display unit provided on the liquid crystal display of the display unit 24. A handwriting input unit 28 such as a touch panel is a character recognition unit that recognizes handwritten characters input by the handwriting input unit 26. And 30, an audio input unit including a microphone, an A / D converter, and the like.
Reference numeral 32 denotes a voice recognition unit for recognizing the voice input by the voice input unit 30, and reference numeral 34 denotes a voice output unit including a D / A converter, a speaker, and the like.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a series of flowcharts for explaining the operation of the digital camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

That is, after turning on a power supply SW (not shown),
U10 is waiting for the operation of the shutter SW18,
When the shutter SW 18 is turned on (step S10), a subject image is photographed by the photographing unit 16 (step S1).
2). Then, the obtained subject image data is stored in the image data recording medium 20 (step S14) and displayed on the display unit 24 (step S16). Thereafter, a message prompting the user to input an index such as "Please input an index" is displayed on the display unit 24 (step S18), and the operation of a voice button and a handwriting button (not shown) is awaited (step S20, S2
2). In addition, as this voice button and handwriting button,
It may be a mechanical selection switch or an independent mechanical button. Further, a method of displaying a button image on the display unit 24 and turning on the button by touch panel operation of the handwriting input unit 26 is also possible.

When the voice button is turned on (step S20), the voice input unit 30 receives a voice input (step S24), and the voice recognition unit 32 recognizes the input voice. The recognition result is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 as an index (step S26). When the handwriting button is turned on (step S22), input of handwritten characters by the handwriting input unit 26 is accepted (step S28), the input handwritten characters are recognized by the character recognition unit 28, and the recognition result is obtained. Is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 as an index (step S30).

Here, the index constitutes a part of ID data for specifying photographed subject image data. That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the ID data 36 includes the index 38, the reproduction information 40, and the reproduction information type flag 42 indicating the type (voice / handwritten character) of the reproduction information 38. Be composed.
For example, when a person is photographed as a subject, the character is a character code indicating the kanji character, and the reproduction information 40 is a voice or a handwritten character saying "I'm a child." It becomes itself.

If the index 38 is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 in step S26 or S30,
Next, the CPU 10 displays a message prompting the user to input the reproduction information 40 such as "Please input reproduction information" on the display unit 24 (step S32), and waits for the operation of the voice button and the handwriting button. (Step S3
4, S36).

When the voice button is turned on (step S34), a voice input from the voice input unit 30 is accepted (step S36), and the voice data A / D-converted by the voice input unit 30 is reproduced. Is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 (step S40). At this time, the reproduction information type flag 42 is set to a state indicating that the reproduction information 40 is audio.

When the handwriting button is turned on (step S36), handwritten character input by the handwriting input unit 26 is accepted (step S42), and the handwritten character image is extracted by the handwriting input unit 26. Then, the handwritten character image is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 as the reproduction information 40 (step S44). At this time, the reproduction information type flag 42 is set to a state indicating that the reproduction information 40 is a handwritten character.

Thus, the index 3 is stored in the RAM 14.
8, reproduction information 40, and reproduction information type flag 42, ie, I
When the D data 36 is stored, the CPU 10 converts the ID data 36 into image data (step S4).
6), and embed and synthesize it in the corresponding subject image data stored in the image data recording medium 20 (step S)
48). After that, the process returns to step S10, so that the next photographing can be performed.

As described above, by incorporating the ID data 36 into the subject image data, the PC can always identify the ID data 36. That is, the association between the subject image data and the ID data 36 is not lost.

It should be noted that the ID image data obtained by converting the ID data 36 into image data has a data amount much smaller than that of the subject image data. However, it is not something that can be recognized on a photo displayed or printed on the PC side.

The write address of the ID image data in the subject image data may be any address because the ID image data has a very small capacity. For example, as shown in FIG. It is conceivable to write one byte at a time every 1000 bytes from the head address.

The subject image data in which the ID image data is embedded as described above is transferred by the communication control unit 22 from the image data recording medium 20 to the PC. Alternatively, when the image data recording medium 20 is configured to be detachable from the digital camera, the image data recording medium 20 is detached from the digital camera and attached to a recording medium drive of a PC, thereby It is also possible to read the subject image data in which the ID image data is embedded from the image data recording medium 20.

FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a configuration of the PC, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an image calling process in the PC. That is, the PC includes a CPU 50, an input device 52, a display device 54, a RAM 56, a storage device 58, a recording medium driving device 60, an audio output unit 62, and a communication control unit 64.

The CPU 10 first displays a list of image data stored in the image data recording medium 20 of the digital camera on the display device 54 as reduced images (step S50). In this case, the image data stored in the image data recording medium 20 of the digital camera is
The data may be received via the communication control unit 64 or may be read by the recording medium driving device 60 from the image data recording medium 20 removed from the digital camera. Then, here, it is determined whether or not the user has performed a predetermined instruction input so as to display an index using the input device 52 (step S52).
If there is no such instruction input, step S60 described later
Proceed to.

On the other hand, when an index display instruction is input, an image corresponding to the index 38 is separated from the ID data image dispersed and embedded in the image data to obtain the original character code (step S1). S54),
It is displayed in association with the reduced image (step S
56). This is applied to all the displayed reduced images (step S58). As a result, the reduced image 66 and the index 68 are displayed on the display device 54 in association with each other, as shown in FIG.

The user operates the displayed reduced image 66
A desired image can be selected by the input device 52 with reference to (and the index 68 if there is an index display instruction) (step S60). Then, the CPU 50 displays the selected image on the display device 54 (Step S62). Here, it is determined whether or not the user has performed a predetermined reproduction instruction input using the input device 52 (step S64). If there is no such instruction input, the process returns to step S60.

On the other hand, when a reproduction instruction is input, the reproduction information 40 and the reproduction information type flag 42 are separated from the ID data image dispersed and embedded in the image data. And restore the original information to R
The information is temporarily stored in the AM 56 (step S66), and the type of the reproduction information 40 is determined based on the reproduction information type flag 42 (step S68). If it is a sound, the sound as the reproduction information is reproduced and output by the sound output unit 62 (Step S).
70), if it is a handwritten character, a handwritten character image 70 as reproduction information is displayed on the image displayed in step S62 as shown in FIG. 6B (step S7).
2).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there is another instruction (step S74). If there is an instruction, the process returns to step S60.
If not, the image call processing ends. Note that this image calling process is not limited to the PC side.
The same can be done on the digital camera side.

In the present embodiment, ID data is input after one frame is shot. However, it is needless to say that ID data can be input before shooting.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, a code image such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code or a character image is extracted from photographed subject image data, and the contents thereof are recognized as ID data. That is, the input is omitted.

The configuration of the digital camera of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the digital camera according to the second embodiment.
That is, after the power switch (not shown) is turned on, the CPU 10 waits for the operation of the shutter SW 18 and
When the button 18 is turned on (Step S80), a subject image is photographed by the photographing unit 16 (Step S82). Then, the obtained subject image data is stored in the image data recording medium 2.
0 (step S84) and display on the display unit 24 (step S86).

Thereafter, in the present embodiment, the area of the character image and the area of the code image are extracted from the subject image data stored in the image data recording medium 20 (step S88). Then, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of these areas (step S90), and if there is one, the process proceeds to step S96 described later. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of extracted areas, the plurality of extracted areas are identified and displayed on the captured image displayed on the display unit 24 (step S92), and the user selects the handwritten input unit 26 using the touch panel. An operation is received (step S94).

If there is only one extraction area selected by the user or if there is only one extraction area, the character image or code image existing in the area is recognized, and the recognition result is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 as ID data. (Step S96). That is, in the present embodiment, the index 38 and the reproduction information 4 as in the first embodiment are used.
The ID data is an index-only ID data, with no distinction between 0 and the reproduction information type flag 42.

The ID data is displayed on the display unit 24 for confirmation (step S98), and it is determined whether the user has performed an OK operation using the touch panel of the handwriting input unit 26 (step S100). If the user
If the D data is not good, input of handwritten characters by the handwriting input unit 26 is accepted (step S102),
The input handwritten character is recognized by the character recognition unit 28, and the recognition result is stored as new ID data in the RAM 1.
4 is overwritten and stored (step S104), and the process returns to step S98.

On the other hand, if an OK operation is performed in step S100, the ID data temporarily stored in the RAM 14 is converted into image data (step S106) and stored in the image data recording medium 20. The image data is embedded in the corresponding subject image data and synthesized (step S108). Thereafter, the process returns to step S80,
As a result, the next shooting can be performed.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, an identification number (date and time, serial number, etc.) is automatically added when the same ID already stored is input. Further, when the ID is not input, the ID of the immediately preceding image is used, and the updated ID is stored as the ID corresponding to the new image.

The configuration of the digital camera according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the digital camera according to the third embodiment. That is, after the power switch (not shown) is turned on, the CPU 10
Is waiting for the operation of the shutter SW 18, and when the shutter SW 18 is turned on (step S 110), the photographing unit 16 photographs a subject image (step S 11).
2). Then, the obtained subject image data is stored in the image data recording medium 20 (step S114).
It is displayed on the display unit 24 (step S116).

Thereafter, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not the user has input a handwritten character using the touch panel of the handwriting input unit 26 (step S118). When the user performs handwriting input, the handwritten character input is accepted (step S120), the input handwritten character is recognized by the character recognition unit 28, and the recognition result is temporarily stored in the RAM 14 as ID data (step S120). Step S122).

Then, it is determined whether the ID data is already used (step S12).
4) If not, the process proceeds to step S128, but if the same ID data is alt, new ID data is created by further adding a serial number to the ID data (step S126). Then, the ID data is converted into image data (step S128), and the ID data is embedded and combined with the corresponding subject image data stored in the image data recording medium 20 (step S130). Thereafter, the process returns to step S110, and the next photographing becomes possible.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S118 that there is no handwriting input, that is, if it is determined that there is no input of ID data, the I
The D data is called (step S132). in this case,
If the previous ID data is held in the RAM 14, it is called. If not, the ID data is called separately from the image data stored in the image data recording medium 20. Then, new ID data is created by further adding a serial number to the called ID data (step S134), and is displayed on the display unit 24 as an ID data candidate for confirmation (step S13).
6). As a result of the user referring to this, the handwriting input unit 26
If the OK operation is performed using the touch panel (step S138), the process proceeds to step S128. If the OK operation is not performed, the process returns to step S118.

In the third embodiment, ID data that recognizes handwritten characters is used. However, ID data that recognizes speech as described in the first embodiment is used. Needless to say, handwritten characters and voices may be selected.

[0044]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a subject is photographed, an ID input before or after the photographing is converted into image data to obtain ID image data, and the ID image data and the subject image data are obtained. And the composite image data is created and the composite image data is stored, so that the association between the image data and the ID can be prevented from being lost. Even if there are a plurality of them, they can be reliably identified.

According to the present invention, when a subject is photographed, the subject image data is stored, and a predetermined image is extracted and recognized from the subject image data, and the recognized data is Since the ID is stored as an ID for identifying the subject image data, the ID added to the subject image data is automatically created without any special input operation, and the time required for inputting the ID is reduced. Becomes unnecessary.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a personal computer using image data captured by the digital camera. is there.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the first half of a series of flowcharts for explaining the operation of the digital camera according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a latter half of a series of flowcharts for explaining the operation of the digital camera according to the first embodiment;

4A is a diagram for explaining a configuration of ID data, and FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of embedding ID data in subject image data.

5 is an operation flowchart of an image calling process in the personal computer of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating an example of an image list display screen on a personal computer, and FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a display example of handwritten characters as reproduction information in ID data.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the digital camera according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the digital camera according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 CPU 12 ROM 14 RAM 16 imaging unit 18 shutter switch (SW) 20 image data recording medium 22 communication control unit 24 display unit 26 handwriting input unit 28 character recognition unit 30 voice input unit 32 voice recognition unit 34 voice output unit 36 ID data 38 Index 40 Playback information 42 Playback information type flag 66 Reduced image 68 Index 70 Handwritten character image

Claims (10)

[Claims] A photographing means for photographing a subject to obtain subject image data; an image data storing means for storing image data; an ID input means for inputting a desired ID; The input ID is converted into image data to obtain ID image data, the ID image data and the subject image data from the photographing means are combined to create composite image data, and the composite image data is converted to the image data. A digital camera, comprising: image data control means for storing in a storage means. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a photographing control unit that enables the photographing unit to perform a next photographing after storing the composite image data. 3. The ID input means includes at least one of voice input means for inputting voice data and handwriting input means for inputting handwritten character data, and is input from at least one of the voice input means and the handwritten input means. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said data is said ID. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ID input means further includes recognition means for recognizing data input from at least one of the voice input means and the handwriting input means, and using the recognized data as the ID. The digital camera according to claim 3. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ID output unit that separates the ID image data from the composite image data stored in the image data storage unit, converts the ID image data back into an original ID, and outputs the original ID. 2. The digital camera according to 1. 6. The image data control means includes: an ID check means for checking whether the same ID already stored from the ID input means is input; and when the ID check means determines the input of the same ID, 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising: identification number adding means for automatically adding an identification number to the ID. 7. The image data control means, when an ID is not input from the ID input means, updates an ID input immediately before to generate a new ID.
The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a creating unit. 8. A photographing means for photographing a subject to obtain subject image data, an image data storage means for storing the subject image data from the photographing means, and a predetermined one of the subject image data from the photographing means. A digital camera which extracts and recognizes an image and stores the recognized data as an ID for identifying the subject image data. 9. The method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined image to be extracted is a character image, the ID generation storage means includes: a character image extraction means for extracting a character image from subject image data from the photographing means; 9. The digital camera according to claim 8, further comprising: character recognition means for character-recognizing the character image extracted by the image extraction means, and using the character data obtained as a result as the ID. 10. The predetermined image to be extracted is a code image. The ID generation storage means includes: code image extraction means for extracting a code image from subject image data from the photographing means; 9. The digital camera according to claim 8, further comprising: code recognition means for performing code recognition on the code image extracted by the image extraction means, and using the obtained code data as the ID.