KR100651596B1 - Method for saving image and mobile communication terminal for being embodied it - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for storing a photographed image and a mobile communication terminal embodying the method are provided to select storage space for the photographed image by adding a camera shutter function to numeric keys of a keypad and setting an album to be stored by each numeric key, thereby eliminating a complicated thing to separately set an album to store the photographed image and facilitating operation. A mobile communication terminal comprises the followings: a camera unit(200); a key input unit(240) which includes numeric keys; an album storage unit(230) which stores image files by setting each storage area as an album; an image processing unit(210) which photographing an image by the camera unit(200) according to input of the numeric keys in a camera mode and converting a format of the photographed image into a format suitable for storage; and a control unit(220) which includes an album selection unit for storing data of the converted format in an album corresponding to the input of pressed numeric keys among albums set in the album storage unit(230).

Description

Method for saving the captured image and a mobile communication terminal implementing the method {Method for Saving Image and Mobile Communication Terminal for being embodied it}

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a keypad provided in a mobile communication terminal;

2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method for automatically setting a space for storing a captured image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

200: camera unit 210: image processing unit

220: control unit 222: album selection unit

224: album matching unit 230: album storage unit

240: key input unit

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal equipped with a camera function, and more particularly, to a method of setting a storage space of an image photographed by a camera.

As the spread of mobile communication terminals expands, various functions are being added to mobile communication terminals due to consumer demand and competition among companies. Camera-equipped mobile communication terminals have become popular enough to occupy a large part of mobile communication terminals, which are recently spreading, and are becoming more basic functions. In addition, as the memory capacity increases, a large amount of captured images can be retained. Therefore, not only one storage space but also the user can designate multiple albums and save them. For example, by assigning names as 'friends' or 'family', the images corresponding to the list can be stored and managed.

 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a keypad provided in a mobile communication terminal. In the past, only a predetermined predetermined key was used to capture an image with a camera mounted on a mobile communication terminal. The shutter key function of the camera is limited to, for example, the camera key 100 or the confirmation or OK key 105. Therefore, until the captured images are stored in a plurality of albums, the user selects an album to be stored by using a popup selection window asking for album selection when taking a photo or a method of specifying an album in advance in an environment setting. In the case of a mobile communication terminal, a mouse or various shortcut keys do not exist as in a personal computer, and thus there is a lot of trouble in classifying once stored pictures by album. In addition, even in the case of storing in the specified album immediately after shooting, there is an inconvenience that must be set on the configuration menu every time to distinguish the image by album.

It is an object of the present invention to derive such a background and to capture an image and to select a storage space thereof.

The mobile communication terminal according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is to add a camera shutter function to the numeric keys of the keypad, and to set the album to be stored for each numeric key to store the image taken according to the numeric key input Characterized in that the selection.

According to the present invention according to this aspect of the present invention, by setting the storage space at the same time shooting, there is an effect that can eliminate the hassle of having to set a separate album to store the captured image.

In addition, since the button itself designating the album itself performs the function of the shutter key without separately providing a shutter key for instructing shooting, operation becomes simpler.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, by assigning each album to a numeric key, the user has an advantage of easily storing an album set by the user as a shortcut key.

The foregoing and additional aspects of the invention are described in detail below to enable those skilled in the art to readily understand and reproduce through the embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention stores the image file by dividing the camera unit 200, the key input unit 240 including the numeric keys 110, 120, 130, and a plurality of albums An image processing unit for capturing an image with the camera unit 200 according to the input of the album storage unit 230 and the numeric keys 110, 120, and 130 in the shooting mode, and converting the captured image into a format suitable for storing the captured image ( A control unit including an album selection unit 222 for storing data in a converted format in an album corresponding to input of numeric keys 110, 120, and 130 pressed among albums set in the album storage unit 230; Include.

Camera unit 200 is a known configuration mounted on a conventional camera phone. The camera unit 200 includes a small one or a plurality of lenses and collects light through the lenses. Each pixel is converted into an electrical signal through a CMOS image sensor configured as a switch using a photodiode and a CMOS transistor or a charge coupled device (CCD) imager including a photodiode. The converted electrical signal converts a current or voltage proportional to image brightness into a digital signal after a slight process. An image file may be generated by capturing a still image from a continuous digital signal, or a video file may be generated by capturing a continuous image for a predetermined time. The camera unit 200 converts the captured digital signal value into a YUV format and outputs it. The YUV format represents a color by three pieces of information: a luminance signal (Y), a difference between the luminance signal and the red component (U), and a difference between the luminance signal and the blue component (V). The signal is transferred in YUV format between each module.

The key input unit 240 includes, in a known configuration, function keys such as 0 to 9 numeric keys and a menu key, a call key, an end key, a cancel / erase key, a direction key, etc. mounted on a keypad of the mobile communication terminal. The key input unit 240 generates and outputs key input data corresponding to a key pressed by the terminal user. In the present embodiment, the key input unit 240 generates key data including a command for the camera unit 200 mounted on the mobile communication terminal to photograph an image. According to an aspect of the present invention, the key input unit 240 is numeric keys mounted on the keypad. Therefore, each of the numeric keys 110, 120, 130 according to the present invention includes the function of the camera shutter key. In the present embodiment, the album corresponds to the number keys 110, 120, and 130, such as 'family' on the first key 110, 'friends' on the second key 120, 'landscape' on the third key 130, and the like. Can be set. By implementing the key input unit 240 with the numeric keys has the advantage that the user can easily store the album set by the user in the concept of a shortcut key.

The album storage unit 230 is implemented as a flash memory module that stores various updatable storage data. In the present embodiment, the album storage unit 230 compresses and stores data of a format suitable for storage output from the camera unit 200. The album storage unit 230 may divide the storage space for each region and set one region as one album. Each of the allocated areas stores image files set to be stored in the album.

The image processor 210 includes a codec for storing or decompressing image data in an album storage unit 230 implemented as a flash memory. In the present embodiment, the codec includes a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) encoder / decoder and a JPEG encoder / decoder for compressing, storing and reading a captured image frame as a still image. These may be implemented by a digital signal processor (DSP) and a core.

The controller 220 controls the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal. Most circuits of the controller 220 are commercially provided as a single integrated circuit. This integrated circuit, commonly referred to as an MSM chip, includes internally dedicated hardware for processing communications, a digital signal processor and a general purpose microprocessor. In the present embodiment, the control unit 220 is an album selection unit for storing data of the converted format in the album corresponding to the input of the numeric keys (110, 120, 130) pressed of the album set in the album storage unit 230 ( 222).

The album selector 222 detects key data generated according to the pressed key input and determines a storage area set corresponding to the key data. The image data converted by the image processor 210 is stored in the corresponding area.

According to an additional aspect, the control unit 220 further includes an album matching unit 224 for setting one album corresponding to each numeric key 110, 120, 130 according to a user's selection and storing the setting state. In the present embodiment, the album matching unit 224 generates a plurality of albums according to the user's operation before shooting. This is interpreted to encompass both methods of allocating an album on separate directories, both physical and logical memory, or only on user interfaces. Then print the created album list. Then, a corresponding key input is set for each of the albums created according to the user's selection, and the setting state is stored. For example, when the number 1 key 110 is operated as a shutter key and the number 2 key 120 is operated as a shutter key, an area to store the image data captured when each number key is operated as a shutter key is matched. Let's do it.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the image processing unit 210 may further include a temporary storage unit 215 for storing data in the converted format. In the present exemplary embodiment, the temporary storage unit 215 is a storage location for temporarily storing image data before finding a location to be stored in the album storage unit 230, and a buffer included in the image processing unit 210. It can be implemented as. However, it is not limited thereto. The temporary storage unit 215 temporarily stores the image data while the album selection unit 222 selects an area to store the image data.

Hereinafter, a method of automatically setting a space for storing a captured image according to the present invention will be described. 3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method for automatically setting a space for storing a captured image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, storage of the captured image is implemented by one or a plurality of organically cooperated programs executed by the controller 220 for controlling the operation of the mobile communication terminal.

According to the present embodiment, an automatic setting method of a space for storing a photographed image may include converting the image into a format suitable for capturing and storing the image according to a numeric key input, and corresponding to a pressed numeric key input among a plurality of albums. Storing the data in the converted format in the album.

As described above, when key data according to a shooting command is input from the key input unit 240, the camera unit 200 captures an image through the lens (step S300). The camera unit 200 collects light through the lens. The pixel is converted into an electrical signal for each pixel through an image pickup device having a known configuration, and is then converted into a digital signal after a little processing. The camera unit 200 may generate an image file by capturing a still image from a continuous digital signal or generate a video file by capturing a continuous image for a predetermined time. The camera unit 200 converts the captured digital signal value into a YUV format and outputs it (step S310).

When the automatic setting mode of the storage space is set by the user (step S320), the image processing unit 210 stores the data in the temporary storage if necessary (step S330), and the key data according to the shooting command from the key input unit 240. Select the album according to step S340. At this time, the storage location is set at the same time according to the key input according to the shooting command. For example, 'family' is set as the album based on the first key 110, 'friends' is set as the album according to the second key 120, and 'landscape' is set on the third key 130. Suppose it is. In the present invention, the setting of the album for each key data may be made according to the user's selection in the camera setting menu before image capturing. When the user takes a picture of the family, the first key 110 is used as a shutter. Then, photographing is performed according to the input of the first key 110, and the photographed image is stored in an already designated 'family' album. In addition, when taking a picture of a friend using the second key 120 as a shutter key is that the video is stored in the 'friends' album.

Each album is an independent directory concept in the physical and / or logical structure of real memory. In other words, it may be a real directory concept. In this case, each directory is stored including image data set to be stored in the album.

In another embodiment, the files are all stored in one logical directory. In this case, an album is specified only at the user interface level, and the names of the files belonging to this album are managed in a table. When the automatic setting of the storage space is not selected by the user, it is apparent that the photographed image is stored according to a conventional storage method (step S345).

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the method may further include matching an album corresponding to a numeric key input according to a user's setting before capturing an image through the camera unit 200. When the number 1 key 110 is operated as a shutter key and the number 2 key 120 is operated as a shutter key, an area for storing the captured image data is matched when each number key is operated as a shutter key. The matching step may include logically creating albums, outputting the generated album lists and displaying them for the user to check, assigning a key input to each of the generated albums in correspondence, Outputting, displaying and storing the setting state.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, by setting the storage space at the same time as shooting, there is an effect that can eliminate the hassle of having to separately set the album to store the captured image.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, by assigning each album to the numeric key, the user can easily memorize the album set by the user with the concept of a shortcut key.

In addition, since the button itself designating the album itself performs the function of the shutter key without separately providing a shutter key for instructing shooting, operation becomes simpler.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention should be construed by the appended claims, which are intended to cover such obvious variations.

Claims (8)

A camera unit; A key input unit including a numeric key; An album storage unit for storing image files divided into a plurality of albums; An image processing unit for capturing an image with the camera unit according to an input of the numeric key in a shooting mode and converting the captured image into a format suitable for storing the captured image; A control unit including an album selection unit for storing data of the converted format in an album corresponding to a pressed numeric key input among albums set in the album storage unit; Mobile communication terminal comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit: And an album matching unit for setting one album corresponding to each numeric key according to a user's selection and storing the setting state. The image processing unit of claim 1 or 2, wherein the image processing unit comprises: The mobile communication terminal further comprises a temporary storage unit for storing the data of the converted format. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The captured image is a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the still image. Converting the image into a format suitable for capturing and storing an image by a camera according to a numeric key input of a keypad; Storing data of the converted format in an album corresponding to a pressed numeric key input among a plurality of albums; Automatic setting method of the space to store the captured image, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 5 wherein the method is: Setting one album corresponding to each numeric key according to a user's selection, and storing the setting state; Automatic setting method of the space to store the captured image, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the method comprises: Temporarily storing data in the converted format before the storing step; Automatic setting method of the space to store the captured image, characterized in that it further comprises. The method according to claim 5 or 6, And the captured image is a still image.

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