KR101445605B1 - Digital image pickup device and customize system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides only minimized software and hardware, implements various functions, and enables a user to easily implement an interface or a menu desired by him / herself. A first communication unit for connecting to a server in which a first program capable of configuring a function setting menu only for a user is stored and a second program for activating a first program stored in the server; A second storage unit for temporarily storing data received from the second program and the server; a display unit for displaying the image data and displaying a function setting menu of the user stored in the server; , A first control section for controlling the first and second storage sections and the display section, and a digital control section It relates to customize the system.

Description

[0001] Digital image pickup device and customize system [0002]

The present invention relates to a digital imaging apparatus and a customization system, and more particularly, to a digital imaging apparatus and a customization system that can easily implement a user interface by using a program stored in a server without storing a program in the camera .

2. Description of the Related Art As users' demands for functions of digital imaging devices, particularly digital cameras, have diversified, digital imaging devices with more functions are increasing. Therefore, the hardware and software for implementing these many functions are increasingly complicated.

In order to implement such various functions in the digital imaging device, the software for the digital imaging device must be stored in the memory device of the digital imaging device itself, and the capacity of the memory device is required to be increased with diversification of functions. However, this may be against the basic requirement for a digital imaging device, i.e., the light and shortening of the device. That is, if software for storing more functions and storing various hardware for realizing the functions are mounted on the digital imaging device, it is inevitable that the device becomes large and heavy.

Meanwhile, as the function of a digital camera increases, a user interface and a menu for providing such functions to a user are increasingly complicated. Therefore, each time a user purchases a digital camera, the user must know the user interface defined for each product. Since the user must follow a predetermined user interface, the user can not sufficiently cope with various demands. Thus, it is necessary to easily customize the various functions such as the operation function and the recording function required by the user to change to a desired setting.

In view of such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-020298 discloses a method of selecting a desired function from a digital camera and downloading the related software from a server, storing the software in a flash ROM of the camera itself, and executing the function have.

However, even in this case, since the software is downloaded and stored in a storage means provided in the camera itself, that is, in a flash ROM, there is a limit in which the function can not be effectively diversified.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital imaging device and a customizing system which are provided with only minimized software and hardware and can implement various functions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital imaging device and a customizing system in which a user can easily implement a desired interface or menu.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus, comprising: an image pickup section for generating image data on which light taken from a subject is incident and a server for storing a first program capable of configuring a function setting menu only for a user A second storage unit for temporarily storing data received from the second program and the server, and a second storage unit for temporarily storing data received from the second program and the server, A display section for displaying data and a function setting menu of a user stored in the server; and a first control section for controlling the image sensing section, the first communication section, the first and second storage sections, and the display section, Lt; / RTI >

And a third storage unit for storing the image data.

The present invention also includes a digital image pickup apparatus as described above and a server connected to the digital image pickup apparatus, wherein the server includes: a second communication unit for communicating with the first communication unit; A program constructing unit for constructing a function setting menu program only for the user using the first program, and a personal program database for storing the function setting menu program only for the user.

The server may further include a program selection unit for selecting a function setting menu program only for the user from the personal program database.

The server may further include a user management unit that registers information of a user connected to the server, a user authentication unit that performs authentication of the user, and a user management database that stores information of the user.

According to the present invention as described above, since various functions of the image capturing apparatus can be implemented in the host server, there is no need to implement complicated functions in the image capturing apparatus itself. Therefore, the configuration of the image pickup apparatus is simplified, and high-specification hardware is not required.

In addition, it is easy for the user to set a desired menu, so that it is possible to cope with the demand of the user who is diversified.

Hereinafter, the digital imaging device and the customization system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments of the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing an example of a digital image pickup apparatus 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a digital image pickup apparatus 1 according to the present invention. 1 shows an example of a host server 2 for constructing a customization system of the present invention.

1, the digital imaging apparatus 1 of the present invention can connect to the host server 2 via a network system such as the Internet and start a customized program of the user's own in the host server 2. [

First, the digital imaging apparatus 1 of Fig. 1 includes an imaging section 10 for shooting an object to produce an image, a control section 11 for controlling the entire digital imaging apparatus 1, an operation section 12, (13), and a customizing unit (14).

The imaging unit 10 includes a lens unit 101, a lens unit control unit 102, an imaging device 103, an imaging device control unit 104, an A / D conversion unit 105, an image processing unit 106, 107).

The lens unit 101 may include a zoom lens, a focus lens, a focus lens driving unit, a diaphragm, and the like, though not shown. The lens unit control unit 102 may include a lens control unit (not shown) for controlling the movement position of the focus lens, a diaphragm control unit (not shown) for controlling the degree of opening of the diaphragm, and a shutter control unit have.

The image pickup unit 10 may further include a microphone, an A / D conversion unit, a D / A conversion unit, a speaker, and the like that can record and reproduce audio.

The control unit 11 includes a microcomputer 111 and a third storage unit 112 for collectively controlling the entire apparatus.

The operation unit 12 may be configured with a plurality of operation buttons or a touch screen system. When the user interface unit 12 is connected to the host server through the first communication unit 143 to implement the custom terminal, input information of the user is input to the server.

The display unit 13 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic light emitting display device, and a control unit thereof.

The customizing unit 14 includes a first storage unit 141 that stores a device control program, a customizing program, a communication program, and the like, and a second storage unit 142 and a data recording unit 144. The customizing program is an application program for the user to customize the device control program. The communication program controls communication for connection to the host server 2.

The second storage unit 142 may be a RAM (RAM), which is used as a data area used for temporary recording of data or processing of a program.

The microcomputer 111 implements the still image shooting function by executing the device control program stored in the program storage unit 141. [

First, when the user presses the shutter button of the shutter unit 107, the lens unit control unit 102 and the imaging device control unit 104 receive the image data into the imaging device 103. [ The image data received by the image pickup element 103 is read by the image pickup element control section 104 from the image pickup element 103 and passed through the A / D conversion section 105 and the image processing section 106 to the third storage section 112, . The microcomputer 111 calculates focus information and exposure information based on the image data temporarily stored in the third storage unit 112 and drives the lens barrel of the lens unit 101 to perform autofocusing, .

When the photographing preparation is completed, the lens unit control unit 102 performs the main exposure with respect to the imaging element 103 with a predetermined exposure control value. The exposed image is read as an image signal from the image pickup element 103 by the image pickup element control section 104 and converted into digital data from an image signal which is an analog output by the A / D conversion section 105, And is temporarily stored in the third storage unit 112 as image data. The image data stored in the third storage unit 112 is stored in the recording medium 15.

The image data stored in the third storage unit 112 is also displayed to the user through the display unit 13. [

The digital imaging device 1 can also photograph and reproduce moving images in the same manner.

3, the host server 2 includes a second communication unit 201, a CPU 202, a fourth storage unit 203, a program selection unit 204, a program construction unit 205, A program database 206, a user management unit 207, a user authentication unit 208, and a user management database 209.

The second communication unit 201 is connected to the digital imaging device 1. [

The user management unit 207 manages user registration, and the user authentication unit 208 performs authentication of a user connected to the host server 2. [ In the user management database 209, user information is stored.

The fourth storage unit 203 stores a network program capable of building an Internet homepage or the like in the host server 2, a menu configuration program capable of configuring a menu of a user, a selection program, a user registration program, a communication program, do. The selection program is an application program for acquiring a menu configuration program and making the user select the menu configuration program. The user registration program registers personal information such as a user name and a password. The communication program controls communication for connection with the digital imaging device 1. [

The program selection unit 204 allows the user to select a menu configuration program for each user from the personal program database 204. [

The program construction unit 205 allows the user to configure his / her own menu using the menu configuration program in accordance with the user's desired menu configuration. The configured menu is stored in the personal program database 206.

Through the above customizing system, the user can build his or her own function setting menu on the host server as described below.

Next, the operation of the customizing system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The user connects to the host server 2 through the first communication unit 143 of the digital imaging apparatus 1 and the second communication unit 201 of the host server 2. [ The CPU 202 of the host server 2 calls a menu selection program, a menu configuration program, and the like from the fourth storage unit 203 to construct a homepage that can configure a menu.

Therefore, the user connects to the homepage of the host server 2 via the digital imaging device 1 (S1).

Next, the user activates the operation unit 12 of the digital imaging apparatus 1 to transmit personal information such as name, personal identification information and password of the user to the host server 2 (S2).

The host server 2 registers the personal information of the user through the user management unit 207, and then stores the registered data in the user management database 209 (S3).

After the user registration is completed, the user is logged in again after accessing the host server 2 via the first communication unit 143 of the digital imaging apparatus 1 and the second communication unit 201 of the host server 2 S4).

When the user logs in, the menu configuration program is executed in the home page running on the host server 2 (S5).

The user operates the operation unit 12 to view a screen displayed on the display unit 13 of the digital imaging apparatus 1 and configure his or her own menu.

The configured menu is stored in the personal program database 206 via the program constructing unit 205 (S6). The first communication unit 143 of the digital imaging apparatus 1 receives its own menu (menu of the user only) stored in the personal program database 206 via the second communication unit 201 of the host server 2 .

Therefore, the user can implement various functions of the digital imaging apparatus 1 in the host server 2 instead of the digital imaging apparatus 1, and accordingly the digital imaging apparatus 1 is provided with the host server 2 It is not necessary to provide a large-capacity memory because it is necessary to store only the application program which can receive the data from the host server 2 and configure the menu.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a customization system of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the digital imaging device of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a host server for constructing the customizing system of the present invention together with the digital imaging device of Fig. 2;

4 is a block diagram illustrating the operation of the customizing system of the present invention.

Claims (5)

An imaging unit for generating image data by causing light that has been picked up from a subject to be incident, A first communication unit for connecting to a server storing a first program capable of configuring a function setting menu only for a user; A first storage unit for storing a second program for activating a first program stored in the server; A second storage unit for temporarily storing data received from the second program and the server; A display unit for displaying the image data and displaying a function setting menu of the user stored in the server; An operation unit operable to operate the function setting menu displayed on the display unit to receive input information of a user configuring a menu only for a user; And And controls the imaging unit, the first communication unit, the first storage unit, the second storage unit, the operation unit, and the display unit to transmit the input information of the operation unit to the first program of the server through the first communication unit, And a first control unit for receiving, via the first communication unit, a menu of only the user built by the first program of the server. The method according to claim 1, And a third storage unit for storing the image data. A digital image pickup apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, and a server connected to the digital image pickup apparatus, A second communication unit for communicating with the first communication unit; A fourth storage unit storing the first program; A program constructing unit for constructing a function setting menu program only for the user using the first program; And And a personal program database for storing a function setting menu program only for the user. The method of claim 3, Wherein the server further comprises a program selecting unit for selecting a function setting menu program only for the user from the personal program database. The method of claim 3, The server comprises: A user management unit for registering information of a user connected to the server; A user authentication unit for authenticating the user; And And a user management database for storing information of the user.

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