Photography mode setting information transfer system, an imaging device, an information processor for a photography mode setting information transfer system and recording medium recorded program

• US 7,602,419 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kiuchi, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels; Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US10/869,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 34821199-21114
• US Class Current: 348/211.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/212 Selecting different recording or reproducing modes, e.g. high or low resolution, field or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

Photography mode setting information is transferred by transmitting from a first digital camera certain photography mode setting information set in the first digital camera through a communications means, such as a USB cable, and receiving the photography mode setting information transmitted from the first digital camera with a second digital camera. Prior to this transfer, by way of the first digital camera or the second digital camera, the model type information of the other digital camera is obtained, and the photography mode setting information set in the first digital camera is changed (converted) so that the setting information is appropriate for the second digital camera.

Claims

1. A photography mode setting information transfer system which transfers photography mode setting information indicating a correspondent relationship of each of a plurality of photographic scenes and a plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene from a first imaging device to a second imaging device, the system comprising:

first setting information storage means, in the first imaging device, for storing the photography mode setting information appropriate for characteristics of the first imaging device;

first photography condition setting means, in the first imaging device, for automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored by the first setting information storage means;

conversion information storage means, in the first imaging device, for storing conversion information for converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene based on model types of a plurality of imaging devices;

first receiving means, in the first imaging device, for receiving a model type of a main unit of the second imaging device from the second imaging device;

conversion means, in the first imaging device, for;

(i) reading conversion information from the conversion information storage means corresponding to the model type of the second imaging device received by the first receiving means, and (ii) converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene included in the photography mode setting information stored by the first setting information storage means based on the read conversion information;

setting information transmission means, in the first imaging device, for transmitting the photography mode setting information converted by the conversion means to the second imaging device;

model type transmission means, in the second imaging device, for transmitting the model type of the main unit of the second imaging device to the first imaging device;

second receiving means, in the second imaging device, for receiving the photography mode setting information transmitted by the setting information transmission means;

second setting information storage means, in the second imaging device, for storing the photography mode setting information received by the second receiving means; and

second photography condition setting means, in the second imaging device, for automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored by the second setting information storage means.

2. The photography mode setting information transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging device and the second imaging device are connected using any of USB, infrared or cable/wireless local area network.

3. The photography mode setting information transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising transmission request means, in the first imaging device, for conducting a transmission request of the model type to the second imaging device.

4. The photography mode setting information transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising setting information update means for updating and storing the photography mode setting information received by the second receiving means to the photography mode setting information stored in the second setting information storage means.

5. The photography mode setting information transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the setting information update means further updates and stores a correspondent relationship of a new photographic scene and a plurality of photographic parameters thereof received by the second receiving means to the photography mode setting information which indicates the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene stored in the second setting information storage means.

6. An imaging device comprising:

setting information storage means for storing photography mode setting information that is appropriate for characteristics of the imaging device and that indicates a correspondent relationship of each of a plurality of photographic scenes and a plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene;

photography condition setting means for automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the setting information storage means;

conversion information storage means for storing conversion information for converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene based on model types of a plurality of imaging devices;

first receiving means for receiving a model type of a main unit of another imaging device;

conversion means for;

(i) reading conversion information from the conversion information storage means corresponding to the model type of the other imaging device received by the first receiving means, and (ii) converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene included in the photography mode setting information stored by the setting information storage means based on the read conversion information; and

setting information transmission means for transmitting the photography mode setting information converted by the conversion means to the other imaging device.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6, further comprising:

model type transmission means for transmitting a model type of a main unit of the imaging device to the other imaging device;

second receiving means for receiving photography mode setting information transmitted from the other imaging device; and

setting information update means for updating the photography mode setting information stored in the setting information storage means based on the photography mode setting information received by the second receiving means.

8. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the setting information update means updates and stores the photography mode setting information received by the second receiving means to the photography mode setting information stored in the setting information storage means.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the setting information update means updates and stores a correspondent relationship of a new photographic scene and a plurality of photographic parameters thereof received by the second receiving means to the photography mode setting information which indicates the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene stored in the setting information storage means.

10. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of photographic parameters from among shutter speed, aperture, exposure value shift, white balance, flash light intensity, color enhancement, contrast, sharpness, focus condition and photometry method, are stored as the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to each photographic scene.

11. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of photographic scenes from among a photographic scene of photographing a person, a photographic scene of photographing scenery, a photographic scene of photographing a person and scenery, plural photographic scenes with different close-up parts of a person, plural photographic scenes with different photographic scenery objects, and plural photographic scenes with different scenery conditions, are stored as the plurality of photographic scenes included in the photography mode setting information.

12. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the conversion information storage means stores conversion information as a combination of values for a plurality of photographic parameters between a plurality of different model types corresponding to a predetermined photographic scene.

13. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the conversion information storage means stores conversion information values between a plurality of different model types corresponding to a predetermined photographic parameter.

14. A photography mode setting information transfer method comprising:

a first setting information storage step of storing photography mode setting information that is appropriate for characteristics of a first imaging device and that indicates a correspondent relationship of each of a plurality of photographic scenes and a plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene;

a first photography condition setting step of automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the first setting information storage step;

a conversion information storage step of storing conversion information for converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene based on model types of a plurality of imaging devices;

a first receiving step of receiving a model type of a main unit of a second imaging device from the second imaging device;

a conversion step of;

(i) reading conversion information stored in the conversion information storage step corresponding to the model type of the second imaging device received in the first receiving step, and (ii) converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene included in the photography mode setting information stored in the first setting information storage step based on the read conversion information;

a setting information transmission step of transmitting the photography mode setting information converted in the conversion step to the second imaging device;

a model type transmission step of transmitting the model type of the main unit of the second imaging device to the first imaging device;

a second receiving step of receiving the photography mode setting information transmitted in the setting information transmission step;

a second setting information storage step of storing the photography mode setting information received in the second receiving step; and

a second photography condition setting step of automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the second setting information storage step.

15. A storage medium having a program stored thereon that is executable by computers of a first imaging device and a second imaging device to cause the first imaging device and the second imaging device perform a photography mode information transfer process comprising:

a first setting information storage step of storing photography mode setting information that is appropriate for characteristics of the first imaging device and that indicates a correspondent relationship of each of a plurality of photographic scenes and a plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene;

a first photography condition setting step of automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the first setting information storage step;

a conversion information storage step of storing conversion information for converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene based on model types of a plurality of imaging devices;

a first receiving step of receiving a model type of a main unit of the second imaging device from the second imaging device;

a conversion step of;

(i) reading conversion information stored in the conversion information storage step corresponding to the model type of the second imaging device received in the first receiving step, and (ii) converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene included in the photography mode setting information stored in the first setting information storage step based on the read conversion information;

a setting information transmission step of transmitting the photography mode setting information converted in the conversion step to the second imaging device;

a model type transmission step of transmitting the model type of the main unit of the second imaging device to the first imaging device;

a second receiving step of receiving the photography mode setting information transmitted in the setting information transmission step;

a second setting information storage step of storing the photography mode setting information received in the second receiving step; and

a second photography condition setting step of automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the second setting information storage step.

16. A storage medium having a program stored thereon that is executable by a computer of an imaging device to perform a process comprising:

a setting information storage step of storing photography mode setting information that is appropriate for characteristics of the imaging device and that indicates a correspondent relationship of each of a plurality of photographic scenes and a plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene;

a photography condition setting step of automatically setting the plurality of photographic parameters corresponding to a photographic scene when photographing using the photography mode setting information stored in the setting information storage step;

a conversion information storage step of storing conversion information for converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene based on model types of a plurality of imaging devices;

a receiving step of receiving a model type of a main unit of another imaging device;

a conversion step of;

(i) reading conversion information stored in the conversion information storage step corresponding to the model type of the other imaging device received in the receiving step, and (ii) converting the correspondent relationship of each of the plurality of photographic scenes and the plurality of photographic parameters of each photographic scene included in the photography mode setting information stored in the setting information storage step based on the read conversion information; and

a setting information transmission step of transmitting the photography mode setting information converted in the conversion step to the other imaging device.