JPH1184505A - Camera capable of recording photographing position - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a camera capable of easily adding positional information on a picture taking place to all the taken pictures by recording the positional information obtained by a positional information analysis means instead of the positional information when a position detecting means can not obtain the positional information at the time of photographing by the camera. SOLUTION: A GPS device 3 transmits an under-reception signal showing whether or not a GPS signal is being received to a positional information recording means 4. The means 4 is provided with a positional information selection means 4A selecting the information source of the positional information recorded based on the under-reception signal. When the device 3 receives the GPS signal at the time of releasing a shutter and the positional information can be obtained, the means 4A selects the positional information from the device 3 and records it on film 2. When the device 3 does not receive the GPS signal and the positional information can not be obtained, the means 4A selects the positional information from the positional information analysis part 9 and records it on the film 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a position detecting means,
The present invention relates to a camera having position information recording means for recording position information of a position detected by the position detection means at the time of image capturing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some conventional cameras can record the latitude and longitude of a photographing position using a GPS signal from a satellite. However, in order to receive the GPS signal, there is no obstacle in the sky. In many cases, reception is not possible in an urban area, and especially in a room, it is often impossible to record a shooting position.

[0003]

As described above, it is not possible to obtain position information for all the shot images from the position detecting means, and it has been difficult to specify the place where the image was shot. An object of the present invention is to provide a camera that can easily attach position information of a place where an image is shot to all shot images.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a position detecting means (3) for detecting position information indicating a position of a camera based on an external signal, and a method for detecting the position information. In a camera (1) comprising a position information recording means (4) for recording each image taken by the camera, a map information reading means (6) for reading map information from a mounted map information storage means (5). ), Display means (7) for displaying a map based on the read map information, position indicating means (8) for specifying an arbitrary position on the displayed map, and a position corresponding to the specified position. Position information analysis means (9) for obtaining position information;
When the position detecting means cannot obtain the position information at the time of photographing by the camera, the position information obtained by the position information analyzing means is recorded instead of the position information.

[0005]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a camera as a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the camera of FIG. It is. The camera 1 includes, in addition to a configuration for capturing an image of a subject, position detection means for detecting position information indicating the position of the camera 1 based on an external signal, for example, a GP from a satellite.
The apparatus includes a GPS device 3 that receives the S signal and obtains position information indicating the current position of the camera, and a position information recording unit 4 that records the obtained position information on the film 2 loaded in the camera 1. When the subject is photographed by the camera 1, an image of the subject is recorded in the image recording section 2A of the film 2 loaded in the camera 1, and the position information obtained by the GPS device 3 when the shutter is released is recorded in the position information record. Means 4
Is associated with the photographed image by the film 2
Will be recorded.

The recording of the position information on the film 2 is performed by optically recording a character or a code code indicating the position information on a part of the photosensitive surface of the film 2 on which the photographed image is recorded. Various methods, such as magnetically recording a code code indicating position information on a portion corresponding to a range where the photographed image is recorded, of a magnetic recording portion provided on a portion other than the image recording portion on the back surface or the front surface, It is possible.

The recording of the position information may be carried out in a part of a photographing information recording section provided on the film 2 for recording photographing information such as an aperture and a shutter speed. May be recorded in a position information recording unit provided separately. The GPS device 3 constantly detects the position information of the current position at predetermined time intervals while receiving the GPS signal. The GPS device 3 includes a storage unit 3A that stores the latest detected position information. And
When the shutter is released, the latest position information stored in the storage unit 3A is recorded on the film 2 by the position information recording unit 4.

[0008] By the way, as described above, GPS, such as indoors,
In a place where the sky is not open above the device 3, the GPS signal cannot be received and the current position cannot be known.
If a photograph is taken in such a place, the position information of the place where the photograph was taken cannot be recorded on the film. Therefore, even if the position information obtained last and stored in the storage unit 3A before the photographing is recorded, the position information of the correct photographing place cannot be recorded.

Therefore, in the camera of the present invention, the position information from the position information analysis unit 9 is recorded on the film instead of the position information from the GPS device 3. Hereinafter, this will be described in detail.
The camera 1 includes a map information reading means 6 for reading map information from a map information storage means 5 such as an attached IC card.
And a display unit 7 such as a liquid crystal display device for displaying a map based on the read map information. The display means 7 includes a cursor moving means 8A such as a joystick for moving a cursor displayed on the display surface to an arbitrary position, a cursor position detecting means 8B for obtaining a coordinate value indicating a position of the cursor on the display surface, and There is provided a position indicating means 8 including output instruction means 8C such as a push button switch for instructing to output the position coordinates of the cursor.

[0010] The displayed map information and position indicating means 8
The position of the cursor on the display surface detected by is input to the position information analysis unit 9 composed of a CPU or the like, and the position information analysis unit 9 corresponds to the position of the cursor on the map displayed on the display unit 7. The position information is obtained and sent to the position information recording means 4. The GPS device 3 sends a receiving signal indicating whether or not the GPS signal is being received to the position information recording means 4. The position information recording unit 4 includes a position information selection unit 4A for selecting an information source of the position information to be recorded based on the signal during reception, and the position information selection unit 4A operates when the GPS device 3 is released when the shutter is released. If the GPS signal has been received and the position information can be obtained, the position information from the GPS device is selected, the position information is recorded on the film 2, and the GPS device 3 does not receive the GPS signal. If the information cannot be obtained, the position information analysis unit 9
And the position information is recorded on the film 2.

The position information selecting means 4A is constituted by a CPU or the like, or is constituted by a gate circuit which uses the signal during reception as a control signal. Further, the above-described units and units are connected to a control unit such as a CPU (not shown) to control the operation. This will be described in more detail. The display unit 7 of the camera 1 displays a map based on the map information read from the mounted map information storage unit 5 and displays the position of the position information detected by the GPS device 3 on the displayed map. It plays a navigation function.

When an object is photographed by the camera 1, an image of the object is recorded on the film 2 when the shutter is released. At the same time, the position information selection means 4A selects the information source of the position information to be recorded according to whether the GPS device 3 receives the GPS signal. When the position information from the GPS device 3 is selected, the position information stored in the storage unit 3A is recorded at a predetermined position on the film 2 by the position information recording unit 4, and the position information from the position information analysis unit 9 is selected. When it is done, it is processed as follows.

That is, the position information from the position information analysis unit 9 is selected by the position information selection means 4A, and the input of the cursor position by the position instruction means 8 becomes possible. Therefore,
The cursor is positioned at the shooting position on the map displayed on the display means 7, and an output is commanded by the output command means 8C. Then, the coordinate value indicating the position of the cursor on the display surface is input to the position information analysis means 9, and the map information of the map displayed on the display means 7 is input to the position analysis means 9. The position analysis unit 9 obtains position information corresponding to the position of the cursor on the displayed map from the two pieces of input information, and outputs the position information to the position information recording unit 4. The position information recording means 4 records the position information from the position information analysis means 9 at a predetermined position on the film 2.

[0014] When the GPS signal is not received within a predetermined time, it may be determined that the GPS signal is received. This is because if the predetermined time is short, the shooting position can be approximated with sufficient accuracy by the position information obtained last and stored in the storage unit 3A. By the way, the position information recording means 4 of the camera 1 stores the position information of the photographing position in a portion other than the film 2, for example, a magnetic recording portion provided on the outer surface of the film cartridge, or a magnetic recording portion provided separately from the film. A position information recording unit that magnetically records the position information in association with a captured image may be used.

Further, the configuration for photographing an image of a subject of the camera 1 according to the present invention can be an electronic camera that records a photographed image as electronic information on a detachable IC card. In this case, the film 2 having the configuration shown in FIG.
It serves as recording means for recording data on the card. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

When the GPS device 3 is receiving a GPS signal, the position information from the GPS device 3 is output. When the GPS device 3 is not receiving a GPS signal, the position information analysis unit 9 is executed.
Is recorded in the IC card in association with the image information of the photographed image. That is, the I
The C card is a recording medium that records image information of a captured image and also records position information. Of course, the position information may be a position information recording IC card separate from the captured image recording IC card.

In the above description, the GPS device is used as the position detecting means. However, a signal from a reference station provided at a predetermined position on the ground, for example, a road traffic information communication system (Vehi
The location information included in or added to the traffic information signal used for the cleInformation Communication System) or the signal from the relay station of the mobile phone or the personal handy horn system (PHS) is determined, or the position of the receiver is determined or received. Position detecting means for determining the position of the receiver based on the distance from the plurality of relay stations determined by the obtained signal. When the position detecting means is used, GP
Although the location where signals can be received is expanded compared to the S device, signals cannot be received inside a building where a relay antenna is not installed, or even if positioning is possible, there is much noise and positioning accuracy drops. Although there are problems, the present invention solves such problems.

The film 2 thus photographed by the camera shown in FIG. 1 is processed by the DPE device 11 shown in FIG. Since the DPE device 11 is not included in the present invention, only a brief description of the concept will be given. In FIG.
The PE device 11 automatically develops (developes) the photographed film 2 loaded at a predetermined position, and creates a print (Print) of an image recorded on the film 2. Since the configuration of the DPE device for this is known, the description is omitted.

The DPE device 11 includes a position information reading means 12 for reading the position information from the loaded photographed film 2 and a mounted map, in addition to the configuration for developing and printing which is not described above. Information storage means 1
Map information reading means 14 for reading map information from 3
And a map printing means 15 for printing a map based on the read map information. Position reading means 1
2 is of course adapted to the method of the position information recording means of the camera 1. The map information storage means 13 is, for example, a CD-ROM used for an in-vehicle navigation system.
Preferably, the map printing means 15 is digitalized, and the map printing means 15 is a digital printer.

When the film 2 is loaded into a predetermined position of the DPE device 11 and the DPE device 11 is operated, the DPE device 1
1 automatically pulls out the film 2 from the patrone,
Develop and create a print of the image. At this time, the position reading means 12 further reads the position information recorded on the film 2. And the map information reading means 14
The map information of the area including the location corresponding to the position information read by the position information reading means 12 is stored in the map information storage means 13.
Read from. The map printing means 15 prints a map 9 of the area based on the map information from the map information reading means 14, and further prints the position information corresponding to each image read from the film 2 by the position information reading means 12. Based on the position information, a mark indicating a photographing position is superimposed on a position on the printed map corresponding to the position information and printed.

Incidentally, the map information storage means 13 may be a microfilm or the like on which a map is photographed.
The microfilm on which the map was photographed is set at the position where is set, and the map is printed in the same manner as the print of the photographed image. Then, a mark indicating the photographing position is printed and displayed on the map by the printer 15.

FIG. 5 is an example of the map 9 printed by the DPE device 11. In FIG. 5, at a position corresponding to each piece of position information read from the film 2 on the map 9, a mark including a frame number numeral 91 indicating a position on the film 2 of an image corresponding to each piece of the position information, for example, a frame A circle 92 surrounding the number is printed. At this time, it is desirable that the diameter of the circle 92 be a size corresponding to the positioning accuracy of the GPS device 3 on the map. The circle 92 and / or the numeral 91 of the frame number
Is a so-called hollow display, since the range of the map invisible by the circle 92 and the frame number 91 is minimized, which is preferable. If the camera 1 includes a plurality of GPS devices 3 or the camera 1 further includes an azimuth detecting means (not shown) and can know the shooting direction, a mark 93 indicating the direction is also printed. Or, for example, FIG.
The shooting direction may be displayed according to the direction of the frame numbers 94 and 95.

The map 9 may be printed as a single leaf on the map alone or as a single leaf together with an index print in which all the images photographed on the film are printed as a single leaf. Note that the position information recording unit of the camera 1 is
When the position information recording means for magnetically recording the position information of the photographing position on a portion other than the film 2 as described above, D
The position information reading unit of the PE device 11 is a position information reading unit that reads position information from the recorded portion.

When the electronic camera is used as the camera, the image display device for the electronic camera is provided to an image printer for producing a print of an image photographed by the electronic camera.
A position information reading unit for reading the position information from the C card; a map information reading unit; and a map printing unit for printing a map based on the map information read by the map information reading unit. Display a map showing the location.

In the above case, a personal computer can be used instead of the image printer. In this case, an IC card and a CD-ROM or the like as map information storage means are set at predetermined positions on a personal computer. Then, the map information of the area including the location corresponding to the position information read from the IC card is read from the CD-ROM, and a map based on the map information is displayed on the CRT of the personal computer. The shooting location of each image is displayed on the map displayed on the CRT by using a program that displays the image number of the image corresponding to the location information together with the location corresponding to the location information. In this case, it is effective to divide the display screen of the CRT and display photographed images sequentially or simultaneously with an arbitrary designated image together with the map. It is more effective to display the shooting position of the currently displayed image differently from the display of the shooting locations of other images, for example, to display the image numbers in different colors.

[0026]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily attach position information of a place where an image is shot to all shot images including a shot image in a place where external signals such as GPS signals cannot be received. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a side view of the camera of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a DPE device used with the camera of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an example of a map printed by the DPE device of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera 2 ... Film 3 ... GPS device 3A ... Storage part of GPS device 4 ... Position information recording means 4A ... Position information selection means 5 ... Map information storage means 6 Map information reading means 7 Display means 8 Position indicating means 9 Printed map 11 DPE device 12 Position information reading Means 13: Map information storage means 14: Map information reading means 15: Map printing means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A position detecting means for detecting position information indicating a position of a camera based on an external signal, and a position information recording means for recording the position information in correspondence with each image taken by the camera. A map information reading means for reading map information from a mounted map information storage means; a display means for displaying a map based on the read map information; and an arbitrary position on the displayed map. A position indicating means, and a position information analyzing means for obtaining position information corresponding to the indicated position, wherein the position information cannot be obtained by the camera when the position detecting means cannot obtain the position information. Alternatively, a camera for recording a photographing position, which records the position information obtained by the position information analyzing means.