Imaging system, imaging instruction issuing apparatus, imaging apparatus, and imaging method

• US 20090021591A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sako, Yoichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,289,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00339 with an electronic or magnetic storage medium I/O device RFID or the like H04N1/00342
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An imaging system includes an imaging instruction issuing apparatus and one or more imaging apparatuses. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus includes a generation unit that generates notification data including identification information unique to each imaging instruction issuing apparatus and an imaging request signal, and a first communication unit that transmits and outputs the notification data to each imaging apparatus. Each imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that obtains captured image data of a subject, a saving unit that saves the captured image data obtained by the imaging unit, a second communication unit that receives the notification data from the imaging instruction issuing apparatus, and a control unit that causes the saving unit to save the captured image data and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner in a case where the notification data received by the second communication unit includes the imaging request signal.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging instruction issuing apparatus; and

one or more imaging apparatuses,

wherein the imaging instruction issuing apparatus includes

generation means for generating notification data including identification information unique to each imaging instruction issuing apparatus and an imaging request signal, and

first communication means for transmitting and outputting the notification data to the one or more imaging apparatuses, and

wherein each of the one or more imaging apparatuses include

imaging means for obtaining captured image data of a subject,

saving means for saving the captured image data obtained by the imaging means,

second communication means for receiving the notification data from the imaging instruction issuing apparatus, and

control means for causing the saving means to perform a saving process of saving the captured image data obtained by the imaging means and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner in a case where the notification data received by the second communication means includes the imaging request signal.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising a server apparatus,

wherein the one or more imaging apparatuses each include third communication means for performing data communication with the server apparatus, and the control means controls the third communication means to transmit the saved captured image data and identification information to the server apparatus, and

wherein the server apparatus includes

fourth communication means for performing data communication with the one or more imaging apparatuses,

storage means for storing data, and

server control means for causing, when the fourth communication means receives the captured image data and the identification information from the one or more imaging apparatuses, the storage means to store the captured image data and the identification information.

3. An imaging instruction issuing apparatus comprising:

generation means for generating notification data including unique identification information and an imaging request signal or notification data including an imaging prohibition signal; and

communication means for transmitting and outputting the notification data to an external imaging apparatus.

4. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising position detecting means for detecting current position information,

wherein the generation means generates the notification data additionally including the position information detected by the position detecting means.

5. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the notification data additionally includes information used for an encryption process performed by the external imaging apparatus.

6. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication means transmits and outputs the notification data at a transmission timing at periodic or irregular intervals.

7. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication means transmits and outputs the notification data to the external imaging apparatus upon receipt of a query signal from the external imaging apparatus.

8. The imaging instruction issuing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication means is a wireless optical communication unit.

9. An imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for obtaining captured image data of a subject;

saving means for performing a saving process of saving the captured image data obtained by the imaging means;

communication means for receiving notification data from an external imaging instruction issuing apparatus; and

control means for causing, in a case where the notification data received by the communication means includes an imaging request signal and identification information of the imaging instruction issuing apparatus serving as a transmission source of the notification data,

wherein the saving process saves the captured image data obtained by the imaging means and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising second communication means for performing data communication with an external server apparatus,

wherein the control means controls the second communication means to transmit the saved captured image data and identification information to the server apparatus.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the imaging means includes a charge-coupled device sensor or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor sensor serving as an image pickup device.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the communication means is a wireless optical communication unit.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means causes, in a case where the notification data received by the communication means includes the imaging request signal and the identification information of the imaging instruction issuing apparatus serving as the transmission source of the notification data, the saving means to save the captured image data obtained by the imaging means and to save the identification information in association with the captured image data.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means causes the saving means to save the captured image data representing a continuous moving image or periodical still images and, as the saving process performed in the case where the notification data received by the communication means includes the imaging request signal and the identification information of the imaging instruction issuing apparatus serving as the transmission source of the notification data, performs marking control of a point of the saved captured image data corresponding to the identification information.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means performs a setting to prohibit the saving process of saving the captured image data in a case where the notification data received by the communication means includes an imaging prohibition signal.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means recognizes a position of the subject based at least in part on position information included in the notification data received by the communication means.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising encryption means for performing an encryption process of encrypting the captured image data obtained by the imaging means using information used for encryption, the information being included in the notification data received by the communication means.

18. An imaging method comprising:

receiving notification data from an external imaging instruction issuing apparatus; and

in a case where the notification data includes an imaging request signal and identification information of the imaging instruction issuing apparatus serving as a transmission source of the notification data, performing a saving process of saving captured image data obtained by performing an imaging operation and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner.

19. The imaging method according to claim 18, further comprising transmitting the saved captured image data and identification information to an external server apparatus.

20. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging instruction issuing apparatus; and

one or more imaging apparatuses,

wherein the imaging instruction issuing apparatus includes

a generation unit configured to generate notification data including identification information unique to each imaging instruction issuing apparatus and an imaging request signal, and

a first communication unit configured to transmit and output the notification data to the one or more imaging apparatuses, and

wherein the one or more imaging apparatuses each include

an imaging unit configured to obtain captured image data of a subject,

a saving unit configured to save the captured image data obtained by the imaging unit,

a second communication unit configured to receive the notification data from the imaging instruction issuing apparatus, and

a control unit configured to cause the saving unit to perform a saving process of saving the captured image data obtained by the imaging unit and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner in a case where the notification data received by the second communication unit includes the imaging request signal.

21. An imaging instruction issuing apparatus comprising:

a generation unit configured to generate notification data including unique identification information and an imaging request signal or notification data including an imaging prohibition signal; and

a communication unit configured to transmit and output the notification data to an external imaging apparatus.

22. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to obtain captured image data of a subject;

a saving unit configured to perform a saving process of saving the captured image data obtained by the imaging unit;

a second communication unit configured to receive notification data from an external imaging instruction issuing apparatus; and

a control unit configured to cause, in a case where the notification data received by the second communication unit includes an imaging request signal and identification information of the imaging instruction issuing apparatus serving as a transmission source of the notification data,

wherein the saving process saves the captured image data obtained by the imaging unit and the identification information included in the notification data in an associated manner.