Image editing apparatus, image pickup apparatus, image editing method, and program

• US 8,599,275 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kashiwa, Kotaro, Marukawa, Kazuyuki, Ohzeki, Yukihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): GEBRIEL, SELAM T
• Application Number:
  US11/312,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,905 Days
• Field of Search: 348/47, 348/48, 348/50, 348/73, 348/211.11, 345/1.1, 340/825.29, 396/310, 396/56
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• 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 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• 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 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

First image data captured by a first image pickup apparatus and second image data captured by a second image pickup apparatus are stored in storing means. Thus, it is possible to correlate images with each other by using identification information of a user or the image pickup apparatus and identification information of an image capturing time, an image capturing position, or an image pickup target (event). Further, the correlated image data is edited on the basis of editing structure data, thereby generating album image data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image processing unit that, upon reception of first image data from a first image pickup apparatus or reception of a first signal indicating capture of the first image data, sends a second signal to a second image pickup apparatus to cause the second image pickup apparatus to capture a second image data at substantially a same timing as the first image pickup apparatus or providing link information for correlating an image from the second image pickup apparatus with the first image data, the image processing unit having access to both the first image data and the second image data stored in a storing means; and

further wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated for capturing a common image and further wherein the link information is stored which provides correlation between the first and the second image data, and wherein the image processing unit processes the first image data in order to provide album data for a corresponding plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of the link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing unit providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing unit identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus having the selected album structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus according to the selected album structure data.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit is arranged in one of the first image pickup apparatus and the second image pickup apparatus.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a link processing means that correlates a specific piece of the first image data with a specific piece of the second image data using the link information.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the link processing means correlates the specific piece of the first image data with the specific piece of the second image data on the basis of additional information added to the first image data and the second image data.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional information is identification information of the individual image pickup apparatuses or a user of the individual image pickup apparatus.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional information is image-capturing time information.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional information is image-capturing positional information.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional information is identification information of an image pickup target.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selecting means that selects editing structure data used for image editing by an image editing means from a plurality of the editing structure data.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image editing means determines the layout of the first image data and the second image data on the basis of the editing structure data.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

an output means that outputs, as print data, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing means.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

an output means that records, to a recording medium, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing means.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

an output means that uploads, to a network server, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing means.

14. An image pickup apparatus for obtaining image data by image capturing, comprising:

an input means that, upon reception of first image data from a first image pickup apparatus or reception of a first signal indicating capture of a first image, sends a second signal to a second image pickup apparatus to cause the second image pickup apparatus to capture a second image at substantially a same timing as the first image pickup apparatus or providing link information for correlating an image from the second image pickup apparatus with the first image data, and

an image processing means that correlates the first image data with the second image data; and

further wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated to capturing a common image and further wherein the link information is stored which provides correlation between the first image data and the second image data, and wherein the first image data from the first image pickup apparatus is correlated with the corresponding second image data in order to provide album data for a plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of the link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing means providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing means identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatuses having the selected structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatuses according to the selected structure data.

15. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the processing means is a link processing means that correlates the first image data with the second image data.

16. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the link processing means correlates a plurality of pieces of image data with each other on the basis of additional information added to the first and second image data.

17. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the input means also stores the first image data and the second image data to a storing means.

18. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

an image editing means that edits a plurality of pieces of the image data correlated with each other by the processing means on the basis of the editing structure data and sets the correlated image data for output.

19. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a selecting means that selects the editing structure data used for the image editing by the image editing means from a plurality of pieces of the editing structure data.

20. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image editing means determines the layout of a plurality of pieces of the correlated image data with each other by the processing means on the basis of the editing structure data.

21. An image pickup apparatus for obtaining image data by image capturing, comprising:

an image processing means that, upon reception of first image data from a first image pickup apparatus or reception of a first signal indicating capture of a first image data, sends a second signal to a second image pickup apparatus to cause the second image pickup apparatus to capture a second image data at substantially a same timing as the first image pickup apparatus or providing link information for correlating an image data from the second image pickup apparatus with the first image data, and

further wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated to capturing a common image and further wherein the link information is stored which provides correlation between the first image data and the second image data, and wherein the image processing means processes the first image data in order to provide album data for a corresponding plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and wherein the second image data is automatically acquired based on the capturing of the first image data and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of the link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing means providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing means identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus having the selected structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus according to the selected structure data.

22. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a link processing means that correlates the first image data obtained by the first image pickup apparatus with the second image data obtained by the second image pickup apparatus using the link information.

23. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the link processing means correlates the correlation between a plurality of pieces of the image data on the basis of additional information added to the first image data and the second image data.

24. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the input means else stores the first image data and the second image data to a storing means.

25. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

an image editing means that edits a plurality of pieces of an image data whose correlation is detected by the correlation detecting means on the basis of editing structure data, and sets the correlated image data for output.

26. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

a selecting means that selects the editing structure data used for image editing by the image editing means from a plurality of pieces of the editing structure data.

27. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the image editing means determines the layout of a plurality of pieces of the image data whose correlation is detected by the correlation detecting means on the basis of the editing structure data.

28. An image editing method for creating a photo album of an event by using first image data obtained by image capturing of a first image pickup apparatus and second image data obtained by image capturing of a second image pickup apparatus, comprising:

a first image acquisition step of obtaining the first image data depicting a first portion of the event;

a second image acquisition step of obtaining the second image data depicting a second larger portion of the same event as the first image data, including an area depicted in the first image;

wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated to capturing a common image and each of a plurality of users has an image input means that causes the second image pickup apparatus to capture the second image data and wherein image data is correlated such that each of the plurality of users is able to access the first image data from the first image pickup apparatus of the user and the second image data generated by the second image pickup apparatus that is generated based upon operation of the input means for the plurality of users and further wherein link information is stored which provides correlation between the first image data and the second image data, and wherein an image processing means processes the first image data in order to provide album data for a corresponding plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and wherein the second image data is automatically acquired based on the capturing of the first image data and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing means providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing means identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus having the selected structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from first and second image pickup apparatus according to the selected structure data.

29. The image editing method according to claim 28, further comprising:

a link processing step of correlating the specific piece of the first image data with the specific piece of the second image data.

30. The image editing method according to claim 29, wherein, in the link processing step, the specific piece of the first image data is correlated with the specific piece of the second image data on the basis of additional information added to the first image and the second image data.

31. The image editing method according to claim 30, wherein the additional information is identification information that identifies the individual image pickup apparatuses or a user of the individual image pickup apparatuses.

32. The image editing method according to claim 30, wherein the additional information is image capturing time-information.

33. The image editing method according to claim 30, wherein the additional information is image capturing positional-information.

34. The image editing method according to claim 30, wherein the additional information is identification information of an image capturing target.

35. The image editing method according to claim 28, wherein, in the editing-structure-data determining step, one piece of the editing structure data is determined by selecting the editing structure data used for image editing in the image editing step from a plurality of pieces of the editing structure data.

36. The image editing method according to claim 28, wherein, in the image editing step, the layout of the first image data and the second image data is determined on the basis of the editing structure data.

37. A program embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for enabling an information processing apparatus to create a photo album of an event by using first image data obtained by image capturing of a first image pickup apparatus and second image data obtained by image capturing of a second image pickup apparatus, comprising:

a first image acquisition step of obtaining first image data depicting a first portion of the event;

a second image acquisition step of obtaining second image data depicting a second larger portion of the same event as the first image data, including the area depicted in the first image;

wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated to capturing a common image and each of a plurality of users has an image input means that causes the second image pickup apparatus to capture the second image data and further wherein link information is stored which provides correlation between the first image data and the second image data, and wherein an image processing means processes the first image data from a plurality of the first image pickup apparatuses in order to provide album data for a corresponding plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and wherein the second image data is automatically acquired based on the capturing of the first image data and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of the link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing means providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing means identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus having the selected structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus according to the selected structure data.

38. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 37, further comprising:

a link processing step of correlating the specific piece of the first image data and the specific piece of the second image data.

39. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 38, wherein, in the link processing step, the specific piece of the first image data is correlated with the specific piece of the second image data on the basis of additional information added to the first image data and the second image data.

40. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 39, wherein the additional information is identification information that identifies the individual image pickup apparatuses or a user of the individual image pickup apparatuses.

41. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 39, wherein the additional information is image capturing time-information.

42. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 39, wherein the additional information is image capturing positional-information.

43. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 39, wherein the additional information is identification information of an image capturing target.

44. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein, in the editing-structure-data determining step, one piece of editing structure data is determined by selecting the editing structure data used for image edition in the image editing step from a plurality of pieces of the editing structure data.

45. The program embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the layout of the first and second image data is determined on the basis of the editing structure data in the image editing step.

53. The image processing apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising:

an output unit that outputs, as print data, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing apparatus.

46. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input means that, upon reception of first image data from a first image pickup apparatus or reception of a first signal indicating that capture of a first image, sends a second signal to a second image pickup apparatus to cause the second image pickup apparatus to capture a second image at substantially a same timing as the first image pickup apparatus or providing link information for correlating an image from the second image pickup apparatus with the first image, and

wherein the second image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus dedicated to capturing a common image and each of a plurality of users has an image input means that causes the second image pickup apparatus to capture the second image data and wherein images are correlated such that each of the plurality of users is able to access first image data from the image pickup apparatus of the user and second image data generated by the second image pickup apparatus that are generated based upon operation of the image pickup apparatus for the user and further wherein the link information is stored which provides correlation between the first image data and the second image data, and wherein an image processing means processes the first image data from a plurality of the first image pickup apparatus in order to provide album data for a corresponding plurality of users, and further wherein the second image data is automatically arranged such that the second image data has priority over the first image data, thereby automatically generating an album of image information, and wherein the second image data is automatically acquired based on the capturing of the first image data and the second image data is automatically arranged with respect to the first image data, and wherein the automatic album generation processing includes automatic processing of the link information and album layout or structure processing, the image processing means providing selection from among a plurality of types of album structure data and the image processing means identifies correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus having the selected structure data and provides automatic arrangement of the correlated image data from the first and second image pickup apparatus according to the selected structure data.

47. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the input means also stores the first image data and the second image data to a storing unit.

48. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein an image editing apparatus is arranged in one of the first image pickup apparatus and the second image pickup apparatus.

49. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising:

a link processor that correlates a specific piece of the first image data with a specific piece of the second image data using the link information.

50. The image processing apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the link processor correlates the specific piece of the first image data with the specific piece of the second image data on the basis of additional information added to the first image data and the second image data.

51. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising:

a selector that selects an editing structure data used for image editing by the image editing apparatus from a plurality of pieces of the editing structure data.

52. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the image editing apparatus determines the layout of the first image data and the second image data on the basis of the editing structure data.

54. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising:

an output unit that records, to a recoding medium, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing apparatus.

55. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising:

an output unit that uploads, to a network server, the correlated image data for output generated by the image editing apparatus.