U.S. patent application number 11/466520 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for image data transmission apparatus and method, remote display control apparatus and control method thereof, program, and storage medium.
Invention is credited to Hitoshi UCHIDA.
Application Number | 20070050830 11/466520 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37805884 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070050830 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
UCHIDA; Hitoshi |
March 1, 2007 |
IMAGE DATA TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND METHOD, REMOTE DISPLAY
CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE
MEDIUM
Abstract
In a case where a display screen of a transmission originator,
including image data such as photographs, is displayed remotely on
a device of a transmission destination, compressed image data of
the image portion such as photographs on the display screen which
is stored in a storage unit of the transmission originator is
transmitted to the transmission destination device so that the
image of the photograph portion can be displayed remotely on the
screen of the transmission destination device with high image
quality.
Inventors: |
UCHIDA; Hitoshi;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN & FINNEGAN, L.L.P.
3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
NEW YORK
NY
10281-2101
US
|
Family ID: |
37805884 |
Appl. No.: |
11/466520 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/105 ;
348/211.3; 348/E7.061 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/0075 20130101;
H04N 1/00291 20130101; H04N 21/4122 20130101; H04N 2201/0084
20130101; H04N 1/00347 20130101; H04N 2201/0089 20130101; H04N
2201/0065 20130101; H04N 7/163 20130101; H04N 2201/0049 20130101;
H04N 21/43632 20130101; H04N 21/8153 20130101; H04N 2201/0039
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/105 ;
348/211.3 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/173 20060101
H04N007/173; H04N 5/232 20060101 H04N005/232 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 23, 2005 |
JP |
2005-241558 |
Claims
1. An image data transmission apparatus that transmits image data
corresponding to a display of a display unit to a device connected
to said apparatus through a network for having the device display
the display of the display unit, comprising: a transmission data
generation unit that generates transmission data including image
data corresponding to the display of the display unit and attribute
information of the image data; and a transmission control unit that
transmits the transmission data generated by said transmission data
generation unit to the device connected to said apparatus through
the network.
2. The image data transmission apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein in a case where the display of the display unit is based on
a plurality of image data, said transmission data generation unit
adds attribute information, indicating that the transmission data
is in a XOP (XML-binary Optimization Packaging) format, to a header
of the transmission data.
3. The image data transmission apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein in a case where the display of the display unit is based on
a plurality of image data, said transmission data generation unit
generates the transmission data based on rendering data and each
image data, said rendering data including layout information for
specifying on the display unit a display position and size of the
display based on each image data, and reference information for
specifying each image data.
4. An image data transmission method of transmitting image data
corresponding to a display of a display unit to a device connected
through a network for having the device display the display of the
display unit, comprising: a transmission data generation step of
generating transmission data including image data corresponding to
the display of the display unit and attribute information of the
image data; and a transmission control step of transmitting the
transmission data generated in said transmission data generation
step to the device connected through the network.
5. The image data transmission method according to claim 4, wherein
in a case where the display of the display unit is based on a
plurality of image data, in said transmission data generation step,
attribute information, indicating that the transmission data is in
a XOP (XML-binary Optimization Packaging) format, is added to a
header of the transmission data.
6. The image data transmission method according to claim 4, wherein
in a case where the display of the display unit is based on a
plurality of image data, in said transmission data generation step,
the transmission data is generated based on rendering data and each
image data, said rendering data including layout information for
specifying on the display unit a display position and size of the
display based on each image data, and reference information for
specifying each image data.
7. A remote display control apparatus that adapts a display of a
display unit of a first device to a display format of a display
unit of a second device connected to the first device through a
network for having the second device perform displaying,
comprising: an analysis unit that analyzes an attribute of
transmission data including image data, which is transmitted from
the first device; an image data generation unit that generates
image data adapted to the display format of the display unit of the
second device based on the image data in accordance with an
analysis result of said analysis unit; and a display control unit
that have the display unit of the second device perform displaying
based on the image data generated by said image data generation
unit.
8. The remote display control apparatus according to claim 7,
wherein in a case where the analysis of said analysis unit finds
that the transmission data is in a XOP (XML-binary Optimization
Packaging) format, said image data generation unit obtains a
scaling factor necessary to display the image data included in the
transmission data on the display unit of the second device, based
on the display format of the display unit of the second device.
9. The remote display control apparatus according to claim 8,
wherein in a case where the analysis of said analysis unit finds
that the transmission data is in a XOP (XML-binary Optimization
Packaging) format, the transmission data includes a plurality of
image data and rendering data that includes layout information for
specifying on the display unit of the first device a display
position and size of the display based on each image data, and
reference information for specifying each image data, and said
image data generation unit rewrites the rendering data based on the
scaling factor.
10. The remote display control apparatus according to claim 8,
wherein said image data generation unit generates image data
adapted to the display format of the display unit of the second
device based on the rewritten rendering data and each image
data.
11. A control method of a remote display control apparatus that
adapts a display of a display unit of a first device to a display
format of a display unit of a second device connected to the first
device through a network for having the second device perform
displaying, comprising: an analysis step of analyzing an attribute
of transmission data including image data, which is transmitted
from the first device; an image data generation step of generating
image data adapted to the display format of the display unit of the
second device based on the image data in accordance with an
analysis result of said analysis step; and a display control step
of having the display unit of the second device perform displaying
based on the image data generated in said image data generation
step.
12. The control method of a remote display control apparatus
according to claim 11, wherein in a case where the analysis of said
analysis step finds that the transmission data is in a XOP
(XML-binary Optimization Packaging) format, said image data
generation step obtains a scaling factor necessary to display the
image data included in the transmission data on the display unit of
the second device, based on the display format of the display unit
of the second device.
13. The control method of a remote display control apparatus
according to claim 11, wherein in a case where the analysis of said
analysis step finds that the transmission data is in a XOP
(XML-binary Optimization Packaging) format, the transmission data
includes a plurality of image data and rendering data that includes
layout information for specifying on the display unit of the first
device a display position and size of the display based on each
image data, and reference information for specifying each image
data, and in said image data generation step the rendering data is
rewritten based on the scaling factor.
14. The control method of a remote display control apparatus
according to claim 11, wherein in said image data generation step,
image data adapted to the display format of the display unit of the
second device is generated based on the rewritten rendering data
and each image data.
15. A television apparatus having the remote display control
apparatus described in claim 7.
16. A television system comprising: the image data transmission
apparatus described in claim 1; and the television apparatus
described in claim 15, which is connected to said image data
transmission apparatus through a network.
17. A program that is stored in a computer-readable storage medium
and causes a computer to execute the image data transmission method
described in claim 4.
18. A program that is stored in a computer-readable storage medium
and causes a computer to execute the control method of a remote
display control apparatus described in claim 11.
19. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program
described in claim 17.
20. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program
described in claim 18.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a technique of displaying
an image, which is displayed on a display unit of a portable
device, on a display unit of an apparatus connected to the portable
device through a network with high image quality.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Still images and moving images captured by an image
capturing apparatus, e.g., a digital camera and a video camera, can
be displayed on a screen of a television apparatus connected to the
image capturing apparatus with a cable or the like so that a
plurality of users can view the images simultaneously. More
specifically, image signals displayed on a screen of an image
capturing apparatus are converted to a television image according
to the NTSC (National Television System Committee) method. The NTSC
image is outputted to a television apparatus connected to the image
capturing apparatus with a cable, thereby achieving the
display.
[0005] The display format of a television apparatus includes the
NTSC method where displaying is realized with 720.times.480
resolution, and the HD method where displaying is realized with
1920.times.1600 high resolution.
[0006] In a network-connected environment, there is a remote
desktop technique that enables a client machine to remotely operate
a server machine. The desktop screen of a server machine is
converted to a bitmap image, and the converted bitmap image is
sequentially transmitted to a client machine which performs the
remote operation according to a predetermined protocol. The
transmitted bitmap image is enlarged or reduced to adapt the size
to the screen of the client machine. This realizes remote
displaying of the desktop screen of the server machine.
[0007] The above-described conventional art is disclosed in, e.g.,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-124080.
[0008] However, in a conventional portable device such as a digital
camera, in a case of generating a low-resolution image such as an
NTSC image on the display screen and transmitting the image to a
large-size television apparatus to be displayed, there is a problem
of significant coarseness of the image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been proposed in view of the
above-described problem, and has as its object to provide a
technique of displaying an image, which is displayed on a display
unit of a portable device such as a digital camera, on a display
unit of an apparatus connected to the portable device through a
network with high image quality.
[0010] To solve the above problems and achieve the above object,
according to the present invention, an image data transmission
apparatus that transmits image data corresponding to a display of a
display unit to a device connected to the apparatus through a
network for having the device display the display of the display
unit, comprising:
[0011] a transmission data generation unit that generates
transmission data including image data corresponding to the display
of the display unit and attribute information of the image data;
and
[0012] a transmission control unit that transmits the transmission
data generated by the transmission data generation unit to the
device connected to the apparatus through the network.
[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to
display an image, which is displayed on a display unit of a
portable device, on a display unit of an apparatus connected to the
portable device through a network with high image quality.
[0014] Further features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments
with reference to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 1 is an overview of a system including a television
apparatus, a digital camera and the like according to an embodiment
of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
digital camera (first device) according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
remote display control apparatus according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing as an example a
configuration of a television apparatus (second device) according
to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows as an example a piece of compressed image data
captured by a digital camera 103 and displayed on a display unit
207 with an adjusted aspect ratio to adapt the size to the display
unit 207;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the processing for
transmitting compressed image data, which is corresponding to a
piece of image displayed on a display unit of a digital camera, to
a television apparatus connected to the digital camera through a
network;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the processing for
receiving data transmitted by a digital camera and displaying it on
a display unit of a television apparatus;
[0023] FIG. 7 shows an example where a display screen of a digital
camera displaying a piece of image data is remotely displayed on a
display unit of a television apparatus;
[0024] FIG. 8 shows an example where captured images are displayed
in order of file names;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a view showing a data structure used in thumbnail
displaying in FIG. 8;
[0026] FIG. 10 shows an example of rendering data in the SVG
(Scalable Vector Graphics) format written in a structured document
data, which is used for rendering on a display unit of a digital
camera;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a flowchart describing the processing for
displaying plural image data on a display unit of a digital camera
based on a background image, captured compressed image data, and
rendering data;
[0028] FIG. 12 shows an example of a transmission data structure in
the XOP (XML-binary Optimization Packaging) format; and
[0029] FIG. 13 shows an example where a screen of a digital camera
displaying plural image data is remotely displayed on a display
unit of a television apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overview of a system including a television apparatus
101, a digital camera 103 and the like according to an embodiment
of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the television apparatus 101
is connected to the LAN 102. Connected to the LAN 102 are: an image
data transmission apparatus 103 (hereinafter a digital camera will
be explained as a preferred example) such as a digital camera or a
mobile telephone having a camera function and so forth, a data
processing apparatus (PC) 104, and a file server 105.
[0031] FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a configuration of the
digital camera (first device) 103, which serves as an image
capturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present
invention. In FIG. 2A, the CPU 201 serving as a system controller
controls the entire digital camera 103. ROM 202 is provided for
storing various fixed data and control programs of the CPU 201. RAM
203, configured with SRAM, DRAM or the like, is provided for
storing program control variables and so forth. Various setting
parameters and various work buffers are also stored in the RAM 203.
A storage unit 204, configured with a hard disk or the like, is
provided for storing captured image data. A photographing unit 205
is configured with an image capturing element which captures a
photograph target, e.g., landscape and portrait. An operation unit
206, configured with buttons, a touch panel and so on, is provided
for an operator to perform various input operations. A display unit
207 is configured with an LCD or the like. A LAN I/F 208 is an
interface for connection with a LAN line 209. A USB I/F 210 is an
interface for connection with a USB line 211. Image data captured
by the digital camera 103 can be stored in the file server 105
together with an analysis result of its attribute.
[0032] The digital camera (image data transmission apparatus) 103
according to the present embodiment comprises a transmission data
generation unit 212 for generating, under the control of the CPU
201, transmission data that includes compressed image data
corresponding to the display of the display unit 207 and attribute
information of the compressed image data. The digital camera (image
data transmission apparatus) 103 also comprises a transmission
controller 213 for transmitting, under the control of the CPU 201,
the transmission data generated by the transmission data generation
unit 212 to a device connected through the network 102. The
transmission controller 213 is capable of transmitting the
generated transmission data to the designated device in a HTTP
(Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) format according to a user's
transmission designation. The transmission controller 213 is also
capable of transmitting data in a TCP/IP format.
[0033] In a case where the displaying on the display unit 207 is
performed based on a plurality of image data, the transmission data
generation unit 212 adds attribute information, which indicates
that the transmission data is in a XOP (XML-binary Optimization
Packaging) format, to the header of the transmission data. The XOP
format will be described later with reference to reception
processing of plural image data.
[0034] In a case where the displaying on the display unit 207 is
performed based on a plurality of image data such as that shown in
FIG. 9, the transmission data generation unit 212 generates
transmission data based on a background image 901 and rendering
data 903 stored in the RAM 203 as well as compressed image data 902
in the storage unit 204. The rendering data 903 includes reference
information (data names and ID) specifying each compressed image
data and background image data, and layout information specifying
the display size and position based on each compressed image data
and background image data on the display unit 207.
[0035] The specific processing of the above description corresponds
to FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and step S306 in FIG. 11.
[0036] A remote display control apparatus 280 adapts the display of
the display unit 207 of the first device (digital camera 103) to
the display format of the display unit 305 of the second device
(television apparatus 101 or PC 104). The remote display control
apparatus 280 has a configuration shown in FIG. 2B.
[0037] In FIG. 2B, ROM 252 is provided for storing various data and
control programs of a CPU 251. RAM 253, configured with SRAM, DRAM
or the like, serves as an internal memory for storing program
control variables and so forth. A storage unit 254, configured with
a hard disk or the like, is capable of storing compressed image
data, attribute information indicative of an attribute of the
compressed image data and so on, which are transmitted from the
digital camera 103.
[0038] An analysis unit 271 analyzes an attribute of compressed
image data included in the transmission data transmitted from the
first device (digital camera 103). In accordance with an analysis
result of the analysis unit 271, an image data generation unit 273
generates image data, which is adapted to a display format of the
display unit 305 of the second device, based on the compressed
image data transmitted from the digital camera 103. Based on the
generated image data, a display control unit 274 displays the image
data on a display unit 305 of the second device (e.g., television
apparatus 101).
[0039] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing as an example a
configuration of the television apparatus (second device) 101
according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, a
CPU 301 serving as a system controller controls the entire
apparatus. ROM 302 is provided for storing various fixed data and
control programs of the CPU 301. RAM 303, configured with SRAM,
DRAM or the like, is provided for storing program control variables
and so forth. Various setting parameters and various work buffers
are also stored in the RAM 303. An operation unit 304, configured
with buttons, a touch panel and so on, is provided for an operator
to perform various input operations. A display unit 305 is a
television screen for displaying an image. A LAN I/F 306 is an
interface for connection with a LAN line 307. A USB I/F 308 is an
interface for connection with a USB line 309. Through the LAN I/F
306 or the USB I/F 308, the television apparatus 101 is capable of
receiving data transmitted by the digital camera 103.
[0040] In FIG. 3, numeral 280 denotes the remote display control
apparatus described in FIG. 2B. By virtue of the apparatus 280, it
is possible to adapt the display of the display unit 207 of the
digital camera 103 to the display format of the display unit 305 of
the television apparatus 101, thus realizing high-quality image
displaying. Note that FIG. 3 shows an example where the remote
display control apparatus 280 is incorporated in the construction
of the television apparatus 101. However, also in a case of
controlling the display of the PC 104, the remote display control
apparatus 280 may be incorporated in the construction of the PC 104
for enabling the display control adapted to the display format of
the display unit of the PC 104.
[0041]
Example on Remote Displaying
[0042] Described next is an example where a piece of image
compressed in the JPEG format, which is displayed on the display
unit 207 of the digital camera 103, is remotely displayed on a
screen of the television apparatus 101 or PC 104. The compressed
image data in the JPEG format is stored in the storage unit 204. By
referring to the stored data, the CPU 201 can display the image on
the display unit 207.
[0043] Note that although the present embodiment describes the JPEG
(Joint Photographic Experts Group) format data as an example of
compressed image data, the purport of the present invention is not
limited to this, and the invention is applicable to data compressed
in the PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format.
[0044] FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen where an image
captured by the digital camera 103 is displayed on the display unit
207 of the digital camera 103. The display screen of the display
unit 207 has an image selection button 401 and a send button 402
for designating transmission of the compressed image data which
corresponds to the selected image.
[0045] By operating the image selection button 401, a user can
switch images displayed on the display unit 207 in sequence. The
user selects a desired image and depresses the send button 402.
When this operation is detected, the digital camera 103 generates
transmission data regarding the selected image, and shifts the
control to transmission processing of the generated transmission
data. Hereinafter, data transmission processing is described with
reference to the flowchart in FIG. 5.
Data Transmission Processing
[0046] FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the processing for
transmitting under the control of the CPU 201 compressed image
data, which is corresponding to a piece of image displayed on the
display unit 207 of the digital camera 103, to the television
apparatus connected to the digital camera 103 through the
network.
[0047] First, mode selection for displaying a piece of image on the
display unit 207 is detected (S102). Then, a file name of
compressed image data, corresponding to the image selected by the
user on this mode, is stored in an internal memory (e.g., RAM 203)
(S103).
[0048] With reference to the size of the area of the display unit
207 where the image is to be displayed, the CPU 201 performs
thinning of the image data and generates image data to be displayed
on the display unit 207 (S104).
[0049] In step S105, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the user
has selected the send button 402. If it is determined that the send
button 402 has been selected, the transmission data generation unit
212 refers to the file name stored in the internal memory and
selects the compressed image data and attribute information
indicative of the attribute of the compressed image data which are
stored in the storage unit 204 as a substitute image data of the
image data displayed on the display unit 207. Based on the selected
compressed image data and attribute information, transmission data
is generated. The transmission data generation unit 212 determines
an attribute of the compressed image data. In a case where the
compressed image data is in the JPEG format, attribute information
"image/jpeg" is added to the header of the transmission data to
generate transmission data. Under the control of the CPU 201, the
transmission controller 213 transmits the generated transmission
data to an apparatus connected through the network 102 (e.g., the
television apparatus 101) in the HTTP format (S106).
Data Reception Processing
[0050] Described next is reception processing of the television
apparatus 101 which receives the transmission data transmitted by
the digital camera 103.
[0051] FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the processing for
receiving the transmission data transmitted by the digital camera
103 and displaying it on the display unit 305 of the television
apparatus 101. The CPU 301 monitors data transmitted in the HTTP
format from other devices, including the digital camera 103,
through the LAN I/F or USB I/F (306 or 308) (S202). When the CPU
301 determines that data in the HTTP format is received, the CPU
301 returns a result, indicative of the successful data reception,
to the digital camera 103 which is the originator of the
transmission data (S204).
[0052] In step S205, the attribute information added to the header
of the transmission data in the HTTP format, which is transmitted
from the digital camera 103, is analyzed. In step S206, it is
determined whether or not the attribute information is a JPEG
format. Herein assume that the determination processing on
attributes is performed by the analysis unit 271 of the remote
display control apparatus 280 under the control of the CPU 301.
[0053] In a case where the analysis result of the attribute
information of the compressed image data is JPEG format (YES in
S206), the control proceeds to step S207 where the compressed image
data is analyzed and a bitmap image is generated.
[0054] In step S214, based on the generated bitmap image, a raster
image in the NTSC format, HD format or the like that is adapted to
the display format of the display unit 305 is generated and
displayed on the display unit 305 (S214). Herein, assume that the
generation processing of the raster image adapted to the display
format of the display unit 305 is performed by the image data
generation unit 273 under the control of the CPU 301, and that
displaying of the image on the display unit 305 is performed by the
display control unit 274.
[0055] According to the above-described processing, a piece of
image displayed on the display unit 207 of the digital camera 103
can be displayed on the display unit 305 of the television
apparatus 101 with high image quality as shown in FIG. 7.
[0056] When the user designates selection and transmission of a
next image with the use of the operation button 401 and the send
button 402 of the digital camera 103, transmission data that
includes compressed image data corresponding to the selected image
is newly generated according to the similar procedure. The newly
generated transmission data is processed by the analysis unit 271,
the image data generation unit 273, and the display control unit
274, and a raster image adapted to the display format of the
display unit 305 is generated. As a result, high quality image
displaying becomes possible.
Remote Displaying of Plural Images
[0057] Described next is an example of remote displaying of plural
captured images, which are displayed on the display unit 207 of the
digital camera 103, on the screen of the television apparatus 101.
FIG. 8 shows an example where captured images pic001.jpg to
pic006.jpg are displayed in order of image file names. On the
background (back.bmp) of these images, frames for arranging the
images as well as "display", "delete", and "send" buttons 801 are
provided for an operator to operate. When a button is operated on
the touch panel provided on the display unit 207 of the digital
camera, an event (instruction) is informed to the application
program, thereby enabling to switch the thumbnail images.
[0058] FIG. 9 is a view showing a data structure used in thumbnail
displaying in FIG. 8. Assume that the background image 901 written
with bitmap data and the rendering data 903 in the Scalable Vector
Graphics (SVG) format, which is used in displaying the background
image 901 and captured image data on the display unit of a digital
camera, are stored in the RAM 203. Further assume that the
compressed image data 902 which has been captured is stored in the
storage unit 204.
[0059] Assume that the rendering data 903 is a structured document
data in the SVG format based upon the vector graphics specification
of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standard as shown in FIG.
10. In the rendering data 903, the background image 901 (data name:
`back.bmp') is allocated to ID=0. Further, the display position of
the background image 901 is designated to be rendered with the top
left coordinates (0, 0), the width of 400 pixels, and the height of
350 pixels.
[0060] In FIG. 10, the data name and ID, which are the reference
information, specify each compressed image data (including the
background image). Information related to the top left coordinates,
width, and height, which are the layout information, specify the
display position and size of each compressed image data (including
the background image) on the display unit 207. By virtue of the
rendering data 903, each compressed image data (including the
background image) can be associated with the layout
information.
[0061] In the example shown in FIG. 10, IDs 1 to 6 are allocated to
compressed image data (data names: pic001.jpg to pic006.jpg) as
reference information. For layout information, the top left
coordinates (X, Y), width and height data with which each image
data is to be rendered on the screen are designated.
[0062] The rendering data 903 in the SVG format includes reference
information and layout information related to each compressed image
data. Changing the description of the layout information in the
rendering data 903 can control the display position and size of
each compressed image data on the television apparatus 101.
Data Transmission Processing
[0063] A description is provided on the processing for a case where
images based on plural image data are displayed on the display unit
207 of the digital camera 103. FIG. 11 is a flowchart describing
the processing for displaying plural image data on the display unit
207 of the digital camera 103 based on the background image 901,
captured compressed image data 902, and rendering data 903 under
the control of the CPU 201.
[0064] First, user's mode selection for displaying plural images is
detected (S302) In response to detection of the mode selection, the
CPU 201 generates a rendering image by analyzing the rendering data
903 stored in the RAM 203 (S303). Then the generated rendering
image is displayed on the display unit 207 (S304). In step S305,
the CPU 201 determines whether or not selection of the send button
801 has been detected.
[0065] When selection of the send button 801 is detected, the
transmission data generation unit 212 generates transmission data
shown in FIG. 12 based on the background image 901 and rendering
data 903 in the RAM 203 as well as the compressed image data 902 in
the storage unit 204 under the control of the CPU 201 (S306).
[0066] Attribute information 1201 (`multipart/related`) indicating
that the transmission data bases upon the plural image data
displayed on the display unit 207 is added to the header of the
transmission data, which has been generated by the transmission
data generation unit 212 under the control of the CPU 201. The
transmission data further includes the aforementioned reference
information (ID 1202, data name 1203), layout information (top left
coordinates, width, and height of the screen) 1204, and each
compressed image data 1205.
[0067] The transmission data is in the XOP format publicized as a
W3C recommendation, which is a specification providing the standard
means to packet an XML document and binary data as it is into a
communication packet for handling binary data in a Web service. The
analysis unit 271 of the remote display control apparatus 280 can
determine whether or not the transmission data is in the XOP format
based on the attribute information 1201 (`multipart/related`).
[0068] In step S307, the transmission controller 213 transmits the
generated transmission data to the apparatus (e.g., television
apparatus 101) connected through the network 102 in the HTTP format
under the control of the CPU 201.
Data Reception Processing
[0069] When the television apparatus 101 receives the transmission
data in the XOP format that has been transmitted in the HTTP format
from the digital camera 103, the transmission data is processed
according to steps S202 to S205 in FIG. 6 as similar to the
processing of compressed image data corresponding to a piece of
image.
[0070] When the analysis in step S206 finds that the attribute
information added to the header of the transmission data is not
JPEG-format (image/jpeg) data (NO in S206), the control proceeds to
step S208.
[0071] In step S208, the analysis unit 271 of the remote display
control apparatus 280 determines whether or not the attribute
information added to the transmission data is XOP format
(multipart/related) data under the control of the CPU 301. If the
analysis unit 271 determines that the transmission data is not XOP
format data (NO in S208), the CPU 301 returns information back to
the digital camera 103, which is the transmission originator, that
the transmission data is not supported by the television apparatus
101 (S215)
[0072] Meanwhile, if the analysis in step S208 determines that the
transmission data is XOP format data (YES in S208), the analysis
unit 271 further analyzes the transmission data (S209). Then, the
analysis unit 271 stores rendering data in the SVG format in the
internal memory (S210), and then stores binary data of the
compressed image included in the transmission data as well as the
corresponding data name in the internal memory (S211).
[0073] In step S212, based on the display method of the television
apparatus 101 such as the NTSC method and HD method, the image data
generation unit 273 obtains a scaling factor necessary to display
each compressed image data on the television screen. The image data
generation unit 273 rewrites the rendering data (reference
information and layout information) in the SVG format stored in the
internal memory based on the obtained scaling factor to be adapted
to the display method of the display unit 305, and stores it in the
storage unit 254 (S212). By virtue of the processing in step S212,
it becomes unnecessary to refer to the display method of the
television apparatus 101 each time image data is re-rendered; as a
result, rendering speed increases. The image data generation unit
273 generates image data rendered based on the rewritten rendering
data in the SVG format (S213).
[0074] In step S214, the image data generation unit 273 generates a
raster image based on the generated image data according to the
display format of the display unit 305 of the television apparatus
101. The display control unit 274 of the remote display control
apparatus 280 causes the display unit 305 of the television
apparatus 101 to display the raster image generated by the image
data generation unit 273 (S214).
[0075] As a result, for instance, the images displayed on the
display unit 207 of the digital camera 103 can be displayed on the
display unit 305 of the television apparatus 101 as shown in FIG.
13 with high image quality of the photographed portions.
[0076] In a case where a display screen of a transmission
originator including image data such as photographs is remotely
displayed on a transmission destination device, compressed image
data of the image portion such as photographs stored in the storage
unit of the transmission originator can be transmitted to the
transmission destination device, and the image of the photograph
portion can be displayed remotely on the screen of the transmission
destination device with high image quality.
[0077] According to the present embodiment, it is possible to
display an image, which is displayed on a display unit of a
portable device, on a display unit of an apparatus connected to the
portable device through a network with high image quality.
Other Embodiment
[0078] The object of the present invention can also be achieved by
providing a storage medium, storing program codes of software
realizing the above-described functions of the embodiment, to a
computer system or apparatus. Further it can also be achieved by
reading the program codes, by a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system
or apparatus, from the storage medium and executing the
program.
[0079] In this case, the program codes read from the storage medium
realize the functions according to the embodiment, and the storage
medium storing the program codes constitutes the invention.
[0080] The storage medium, such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, an
optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, a non-volatile
memory card, and ROM can be used for providing the program
codes.
[0081] Furthermore, aforesaid functions according to the above
embodiment are realized by executing the program codes which are
read by a computer. The present invention includes a case where an
OS (operating system) or the like working on the computer performs
part or the entire processes in accordance with designations of the
program codes and realizes the above embodiment.
[0082] While the present invention has been described with
reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.
The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent structures and functions.
[0083] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent
Application No. 2005-241558 filed on Aug. 23, 2005, which is hereby
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
* * * * *