WO1997026757A1 - Camera numerique electronique dotee d'une fonction d'identification des images - Google Patents

Camera numerique electronique dotee d'une fonction d'identification des images Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1997026757A1
WO1997026757A1 PCT/US1997/000460 US9700460W WO9726757A1 WO 1997026757 A1 WO1997026757 A1 WO 1997026757A1 US 9700460 W US9700460 W US 9700460W WO 9726757 A1 WO9726757 A1 WO 9726757A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
data
image
digital camera
electronic digital
recited
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1997/000460
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ken Kryda
Original Assignee
Obsidian Imaging, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Obsidian Imaging, Inc. filed Critical Obsidian Imaging, Inc.
Publication of WO1997026757A1 publication Critical patent/WO1997026757A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2112—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2112—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras
    • H04N1/2125—Display of information relating to the still picture recording
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2158—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using a detachable storage unit
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N1/32101—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2101/00—Still video cameras
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3225—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document
    • H04N2201/3226—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3274—Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
    • H04N2201/3277—The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to an electronic still video camera, and more particularly to an electronic still video camera having a touch LCD display through which an operator can enter data for input to the camera for identifying each recorded image, the camera operating to output the identification data with the image data so as to uniquely identify each image recorded.
  • Descriptive and accurate identification of an image recorded by an electronic still camera is a problem in a number of fields of use.
  • a real estate agent may take numerous pictures of a number of different dwellings on a single day, all stored on a single disk.
  • the agent needs to keep a separate log with a high degree of accuracy in order to avoid subsequent mis-labeling of the pictures.
  • a single omission could result in chaos if the particular point of error is not known.
  • the insurance field has a similar problem in taking pictures at accident sites. Each picture needs to be carefully identified with descriptive data as to view, angle, etc.
  • a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an electronic still image digital camera having a processor programmed to contain a variety of data selections. Upon activation of the camera, a list of the data selections is displayed on a touch LCD display.
  • the camera operator can then select from the provided data selections to input a descriptive image identifier for a particular still image to be recorded by the digital camera.
  • the camera creates digital image data corresponding to the particular still image, and image identifier data corresponding to the selected image identifier.
  • This data can then be outputted, for example through a PCMCIA slot to a PCMCIA memory card.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic digital camera having an image identification input device by which a user can enter specific image identifier data
  • Fig. 2 is a preferred embodiment of the processor of Fig. 1
  • Fig. 3 is a preferred embodiment of the image input interface circuit of Fig. 2
  • Fig. 4 is a preferred embodiment of the memory of Fig. 2
  • Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the image ID input device of Fig. 1
  • Fig. 7 is a flow chart of the operation of the electronic digital camera with image identification.
  • Fig. 1 of the drawing there is shown a block diagram of an electronic digital camera 10 according to the present invention, having a facility for allowing an operator to enter an image identifier for each individual recorded image.
  • the processor 18 is further interconnected to an image ID input device 20 through bus 22, and to a shutter activator 24 by way of line 26. Data is transmitted from the processor 18 through a data output interface 28 by way of bus 30.
  • Fig. 1 also shows a destination device 32 and a power supply 34.
  • the processor 18 responds to the shutter activator 24 by converting the analog electric signal and storing it as digital image data.
  • the processor 18 stores data selections for output to the image ID input device, which displays the data selections so an operator can create an image identifier for a particular image/picture.
  • the data selections can be in the form of names, name segments, and/or optional menus or keyboard characters as alternate embodiments of the invention. Various possibilities of menus and lists and their display will be understood by those skilled in the art, and these are included in the spirit of the invention.
  • the corresponding image identifier data is entered into the processor 18, and subsequently made available for output through the data output interface 28 along with the corresponding digital image data for reception by a destina- tion device 32.
  • Power for the camera 10 is supplied by way of the power supply 34 through interconnections which are not shown.
  • the image optical pickup 12 converts the light 14 to the analog electric signal when a user operates the shutter activator 24.
  • the preferred embodiment of the pickup 12 is a charge coupled device, but other types of pickups are also included in the spirit of the present invention, such as infrared or ultraviolet sensors.
  • the pickup 12 receives horizontal, vertical, and electronic exposure signals from the processor 18, and sends the analog electric signal to the processor 18 by way of bus 14.
  • Fig. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the processor 18.
  • the interface circuit 36 stores a reference signal and the raw analog electric signal, received from the pickup 12 through bus 16, and outputs the refined corresponding digital image signal to an integrated multiprocessor 38 by way of bus 40. These operations are performed in response to a digital interface circuit command signal and a timing activation signal from the integrated multiprocessor 38, received by way of bus 40.
  • the integrated multiprocessor 38 responds to the shutter activator 24, interconnected through line 26.
  • the multiprocessor 38 performs the operation of sending the interface circuit command signal and the timing activation signals to the interface circuit 36, and receiving the digital image signal from the interface circuit 36.
  • the multiprocessor 38 acts upon the digital image signal from bus 40, and the image identifier signal received from the image ID input device 20 through bus 22, and stores the information content of the signals as data in memory 42, interconnected by bus 44.
  • the data is subsequently passed by the multiprocessor 38 though bus 46 to the data output interface 28.
  • the interface 28 provides interconnection to a destination device 32 for receiving the digital image data and image identifier data.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a PCMCIA slot for the data output interface 28 for interconnection to a PCMCIA memory card destination device.
  • the integrated multiprocessor 38 is preferably a single chip system containing a processor, PCMCIA controller, memory controller, communications processor, LCD controller, timers, interrupt controller, and serial ports.
  • An example of such a multiprocessor is the Motorola MPC 821.
  • the memory 42 is programmed to store the data selections, including a selection of name segments that the multiprocessor 38 makes available to an operator through use of the image ID input device 20.
  • the chosen data selections for a particular image are recorded by the multiprocessor 38 in memory 42 and then transmitted through the data output interface 28 to the destination device 32.
  • a preferred embodiment of the image interface circuit 36 is shown in more detail.
  • the circuit 36 includes a correlated double sampler (CDS) 48 with an input line 50 from bus 16, an input 52 from a digital to analog converter (D/A) 54 and an output 56 to an analog to digital converter (A/D) 58.
  • the A/D converter 58 has an output 60 to bus 40
  • the D/A converter 54 has an input 62 from bus 40.
  • There is also a timing generator 64 with an input 66 from bus 40, and an output 68 to bus 16.
  • the CDS circuit 48 has two sample and hold circuits (not shown) connected to the inputs of a differential amplifier (not shown) .
  • One sample and hold circuit stores a reference signal from the pickup 12 received through line 50, while the other sample and hold circuit stores the raw image signal from the pickup 12, also through line 50.
  • the CDS circuit 48 in response to an analog signal received by way of line 52 from the D/A convertor 54, outputs a refined, corrected image signal on line 56.
  • the details of the CDS circuit are well known to those skilled in the art and need not be described in detail here.
  • the A/D converter 58 converts the output from the CDS circuit to a digital signal and sends it to the multiprocessor 38 via line 60.
  • Fig. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the memory 42 as having a separate frame buffer 70 with an input-output sub-bus 72 joining bus 44, and a flash memory 74 with an input-output sub-bus 76 also joining bus 44.
  • the frame buffer 70 is preferably a high speed memory system capable of recording CCD image data at over 10 million samples per second.
  • the flash memory 74 is preferably a large memory circuit that exhibits fast read timing, but slower write timing.
  • the flash memory 74 is also used to store application software for the camera 10.
  • the memory 42 is programmed to store various data selections which are sent by the multip- rocessor 38 to the ID input device 20, from which an operator can create a particular image identifier.
  • the ID input device 20 could take on many forms in the spirit of the present invention, such as a conventional keyboard. It could also be an input device such as a remote control with a keyboard, the remote control emitting a radiated signal carrying the input information to a receiver on or in the camera. Such technology is well known to those skilled in the art, such as in the use of remote controls for television, etc.
  • a preferred embodiment of the ID input device 20 according to the present invention is a touch LCD display 78 as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.
  • the multiprocessor 38 outputs data selections to the LCD display 78, and the operator makes his particular selections by pressing the corresponding area, which causes the coordinates of that location to be sent to the multiprocessor 38.
  • the example shows three general categories of name segments in Fig. 5, including residential 80, automobile 82, and keyboard 84. For example, if the operator pushed area 82 corresponding to automobile, a display such as Fig. 6 would be presented, or alternatively, the first row of Fig. 6 could be displayed from which the operator would make a selection of a particular list for either 2-door 88, 4-door 90, or station wagon 92 listings.
  • the group of name segments 89 in Fig. 6 is an example of name segments that could be displayed as a result of pushing the 4-door area 90.
  • the operator could push area 94 for a new selection (NEWSEL) , which would result in the display of Fig. 5 again.
  • NWSEL new selection
  • the operator pushes the enter area 96, and the processor causes the image identifier data to be written in the memory 42, and associated with the particular image to be recorded.
  • the cancel 95 area with corresponding programming in the camera can be provided. If the operator makes an error in selection, he can start over by pushing this area.
  • the image data and identifier data are subsequently sent through the interface 28 to the destination 32.
  • the image data and image identifier data stored in memory 42 can be automatically sent to the destination device 32, or can be sent upon operator inputting a transmit command, which can be accomplished in a number of ways, such as through use of a transmit button 98.
  • a transmit button 98 The above description of the display given in Figs. 5 and 6 is by way of example, and many other variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
  • the operation of the electronic digital camera with image identification is displayed in the flow chart of Fig. 7. Operation begins when a user implements the shutter activator 24 of Fig. 1. This is indicated in block 100 of Fig. 7 as a shutter button.
  • the preferred embodiment for the shutter activator is a shutter button
  • other kinds of devices known to those skilled in this art are included in the spirit of the present invention, such as various kinds of remote control devices.
  • Pressing the shutter button activates the multiprocessor 38 to power up and initialize the hardware, as indicated by block 102.
  • the multiprocessor 38 sends a signal to the timing generator 64 (Fig. 3) which outputs a signal to activate the optical pickup 12, which is preferably a charge coupled device (CCD) .
  • Image data is then sent to the frame buffer 70 (Fig. 4) as previously explained and now illustrated as block 104 in Fig. 7.
  • the multiprocessor 38 performs a test for exposure and if it is not within pre-set limits, an adjustment signal is sent back to the image interface circuit 36 to adjust the shutter of the pickup 12 and send a new image, i.e. analog electric signal. This is indicated by the decision block 106 and feedback block 108.
  • the multiprocessor 38 causes the data selections, such as name segments, to be entered on the display, the preferred embodiment being an LCD touch display, as previously described, the operation now indicated in block 110 of Fig. 7.
  • the user enters the desired image identifier data as previously explained in reference to Figs. 5 and 6, or by means of other alternate input devices known to those skilled in the art. This is indicated by block 112.
  • the multiprocessor then constructs the image identifier (data) , described as a picture file name in block 114, from the user inputs (image identifier data) indicated by block 114, and sends the picture with the user-supplied identifier (image identifier) through the data output interface to the destina- tion device.
  • This is indicated as block 116, with specific reference to writing the picture with filename (image identifier) to the preferred destination device, noted as a PCMCIA card in block 116.
  • the camera can be turned on or off with a manual, user-operated on/off switch or other means well known to those skilled in the art.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Television Signal Processing For Recording (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention concerne une caméra numérique électronique (10) à images fixes comportant une unité de traitement (18) programmée pour contenir une variété de sélections d'images. Lors de la mise en marche de la caméra (10), un dispositif d'affichage tactile à cristaux liquides affiche une liste de sélections de données. L'opérateur de la caméra peut alors effectuer un choix parmi les sélections de données affichées de façon à entrer un identificateur de description d'image qui est associé à une image fixe particulière que l'on enregistre au moyen de la caméra numérique (10). Ladite caméra (10) crée des données numériques correspondant à l'image fixe particulière, et des données correspondant à l'identificateur d'image sélectionné. Ces données peuvent être restituées, par exemple à travers une fente PCMCIA vers une carte mémoire de type PCMCIA.
PCT/US1997/000460 1996-01-16 1997-01-16 Camera numerique electronique dotee d'une fonction d'identification des images WO1997026757A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US58605596A 1996-01-16 1996-01-16
US08/586,055 1996-01-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1997026757A1 true WO1997026757A1 (fr) 1997-07-24

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1997/000460 WO1997026757A1 (fr) 1996-01-16 1997-01-16 Camera numerique electronique dotee d'une fonction d'identification des images

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0928098A2 (fr) * 1997-12-25 1999-07-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Methode de prise de vue et dispositif pour la liasion des images
GB2389732A (en) * 2002-05-22 2003-12-17 Hewlett Packard Co Labelling and Organizing Digital Images
US6762791B1 (en) 1999-02-16 2004-07-13 Robert W. Schuetzle Method for processing digital images
KR100587723B1 (ko) * 1998-03-20 2006-06-09 소니 가부시끼 가이샤 기록/재생 장치 및 기록/재생 방법

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5124814A (en) * 1988-06-11 1992-06-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Video tape recorder with an integrated camera
US5475441A (en) * 1992-12-10 1995-12-12 Eastman Kodak Company Electronic camera with memory card interface to a computer
US5502486A (en) * 1991-04-25 1996-03-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image sensing apparatus which can detect optical characteristics of an image to control title insertion
US5515101A (en) * 1989-04-28 1996-05-07 Minolta Co., Ltd. Title generator for a video camera
US5576757A (en) * 1990-11-20 1996-11-19 St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants, Inc. Electronic still video camera with direct personal computer (PC) compatible digital format output

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5124814A (en) * 1988-06-11 1992-06-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Video tape recorder with an integrated camera
US5515101A (en) * 1989-04-28 1996-05-07 Minolta Co., Ltd. Title generator for a video camera
US5576757A (en) * 1990-11-20 1996-11-19 St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants, Inc. Electronic still video camera with direct personal computer (PC) compatible digital format output
US5502486A (en) * 1991-04-25 1996-03-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image sensing apparatus which can detect optical characteristics of an image to control title insertion
US5475441A (en) * 1992-12-10 1995-12-12 Eastman Kodak Company Electronic camera with memory card interface to a computer

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0928098A2 (fr) * 1997-12-25 1999-07-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Methode de prise de vue et dispositif pour la liasion des images
EP0928098A3 (fr) * 1997-12-25 2002-07-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Methode de prise de vue et dispositif pour la liasion des images
US6903773B1 (en) 1997-12-25 2005-06-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image taking method and apparatus for linking images
KR100587723B1 (ko) * 1998-03-20 2006-06-09 소니 가부시끼 가이샤 기록/재생 장치 및 기록/재생 방법
US6762791B1 (en) 1999-02-16 2004-07-13 Robert W. Schuetzle Method for processing digital images
US7714907B1 (en) 1999-02-16 2010-05-11 Lg. Philips Lcd Co., Ltd. Method for processing digital images
US9036053B2 (en) 1999-02-16 2015-05-19 Lg Display Co., Ltd. Method and system for processing digital images having an association file separate from an image life
GB2389732A (en) * 2002-05-22 2003-12-17 Hewlett Packard Co Labelling and Organizing Digital Images

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