Communication device, image storage device, image pickup device, and control method thereof

• US 7,403,221 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shinichi, Fujii, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSU, AMY R
• Application Number:
  US10/533,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.2, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/211.3, 348/211.14, 348/231.9, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 348/211.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32776 using an interactive, user-operated device, e.g. a computer terminal, mobile telephone H04N1/32782, H04N1/32784 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

When a communication device sends an image pickup instruction signal to an image pickup device by remote control, positional information obtained by the communication device is also sent. Upon reception of the image pickup instruction signal, the image pickup device performs image pickup. When storing a taken image, the positional information received is stored in the header of the image. Moreover, when searching an image stored in the image pickup device from the communication device, the image pickup device informs the communication device of search conditions (time information, positional information, and keyword) added to the image and positional information attribute (GPS information, base station ID, and character data). The communication device performs search by using the search condition and the positional information attribute informed by the image pickup device.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a recognizing device for recognizing at least an attribute of positional information that is added to image data stored in a communicating party;

a searching device for searching the image data stored in the communicating party based on the recognized attribute of the positional information made by the recognizing device;

a selecting device for selecting a desired one of a plurality of attributes recognized by the recognizing device; and

a judging device for judging whether or not a form of the attribute of the positional information selected by the selecting device is utilizable in the communication apparatus to search by said searching device.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the judging device makes the judgement based on positional information that is added to the image data stored in the communicating party.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display device for displaying the attribute of the positional information recognized by the recognizing device.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inquiry device for making an inquiry to the communicating party as to what attribute of a search condition is added to the image data stored in the communicating party, wherein the recognizing device makes the recognition based on a result of the inquiry made by the inquiry device.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the inquiry device makes the inquiry each time the communication apparatus connects with the communicating party in order to search the image data stored in the communicating party.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a setting device for setting a mode in which the inquiry device does not make the inquiry even when the communication apparatus connects with the communicating party in order to search the image data stored in the communicating party.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a setting device for setting a mode in which the inquiry device makes the inquiry when the communication apparatus connects with the communicating party, independently of the search of the image data stored in the communicating party.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the searching device comprises a converting device for converting the positional information to a given search condition in accordance with the attribute of the positional information recognized by the recognizing device, and an informing device for informing the communicating party of the search condition converted by the converting device.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the converting device converts the positional information to the given search condition in accordance with the attribute of the positional information selected by the selecting device.

10. A communication apparatus controlling method, comprising:

a recognizing step of recognizing at least an attribute of positional information that is added to image data stored in a communicating party;

a searching step of searching the image data stored in the communicating party based on the recognized attribute of the positional information made in the recognizing step;

a selecting step of selecting a desired one of a plurality of attributes recognized in the recognizing step; and

a judging step of judging whether or not a form of the attribute of the positional information selected in the selecting step is utilizable in the communication apparatus to search by said searching step.

11. A computer-executable program stored on a computer-readable storage medium for controlling a communication apparatus, comprising:

a recognizing step of recognizing at least an attribute of positional information that is added to image data stored in a communicating party;

a searching step of searching the image data stored in the communicating party based on the recognized attribute of the positional information made in the recognizing step;

a selecting step of selecting a desired one of a plurality of attributes recognized in the recognizing step; and

a judging step of judging whether or not a form of the attribute of the positional information selected in the selecting step is utilizable in the communication device to search by said searching step.