Playback apparatus, electronic camera apparatus, function expansion apparatus for electronic camera apparatus, control method for electronic camera apparatus, control method for image communication apparatus, and medium for providing control program

• US 20020090910A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takemura, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

In order to provide a convenient digital camera which eliminates the necessity to designate a printer to print in advance and can print image data obtained by photography by reliably transmitting it to a printer existing on a radio network with simple operation, the digital camera performs control such that the classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network are acquired through a radio communication circuit unit, and if one printer exists on the radio network, the image data is transmitted to the printer, and if a plurality of printers exist on the radio network, the image data is transmitted to a selected one of the printers.

Claims

1. A playback apparatus which plays back image data stored in a storage medium, comprising:

a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data;

a classification acquisition unit which acquires classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

a determination unit which determines an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if one printing apparatus exists on the radio network, said determination unit determines, on the basis of the classification information of the electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit, the printing apparatus as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a specifying unit which specifies one electronic device from all or some of the electronic devices constituting the radio network.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if a plurality of printing apparatuses exist on the radio network, said determination unit selects, on the basis of the classification information of each electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit, one printing apparatus from the plurality of printing apparatuses, and determines the selected printing apparatus as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if one printing apparatus exists on the radio network, said determination unit determines, on the basis of the classification information of the electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit, the printing apparatus as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, whereas if a plurality of printing apparatuses exist on the radio network, said determination unit specifies one printing apparatus from the plurality of printing apparatuses, and determines the specified printing apparatus as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a property acquisition unit which acquires property information of each electronic device constituting the radio network.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the property information of each electronic device acquired by said property acquisition unit includes manufacturer information and model information of each electronic device.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the property information of each electronic device acquired by said property acquisition unit includes one or both of printable color count information and maximum resolution information when the electronic device is a printing apparatus.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said determination unit automatically determines, on the basis of the property information acquired by said property acquisition unit, an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a property information display unit which displays pieces of property information of a plurality of electronic devices acquired by said property acquisition unit in pieces of character information or graphic pattern information or a combination thereof.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said specifying unit specifies an electronic device manually selected/designated with reference to the property information displayed by said property information display unit as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission instruction input unit which inputs an instruction to transmit image data through said radio communication unit, and a transmission control unit which performs control to transmit image data to the electronic device determined by said determination unit when an instruction to transmit the image data is generated by said transmission instruction input unit.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a transmission informing unit which informs that the image data is being transmitted in transmitting the image data by said radio communication unit.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a second warning/informing unit which warns and informs that no printing apparatus exists on the radio network, when it is determined on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit that no printing apparatus exists on the radio network upon generation of an instruction to transmit image data by said transmission instruction input unit.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said apparatus further comprises an input unit which inputs image data, and

when said transmission instruction input unit is operated while the input image data is displayed for a predetermined period of time after the image data is input, the image data is transmitted to the electronic device determined by said determination unit through said radio communication unit.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if communication with an electronic device determined by said determination unit with which data communication is to be performed fails while image data is being transmitted by said radio communication unit, said determination unit determines a new electronic device with which data communication is to be performed.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a re-determination unit which performs control to cause said classification acquisition unit to newly acquire a classification of each electronic device constituting the radio network and cause said determination unit to determine, on the basis of the newly obtained classification of each electronic device, a new electronic device with which data communication is to be performed, if communication with an electronic device determined by said determination unit with which data communication is to be performed fails while image data is being transmitted by said radio communication unit.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein if a classification of each electronic device constituting the radio network is newly acquired by said classification acquisition unit under the control of said re-determination unit, and it is recognized that there is one electronic device which can communicate, said determination unit determines the recognized electronic device as an electronic device with which data communication is to be performed.

19. An electronic camera apparatus which generates electronic image data from image pickup light, comprising:

a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data;

a classification acquisition unit which acquires classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

a determination unit which determines an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit.

20. A function expansion apparatus which can be used while being mounted on an electronic camera apparatus which generates electronic image data from image pickup light and expands a function of the electronic camera apparatus, comprising:

a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data;

a classification acquisition unit which acquires classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

a determination unit which determines an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired by said classification acquisition unit.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a communication unit which performs data communication with a mounted electronic camera apparatus.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said apparatus comprises a connection connector and is connected to an electronic camera apparatus through said connection connector.

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a power receiving unit which receives power from a mounted electronic camera through said connection connector.

24. A control method for an electronic camera apparatus including an image data generating unit which generates electronic image data from image pickup light and a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data, comprising:

the classification acquisition step of acquiring classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

the determination step of determining an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired in the classification acquisition step.

25. A medium which provides a control program for executing a control method for an electronic camera apparatus including an image data generating unit which generates electronic image data from image pickup light and a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data, the control program comprising:

the classification acquisition step of acquiring classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

the determination step of determining an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired in the classification acquisition step.

26. A control method for an image communication apparatus including a radio communication unit which constitutes a radio network, together with a plurality of electronic devices, and communicates data including the image data, comprising:

the classification acquisition step of acquiring classifications of electronic devices constituting the radio network through said radio communication unit; and

the determination step of determining an electronic device, with which data communication is to be performed through said radio communication unit, on the basis of classification information of each electronic device acquired in the classification acquisition step.