KR101510100B1 - Digital image processing apparatus producing image file including a moving picture and the controlling method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof for generating an image file including a moving image, and more particularly to a digital image processing apparatus and method for generating an image file by using a plurality of image signals sequentially applied through the image pickup unit, And an image file generating unit for generating an image file using the moving image file and the last image signal according to a shutter input signal. The digital image processing apparatus according to claim 1, And the like.

Digital image processing device, property information, video

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof for generating an image file including a moving image,

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus for generating an image file and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof for generating an image file including a moving image file.

In the digital image processing apparatus, light applied through a lens is converted into an electrical signal by the image pickup device, and after the digital signal processing is performed, the image signal is converted into a video signal, and an image file is generated using the video signal.

Image files generated by digital image processing devices today follow the exchangeable image file format (Exif: Exchangeable Image File Format). This is a file format determined in order to make the image files generated by the digital image processing apparatus provided by different manufacturers in the file format determined by Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) compatible with each other. In the Exif file format, a JPEG file format is used as a compression method of a video signal. 1 is a diagram showing a structure 100 of an image file generated according to the Exif file format. Hereinafter, the structure 100 of the image file according to the Exif file format shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail.

A start of image (SOI) block 110 is a data area for notifying the start of compressed data.

The first application block 120 is used to confirm that the JPEG file format is used and the first application block 120 includes a first application marker 121, a first application length 122, an Exif identification code 123, And attribute information (124). The storage capacity of the first application block 120 is limited to 64 Kbytes. The first application marker 121 indicates a first application block 120 and the first application length 122 indicates a file size of the first application block. The Exif identification code 123 is a code indicating that the first application block conforms to the Exif file format. The attribute information 124 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The second application block 130 may include a second application marker, an FPXR identification code, stream data, and the like. The use of the second application block 130 is not forced. The second application block 130 may be used when the capacity of the attribute information exceeds 64 Kbytes.

The JPEG table block 140 includes a define quantization table (DQT) block 141 for storing a quantization table, a DHT (define Huffman table) block 142 for storing a Huffman code table, A start of frame (SOF) block 143 for storing various information related to sampling, and a start of scan (SOS) block 144 for indicating which Huffman table each component of Y, Cb, and Cr uses .

In the compressed data block 150, the image data is compressed and stored.

The screen nail data block 160 stores the compressed image in accordance with the size of the visible area of the display such as the LCD screen of the digital camera. In the playback mode, the screen nail image is restored and displayed on a display such as an LCD screen. The screen nail image is VGA standard and can have a resolution of 640 × 480.

An end of image (EOI) block 170 is a data area for informing the end of compressed data.

Hereinafter, the attribute information structure 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the Exif file format, the property information is stored according to the TIFF file structure.

The attribute information includes a TIFF header block 210, an 0th IFD (image file directory) block 220, an 0th IFD value 222, an Exif IFD block 230, an Exif IFD value 231, a 1st IFD block 240, A 1st IFD value 242, and thumbnail data 250.

The attribute information indicates various pieces of information set at the time of shooting the compressed main image. Various information such as the size, focus information, exposure information, and photographing time of the main image are included in the attribute information. At this time, the attribute information includes a maker note area. The maker note area is an area where data can be arbitrarily added or deleted by the provider of the digital image processing apparatus.

The digital image processing apparatus reproduces and displays a screen nail image in an image file generated according to the Exif file format when an image is reproduced in the playback mode. However, since the screen nail image has been conventionally stored as a still image, there is a limitation that the user can not grasp the situation or atmosphere at the time of shooting the subject.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof for generating an image file including a moving image file to reproduce a moving image in a playback mode.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus including an image pickup section for photographing a subject, a moving image file generating section for generating a moving image file using a plurality of image signals sequentially applied through the image pickup section, And an image file generation unit for generating an image file using the video file and the last video signal.

In the present invention, the image file generation unit may store the moving image file in an attribute information area of the image file to generate an image file.

Alternatively, in the present invention, the image file generation unit may store the moving image file in a screen nail image file storage area of the image file to generate an image file.

In the present invention, the moving picture file generating unit may generate a moving picture file using video signals from a video signal at a specific time point to the last video signal, Of the video signal.

In the present invention, the moving picture file generating unit may include a time setting unit for setting a playing time of the moving picture file, and a sampling unit for selecting a part of the plurality of video signals to match the playing time and the predetermined capacity .

The present invention may further include an interface unit receiving a plurality of video signals from an external device, and the moving image file generating unit may generate a moving image file using a plurality of image signals received from the interface unit.

In addition, the present invention may further include an image file reproducing unit for reproducing the moving image file in the generated image file in the reproduction mode, and a display unit for displaying the reproduced image file, thereby reproducing the moving image file as a playback image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating a video signal including: (a) sequentially generating a plurality of video signals during a preview mode; (b) generating a video file including the plurality of video signals; (c) generating an image file including a final image signal and the moving image file of the plurality of image signals by a shutter input signal.

In the present invention, the method may further include, in the reproduction mode, calling and reproducing the moving picture file from the generated image file.

In this manner, the digital image processing apparatus including the image pickup unit, the moving image file generating unit, and the image file generating unit generates the motion image file using the image signal provided as the preview image, Information area or a storage area of a screen nail image.

In addition, since the interface unit is further provided, it is also possible to apply a video file generated using an externally applied video signal to an image file.

In addition, the digital image processing apparatus according to the present application further includes an image file reproducing unit and a display unit, so that when reproducing an image file in the reproduction mode, a moving image file is reproduced so that the user can easily recall a situation or atmosphere at the time of photographing .

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 attached hereto.

3 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3, a digital image processing apparatus 300 according to the present invention includes an image sensing unit 310, a video signal processing unit 311, a storage unit 320, an image file generation unit 3300, a moving image file generation unit 340 A control unit 350, a user input unit 360, an interface unit 370, and a display unit 380.

The image pickup unit 310 is a part for photographing a subject and converting the image of the subject into an electrical signal. The image sensing unit 310 may include a lens (not shown) that passes light from a subject and an image sensing device (not shown) that converts the passed light into an electrical signal. As the image pickup device, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charge coupled device (CCD) can be used. It may also include a flash to illuminate a sufficient amount of light when the subject is in a dark environment when shooting.

The image signal processing unit 311 analyzes an electrical signal applied from the image sensing unit 310, converts the electrical signal into a digital signal representing an image, and generates a video signal. Since the electric signal is applied in real time through the image sensing unit 310, the image signal processing unit 311 generates a plurality of image signals using electrical signals applied in real time, and outputs the generated image signals to a RAM (321). The applied image signals are temporarily stored in the RAM 321.

The storage unit 320 stores various signals, data, and algorithms for the operation of the digital image processing apparatus 300, and the like. The storage unit 320 may include a RAM 321 and a storage medium 322.

The RAM 321 is a temporary storage medium for temporarily storing various control signals from the control unit 350 and a video signal from the video signal processing unit 311, which will be described later. The RAM 321 as the temporary storage medium may be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like.

The storage medium 322 is a long-term storage medium for storing data and the like for a long period of time. The storage medium 322 may store user setting data related to shooting conditions and the like. Also, an algorithm used for controlling the digital image processing apparatus in the digital signal processing unit can be stored. As the long-term storage medium, EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) may be used. Also, image files captured and generated by the image pickup unit 310, attribute information on the image files, and the like can be stored. As the storage medium for storing the image file or the like, a memory card or the like may be used, and the storage medium may be internal or removable external.

The video file generation unit 340 generates video files using video signals sequentially applied to the RAM 321.

When the moving picture file is stored in the screen nail data block which is the area for storing the screen nail image file, the size of the moving picture file is not affected. On the other hand, when the movie file is stored in the maker note area of the attribute information, the storable capacity is limited to 64 Kbytes. Accordingly, in the generation of the moving picture file, the moving picture file generating unit 340 generates a moving picture file by using the video signals from the video signal at the specific time point to the video signal finally applied from the video signals sequentially applied to the RAM 321, And the video signal at the specific time point may be a video signal such that the size of the moving picture file does not exceed a predetermined capacity. The moving picture file generating unit 340 may include a time setting unit 341 and a sampling unit 342 to generate a moving picture file that does not exceed the predetermined capacity.

The time setting unit 341 is a unit for setting a playback time of a moving image file to be generated by the moving image file generating unit 340. Since the size of the moving picture file becomes larger as the playing time becomes longer, the moving picture file is created in a size suitable for storing in the maker note area of the property information by adjusting the playing time to be shorter or longer.

The sampling unit 342 is a part for selecting a part of the plurality of applied video signals. Since a plurality of still images are continuously reproduced in the moving image file, the capacity of the moving image file can be limited by reducing the frame ratio, that is, by reducing the number of still images to be reproduced in a unit time. However, if the frame rate is excessively low, it is preferable to generate a motion picture file by setting an appropriate frame rate in order to provide a natural image because the motion of the motion picture played back in the motion picture is severely interrupted. For example, you could create a movie file at a frame rate of 10 frames / sec or less with a playback time of 10 seconds or less.

Also, the resolution of the video file is one of the factors affecting the capacity of the video file. Accordingly, the size of the moving image file generated by the moving image file generation unit 340 may be a QVGA size or a QCIF size resolution. QVGA is 320x240 and QCIF is 176x144.

In the above-described embodiment, a video file is generated using the video signals applied through the image pickup unit 310. However, when the video output apparatus further includes an interface unit 370 to be described later, It is also possible to generate a moving picture file by using a plurality of video signals. In addition, since it is possible to directly receive a motion picture file other than a still picture through the interface unit 370, the motion picture file generation unit 340 can appropriately save the capacity of the motion picture file in the image file It will perform only the capacity conversion function.

The image file generation unit 330 generates an image file by using the last image signal among the image signals sequentially applied to the RAM 321 and the moving image file generated by the moving image file generation unit 340, . The moving picture file may be stored in a maker note area located in the first application marker block, or may be stored in a screen nail data block storing a screen nail image file. Since the image file generated by the image file generating unit 330 can be generated in the same format as the image file generated by the digital image processing apparatus according to the related art, a description of a method of generating the image file will be omitted.

The control unit 350 performs overall control of the digital image processing apparatus 300 according to the present invention. In addition, an input signal is received from a user input unit 360 to be described later, and the control signal corresponding to the input signal is supplied to the moving picture file generating unit 340, the image file generating unit 330, an image file reproducing unit Or the like.

The user input unit 360 may include buttons such as a shutter-release button, a wide angle-zoom button, a telephoto-zoom button, a function button, and a play button.

The interface unit 370 receives a plurality of video signals from an external device. Alternatively, the interface unit 370 may receive a motion picture file. When the moving image file is received, the moving image file generation unit 340 of the digital image processing apparatus 300 according to the present invention does not need to separately generate a moving image file. The interface unit 370 can use a wired communication interface such as a USB connector interface or a wireless communication interface such as Bluetooth.

The display unit 380 displays a UI, a preview image in the preview mode, and a playback image in the playback mode, which are provided according to the operation of the subject, buttons by the user. The display unit 380 may include an image reproducing unit (not shown) for performing a function of reproducing an image such as an image signal or an image file, and a display unit (not shown) for displaying the reproduced image so that the user can confirm the image , The display unit generally uses an LCD display panel, but is not limited thereto. In the image reproducing unit, the digital image processing apparatus 300 according to the present invention includes an image file reproducing unit (not shown) performing a function of reproducing a moving image file included in an image file in a reproducing mode can do.

As described above, the digital image processing apparatus including the image sensing unit, the moving image file generating unit, and the image file generating unit generates a moving image file using a video signal provided as a preview image, In the attribute information area of the screen image or the storage area of the screen nail image.

In addition, since the interface unit is further provided, it is also possible to apply a video file generated using an externally applied video signal to an image file.

In addition, the digital image processing apparatus according to the present application further includes an image file reproducing unit and a display unit, so that when reproducing an image file in the reproduction mode, a moving image file is reproduced so that the user can easily recall a situation or atmosphere at the time of photographing .

Of course, the digital camera shown in FIG. 3 is merely an embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be a camcorder, not a camera. In addition, although the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention is a camera, it may be a lens interchangeable camera having a shape different from that shown in FIG. 3 or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera. to be.

4 and 5 are views showing the structure of an image file generated in the digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the image file generated according to the Exif file format has the same file format as the image file according to the conventional technology. 4, the moving image file tag block 431 is included in the Exif IFD 430 area. Also, in the Exif IFD value storage block 440, the moving picture file data generated by the moving picture file generating unit (340 in FIG. 3) is stored at the position indicated by the data stored in the moving picture file tag block 431. In other words, the Exif IFD value storage block 440 further includes motion picture file data together with the attribute information generated by the conventional digital image processing apparatus. In the case of the moving picture file data, it is preferably stored in the attribute information area in the Exif file format, and the capacity is preferably 64 Kbytes or less.

Referring to FIG. 5, an image file generated by the digital image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention conforms to the Exif file format in the same manner as the file structure of the image file generated by the conventional digital image processing apparatus. A first application block 520, a second application block 530, a JPEG table block 540, a compressed data block 550 and an end of image (EOI) block 570 . On the other hand, the moving image file generated by the moving image file creating unit 340 (FIG. 3) is stored in the area of the screen nail data block 160 (FIG. 1) storing the screen nail image file to form the moving image file data block 560 . In the case of storing a moving picture file in a separate block other than the attribute information area, the capacity of the moving picture file will not be limited to 64 Kbytes.

6 is a diagram showing a display unit of a digital image processing apparatus for reproducing a moving image in a playback mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a figure of a person throwing a ball on the display unit is displayed in five frames. As described above, a moving image of a person throwing a ball is included in an image file, so that it is possible to easily grasp what the situation is before shooting the image of the subject.

7 is a flowchart 700 illustrating a method of generating and reproducing an image file including a moving image file by the digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, in step 701, a plurality of video signals are sequentially generated by the light applied through the imaging unit during the preview mode (step 701), and the generated video signals are temporarily stored in the RAM (step 702). The image signals may be deleted by a shutter input signal or may be deleted by sequentially deleting first stored image signals when image signals of a predetermined capacity or more are stored in the RAM.

When the shutter-release button is turned on and the shutter input signal is applied to the digital image processing apparatus in step 703, it is determined whether to insert the moving image file into the attribute information area of the image file in step 704. If the moving image file is not inserted into the attribute information area, an image file is generated in the same manner as in the conventional digital image processing apparatus (step 705). If the moving image file is to be inserted into the attribute information area, And generates a video file using the video signals in step 706. In operation 707, an image file, which is an image of a subject, is generated using the video file and the last video signal applied to the RAM. A moving picture file may be inserted into the Exif header of the image file, that is, the attribute information area.

After completing the shooting, the digital image processing apparatus is switched to the playback mode in step 708 and the image file is played in step 709. In step 710, it is determined whether the movie file is included in the attribute information area. If it is determined that the moving image file is included, the moving image file is reproduced (step 711). On the other hand, when it is determined that the video file is not included, the screen nail image included in the image file is reproduced as in the case of reproducing the image file conventionally. The screen nail image may be a still image.

As described above, when a moving picture file is inserted into an image file by the digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and the moving picture file is reproduced when an image file is reproduced in the reproduction mode, Atmosphere and so on.

The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention and are used for the purpose of illustrating the present invention only and not for limiting the scope of the present invention described in the claims or the claims. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the technical protection scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

1 is a diagram showing the structure of an image file according to a conventional Exif file format.

2 is a diagram showing an attribute information data structure in an image file according to the Exif file format.

3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an image file generated in the digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an image file generated in a digital image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram showing a display unit of a digital image processing apparatus for reproducing a moving image in a playback mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of generating and reproducing an image file including a moving image file by the digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (10)

delete An imaging unit for photographing a subject; A moving picture file generating unit for generating a moving picture file by using a plurality of video signals sequentially applied through the imaging unit; And And an image file generation unit for generating an image file using the moving image file and the last image signal by a shutter input signal, Wherein the image file generation unit comprises: And stores the moving image file in an attribute information area of the image file to generate an image file. An imaging unit for photographing a subject; A moving picture file generating unit for generating a moving picture file by using a plurality of video signals sequentially applied through the imaging unit; And And an image file generation unit for generating an image file using the moving image file and the last image signal by a shutter input signal, Wherein the image file generation unit comprises: And storing the moving image file in a screen nail image file storage area of the image file to generate an image file. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the motion picture file generation unit Wherein the video signal is generated by using video signals from a video signal at a specific time point to the last video signal, and the video signal at the specific time point is a video signal such that the size of the video file does not exceed a predetermined capacity Digital image processing device. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the motion picture file generation unit A time setting unit for setting a playback time of the moving picture file; And And a sampling unit for selecting a part of the plurality of video signals to match the reproduction time and the predetermined capacity. 4. The method according to any one of claims 2 and 3, Further comprising an interface unit receiving a plurality of video signals from an external device, The motion picture file generation unit And generates a video file using a plurality of video signals applied from the interface unit. 4. The method according to any one of claims 2 and 3, An image file reproducing unit for reproducing the moving image file from the generated image file in a playback mode; And Further comprising a display unit for displaying the reproduced image file to reproduce the moving image file as a reproduced image. (a) sequentially generating a plurality of video signals during a preview mode; (b) generating a moving picture file including the plurality of video signals; And (c) generating an image file including the moving image file and the last image signal of the plurality of image signals by a shutter input signal, Wherein the step (c) stores the moving image file in an attribute information area of the image file. 9. The method of claim 8, (d) calling and reproducing the moving image file in the generated image file in the playback mode. (a) sequentially generating a plurality of video signals during a preview mode; (b) generating a moving picture file including the plurality of video signals; And (c) generating an image file including the moving image file and the last image signal of the plurality of image signals by a shutter input signal, Wherein the step (c) stores the moving image file in a screen nail image file storage area of the image file.

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