Devices and methods for performing operations on image data stored in an external storage device

• US 8,804,143 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LETT, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/247,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/001 specially adapted for transmission via digital wireline networks H04N1/00098 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A technique of directly and simply operating image data stored in an external storage device using a camera is provided. To accomplish this, an image processing device connectable to a network, comprises a connection unit configured to connect to an imaging device, an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data captured by the imaging device from an external device on the network, in accordance with a user operation on the imaging device, and a display control unit configured to display the image data acquired by the acquisition unit and image data stored in the imaging device in accordance with a display unit of the imaging device.

Claims

1. An image processing device connectable to an external storage device on a network, comprising:

a connection unit configured to connect an imaging device to the image processing device;

a first receiving unit configured to receive identification of the connected imaging device;

a request transmitting unit configured to transmit, when the imaging device is connected to the image processing device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to the received identification of the connected imaging device stored in the external storage device;

a second receiving unit configured to receive, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data stored in the external storage device, as a response to the retrieving request;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, using the attribute information received by the second receiving unit, the first image data designated by the instruction from the external storage device; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the first image data acquired by the acquisition unit in accordance with an instruction to display both the first image data stored in the external storage device and second image data stored in the imaging device.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the first image data corresponding to a layout of image data on a display unit of the imaging device from the external storage device.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit prereads image data.

4. A method for controlling an image processing device connected to an external storage device on a network and to an imaging device, comprising the steps of:

receiving identification of the connected imaging device;

transmitting, when the imaging device is connected to the image processing device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to the received identification of the connected imaging device stored in the external storage device;

receiving, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data stored in the external storage device, as a response to the retrieving request;

acquiring, using the received attribute information, first image data designated by the instruction from the external storage device, wherein the first image data corresponds to the imaging device and is stored in the external storage device; and

transmitting the first image data acquired in the acquiring step in accordance with an instruction to display both the first image data stored in the external storage device and second image data stored in the imaging device and designated by the instruction.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions for controlling an image processing device connected to an external storage device on a network and an imaging device, the medium comprising:

computer-executable instructions for receiving identification of a connected imaging device;

computer-executable instructions for transmitting, when the imaging device is connected to the image processing device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to the received identification of the connected imaging device stored in the external storage device;

computer-executable instructions for receiving, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data stored in the external storage device, as a response to the retrieving request;

computer-executable instructions for acquiring, using the received attribute information, the first image data designated by the instruction from the external storage device; and

computer-executable instructions for transmitting the acquired first image data in accordance with an instruction to display both the first image data stored in the external storage device and second image data stored in the imaging device.

6. An imaging device connectable to an external storage device on a network, comprising:

a request transmitting unit configured to transmit, when the imaging device is connected to the external storage device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to an identification of the imaging device stored in the external storage device;

a receiving unit configured to receive, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device as a response to the retrieving request;

a connection unit configured to connect to a memory for storing second image data;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, using the attribute information received by the receiving unit, the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device from the external storage device; and

a display control unit configured to arrange and display the first image data acquired by the acquisition unit and the second image data stored in the memory on a display unit of the imaging device.

7. A method for controlling an imaging device connected to an external storage device on a network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, when the imaging device is connected to the external storage device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to an identification of the imaging device stored in the external storage device;

receiving, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device as a response to the retrieving request;

connecting to a memory for storing second image data;

acquiring, using the received attribute information, the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device from the external storage device; and

arranging and displaying the first image data acquired in the acquiring step and the second image data stored in the memory on a display unit of the imaging device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions for controlling an imaging device connected to an external storage device on a network, the medium comprising:

computer-executable instructions for transmitting, when the imaging device is connected to the external storage device, a retrieving request to the external storage device for retrieving first image data related to an identification of the imaging device stored in the external storage device;

computer-executable instructions for receiving, from the external storage device, attribute information of the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device as a response to the retrieving request;

computer-executable instructions for connecting to a memory for storing second image data;

computer-executable instructions for acquiring, using the received attribute information, the first image data related to the identification of the imaging device from the external storage device; and

computer-executable instructions for arranging and displaying the acquired first image data and the second image data stored in the memory on a display unit of the imaging device.