Imaging system, imaging apparatus, control method thereof, and storage medium for improving collection efficiency of image data

• US 8,941,748 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maekawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): GILES, NICHOLAS G
• Application Number:
  US13/205,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.3, 348/211.11, 348/211.14
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00153 for sharing images with a selected individual or correspondent
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• 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 1/32773 to capture an image, e.g. at a location or event remote from the requester
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An imaging system in which an image is shared by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group, the first imaging apparatus comprising a transmission unit adapted to transmit imaging request information to request imaging to the second imaging apparatus; and the second imaging apparatus comprising a reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information, a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received, an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode, a generation unit adapted to generate, based on the imaging request information, imaging information assigned to the image captured by the imaging unit, and a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by the imaging unit and the imaging information generated by the generation unit in association with each other.

Claims

1. An imaging system in which an image is shared by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group,

said first imaging apparatus comprising

a first transmission unit adapted to transmit imaging request information to request imaging to said second imaging apparatus;

and

said second imaging apparatus comprising

a reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said first transmission unit,

a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received by said reception unit,

an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode,

a generation unit adapted to generate, using the imaging request information, metadata,

a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the metadata generated by said generation unit in association with each other; and

a second transmission unit adapted to transmit the metadata generated by said generation unit to said first imaging apparatus,

wherein said reception unit of said second imaging apparatus further receives a request for a part of images stored in the storage unit from the first imaging apparatus, the images being selected using the metadata.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging apparatus further comprises

a metadata reception unit adapted to receive the metadata transmitted by said second transmission unit, and

a storage unit adapted to store the metadata received by said metadata reception unit.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the image request information includes imaging request start information and imaging request end information, and

wherein said switching unit starts an image capturing in the request imaging mode based on the imaging request start information, and ends the request imaging mode based on the imaging request end information.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging request information includes metadata assigned to the image and feature information indicating a feature of an object serving as an imaging target to authenticate the object.

5. The system according to claim 2,

wherein said first imaging apparatus further comprises a condition determination unit adapted to determine, based on the metadata received by said metadata reception unit, whether an image captured by said imaging unit matches a condition included in the imaging request information, and

wherein said storage unit stores the metadata when said condition determination unit determines condition matching.

6. An imaging system in which an image is shared via a server by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group,

said first imaging apparatus comprising

a first transmission unit adapted to transmit, to said server, imaging request information for requesting imaging to said second imaging apparatus,

said server comprising

a first reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said first transmission unit, and

a second transmission unit adapted to transmit the imaging request information to said second imaging apparatus, and

said second imaging apparatus comprising

a second reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said second transmission unit,

a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when said reception unit receives the imaging request information,

an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode,

a generation unit adapted to generate, using the imaging request information, metadata,

a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the imaging information generated by said generation unit in association with each other, and

a second transmission unit adapted to transmit the metadata generated by said generation unit to said server,

wherein said server further

shares and holds images held by said second imaging apparatus, and

receives a request for a part of images stored in the storage unit of said server from the first imaging apparatus, the images being selected using the metadata.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said server further comprises

a reception unit adapted to receive the metadata transmitted by said transmission unit, and

a storage unit adapted to store the metadata received by said reception unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein

said first imaging apparatuses further comprises

an imaging request end information transmission unit adapted to transmit imaging request end information to said server,

said server further comprises

an imaging request end information reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request end information transmitted by said imaging request end information transmission unit, and

a second imaging request end information transmission unit adapted to transmit the imaging request end information to said second imaging apparatus,

said second imaging apparatus further comprises

a second imaging request end information reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request end information transmitted by said second imaging request end information transmission unit, and

when said second imaging request end information reception unit receives the imaging request end information, said switching unit cancels the request imaging mode.

9. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a reception unit adapted to receive imaging request information transmitted from a server or another imaging apparatus;

a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when said reception unit receives the imaging request information;

an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode;

a generation unit adapted to generate, using the imaging request information, metadata;

a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the metadata generated by said generation unit in association with each other; and

a transmission unit adapted to transmit the metadata generated by said generation unit to said server or the other imaging apparatus,

wherein said reception further receives a request for a part of images stored in the storage unit, the images being selected using the metadata.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an imaging request end information reception unit adapted to receive imaging request end information transmitted from said server or the other imaging apparatus,

wherein, when said imaging request end information reception unit receives the imaging request end information, said switching unit cancels the request imaging mode.

11. A method of controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:

receiving an imaging request information transmitted from a server or another imaging apparatus;

switching an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received in the receiving the imaging request information;

capturing an image in the request imaging mode;

generating, using the imaging request information, metadata;

storing the image captured in the capturing the image and the metadata generated in the generating the metadata in association with each other; and

transmitting the metadata generated in the generating to said server or the other imaging apparatus,

wherein said server further

shares and holds images, and

receives a request for a part of images stored in the storing, the images being selected using the metadata.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to cause a computer to execute respective steps in a method of controlling the imaging apparatus defined in claim 11.

13. An imaging system in which an image is shared by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group,

said first imaging apparatus comprising

an imaging request information transmission unit adapted to transmit imaging request information to request imaging to said second imaging apparatus;

and

said second imaging apparatus comprising

an imaging request information reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said imaging request information transmission unit,

an imaging mode switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received by said imaging request information reception unit,

an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode,

an imaging information generation unit adapted to generate, based on the imaging request information, imaging information assigned to the image captured by said imaging unit, and

an imaging information storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the imaging information generated by said imaging information generation unit in association with each other,

wherein when said second imaging apparatus receives imaging request end information from said first imaging apparatus or when time shared by the network group reaches end time based on end time information included in the imaging request information, said imaging mode switching unit cancels the request imaging mode.