KR20110090091A - Digital image portable electronic apparatus and backup location infomation management method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A digital image processing device and backup location information management method thereof are provided not to store in the same backup location. CONSTITUTION: Identifying information points a backup location transmitting a photographed or stored image. A backup location storing unit(310) stores database. An image backup unit(320) transmits an image to a backup location. A backup location previous searching unit(321) checks whether a corresponding image is backed up in the same backup location by searching identification information.

Description

Digital image processing apparatus and method for managing backup location information thereof {Digital Image Portable electronic apparatus and backup location infomation management method}

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a method for managing backup location information thereof, and more particularly, to backup an image scratched or stored in a digital image imaging apparatus to a web server or a storage device connected through a wired or wireless network. The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a method of managing backup location information thereof, which are not stored in a conventional manner.

In digital image processing apparatuses such as digital cameras and digital camcorders, it is common to replace image memory cards or other external storage devices, and to use the communication to back up image data to a web server or a device having a storage device.

Instead of storing the video data in one place, you can back up to various web services such as blogs, YouTube, Picasa, etc. according to the user's choice. If you fail to do so, you can check the blog or the web, or back up the same video to the same backup location, which can waste transmission time or transmission power.

In addition, when it is set to automatically backup, since it is necessary to determine what image data to back up through communication with the device of the backup location, in addition to simply transmitting the image data, transmission time or transmission power may be wasted.

According to the present invention, in backing up an image scratched or stored in a digital video image device to a web server or a storage device connected through a wired or wireless network, identification information indicating a backup location may be used to record the metadata of the image file or the metadata of the image file. The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a method of managing backup location information thereof, which store data in a database for storing data and check identification information stored before backup of an image file so that the identification information is not stored at the same backup location.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a digital image processing apparatus includes a backup storing identification information indicating a backup position at which a captured or stored image is to be transmitted in a database storing a header of an image file or meta information of an image. Location storage; And an image backup unit for transmitting an image to a backup position.

More preferably, the image backup unit may include: a backup location dictionary search unit for searching for identification information indicating a backup location to which an image is to be transmitted from a header of an image file of the captured or stored image or a database storing meta information of the image; And a backup position transmitter for transmitting an image when the backup position is not found.

More preferably, the header is a header of an interchange image file format (EXIF).

More preferably, the identification information indicating the backup location includes at least one of an IP address and a URL of the backup location.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of managing backup location information of a digital image processing apparatus. Retrieving information; Storing identification information of the backup location in a header or database of an image file of an image when the backup location is not found; And transmitting the image to the backup location when the backup location is not found.

More preferably, the method may further include extracting identification information of backup locations stored in a database storing a header of an image file of the selected image selected by the user or meta information of the selected image, and displaying the backup positions together with the selected image.

More preferably, the identification information of the backup locations stored in the database storing the headers of the image files of the stored images or the meta information of the stored images to extract and display the images backed up to the backup location selected by the user, or the backup location The method may further include arranging and displaying backup positions based on the number of backed up images.

According to the present invention, before the backup of the image taken or stored in the digital image processing apparatus, the identification information of the backup location stored in the header of the image file of the image or the database storing the metadata of the image is checked to the same backup position. Only when the data is not backed up, the data can be transferred through the wired / wireless network to be backed up, thereby preventing duplicate storage at the same backup location.

In addition, if the stored images are automatically backed up, it is possible to know whether the images have been backed up to the designated backup location without having to communicate with the device at the backup location. The transmission time and transmission power required for communication with the device at the backup location can be reduced.

1 is a rear view illustrating a rear surface of a digital camera as an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.
2 is a block diagram of a control apparatus of a digital camera which is an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.
3 is a block diagram of a digital camera as a preferred embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of managing backup location information of a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of backing up an image without overlapping by using an EXIF header of an image file of an image in a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of backing up an image without using a separate database file in a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a diagram illustrating a process of automatically backing up a plurality of images stored in a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which images backed up to a backup location selected by a user are collected and displayed on one screen in a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying, together with a photo, information indicating locations where a photo selected by a user is backed up in the digital image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying backup positions in which a backup is performed in the digital image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, based on the number of backup images.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted or briefly described.

On the other hand, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, it means that it may further include other components, without excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a rear surface of a digital camera 100 which is an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the rear surface of the digital camera 100 has a direction button 21, a menu-OK button 22, a wide angle-zoom button W, a telephoto-zoom ( Zoom) button T and the display panel 25 may be provided.

The direction button 21 may include four buttons, an up button 21a, a down button 21b, a left button 21c, and a right button 21d. The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 are keys for inputting various menus relating to the operation of the portable electronic device such as a digital camera.

The wide-angle zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T has a wider angle of view or a narrower angle of view depending on its input. In particular, it may be used to change the size of the selected exposure area. As the display panel 25, an image display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be used.

The display panel 25 may be included in the display unit 350 of FIG. 3, in which an input image captured and input from the outside or input from a stored image file may be displayed.

As an embodiment of a portable electronic device to which the present invention can be applied, a digital camera, a control device, and a control method thereof are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0130650 (name: automatic focusing using a secondary function of a camera). Method of automatically focusing using a quadratic function in camera.

Details of the digital camera disclosed in the US application, its control device, and its control method are included in the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a block diagram of the control device 200 of the digital camera shown in FIG. 1. The control device 200 of the digital camera according to the present embodiment may be mounted inside the digital camera 100 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, an optical system OPS including a lens unit and a filter unit optically processes light from a subject. The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens.

When the user presses the wide-angle zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T included in the user input unit INP, a signal corresponding thereto is input to the microcontroller 212. Accordingly, as the microcontroller 212 controls the lens driver 210, the zoom motor M _Z is driven to move the zoom lens.

When the wide-zoom button W is pressed, the focal length of the zoom lens is shortened to widen the angle of view, and the input image is reduced. Narrower, the input image is enlarged and input.

On the other hand, in the auto focusing mode, the main controller embedded in the digital signal processor 207 controls the lens driver 210 through the microcontroller 212, and thus the focus motor M _F is driven. do. That is, the focus lens is moved to a position where the sharpest picture is obtained by driving the focus motor M _F.

The compensation lens compensates for the overall refractive index and is not driven separately. Reference numeral M _A denotes a motor for driving an aperture (not shown).

In the filter section of the optical system OPS, an optical low pass filter removes optical noise of high frequency components. Infra-Red cut filter cuts the infrared component of the incident light.

The photoelectric conversion unit OEC may include an imaging device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). The photoelectric conversion unit OEC converts light from the optical system OPS into an electrical analog signal.

The analog-to-digital converter may include a CDS-ADC (Correlation Double Sampler and Analog-to-Digital Converter) device 201. The analog-to-digital converter processes the analog signal from the photoelectric converter (OEC), removes the high frequency noise, adjusts the amplitude, and converts the analog signal into a digital signal. Here, the digital signal processor 207 controls the timing circuit 202 to control the operation of the photoelectric converter OEC and the analog-to-digital converter 201.

The optical system OPS, the photoelectric conversion unit OEC, the CDS-ADC device 201, and the like may be included in the image input unit 330 of FIG. 3.

The real time clock 203 provides time information to the digital signal processor 207. The digital signal processor 207 processes digital signals from the CDS-ADC element 201 to generate digital image signals classified into luminance (Y value) and chromaticity (R, G, B) signals.

The light emitting unit LAMP driven by the microcontroller 212 under the control of the main controller built in the digital signal processor 207 includes a self-timer lamp, an auto-focus lamp, a mode indicating lamp, a flash standby lamp, and the like. May be included.

The digital signal processor 207 and / or the microcontroller 212 may be included in the controller 320 of FIG. 3 according to the present invention. In addition, the user input input by the operation of the user manipulation unit 360 of FIG. 3 is input to the digital signal processor 207 and / or the microcontroller 212 through the user input unit INP, and processed. The work accordingly can be performed.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is temporarily stored in the DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 204. The EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) 205 stores algorithms and setting data such as a boot program and a key input program required for the operation of the digital signal processor 207. In the memory card interface 206, a user's memory card may be attached or detached.

In the memory card recognized through the DRAM 204 or the memory card interface 206, an input image or a stored image file photographed and input from the outside may be temporarily or nonvolatilely stored. The storage unit 340 of FIG. ) May be included.

That is, the storage unit 340 may include a flash memory or a removable memory such as a DRAM 204 or a cache memory in which an input image or an edited image captured from an external image or input or stored from an image file is temporarily or nonvolatilely stored. Cards and the like.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is input to the display panel driver 214, whereby the image is displayed on the display panel 215. The display panel 215 may be driven by the display panel driver 214 under the control of the digital signal processor 207.

According to the present invention, the display panel 215 and the display panel driver 214 may be included in the display unit 350 of FIG. 3, in which an input image captured from an external image or input from a stored image file may be displayed.

On the other hand, the digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 can be transmitted by serial communication via a universal serial bus (USB) connection portion 31a or an RS232C interface 208 and the connection portion 31b thereof, and a video filter ( 209 and through the video output unit 31c. Here, the digital signal processor 207 may incorporate a microcontroller therein.

The audio processor 213 outputs the audio signal from the microphone MIC to the digital signal processor 207 or the speaker SP, and outputs the audio signal from the digital signal processor 207 to the speaker SP.

3 is a block diagram of a digital camera 300 which is a preferred embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the digital camera 300 according to the present embodiment includes a backup position storage unit 310; Image backup unit 320; An image input unit 330; Storage unit 340; Display unit 350; And a user manipulation unit 360.

The backup location storage unit 310 stores identification information indicating a backup location to which the captured or stored image is to be transmitted in a database storing a header of an image file of the image or meta information of the image.

The image backup unit 320 transmits the image stored in the header of the image file or the database through a wired or wireless communication network.

Preferably, the image backup unit 320 may include a backup position search unit 321 and a backup position transmitter 322.

The backup location pre-search unit 321 retrieves identification information indicating a backup location to which the image is to be transmitted from the header of the image file of the captured or stored image or from the database storing the meta information of the image, and thus the backup position of the same image previously. Check if it is backed up.

In this embodiment, as a header of an image file in which a backup location is stored, a header of an exchangeable mage file format (EXIF) may be used.

Here, the interchange image file format is an image file format generally used in a digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera, and is used in the JPEG, TIFF, RIFF, and WAV file formats, and includes information about the image and the date of recording. It performs a function of storing metadata including time information, camera setting information, location information of a photographed place, and description of copyright information.

As described above, in the present embodiment, backup location information is recorded by additionally recording or storing identification information indicating a backup location in an EXIF header which generally performs a function of storing metadata or a database separately constructed for storing metadata. Can manage

The backup location transmitter 322 may perform the backup by transmitting the video when the backup location is not found, that is, when the video is not backed up to the same backup location before.

The image input unit 330 may receive an input image photographed from the outside and input from an image file.

As such, the image input unit 330 receiving the input image may include the optical system OPS, the photoelectric conversion unit OEC, the CDS-ADC device 201, and the like of FIG. 2. In this case, the optical system OPS may include various lenses including a zoom lens. The CDS-ADC element 201 may be included in an image pickup device that receives an input image input through a lens.

The storage unit 340 may store an image file or an image file of an input image captured and input from the outside, and a database file for storing metadata of the image file. The storage unit 340 may include a DRAM (204 of FIG. 2) that temporarily stores data, a cache memory, or a flash memory or a memory card in which data is stored non-volatilely.

The display unit 350 may display a captured input image, a stored input image, and an edited edited image.

The user manipulation unit 360 may be manipulated by a user to input a desired command from the outside. The direction buttons (21 in FIG. 1), the menu-OK button (22 in FIG. 1), the shutter release button (26 in FIG. 1), the power switch (28 in FIG. 1), and the like, are connected to the user control unit (360 in FIG. 3). May be included.

In this embodiment, the user is configured to automatically save an image taken from the outside through the user manipulation unit 360 and input through the image input unit 330 as an image file, or to store an image file of the image stored in the storage unit 340. It can be configured to automatically back up to a known backup location.

Through this, in the backup process, unnecessary transmission of images can be prevented, thereby reducing waste of transmission time and power due to redundant backups, and backup devices can be backed up without duplicated images to more efficiently use the space in the storage devices. Can be.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method (S400) of managing backup location information of a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The backup location information management method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment may be implemented in the control apparatus 200 of the digital camera illustrated in FIG. 2 and / or the digital camera 300 illustrated in FIG. 3. . Therefore, for the same matters as in the description of the control device 200 of the digital camera 200 of FIG. 2 and the digital camera 300 of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4, first, identification information indicating a backup position for transmitting a corresponding image is searched for from a header of an image file of an image to be backed up or a database storing meta information of the corresponding image (S410).

As a result of the search in step S410, when the backup location to be backed up is not retrieved from the header of the image file or the database (S420), the identification information of the backup location is stored in the header or database of the image file of the corresponding image (S430).

Then, the image to be backed up is transmitted through the wired / wireless communication network to the current backup position (S440).

As a result of the search in step S410, when the backup location to be backed up is currently retrieved from the header of the image file or the database, since the same file is already backed up in the same backup location, the identification information of the backup location may be stored as in step S430. The backup process may be completed without transferring to the backup location as in step S440.

In addition, by using the identification information of the backup location stored in this way, the backup image of the previously selected backup image selected by the user may be displayed together with the selection image.

In addition, by using the identification information of the backup location stored in this way, it is possible to collect and display the images backed up to the backup location selected by the user on one screen, the backup location on the basis of the number of images backed up to each of the backup locations of the stored images You may sort them and display them.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process (S500) of backing up an image without overlapping by using an EXIF header of an image file of an image in a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

An image to be backed up is input (S510), and a backup position is received (S520).

In the present embodiment, the image to be backed up and the backup position may be designated by a user selection at the time of backup, or may be set in advance in the memory of the digital image processing apparatus.

The IP address information in the EXIF header of the image file of the image to be backed up is read (S530) and compared with the IP address of the backup location inputted in S520 (S540).

If there is no IP address identical to the IP address of the backup location in the EXIF header, the IP address information of the backup location is added to the EXIF header (S550), and the image to be backed up is transferred to the backup location (S560).

If the EXIF header contains the same IP address as the backup location, the backup process is completed without adding the IP address information of the backup location or transferring to the backup location.

As shown in FIG. 5, an EXIF header of an image file may be utilized as a space for storing backup location information. As shown in FIG. 6, images of all image files in a folder are backed up in a file folder in which the image file is stored. A backup information database file that records its location can be opened and managed using it.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of backing up an image so as not to be duplicated using a separate database file in a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Instead of the EXIF header of the image file, the IP address information in the backup information database file (BackupInfo.cmm) is read and compared with the IP address of the backup location input in S520.

In the remaining steps except for S630, that is, S510 to S520 and S540 to S560, they are the same as S610 to S620 and S640 to S660, respectively.

7 is a diagram illustrating a process of automatically backing up a plurality of images stored in a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, images 1 to 30 are stored in the digital camera 700, and images 1 to 29 711 of the images 1 to 30 have a YouTube site having an IP address of 75.125.153.102 in the EXIF file header. www.youtube.com, 720), and has been backed up, and image 30 (712) has been backed up to the Picasa site (www.picasa.com) with the IP address 75.125.153.106 in its EXIF file header. In the state of recording, the video 1 to 30 is automatically backed up to the YouTube site (www.youtube.com, 720) having the IP address 75.125.153.102, and in the case of the video 1 to 29 (711) As a result, only the image 30 (712) is actually backed up to the YouTube site 720, and 75.125.153.102, which is the IP address of the YouTube site 720, is added to the EXIF file header of the image 30 (712).

In this case, when the stored images are automatically backed up, there is no need to communicate with the storage device of the backup location to determine which image to back up, and the backup location specified in the EXIF file header of the stored images. Can be implemented to back up only if the specified backup location is not recorded, and the transmission time and transmission for communicating with the storage device of the backup location regarding which one of the stored images should be backed up. You can save power.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of collecting and displaying images backed up to a Picasa site (www.picasa.com), which is a backup location selected by a user, in a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention displays information indicating locations where a photo selected by a user is backed up together with a photograph, and FIG. 10 is a backup in the digital image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 shows an example of displaying the generated backup positions in a sorted manner based on the number of backed up images.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, when the backup location information is managed through an EXIF header or a backup information database file of an image file of an image, information about the backup location may be more easily understood by the user. .

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is merely an example, and those skilled in the art may realize various modifications and equivalent other embodiments therefrom. I can understand. Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

A backup position storage unit for storing identification information indicating a backup position to which the captured or stored image is to be transmitted, in a database storing a header of the image file of the image or meta information of the image; And
Digital image processing apparatus including an image backup unit for transmitting the image to the backup position The method of claim 1,
The image backup unit
A backup location pre-search unit for retrieving identification information indicating a backup location to which the image is to be transmitted from a header of an image file of a captured or stored image or a database storing meta information of the image; And
And a backup position transmitter which transmits the image when the backup position is not found. The method of claim 1,
And the header is a header of an exchange image file format (EXIF). The method of claim 1,
The identification information indicating the backup location includes at least one of an IP address and a URL of the backup location. Retrieving identification information indicating a backup location to which the image is to be transmitted from a header of an image file of an image to be backed up or a database storing meta information of the image;
Storing identification information of the backup location in a header of the image file of the video or the database when the backup location is not found; And
And transmitting the image to the backup location when the backup location is not found. The method of claim 5,
And extracting identification information of backup positions stored in a database storing a header of an image file of a selected image selected by a user or meta information of the selected image, and displaying the backup positions together with the selected image. Backup location information management method of a digital image processing apparatus. The method of claim 5,
Extracts the identification information of the backup locations stored in the database storing the headers of the image files of the stored images or the meta information of the stored images and displays the images backed up at the backup location selected by the user, or backs up each of the backup locations. And sorting and displaying the backup positions based on the number of captured images.

Images