JPH0965268A - Electronic still camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] In an electronic still camera equipped with a PHS,
By communicating with the base station at the time of shooting, receiving the position information or time information of the base station, and adding it to the shot image as the shooting condition, the photographer does not need to record or input the shooting condition. According to the present invention, various kinds of information are transmitted and received between an imaging means for converting a subject image into a video signal by a solid-state imaging device, a storage means for storing the video signal as image information in a storage medium, and a base station. The electronic still camera device includes a communication unit, an information identifying unit that identifies various information, and an adding unit that adds the identified various information to the image information as additional information of the image information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera device equipped with PHS as a mobile phone function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, various electronic still cameras for storing photographed images in a semiconductor memory device or a magnetic disk have been provided, and one of the features is that the stored images can be easily taken into a personal computer. In fact, there have been many opportunities to import images captured by electronic still cameras into a personal computer for processing and printing. On the other hand, however, the electronic still camera has a problem that a memory card or a hard disk used as an external storage medium is very expensive. On the other hand, these electronic still cameras are equipped with a mobile phone function so that it is not necessary to prepare multiple expensive cards, and the captured images are communicated with a large storage device in a remote place. Techniques have been proposed to enable this.

An example of a conventional electronic still camera having a mobile phone function will be described below. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a principle configuration of a conventional example, and a concrete example of an electronic still camera equipped with a conventional mobile phone function configured as shown in FIG. 6 at the time of image capturing, reproduction, transmission and reception. Operation will be described. Here, it is assumed that the user operates the operation switch 11.

First, at the time of photographing, a subject image formed on the surface of an image pickup device 2 such as a CCD by the lens 1 is converted into an analog electric signal and further converted into a digital electric signal by the A / D converter 3. The signal processing circuit 4 creates an image signal from the digital electric signal and outputs it as image data to the memory controller 5. Here, the memory controller 5 displays the image data in the display circuit 12 in the shooting standby state.
Output to The display circuit 12 displays the image data on the liquid crystal monitor 1.
Display in 3. The user shoots while confirming the image on the display of the liquid crystal monitor 13. Then, the memory controller 5 first writes the image data into the image memory 6 at the time of photographing. Next, the memory controller 5 reads the image data from the image memory 6 and outputs it to the compression / expansion circuit 8. The compression / expansion circuit 8 compresses the image data,
It is output to an external storage medium via the card interface 9. In the external storage medium, the memory controller 22
Writes the compressed image data into the common memory 23. Image capturing is performed as described above.

Next, at the time of reproduction, the memory controller 22 reads the compressed image data from the common memory 23 and outputs it to the compression / expansion circuit 8 via the card interface 9. The compression / expansion circuit 8 expands the compressed image data and outputs it to the memory controller 5. The memory controller 5 is
The image data is written in the image memory 6. Next, the memory controller 5 reads the image data from the image memory 6,
Output to the display circuit 12. The display circuit 12 displays the image data on the liquid crystal monitor 13. The image is reproduced as described above.

At the time of transmission, after the user selects an image to be transmitted, the compressed image data to be transmitted is read out from the external storage medium, decompressed, and written in the image memory 6 as in the case of reproduction. Next, the memory controller 5 reads the image data from the image memory 6 and outputs it to the image codec circuit 17. The image codec circuit 17 performs encoding and TDM
It is output to the A processing circuit 19. The TDMA processing circuit 19 uses T
The DMA signal is assembled and output to the wireless communication circuit 20. The wireless communication circuit 20 wirelessly transmits an image signal to a remote place through an antenna 21. The image is transmitted as described above.

At the time of reception, the radio communication circuit 20 has the antenna 2
1 receives the image signal wirelessly from a remote place, and TDMA
Output to the processing circuit 19. TDMA processing circuit 19 is TD
The MA signal is decomposed and output to the image codec circuit 17. The image codec circuit 17 performs decoding and outputs it to the memory controller 5. The memory controller 5 writes the image data in the image memory 6. After that, the received image data is stored in the external storage medium in the same manner as at the time of shooting.

A conventional electronic still camera equipped with a mobile phone function, for example, operates as described above,
Takes, plays, and sends and receives images. It can also be used as a regular telephone. As a result, when using the electronic still camera, it is not necessary to prepare a plurality of expensive cards.

[0009]

By the way, as described above, the electronic still camera is often used as an image input device to a personal computer, but the purpose of the image on the personal computer is to create an original mail or an electronic album. There are various methods such as personal computer communication, but in each case, it is often desired to insert shooting conditions such as shooting date and time and shooting location into the image. As the insertion method, there are a method of directly overwriting the image with the shooting condition as a character with graphic software after the image is taken into a personal computer, a method of inserting the shooting condition into an image file with the file editing software, and the like. In the latter method, for example, in the digital still camera DSC68 pin standard, a shooting date and time is stored in a recording date and time tuple and a shooting place is stored in an option tuple. Alternatively, there is a method of inserting the shooting conditions with a video editor capable of inputting a title and then importing them into a personal computer.

In any case, in order to insert the shooting conditions into the image, the photographer needs to know the shooting conditions at the time of shooting. For that purpose, it is necessary for the photographer to manually record the photograph condition and the photographed image in a memo pad or the like at the time of photographing, which is a very troublesome work. Even if an electronic still camera equipped with an electronic notebook function or an electronic still camera connectable to the electronic notebook is used, it still takes time to input the photographing conditions. This remains an issue regardless of whether or not the electronic still camera has a mobile phone function.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention limits a mobile phone to be mounted in an electronic still camera equipped with a mobile phone function, in particular to PHS,
Taking advantage of the fact that PHS communicates with a base station that has a smaller area than other mobile phones, it receives position information or time information of the base station, and takes time information using the position information of the base station as the shooting location. By adding the date and time to the captured image,
(EN) Provided is an electronic still camera device in which a photographer does not need to perform troublesome recording and input in order to know the photographing conditions at the time of photographing.

That is, according to the present invention, various information is exchanged between an image pickup means for converting a subject image into a video signal by a solid-state image pickup element, a storage means for storing the video signal as image information in a storage medium, and a base station. The electronic still camera device includes a communication unit for transmitting and receiving, an information identifying unit for identifying the various information, and an adding unit for adding the identified various information to the image information as additional information of the image information.

Further, according to the present invention, the additional information includes the position information or the time information of the base station, the additional information selecting means capable of selecting the additional information, the display of a part or all of the image information or The electronic still camera device has a display unit for displaying the additional information, and the communication unit is capable of transmitting and receiving the image information or the additional information.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B are external views of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a rear view. In the figure, 1 is a lens, 11 is an operation switch, 13 is a liquid crystal monitor, 14 is a microphone, 15 is a speaker, and 21 is an antenna.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a lens, 2 is an image sensor such as a CCD, 3 is an A / D converter that converts the output of the image sensor 2 such as a CCD into digital data, and 4 is an image signal created from the output of the A / D converter 3. Then, a signal processing circuit for outputting as image data, 5 is a memory controller for controlling the image data of the image memory 6 and the shooting conditions, 6 is an image memory for storing at least one image data and the shooting conditions, and 7 is an image. An attribute memory for storing attribute information of the memory 6, 8 a compression / expansion circuit for compressing and expanding image data, 9 a card interface for matching the main body of the electronic still camera device with an external storage medium, and 10 an electronic still. A microcomputer for system management of the entire camera device, 11 an operation switch for a user to operate the entire electronic still camera device, and 12 an image LCD data monitor 13
, A liquid crystal monitor for displaying image data and photographing conditions, a microphone 14, a speaker,
Reference numeral 16 is an audio codec circuit that connects the microphone 14 and the speaker 15 to encode and decode audio data, 17 is a video codec circuit that encodes and decodes image data, and 18 is information for identifying various received information. Identification circuit, TDM for assembling and disassembling TDMA signals
A processing circuit, 20 is a bidirectional wireless communication circuit that wirelessly communicates information signals with a communication destination, and 21 is an antenna.
The components of 21 constitute the main body of the electronic still camera device.

Reference numeral 22 is a memory controller for controlling the image data of the common memory 23 and shooting conditions, 23 is a common memory for storing the image data of a plurality of images and shooting conditions, 2
Reference numeral 4 is an attribute memory for storing the attribute information of the common memory 23, and the components 22 to 24 constitute the external storage medium of the electronic still camera device.

FIG. 3 shows an operation switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11A is a power switch, 11B is a function changeover switch, 11C is a storage mode selection switch, 11D is a dial key, 11E is a reproduction return key, and 11F is reproduction feed. Key 11G is a release / return key. FIG. 4 shows communication with the base station in the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 100 is a PHS handset, and 101 is a PHS base station.

With respect to the electronic still camera device configured as described above, the following will be described with reference to FIGS.
The specific operation during reproduction, transmission, reception, and also during use as a normal telephone will be described. Here, the user operates the operation switches 11A to 11A.
The operation is performed by G.

First, when photographing an image, the function changeover switch 1
Set 1B to REC. Then, the PHS slave device 100 starts communication with the PHS base station 101. The wireless communication circuit 20 wirelessly receives the position information or time information of the PHS base station 101 through the antenna 21, and outputs it as a TDMA signal to the TDMA processing circuit 19. The TDMA processing circuit 19 decomposes the TDMA signal and outputs it to the information identification circuit 18. The information discriminating circuit 18 discriminates the position information or time information of the PHS base station 101 inputted from the TDMA processing circuit 19 as the photographing condition related data, and the north latitude --- degree / east longitude --- degree and XX city XX ward △ △ Town, □□ Park, etc. The location information representing the specific location of the PHS base station 101 is taken as the shooting location, and XX year XX month △△ day □□ hour ◇◇ minute ▽▽ second etc. Is output to the microcomputer 10 as the shooting date and time.

On the other hand, the subject image formed by the lens 1 is converted into an analog electric signal by the image pickup device 2 such as CCD, and the A / D converter 3 converts the analog electric signal into a digital electric signal. The signal processing circuit 4 creates an image signal from the digital electric signal and outputs it as image data to the memory controller 5. Here, the memory controller 5 outputs the image data to the display circuit 12 in the shooting standby state. Further, the microcomputer 10 inputs the shooting location or the shooting date and time as the shooting condition from the information identification circuit 18, and outputs it to the display circuit 12. The display circuit 12 inputs the image data and the shooting conditions and displays them on the liquid crystal monitor 13. The user takes an image with the release / return key 11G while confirming the image on the display of the liquid crystal monitor 13. When the image is taken, the memory controller 5 inputs the image taking conditions from the microcomputer 10, and first writes it in the image memory 6 together with the image data. Next, the memory controller 5 reads out the image data and the shooting conditions from the image memory 6 and outputs them to the compression / expansion circuit 8. The compression / expansion circuit 8 compresses the image data,
The compressed image data and shooting conditions are output to an external storage medium via the card interface 9. In the external storage medium, the memory controller 22 writes compressed image data and shooting conditions in the common memory 23.

Here, the user selects the storage mode of the shooting conditions with the storage mode selection switch 11C when shooting. As the storage mode, for example, both the shooting location and the shooting date and time may be stored, only the shooting location may be stored, only the shooting date and time may be stored, or both may not be stored.
If the shooting location is not stored, the PHS base station 101
There is no need to communicate with. Image capturing is performed as described above.

During image reproduction, the function changeover switch 11B
To PLAY. The memory controller 22 reads the compressed image data and the shooting condition from the common memory 23, and the compression / expansion circuit 8 is read via the card interface 9.
Output to The compression / decompression circuit 8 decompresses the compressed image data and outputs it to the memory controller 5 as image data and shooting conditions. The memory controller 5 writes image data and shooting conditions in the image memory 6. Next, the memory controller 5 reads the image data and the shooting conditions from the image memory 6, outputs the image data to the display circuit 12, and outputs the shooting conditions to the microcomputer 10. The microcomputer 10 outputs the photographing conditions to the display circuit 12. The display circuit 12 inputs the image data and the shooting conditions and displays them on the liquid crystal monitor 13. The screen displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 13 can be freely selected by the user with the reproduction return key 11E and the reproduction advance key 11F. The image is reproduced as described above. FIG. 5 shows an example of reproduction by the electronic still camera device of the present invention.

When transmitting an image, the function changeover switch 11B
To PLAY. Next, the user presses the play back key 11
E, playback feed key 11F, release / return key 11
Select the image to be sent with G. Further, the telephone number is entered by using the dial key 11D and the release / return key 11G. Then, the compressed image data and the shooting condition to be transmitted from the external storage medium are read out, the image data is decompressed, and the image data and the shooting condition are written in the image memory 6 as in the reproduction. Next, the memory controller 5 reads the image data and the shooting conditions from the image memory 6 and outputs them to the image codec circuit 17. The image codec circuit 17 performs encoding and outputs it to the TDMA processing circuit 19 via the information identification circuit 18. The TDMA processing circuit 19 inputs encoded image data and shooting conditions, assembles a TDMA signal, and outputs it to the wireless communication circuit 20. The wireless communication circuit 20 inputs a TDMA signal and wirelessly transmits an image signal to a remote place by an antenna 21. The image is transmitted as described above. Further, during transmission, a display is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 13 to inform the user that the transmission is in progress. When receiving an image, the wireless communication circuit 20 wirelessly receives an image signal from a remote place through the antenna 21 and outputs it as a TDMA signal to the TDMA processing circuit 19. The TDMA processing circuit 19 decomposes the TDMA signal and outputs it to the information identification circuit 18 as encoded image data and shooting conditions. The information identifying circuit 18 identifies the encoded image data and the shooting condition input from the TDMA processing circuit 19 as image related data, and outputs the image related data to the image codec circuit 17. The image codec circuit 17 performs decoding and outputs it to the memory controller 5. The memory controller 5 writes image data and shooting conditions in the image memory 6. After that, the received image data and the shooting conditions are stored in the external storage medium in the same manner as when shooting the image.

When using as a normal telephone, the function changeover switch 11B is set to TEL. Dial key 11D
And a release / return key 11G to input a telephone number. When transmitting voice, the microphone 14 inputs the voice of the user and outputs it as voice data to the voice codec circuit 16. The voice codec circuit 16 performs encoding and outputs it to the TDMA processing circuit 19 via the information identification circuit 18. The TDMA processing circuit 19 assembles the TDMA signal,
Output to the wireless communication circuit 20. The wireless communication circuit 20 wirelessly transmits an audio signal to a remote place through the antenna 21. When receiving a voice, the wireless communication circuit 20 wirelessly receives a voice signal from a remote place through the antenna 21 and outputs it as a TDMA signal to the TDMA processing circuit 19. The TDMA processing circuit 19 decomposes the TDMA signal and outputs it to the information identification circuit 18. The information identification circuit 18 identifies the encoded voice data as voice-related data, and the voice codec circuit 16
Output to The audio codec circuit 16 performs decoding,
Output to the speaker 15. The speaker 15 outputs a voice to the user. In this way, voice communication is performed.

[0025]

In the present embodiment, a memory card is described as the external storage medium, but other external storage media such as a hard disk, a 2-inch floppy disk, a memory chip, etc. may be used, and the memory card is incorporated in the main body. It may be a memory. Although both the shooting location and the shooting date and time are displayed in the example of FIG. 5, it is also possible to add a function of selecting a display mode such as displaying only one or not displaying both. For example, it is conceivable that the storage mode selection switch 11C has a function as a display mode selection switch when reproducing an image.

[0026]

As in the configuration of the present invention, an electronic still camera equipped with a PHS communicates with a base station at the time of shooting, receives position information or time information of the base station, and shoots position information of the base station. By adding time information to the captured image as the shooting date and time as the location, the shooting date and time and the shooting location are automatically recorded without any troublesome recording or input so that the photographer can understand the shooting conditions. An electronic still camera device capable of being provided can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a rear view.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation switch diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a communication diagram with the base station of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a playback screen diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lens 2 Image Sensor 3 A / D Converter 4 Signal Processing Circuit 5 Memory Controller 6 Image Memory 7 Attribute Memory 8 Compression / Expansion Circuit 9 Card Interface 10 Microcomputer 11 Operation Switch 11A Power Switch 11B Function Change Switch 11C Storage Mode Selection Switch 11D Dial Key 11E Playback return key 11F Playback feed key 11G Release / return key 12 Display circuit 13 LCD monitor 14 Microphone 15 Speaker 16 Voice codec circuit 17 Image codec circuit 18 Information identification circuit 19 TDMA processing circuit 20 Two-way wireless communication circuit 21 Antenna 22 Memory Controller 23 Common memory 24 Attribute memory 100 PHS handset 101 PHS base station

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An imaging means for converting a subject image into a video signal by a solid-state imaging device, a storage means for storing the video signal as image information in a storage medium, and a communication means for transmitting and receiving various kinds of information to and from a base station. An electronic still camera device comprising: an information identifying unit that identifies the various types of information; and an adding unit that adds the identified various types of information to the image information as additional information of the image information. 2. The additional information includes position information or time information of a base station, or has additional information selecting means capable of selecting the additional information, or displays a part or all of the image information. 2. The electronic still camera device according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the additional information, or the communication means capable of transmitting and receiving the image information or the additional information.