Image pick-up information transmitting system and remote control method for an information transmitting system

• US 7,327,387 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroshi, Yahagi, Koichi, Kawashima, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Misleh; Justin P
• Application Number:
  US09/785,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,541 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/211.4, 348/211.9
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2137 with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33321 Image or page size, e.g. A3, A4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

To provide a pull model which can remotely control an image pick-up device by connecting the image pick-up device to an image information receiver through a communication path and operating a general purpose file reading program by the image information receiver. The image pick-up device includes: a communicating unit capable of transmitting and receiving information to/from the image information receiver; and an information processing unit for instructing the information of directories in which the file names of functions indicating at least a function for picking up an image are registered to be transmitted to the image information receiver through the communicating unit. The information processing unit transmits an image file obtained by picking up the image to the image information receiver through the communicating unit, so that the image pick-up device can be easily remotely controlled from the image information receiver.

Claims

1. An image pick-up information transmitting system, comprising:

a communicating device capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from an image information receiver for receiving an image file;

an information processing device which instructs information of directories in which function file names, which indicate at least a function for picking up an image, are registered to be transmitted to the image information receiver through the communicating device;

an image pick-up device which picks up the image allocated to at least one of the function file names when the image information receiver requests an image file corresponding to said at least one of the function file names,

wherein the information processing device transmits the image file obtained by picking up the image to the image information receiver through the communicating device; and

wherein the communicating device is capable of requesting the image pick-up device to transmit the information of directories and capable of receiving the information of directories transmitted from the image pick-up device in response to the request;

a display for displaying the information of the directories which is received by the communicating device; and

a selecting device which selects and designates a desired function file name of the at least one function file name showing a desired function on the basis of the displayed information of the directories.

2. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device records the image obtained by executing the function allocated to the desired function file name on a recording medium.

3. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of names of paths, to which the function file names belong, and folders are registered in the information of the directories.

4. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein names indicating at least one of image pick-up conditions and properties of the image are registered in the information of the directories.

5. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein layered structures, which are classified for each parameter indicating at least one of a plurality of image pick-up conditions of the image and properties of the image, are registered in the directories.

6. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the information of the directories includes filenames of picked-up images.

7. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device registers expected file sizes after the image is picked-up on the basis of parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions, properties of the image, and a filename of the image.

8. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the image file based on a file size of the image file and does not acquire the image file when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

9. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the display displays at least one of a file name, a directory name, a path name of the image file, and a size of the image file based on the information of the directories transmitted from the image pick-up device.

10. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 9, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the image file on the basis of the file size of the image file and does not acquire the image file when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

11. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the display displays the information of the directories in a tree representation based on the information of the directories that is received by the communicating device.

12. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver is provided with a second communicating device capable of transmitting and receiving the information to and from other communication devices other than, the image pick-up device through public lines or communication networks and the second communicating device transmits the selected desired image file to the other communication devices.

13. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 12, wherein the second communicating device can transmit and receive the information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through the public lines or the communication networks and also can transmit and receive an audio signal thereto/therefrom.

14. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the communicating device comprises at least one of:

a communicating device which serves to connect the mutual devices for transmitting and receiving the information together by cables so as to convert the information into an electric signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wire communication; and

a communicating device which serves to convert the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

15. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 14, wherein the second communicating device can transmit and receive the information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through the public lines or the communication networks and also can transmit and receive an audio signal thereto/therefrom.

16. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, further comprising a power conservation mode setting device which sets a power conservation mode for decreasing power consumption of the information processing device and canceling the power conservation mode when the communicating device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

17. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device instructs the information of the directories in which the function file names are classified under at least one of parameters indicating image pick-up conditions and parameters indicating properties of an image to be transmitted to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

18. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions include at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and the parameters indicating the properties of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

19. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a converted image generating device which generates a converted image in which the parameters showing the properties of the image are changed relative to an image obtained by a picking up operation as required,

wherein the information processing device transmits the converted image thus generated to the image information receiver.

20. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 19, wherein the parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions include at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and the parameters indicating the properties of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

21. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the information processing device transmits the parameters classified for each function so as to attach the parameters to the image file transmitted by executing the function allocated to the desired function file name.

22. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the information processing device records an image obtained by executing the function allocated to the desired function file name on a recording medium.

23. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the names of paths, to which the function file names belong, or folders are registered in the information of the directories.

24. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein names indicating the image pick-up conditions or the properties of the image are registered in the information of the directories.

25. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein layered structures, which are classified for each of the parameters indicating at least one of a plurality of image pick-up conditions and the properties of the image, are registered in the directories.

26. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the information of the directories includes filenames of picked-up images.

27. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the information processing device registers expected file sizes after the image is picked-up on the basis of the parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions, the properties of the image, and a file name of the image.

28. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 27, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the file on the basis of the file size of the image and does not acquire the image file when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

29. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the display displays at least one of a file name, a directory name, a path name of the image file, and a size of the image file based on the information of the directories transmitted from the image pick-up device.

30. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 29, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the image file on the basis of the file size of the image file and does not acquire the image file when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

31. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the display displays the information of the directories in a tree representation based on the information of the directories that is received by the communication device.

32. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the image information receiver is provided with a second communicating device capable of transmitting and receiving the information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through public lines or communication networks and the second communicating device transmits the selected desired image file to the other communication devices.

33. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 32, wherein the second communicating device can transmit and receive the information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through the public lines or the communication networks and also can transmit and receive an audio signal thereto/therefrom.

34. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, wherein the communicating device comprises at least one of:

a communicating device which serves to connect the mutual devices for transmitting and receiving the information together by cables so as to convert the information into an electric signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wire communication; and

a communicating device which serves to convert the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

35. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 34, wherein the second communicating device can transmit and receive the information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through the public lines or the communication networks and also can transmit and receive an audio signal thereto/therefrom.

36. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 17, further comprising a power conservation mode setting device which sets a power conservation mode for decreasing power consumption of the information processing device and canceling the power conservation mode when the communicating device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

37. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a converted image generating device that generates a converted image of the image allocated to the at least one of the function file names based on at least one of a parameter indicating an image pick-up condition and a parameter indicating a property of the image,

wherein the information processing device transmits a converted image file, which includes the converted image, to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

38. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 37, wherein the parameter indicating the image pick-up condition includes at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and

wherein the parameter indicating the property of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

39. A remote control method in which an image information receiver selects a desired function file name on the basis of information of directories transmitted from an electronic device and receives a file of the desired function file name from the electronic device, wherein:

the electronic device transmits the information of the directories, which include function file names that indicate at least one function to be performed by the electronic device, to the image information receiver;

the image information receiver selects the desired function file name on the basis of the transmitted information of the directories to request the electronic device to perform an operation corresponding to the desired function file name;

the electronic device executes a function allocated to the desired function file name in accordance with the request and transmits a response in accordance with the execution of the function to the image information receiver; and

the image information receiver receives the response.

40. The remote control method according to claim 39, wherein the response transmitted by the electronic device is a file with a description indicating the result of the operation.

41. The remote control method according to claim 39, further comprising:

generating a converted image of the file of the desired function file name based on at least one of a parameter indicating an image pick-up condition and a parameter indicating a property of the file of the desired function file name; and

transmitting the converted image to the image information receiver.

42. The remote control method according to claim 41, wherein the parameter indicating the image pick-up condition includes at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and

wherein the parameter indicating the property of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

43. The remote control method according to claim 39, wherein the information of the directories classifies the function file names under at least one of parameters indicating image pick-up conditions and parameters indicating properties of an image to be transmitted to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

44. The remote control method according to claim 43, wherein the parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions include at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and

wherein the parameters indicating the properties of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

45. The remote control method according to claim 44, further comprising:

generating a converted image of the file of the desired function file name based on the parameters indicating the image pick-up conditions and the parameters indicating the properties of the file of the desired function file name; and

transmitting the converted image to the image information receiver.

46. A remote control method in which an image, information receiver selects a desired function file name from an electronic device, the method comprising:

transmitting information of a directory that includes the desired function file name, which indicates a function to be performed by the electronic device, from the electronic device to the image information receiver;

selecting the desired function file name based on the transmitted information of the directories to request the electronic device to perform the function corresponding to the desired function file name;

executing the function corresponding to the desired function file name in accordance with the request,

wherein said executing the function includes generating a converted image of an image file of the desired function file name based on at least one of a parameter indicating an image pick-up condition and a parameter indicating a property of the image file of the desired function file name; and

transmitting the converted image from the electronic device to the image information receiver.

47. An image pick-up information transmitting system, comprising:

an information processing device;

an image information receiver;

a communicating device for transmitting and receiving information to and from the information processing device and the image information receiver,

wherein the information processing device includes information of directories, which include function file names that indicate at least one function for picking up an image;

wherein the image information receiver includes a selecting device for selecting and requesting an image file corresponding to at least one of the function file names based on the information of the directories, which is received from the information processing device,

wherein the communicating device is capable of receiving the information of the directories from the information processing device and capable of transmitting the information of directories transmitted from information processing device to the image information receiver; and

an image pick-up device for picking up an image allocated to the at least one of the function file names when the image information receiver requests the image file corresponding to the at least one of the function file names,

wherein the information processing device transmits the image file picked up by the image pick up device to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

48. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 47, further comprising:

a converted image generating device that generates a converted image of the image allocated to the at least one of the function file names based on at least one of a parameter indicating an image pick-up condition and a parameter indicating a property of the image,

wherein the information processing device transmits a converted image file, which includes the converted image, to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

49. The image pick-up information transmitting system according to claim 48, wherein the parameter indicating the image pick-up condition includes at least one of an exposure condition, a flash light emitting condition, a white balance condition, a focus condition and a zoom condition, and

wherein the parameter indicating the property of the image include at least one of a number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.