JPH11266430A - Image handling system for electronic image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect a recorded picture by permitting or inhibiting the use of the access right related to the recorded picture based on the then discrimination result for a user at the time of operation of reproducing, erase, or copy of the recorded picture to place operational restrictions on others free reproducing or copy of the picture, which the user photographed, in accordance with user's intention. SOLUTION: When the name of the user is inputted from a user name input part 61, a user discrimination means 60 of a digital still camera extracts the user as data by a user data extraction part 62 and stores it in a user data storage part 63. Meanwhile, when a password of the user is inputted to a password input part 64 as another input information for discrimination, the password is collated with user data by a collation part 65 to discriminate whether the password is valid or not. Thus, others are disabled from freely reproducing or erasing the recorded picture of the registered user or copying it to an external device in accordance with the intention of the user himself.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image handling system of an electronic image pickup apparatus applied to, for example, a digital still camera for recording and reproducing a still image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an apparatus of this kind, for example, a digital still camera, an optical image of a subject is photoelectrically converted by each pixel of a charge-coupled device (hereinafter, referred to as a CCD) and captured as a still image composed of a charge signal. At the same time, this image is recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card, and the recorded image can be reproduced and deleted by a user's predetermined operation, and further copied to an external device such as a personal computer.

[0003]

In some cases, a user (photographer) wants to protect an image photographed by himself / herself as a copyrighted work. There is no function that can restrict the operation according to the photographer's intention. For this reason, when a single digital still camera is used by a plurality of persons, the recorded image of the person is reproduced and viewed without permission of another person, intentionally or carelessly deleted,
Alternatively, there is a possibility that the data is copied to an external device.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can restrict the operation of reproducing or copying an image photographed by a user by himself / herself on the operation of the user according to his / her intention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image handling system of an electronic imaging device capable of protecting a recorded image as a copyrighted work.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an image handling system for an electronic image pickup apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an optical image of a subject into an image; Storage means for storing and holding a user who records the image; display means for displaying the image when the image in the storage means is reproduced; and display means for identifying whether or not the user is a registered person. A user identification unit, an access right setting unit for permitting an operation on a user-selected one of operations of reproducing, erasing, or copying the recorded image; an imaging unit; and the reproducing, erasing, or deleting operation. Control means for controlling each operation of copying, wherein the control means is capable of recognizing a user at the time of performing each operation of reproducing, erasing or copying the recorded image. It is characterized in carrying out the approval or disapproval of the exercise of the access rights of the recording image based on the results.

In such an image handling system for an electronic image pickup apparatus, a user registers that he / she is the photographer himself and sets a desired access right to reproduce, delete, or copy a recorded image. When each operation is performed, the identity of the user is identified by the user identification means, so if it is confirmed that it is the user, the exercise of the access right is recognized and the operation can be performed Thus, the image can be reproduced, erased, or copied. On the other hand, if the user is not confirmed as the principal, the exercise of the access right is not permitted, and the operation thereof cannot be performed. Therefore,
The recorded image is played back and viewed without permission of others,
There is no need to worry about being erased or copied.

[0007] When the user identification means uses the user name and the password for identifying the user as the identification input information, the registration work by the user can be performed relatively easily.

Further, when the fingerprint of the user is used as the identification input information instead of the user name, the registration work by the user is further simplified.

Further, when a photograph is taken without registering a user, the user name and password at that time are set to "empty".
If all access rights are set to be allowed for all users and images are recorded, all users are restricted from playing, erasing and copying recorded images. It can be done without.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Configuration of Digital Still Camera>
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the digital still camera 1 includes a box-shaped camera body 2 and a rectangular parallelepiped imaging unit 3. The imaging unit 3 is detachably attached to the right side of the camera body 2 when viewed from the front (the front side in FIG. 1), and is rotatably mounted in a plane parallel to the right side.

The image pickup section 3 includes a photographing lens having a macro zoom and a CCD (Charge Coupled D).
device), which converts an optical image of a subject into an image composed of charge signals photoelectrically converted by each pixel of the CCD and captures the image. On the other hand, the camera body 2 is provided with an LCD (Liquid)
d Display (D Crystal Display), a mounting section 17 for the memory card 8, and a connection terminal 13 to which a personal computer is externally connected. After that, processing such as display on the LCD display unit 10, recording on the memory card 8, and transfer to a personal computer is performed.

A macro zoom lens 301 is provided inside the image pickup section 3, and an image pickup circuit having a CCD color area sensor 303 is provided at an appropriate position behind the macro zoom lens 301. In addition, a dimming circuit 304 including a dimming sensor 305 that receives the reflected light of the flash light from the subject is provided at an appropriate position in the imaging unit 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, a grip 4 is provided at an appropriate position on the left end of the camera body 2, and a data between the built-in flash 5 and an external device such as a personal computer is provided at an appropriate position on the right end. An infrared transmission / reception unit IR for performing the transfer is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the camera body 2, switches 6 and 7 for frame advance when reproducing a recorded image are provided substantially at the center. The switch 6 is a switch (hereinafter, referred to as an Up key) for advancing the recorded image in the direction in which the frame number increases (the direction of the photographing order). (Hereinafter referred to as Down key). An erasure switch D for erasing an image recorded on the memory card 8 is provided on the left side of the Down key 7 as viewed from the back side (the front side of the sheet of FIG. 2), and a shutter button 9 is provided on the right side of the Up key 6. Is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, an LCD display for displaying a captured image on a monitor (corresponding to a view finder) and displaying and reproducing a recorded image is provided substantially at the center of the left end of the camera body 2, as shown in FIG. 10 are provided. Also, LC
A compression rate setting slide switch 12 for switching and setting a compression rate K of image data recorded on the memory card 8 is provided below the D display unit 10. A connection terminal 13 to which a personal computer is externally connected is provided on a side surface of the camera body 2 on the side of the imaging unit 3, and a power switch PS and a display changeover switch DISP for changing display contents of the display unit 10 are provided on an upper rear surface. A "return" switch ESC is provided for giving an instruction to cancel the input contents.

The digital still camera 1 has an "automatic flash mode" in which a built-in flash 5 is automatically fired in accordance with the brightness of a subject as a mode relating to flash (hereinafter, flash is sometimes referred to as FL). A “forced light emission mode” in which the built-in flash 5 is forcibly emitted regardless of the luminance and a “light emission prohibited mode” in which the light emission of the built-in flash 5 is prohibited are provided, and are provided above the LCD 10 on the rear surface of the main body 2. FL mode setting key 1
Each time 1 is pressed, the mode of "automatic light emission", "forced light emission", and "light emission inhibition" is cyclically switched, and any one of the modes is selectively set. In the digital still camera 1, two compression ratios K of 1/8 and 1/20 can be selected and set. For example, when the compression ratio setting switch 12 is slid to the right, the compression ratio K = 1/8 is set. Then, sliding to the left sets the compression ratio K = 1/20. In the present embodiment, two types of compression ratios K can be selectively set. However, three or more types of compression ratios K may be selectively set.

Further, a photographing / playback / utility mode setting switch 14 for switching between a "photographing mode", a "reproduction mode", and a "utility mode" is provided at the upper right end of the rear surface of the camera body 2. The photographing mode is a mode for photographing, and the reproduction mode is a mode for reproducing and displaying a photographed image recorded on the memory card 8 on the LCD display unit 10. The shooting / playback / utility mode setting switch 14 also includes a slide switch. For example, sliding to the right sets a shooting mode, and sliding to the center sets a playback mode.
Slide to the left to set the utility mode.

A battery loading chamber 1 is provided on the bottom of the camera body 2.
8 and a card loading chamber 17 for the memory card 8 are provided.
The loading ports of the loading chambers 17 and 18 are closed by a clamshell type lid 15. The digital still camera 1 according to the present embodiment uses a power supply battery E, which is formed by connecting four AA batteries in series, as a drive source.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the digital camera 1.

In the image pickup section 3, the CCD 303
Converts the light image of the subject formed by the macro zoom lens 301 into image signals of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color components (from a signal train of pixel signals received by each pixel). ) And output. The timing generator 314 generates various timing pulses for controlling driving of the CCD 303.

The exposure control in the image pickup unit 3 is performed by adjusting the exposure amount of the CCD 303, that is, the charge accumulation time of the CCD 303 corresponding to the shutter speed, since the stop is a fixed stop. If an appropriate shutter speed cannot be set when the subject brightness is low, the CCD 3
By performing the level adjustment of the image signal output from the device 03, the improper exposure due to the insufficient exposure is corrected. That is, when the luminance is low, the exposure control is performed by combining the shutter speed and the gain adjustment. The level adjustment of the image signal is performed in the gain adjustment of the AGC circuit in the signal processing circuit 313.

The timing generator 314 generates a drive control signal for the CCD 303 based on a reference clock transmitted from the timing control circuit 202.
The timing generator 314 generates clock signals such as integration start / end (exposure start / end) timing signals and light-receiving signal readout control signals (horizontal synchronization signal, vertical synchronization signal, transfer signal, etc.) for each pixel. Output to the CCD 303.

The signal processing circuit 313 performs predetermined analog signal processing on an image signal (analog signal) output from the CCD 303. The signal processing circuit 313
It has a DS (correlated double sampling) circuit and an AGC (auto gain control) circuit. The CDS circuit reduces the noise of the image signal, and the level of the image signal is adjusted by adjusting the gain of the AGC circuit.

The light control circuit 304 controls the light emission amount of the built-in flash 5 in flash photography to a predetermined light emission amount set by the overall control unit 211. In flash photography, the reflected light of flash light from the subject is received by the light control sensor 305 at the same time as the start of exposure, and when the amount of received light reaches a predetermined light emission amount, the light control circuit 3
An emission stop signal is output from 04 to the flash control circuit 214 via the overall control unit 211. The flash control circuit 214 forcibly stops the light emission of the built-in flash 5 in response to the light emission stop signal, whereby the light emission amount of the built-in flash 5 is controlled to a predetermined light emission amount.

In the camera body 2, the A / D converter 205 converts each pixel signal of the image signal into a 10-bit digital signal. The A / D converter 205 is
A / D input from an A / D clock generation circuit (not shown)
Each pixel signal (analog signal) is converted into a 10-bit digital signal based on a clock for D conversion.

In the camera body 2, a timing control circuit 202 for generating a reference clock, a timing generator 314, and a clock for the A / D converter 205 is provided. The timing control circuit 202 is controlled by the overall control unit 211.

The black level correction circuit 206 corrects the black level of the pixel signal (hereinafter referred to as pixel data) A / D converted by the A / D converter 205 to a reference black level. A white balance circuit (hereinafter, referred to as a WB circuit) 207 performs level conversion of pixel data of each of R, G, and B color components so that the white balance is adjusted after the γ correction. WB circuit 207
Converts the level of the pixel data of each of the R, G, and B color components using the level conversion table input from the overall control unit 211. The conversion coefficient (gradient of the characteristic) of each color component in the level conversion table is set by the overall control unit 211 for each captured image.

The γ correction circuit 208 corrects γ characteristics of pixel data. The γ correction circuit 208 has, for example, six types of γ correction tables having different γ characteristics, and performs γ correction of pixel data using a predetermined γ correction table according to a shooting scene or shooting conditions.

The image memory 209 is a memory for storing pixel data output from the gamma correction circuit 208. The image memory 209 has a storage capacity for one frame. That is, in the image memory 209, the CCD 303
In the case of having pixels in rows and m columns, it has a storage capacity for pixel data of n × m pixels, and each pixel data is stored in a corresponding pixel position.

The VRAM 210 is a buffer memory for image data reproduced and displayed on the LCD display unit 10. VR
The AM 210 has a storage capacity for image data corresponding to the number of pixels of the LCD display unit 10.

In the shooting standby state, each pixel data of the image picked up by the image pickup unit 3 every 1/30 (second) is
After being subjected to predetermined signal processing by the A / D converters 205 to γ correction circuit 208, the signals are stored in the image memory 209, transferred to the VRAM 210 via the overall control unit 211, and displayed on the LCD display unit 10. You. Thus, the photographer can visually recognize the subject image from the image displayed on the LCD display unit 10. In the playback mode, after the image read from the memory card 8 is subjected to predetermined signal processing by the overall control unit 211, the VRAM 210
And reproduced and displayed on the LCD display unit 10.

The card I / F 212 is an interface for writing image data to the memory card 8 and reading image data. Also, the communication I / F 21
Reference numeral 3 denotes an infrared interface (IrD) for externally connecting the personal computer 19 in a communicable manner.
The interface conforms to A).

The flash control circuit 214 is a circuit for controlling light emission of the built-in flash 5. The flash control circuit 214 controls the presence / absence of light emission of the built-in flash 5, the amount of light emission, the light emission timing, and the like based on the control signal of the overall control unit 211. Is controlled.

The RTC 219 is a clock circuit for managing the shooting date and time, and is driven by another power source (not shown).

The operation unit 250 includes the Up key 6,
A switch corresponding to a Down key 7, a shutter button 9, an FL mode setting key 11, a compression ratio setting switch 12, a shooting / playback / utility mode setting switch 14, a "return" switch ESC, and a display changeover switch DISP is provided.

The overall control unit 211 is composed of a microcomputer, and controls the driving of each member in the image pickup unit 3 and the camera main body unit 2 in an organic manner to control the photographing operation of the digital camera 1 overall. is there.

In the photographing mode, when photographing is instructed by the shutter button 9 in the photographing mode, the overall control section 211 displays the thumbnail image of the image taken in the image memory 209 after the photographing instruction and the compression ratio set by the compression ratio setting switch 12. A compressed image compressed by the JPEG method using K is generated, and tag information (frame number, exposure value, shutter speed, compression ratio K, shooting date, flash on / off data at shooting, scene information, image ) Are stored in the memory card 8 together with the information such as the judgment result of the above).

FIG. 5 shows a data arrangement state of the memory card 8. The image recorded by the digital still camera 1 is composed of 40 frames at a compression ratio of 1/20.
Numerals 1 to 85 record a tag portion, high-resolution image data (640 × 480 pixels) compressed in JPEG format, and image data for thumbnail display (80 × 60 pixels). For example, each frame can be handled as an image file in the EXIF format. The tag stores a photographer name (user name), a password, and an access right for various operations on the image file.

FIG. 6 shows the means 60 for identifying the user of the digital still camera 1 and FIG. 6 shows the operation of the user selecting one of the operations of reproducing, erasing and copying recorded images in the camera 1. 2 shows an access right setting means 70 for permitting access.

The operations of the user identification means 60 and the access right setting means 70 are performed by the general control unit 21.
1 and is controlled by the CPU.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 61 denotes a user input unit, on which a user name is input as one piece of input information for identification on the screen of the display unit 10. When the name of the user is input, the user data extraction unit 62 extracts the user as data. This user data is stored in the user data storage unit 63.

On the other hand, when the password of the user is input to the password input section 64 as another input information for identification, the password of the password input section 64 is collated with the user data by the collation section 65. Then, it is determined whether or not the password is “valid” (whether or not the user is “the person”).

Since a user and a password are used as the identification input information, the registration work by the user can be performed relatively easily.

In FIG. 7, when the user name is input to the user input section 61, the access right target item selection section 72 displays the access right target item on the screen of the LCD display section 10 and selects it. It becomes possible. When the user selects and operates the target item of the access right, the access right for the selected target item is set and stored in the access right storage unit 73.

The CPU of the overall control unit 211 performs each operation of reproducing, erasing, and copying a recorded image, and determines whether to exercise the access right based on the identification result for the user at that time.

<Setting of New User> This digital still camera 1 has the same operability as a graphic user interface (GUI) of a computer. When there is an event that requires the user to select, for example, in the setting of the “utility mode”, a message box is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10.

The shutter button 9 is used as an operation meaning that the user is "yes". Further, the Up key 6 for frame advance or Down key 6
The key 7 is used as an operation for sequentially selecting options.
The "return" switch ESC is used for operations of shifting from the current mode to a higher layer, canceling the operation, and canceling the operation.

First, the digital still camera 1 is switched to the “utility mode” by the mode setting switch 14. When the “utility mode” is set, a dialog (1. user setting, 2. access right setting) as shown in FIG. 8A is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10. .

Here, the Up key 6 or Down key
When “1. User setting” is selected using the key 7 and the shutter button 9 is pressed, the screen of the display unit 10 changes to “1. User setting” as shown in FIG. Switch. In this embodiment, the number of users is limited to, for example, five. In this state, Up key 6 or Dow again
By operating the n key 7, a user number corresponding to the user is selected. After selecting the number, the user's name is entered, for example, within 10 character frames in Roman characters.

As a character input method, each time the Up key 6 is operated, the candidate Roman character changes from a → b → c →.
If the shutter button 9 is pressed when the desired character appears, the character is determined. When this character is determined, the cursor on the screen of the display unit 10 is shifted rightward by one character, and the next character can be input.

In this way, when all the characters are input,
When the “return” switch ESC is operated, a confirmation dialog (NO, YES) as shown in FIG. 8C is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10. Here, if "YES" is selected and the shutter button 9 is pressed, a new name is registered as a user.

When the user name is registered, the display unit 10
The screen for setting a password shown in FIG. 8D appears on the screen of FIG. 8D, and the password is set on this screen. Here, for example, a four-digit number is performed in the same manner as in the input of the aforementioned Roman characters.

When a four-digit number is input, a dialog (NO, YES) for password confirmation is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10 as shown in FIG. here,
If you select "YES", the password will be registered,
If "NO" is selected, the screen of the LCD (4) changes to the screen of FIG. 8D again. When the registration of the user name and the password is completed, the screen of the display unit 10 returns to the screen of FIG.

Next, a procedure for setting an access right for a target item desired by the user will be described.

First, on the screen of the display unit 10 shown in FIG. 8A, when “2. Setting access right” is selected by the above-described method, the screen of the display unit 10 is displayed as shown in FIG. This is a display screen for setting the access right. Here, the access right is set on the screen of the display unit 10 by the method described above. In other words, when the user number to which the access right is to be set is selected and the shutter button 9 is pressed and determined, the target item of the access right as shown in FIG. Is displayed.

Here, when the Up key 6 or Down key 7 is operated, the target item of the access right is 1.
Browse → 2. Delete → 3. It changes cyclically with copying →. When the shutter button 9 is pushed and determined in accordance with the desired event, it is set.

In this state, the Up key 6 or Do key
When the wn key 7 is operated, another target item is changed in a cyclical manner, ie, the subject → all → the subject →. When the target event to be selected (person or all) is selected and the shutter button 9 is pushed to determine the item, the item is set. At the same time, a selection instruction mark (→) appears again in front of another target item in the next stage, so that the target item in the next stage is selected and set in the same manner.

After setting all the target events, "Return"
When the switch ESC is operated, a dialog (NO, YES) for confirming the target item setting is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10 as shown in FIG.

Here, if "YES" is selected and determined, various access rights as set are registered. "NO"
Is selected and determined, the screen of the display unit 10 is displayed as shown in FIG.
The display returns to (f).

According to the above procedure, the access right of the above-mentioned target item can be set and registered for all five users. Here, "person" means that only the person is possible, and "all" means that all persons are possible.

<Setting method of user information at the time of shooting>
A user recording procedure at the time of photographing by the digital still camera 1 will be described.

First, when the power switch PS is turned on in the “photographing mode” of the digital still camera 1, a display as shown in FIG. 9A appears on the screen of the display unit.

Here, when a predetermined item is selected by operating the Up key 6 or the Down key 7 and the shutter button 9 is pressed, the screen of the display unit 10 is displayed as shown in FIG.
Appears, and the user can be registered.

Until the user input at this time turns off the power switch PS or until the power is automatically turned off, the tag of the image file in the memory card 8 is registered as the photographer of the image taken during that time. Inside, a photographer name, a password, and settings of various access rights are recorded.

In the "user setting", when the "return" switch ESC is operated, the camera enters the "shooting mode" without registering the user, and the photographer name and password in the image file are recorded as "blank". All access right settings are recorded as “Everyone is possible”, so that everyone can perform each operation without any restrictions.

<Reproduction, Erasure, and Copy Operations> When the digital still camera 1 is switched to the “reproduction mode” by the mode setting switch 14, the image recorded on the memory card 8 is reproduced, and the screen of the display unit 10 is displayed. Displayed above.

When the "playback mode" is switched from the "shooting mode" to the power-on state, the user name set in the "shooting mode" is retained. When the power switch 15 is turned on in the “playback mode” from the power-off state, a check of the current user name is performed in the same procedure as when shooting.

At this time, the screen of the display unit 10
When the user's item as shown in (a) is displayed and a predetermined user name is selected, a dialog (NO, YES) for confirming the user name is displayed as shown in FIG. 10 (b).

When the user selects "YES" from the display on the screen of the display unit shown in FIG.
On the screen of the display unit 10, as shown in FIG. 10C, a display for confirming whether the user is the "person" appears, and a password confirmation operation is performed. As a result, the user is confirmed, and each operation relating to the "person" set by the user at the time of recording can be performed without displaying an alert.

If the password is not “valid”, an access denial alert is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10 as shown in FIG.

In the alert display state shown in FIG. 10D, by operating the Up key 6 or the Down key 7,
When “YES” is selected and the shutter button 9 is pressed, the password input dialog shown in FIG. 10C is displayed again on the screen of the display unit 10. At this time, a new password is input by the above-described method, and if it is determined that the password is “valid”, the display unit 1
The reproduced image is displayed on the screen No. 0. Conversely, if it is determined that the password is “illegal”, an access rejection alert as shown in FIG. 10D is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10 again. Therefore, if a user name is registered and a desired access right is set, an image taken by the user can be reproduced and viewed or deleted by another person without permission, or an external personal computer, etc. There is no danger of being copied to another.

If the user name does not exist or the user name is not entered while the digital still camera 1 is turned on, the user can operate the "return" switch ESC to leave the user unregistered. Can be used.

At this time, by operating the Up key 6 or the Down key 7, it is possible to shift to the frame after the currently reproduced frame or to the previous frame. The CPU in the overall control unit 211 first reads the access right of the image file of the designated frame, and if the browsing setting is “all”, performs a predetermined decompression process on the JPEG image and displays the image ( (A) of FIG. 11 is displayed.

On the other hand, an image ((d) in FIG. 11) relating to the user “self” recorded and photographed by a person other than the user is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10.
An access denial alert is displayed as shown in FIG.

In the alert display state shown in FIG. 11B, the Up key 6 or Down key 7 is operated to
When "YES" is selected and the shutter button 9 is pressed, the screen of the display unit 10 is displayed as shown in FIG.
A dialog for password entry shown in (c) is displayed. At this time, if the password is input by the above-described method and it is determined that the password is “valid”, there is no alert display for the image that can be browsed with the password, and the display unit 1
The reproduced image (FIG. 11D) can be reproduced and viewed on the screen No. 0. That is, the user names (one or more) that were not set when the power was turned on can be set halfway.

When the power is turned on, a password is set with the user,
After that, at the time of the reproduction operation of the image relating to the photographer's "person" other than the image of the user who first entered, by inputting a new password, both the images that can be viewed by the two people are displayed without alert. It becomes possible to reproduce and browse.

In the above embodiment, the operation at the time of the image reproducing operation has been described. However, the same operation can be applied to erasing and copying (transfer to another device).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the access right of a file is recorded as one of the tag information in the file has been described. It is also conceivable to provide a system in which all operations are performed with reference to this file. However, since the scene to be copied from the recording medium in file units, the image file and the access right setting table file exist individually, if only the image file is copied, the above access right may be lost at the copy destination. Conceivable. For this reason, if the image file and the access right setting table are set to be copied together, the access right to the registered user's image is maintained at the copy destination.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a digital still camera 1 and a user identification means 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

In FIG. 12, the camera body 2 is provided with a portion that is easy to touch with the fingertip of the user holding the camera body 2, such as the upper surface (operation surface) of the shutter button 9 or the surface of the back grip portion 20 as in this example. The fingerprint sensor 21 is provided as a fingerprint input unit.

In FIG. 13, when the fingerprint of the user is detected by the fingerprint input unit 81 and is input as one of the input information for identification, the fingerprint data extracting unit 82 extracts the fingerprint data of the user. The data is stored and held in the fingerprint data storage unit 83. On the other hand, the password of the user is input by the password input unit 64.

In the collating section 65, the fingerprint data storage section 8
The fingerprint data of the user, which is the storage content of No. 3, is compared with the password, and it is determined whether or not the user is "the person". Based on the result, the overall control unit 211 approves or rejects the exercise of the access right, so that the same operation and effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In this case, one of the input information for identification is input simply by holding the digital still camera 1 by the user, so that the user's registration work can be performed quickly and easily, and the usability is further improved.

The fingerprint sensor 21 is not limited to the one described above, but may be a sensor capable of discriminating the user, for example, a retinal detection sensor for the user's eyes.

[0084]

As described above, according to the present invention, a user who records a photographed image is stored as a registrant, and a desired operation among operations such as reproduction and deletion of the recorded image is permitted. When the recorded image is reproduced, the registered user is identified whether or not the user is a registered user, and based on the identification result, the exercise of the set access right is rejected. Therefore, when a single device is used by more than one person, the operation of playing back, erasing, or copying the registered image of the registered user to an external device can be performed by the user. It can be disabled by the user's intention, which has the effect that the user can protect his or her own recorded image.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the user name and the password are used as the identification input information for identifying the user, the operation for registering the user can be performed relatively easily.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the fingerprint of the user is used as the identification input information instead of the user to identify the user, so that the work for registering the user is extremely simple. become.

Further, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a photograph is taken without a registered user, the user name and password at that time are stored as "empty", and all access rights are set for all. On the other hand, since the image is recorded in the permission state, all the users can reproduce, delete and copy the recorded image without any restrictions.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a digital still camera to which an image handling system of an electronic imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the digital still camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing the digital still camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital still camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a data array state of a memory card in the digital still camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a means for identifying a user in the digital still camera according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a setting procedure of access right setting means in the digital still camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows the digital still camera of the embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing of the procedure which sets new user information on a display part screen, and FIG.8 (a)-(h) show the display of a display part screen.

FIG. 9 shows the digital still camera of the embodiment.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams of a procedure for setting user information at the time of photographing on a display unit screen, and FIGS.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a work of confirming a user name on a display unit screen in a playback mode or the like in the digital still camera of the embodiment, and FIGS. Show the display.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a work of confirming a user name on a display unit screen during reproduction in the digital still camera of the embodiment, and FIGS. Show the display.

FIG. 12 is a rear view showing a digital still camera to which an image handling system of an electronic imaging apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a means for identifying a user in the digital still camera according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Digital still camera 3 ... Imaging part 8 ... Memory card 10 ... Display part 60 ... User identification means 70 ... Access right setting means 211 ... Overall control part

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hirokazu Naruto 2-3-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Izumi Hayakawa 2-chome Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 13 Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Katsuyuki Namba 2-13-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Inside Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an optical image of a subject as an image, a storage means for storing and holding an image by the image pickup means and a user who records the image as a registrant, and an image of the storage means Display means for displaying the image at the time of reproduction of the image, user identification means for identifying whether or not the user is a registered person, and the operation of reproducing, erasing or copying the recorded image. An access right setting unit for permitting an operation on a user-selected one; and a control unit for controlling each operation of the imaging unit and the reproduction, erasure, or copying, and the control unit includes When each operation of reproducing, erasing or copying is performed, it is determined whether or not to exercise the access right for the recorded image based on the identification result for the user at that time. An image handling system for an imaging device. 2. The image handling system according to claim 1, wherein the user identification means includes a user name and a password for specifying the user as identification input information. 3. The image handling system according to claim 2, wherein a fingerprint of the user is used as identification input information instead of the user name. 4. When shooting without user registration,
3. The electronic imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the user name and the password at that time are stored as "empty", and the setting of various access rights is permitted for all, and an image is recorded. Image handling system.