Image obtaining method, image pick-up device, image pick-up information transmitting system, image transmitter and print system

• US 7,515,175 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yahagi, Koichi, Tanaka, Hiroshi, Kawashima, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh; Justin P
• Application Number:
  US11/296,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 obtaining method, comprising:

selecting, using an image information receiver, a name of a desired file from a directory transmitted from an image pick-up device; and

receiving an image file, said image file representing an image captured by the image pick-up device, corresponding to the desired file,

wherein the image pick-up device picks up an image upon request from a communication device, transmits an image file obtained upon picking up the image, and transmits the directory, in which names of function files indicating at least a function of the function files is registered, to the image information receiver, said function files each being associated with a function to be performed by said image pick-up device,

wherein the image information receiver selects the name of a desired function file from the directory to request the image pick-up device to send an image file corresponding to the function file name,

wherein the image pick-up device performs a function allocated to the function file in accordance with the request for the file, and

wherein the image information receiver receives the image file transmitted in accordance with execution of the function allocated to the function file.

2. The image obtaining method according claim 1, wherein the image pickup device records an image obtained by executing the function allocated to the function file on a recording medium.

3. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the information of the directory designates names of paths, to which the function file belong, or folders.

4. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the information of the directory includes the file names of picked-up images.

5. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver displays at least one of the file name, a directory name, a path name of a file and a size of a file on the basis of information of the directory received from the image pick-up device.

6. The image obtaining method according to claim 5, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the file on the basis of the file size and does not acquire the image when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

7. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver displays the directory in a tree representation on the basis of information of the directory.

8. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver transmits and receives information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through public lines or communication networks and transmits the selected image file to the other communication devices.

9. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, comprising one of:

connecting devices for transmitting and receiving information together by cables when the information is transmitted and received, and converting the information into an electric signal or an optical signal to transmit and receive the information by a wire communication; and

converting the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal to transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

10. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the image information receiver can transmit and receive information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through public lines or communication networks and also can transmit and receive an audio signal.

11. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the image pick-up device sets a power conservation mode for decreasing the power consumption of the device and cancels the power conservation mode when the image pick-up device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

12. The image obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the function files are classified under at least one of parameters indicating image pick-up conditions and parameters indicating the properties of an image.

13. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image pick-up 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 function file.

14. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, 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 the number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

15. The image obtaining method according to claim 14, wherein the image pick-up 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 function file.

16. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the information of the directories is registered with names indicating the image pick-up conditions or the properties of the image.

17. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the directories constitute a layered structure and are classified for each of parameters showing a plurality of image pick-up conditions and the properties of the image.

18. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the information of the directory includes the file names of picked-up images.

19. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein expected file sizes after the image is picked-up on the basis of the parameters showing the image pick-up conditions and the properties of the image are registered as well as the file names in the information of the directories.

20. The image obtaining method according to claim 19, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the file on the basis of the file size and does not acquire the image when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

21. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image information receiver displays at least one of the file name, the directory name, the path name of a file and the size of a file on the basis of information of the directory.

22. The image obtaining method according to claim 21, wherein the image information receiver calculates an expected communication time required for acquiring the file on the basis of the file size and does not acquire the image when the expected communication time thus calculated is larger than a predetermined communication time threshold value.

23. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image information receiver displays the information of the directory in a tree representation on the basis of the information of the directory.

24. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image information receiver transmits and receives information to and from other communication devices other than the image pick-up device through public lines or communication networks and transmits the selected image file to the other communication devices.

25. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, comprising one of:

connecting the devices for transmitting and receiving the information together by cables when the information is transmitted and received, and converting the information into an electric signal or an optical signal to transmit and receive the information by a wire communication; and

converting the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal to transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

26. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image information receiver can transmit and receive the information to and from the 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.

27. The image obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the image pick-up device sets a power conservation mode for decreasing the power consumption of the device and cancels the power conservation mode when the image pick-up device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

28. An image pick-up device, comprising:

a communicating device which transmits and receives information to and from an image information receiver for receiving an image file;

an image pick-up device, which is capable of forming an image of an object to be shot; and

an information processing device which instructs said image-pick up device to transmit a directory, which includes function files, to the image information receiver through the communicating device, said function files each being associated with a function to be performed by said image pick-up device,

wherein said image pick-up device picks up an image allocated to the function file when the image information receiver requests to transmit a file corresponding to the function file, and

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

29. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the image information processing device records an image obtained by executing the function allocated to the function file on a recording medium.

30. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein names of paths, to which the function file belongs, or folders are registered in the directory.

31. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein names indicating the image pick-up conditions or the properties of the image are registered in the directory.

32. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein layered structures classified for each of parameters showing a plurality of image pickup conditions and the properties of the image are registered in the directory.

33. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the directory includes the file names of picked-up images.

34. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the information processing device registers expected file sizes after the image is picked-up on the basis of the parameters showing the image pick-up conditions and the properties of the image are registered as well as the file names.

35. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the communicating device comprises at least one of:

a communicating device serving to connect devices for transmitting and receiving 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 serving to convert the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

36. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the information processing device is provided with a power conservation setting device which sets a power conservation mode for decreasing the power consumption of the image pick-up device and canceling the power conservation mode when the image pick-up device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

37. The image pick-up device according to claim 28, wherein the information processing device instructs information of the directory in which the function files are classified under at least one of parameters indicating image pick-up conditions and parameters indicating the properties of an image to be transmitted to the image information receiver through the communicating device.

38. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, 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 the number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

39. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, further comprising:

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

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

40. The image pick-up device according to claim 39, 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 the number of pixels, a compressibility, a sampling method and color information.

41. The image pick-up device according to claim 39, wherein the information processing device transmits the parameters classified for each of functions attached with the image file transmitted by executing the function allocated to the function file.

42. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the information processing device transmits the parameters classified for each of functions attached with the image file transmitted by executing the function allocated to the function file.

43. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the image information processing device records an image obtained by executing the function allocated to the function file on a recording medium.

44. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the names of paths, to which the function files belong, or folders are registered in the directory.

45. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein names indicating the image pick-up conditions or the properties of the image are registered in the directory.

46. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein layered structures classified for each of parameters showing a plurality of image pickup conditions and the properties of the image are registered in the directory.

47. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the directory includes the file names of picked-up images.

48. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the information processing device registers expected file sizes after the image is picked-up on the basis of the parameters showing the image pick-up conditions and the properties of the image are registered as well as the file names.

49. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the communicating device comprises at least one of:

a communicating device serving to connect devices for transmitting and receiving 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 serving to convert the information into an electric wave signal or an optical signal and transmit and receive the information by a wireless communication.

50. The image pick-up device according to claim 37, wherein the information processing device is provided with a power conservation setting device which sets a power conservation mode for decreasing the power consumption of the image pick-up device and canceling the power conservation mode when the image pick-up device receives the information from the image information receiver upon setting the power conservation mode.

51. An image pick-up device, comprising:

an image pick-up device, which is capable of forming an image of an object to be shot;

a storage device which stores a directory, the directory including image files and function files, said image files representing an image captured by the image pick-up device, wherein names of the functions files indicate at least a function for picking-up an image;

a communicating device which transmits and receives information to and from the image pick-up device for receiving an image file;

wherein the image pick-up device transmits the directory to said communicating device,

wherein said communicating device selects a file from the directory and transmits a file request to said image pick-up device,

wherein, upon receipt of the file request, said image pick-up device determines whether the requested file is an image file or a function file,

wherein when the requested file is an image file, said image pick-up device transmit the image file to said communicating device and when the requested file is a function file, said image pick-up device performs an image pick-up function associated with the function file and then transmits a resulting image file to the communicating device.