JPH11284894A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continue to pick up images without interruption or failure by providing the image pickup device with a radio interface and making it possible to access a remote host, and transferring necessary data such as image pickup data to the remote host. SOLUTION: If the storage capacity of a storage part 104 reaches a certain use rate, if capacity to be used reaches certain capacity, or if the remaining capacity reaches certain capacity when picked-up images are stored sequentially in the storage part 104, the previously registered remote host is accessed through radio interface 105 and an antenna 106 to transfer image data stored in the storage part 104 and other necessary data. After the transfer to the remote host, the data having been transferred are erased to obtain a space for storing picked-up images newly in the storage part 104. The radio interface 105 is not always limited to radio waves, but capable of an IrDa communication using infrared rays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging device having a function of storing image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a digital camera has a storage means for storing an image inside the camera, and the captured image is stored in the storage means. As a matter of course, the capacity of the storage means inside the camera is finite, and if the image pickup is repeated, the image pickup data becomes full in the storage means, so that the subsequent image pickup and storage cannot be performed. For this reason, this storage means is made detachable, and when it becomes full, it is replaced so that further imaging and storage are possible. In addition, an unnecessary image is erased by a manual operation to secure a storage area for a captured image.

[0003]

However, detachable storage means is more expensive than general storage means, and
There is a limit to the capacity itself, such as not having a very large capacity.

[0004] In addition, when an unnecessary image is deleted, it is possible to delete the image if the image has been taken before and the image is stored in a print or a computer. If the image that has been captured is only a newly captured image, it cannot be immediately deleted. As a result, in some cases, it is impossible to take an image while holding the digital camera.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of performing photographing without being limited to the capacity of the storage means built in the imaging apparatus. It is to be.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The above-mentioned problems are solved,
In order to achieve the object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes: an imaging unit configured to generate image data by photoelectrically converting light from a subject; a storage unit configured to store image data output from the imaging unit; Transfer means for wirelessly transferring the image data stored in the storage means to an external remote host, and controlling the transfer means to transfer the image data stored in the storage means to the remote host at a predetermined timing And control means.

Further, in the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, the transfer means includes a wireless interface and an antenna.

Further, in the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the predetermined timing is a point in time when the amount of data stored in the storage means becomes a certain amount or more.

Further, in the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, the predetermined timing is characterized in that the predetermined timing is a point in time when a free space of the storage means becomes a certain amount or less.

[0010] In the digital camera according to the present invention, the predetermined timing is a point in time when the usage rate of the storage means becomes a certain amount or more.

[0011] The imaging apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the imaging apparatus further comprises a registration unit for registering information on the remote host as a destination to which the image data is to be transferred.

Further, in the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the registration means includes an operation means which can be manually operated, and a display means for displaying an operation state by the operation means.

[0013] In the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, information regarding the remote host, which is a destination to which the image data is to be transferred, is set in advance.

Further, in the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, information regarding the remote host is stored in the storage means.

Further, in the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the storage means is configured to be detachable from the digital camera main body, and the information regarding the remote host is stored in the storage means when the storage means is removed from the digital camera main body. In this state, the data is input to the storage means by an external device in a state where the data is stored.

In the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the predetermined timing is immediately after the image data is stored in the storage unit.

Further, in the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, information regarding the remote host to which the image data is to be transferred is stored in the storage means in advance.

[0018]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes an optical lens,
2 is a CCD which is an image sensor, 103 is a signal processing unit, 10
4 is a storage unit, 105 is a wireless interface, 106 is an antenna, 107 is an LCD as a display unit, 108 is an overall control unit, and 109 is an operation unit.

In FIG. 1, first, information on a remote host to be transferred is input using an operation unit. Information on the remote host will be described later.

Next, imaging and data transfer will be described.
An image of a subject to be imaged forms an optical image on a surface of a CCD 102 which is an image sensor through an optical lens 101.
The formed optical image is photoelectrically converted by the CCD 102 and converted into an electric signal. An image pickup signal output from the CCD 102 is subjected to signal processing by a signal processing unit 103 to become an image signal, and is displayed on an LCD 107 serving as a display monitor. Further, the image signal of the image captured at that time by the shutter operation of the operation unit 109 is compressed by the signal processing unit 103 and stored in the storage unit 104.

As the storage unit 104, there are a case where a memory fixed inside the digital camera is used and a case where a removable memory such as a CF card is used. In any case, the number of images that can be stored is not one, but a memory that can store a plurality of images.

Although the captured images are sequentially stored in the storage unit 104, the number of images that can be stored is limited as long as it is a physical memory. For this reason, if the storage capacity of the storage unit is exhausted during the repeated imaging, the imaging cannot be continued. Before falling into the image capturing disabled state, if the storage capacity of the storage unit reaches a certain usage rate, or if the used capacity becomes a certain capacity, or the remaining capacity becomes a certain capacity. If the wireless interface 105 and the antenna 10
6, image data stored in the storage unit 104 by accessing a remote host registered in advance,
Transfer other necessary data.

After the image data and the like stored in the storage unit 104 are transferred to the remote host via the wireless interface 105 and the antenna 106, the transferred data is deleted, and a new captured image is stored in the storage unit 104. Make space where you can. Wireless interface 10 here
Various types of 5 can be considered, such as a 32 kbps MO digital transmission system using PHS, a wireless LAN, and a wireless high-speed network that will become popular in the future. In addition, when used only indoors, the wireless interface 1
05 can perform IrDA communication using not only radio waves but also infrared rays. In this case, instead of the antenna 106, it becomes a light receiving and emitting unit for infrared rays.

The entire operation is controlled by the control unit 108.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the digital camera configured as described above.

The operation of the digital camera will be described with reference to FIG.

First, it is checked whether or not the information of the remote host is registered (S101). If the information is not registered, the remote host information is registered (S101).
102). Here, the remote host information is information for accessing a remote host (not shown) via the wireless interface 105 and performing data communication. This information includes, for example, in the case of a telephone-based transmission system using PHS, the telephone number of the destination, the transmission protocol,
Remote host user account and password,
The directory name to be saved is included. When a wireless LAN is used as a transmission system, a transmission protocol,
It contains the address of the remote host (such as a TCP / IP address), the user account and password of the remote host, and the name of the directory to be stored. These information are read from the operation unit 109 while viewing the display LCD 107.
Input all by operating. The preparation is now complete.

Next, the use status of the storage unit 104 is confirmed (S103). When the storage unit 104 has a sufficient free space, the operation enters the imaging mode.

Waiting for a shutter operation by the operation unit 109 (S106). When the shutter is pressed, the imaging data is stored in the storage unit and the imaging is terminated (S107).

After the imaging is completed, the free space of the storage unit 104 is confirmed (S103).

When the free space in the storage unit 104 falls below a certain amount after several images are taken, the remote host is accessed via the wireless interface 105 and the antenna 106 based on the remote host information registered in advance. , Image data and other necessary data are transferred (S104).

After the transfer of the image data and other necessary data is completed, the transferred data is erased from the storage unit 104, and a free space for imaging is made in the storage unit 104 (S105).

Here, the conditions for starting the transfer to the remote host are not only when the free space of the storage unit 104 falls below a certain amount, but also when the usage amount becomes more than a certain amount. Various conditions can be considered, such as when the amount exceeds a certain amount. Here, considering a very small amount (for example, a capacity less than one image) as the fixed usage amount, it is possible to sequentially transfer images to the remote host every time an image is captured.

In practice, the transfer of an image to a remote host takes a long time, so that the imaging and the transfer to the remote host are performed not in serial but in parallel.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the information of the remote host is input and registered using the operation unit 109. However, in a compact digital camera, the operation of the operation unit is not performed. It is difficult to increase the number of buttons, and the operation may be complicated to set information of a remote host that requires setting of many parameters. Therefore, it is possible to set and register information on the remote host using an external computer.

For example, in FIG. 1, a removable CF card or PCMCIA card is used for the storage unit 104, and the removable storage unit is connected to an external computer or the like.
Remote host information is set using an external computer connected to the detachable storage unit, and this information is stored as remote host information in the detachable storage unit. Therefore, when the storage unit 104 is attached to the digital camera, the remote host information is already stored in the storage unit 1.
04 is set.

The imaging operation and the data transfer to the remote host are the same as in the first embodiment.

(Third Embodiment) The operation of the third embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In addition,
In the third embodiment, the configuration of the digital camera is the same as that of the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, after the image is captured, the image is transferred to the remote host regardless of the capacity of the storage unit 104.
That is, the operation waits for a shutter operation by the operation unit 109 (S112), and when the shutter is pressed, the imaging data is stored in the storage unit and the imaging ends (S113).

After the end of imaging, the wireless interface 10
5. Access the remote host based on the remote host information registered in advance via the antenna 106, and transfer image data and other necessary data (S11).
4).

After the transfer of the image data and other necessary data is completed, the transferred data is erased from the storage unit 104, and a free space for imaging is made in the storage unit 104 (S115).

Actually, since the transfer of an image to the remote host takes time, the imaging and the transfer to the remote host are performed not in serial but in parallel. That is,
If the capacity that can be stored in the storage unit 104 is not one image but several images, the next imaging can be performed before the data transfer to the remote host is completed.

According to the third embodiment, the first and second
As in the embodiment, it is possible to repeat imaging without requiring a large storage capacity in the storage unit 104.

The present invention can be applied to a modification or a modification of the above embodiment without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0047]

As described above, the imaging device is provided with a wireless interface so that the remote host can be accessed and the imaging data and other necessary data are transferred to the remote host, so that the imaging is repeated. As a result, it has become possible to use up the capacity of the storage unit and continue imaging without interrupting the imaging or disabling the imaging. At the same time, a large-capacity storage unit is not required, and a large-scale imaging can be performed with a medium-scale and inexpensive storage unit.

Further, by registering information of a remote host in a detachable storage unit and accessing the remote host based on the information, it is possible to set information of a remote host that requires setting of a large number of parameters. The setting can be easily performed using an external computer or the like instead of the imaging device having a limited operation unit. In addition, in order to store the remote host information in the removable storage unit, it is possible to make separate settings for each storage medium. It is possible.

Furthermore, if the transfer speed of the wireless interface is improved, data is transferred to the remote host every time an image is taken, regardless of the capacity of the storage unit, so that only a small-capacity inexpensive storage unit is provided. Thus, it is possible to continue imaging.

[0050]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 lens 102 CCD 103 signal processing section 104 storage section 105 wireless interface 106 antenna 107 display 108 control section 109 operation section

Claims (12)

[Claims] An imaging unit configured to generate image data by photoelectrically converting light from an object; a storage unit configured to store image data output from the imaging unit; and an image data stored in the storage unit. Transfer means for wirelessly transferring to the remote host, and control means for controlling the transfer means to transfer the image data stored in the storage means to the remote host at a predetermined timing. Imaging device. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer unit includes a wireless interface and an antenna. 3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a point in time when an amount of data stored in the storage unit has reached a certain amount or more. 4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a point in time when a free space of the storage unit becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. 5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a point in time when a usage rate of the storage unit becomes equal to or more than a predetermined amount. 6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a registration unit that registers information on the remote host that is a destination to which the image data is to be transferred. 7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the registration unit includes an operation unit that can be manually operated, and a display unit that displays an operation state of the operation unit. 8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information regarding the remote host, which is a destination to which the image data is to be transferred, is set in advance. 9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein information regarding the remote host is stored in the storage unit. 10. The storage means is configured to be detachable from an imaging apparatus main body, and information on the remote host is stored by an external device in a state where the storage means is detached from the imaging apparatus main body. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the image is input to a means. 11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is immediately after the image data is stored in the storage unit. 12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein information regarding the remote host to which the image data is to be transferred is stored in the storage unit in advance.