U.S. patent application number 11/605361 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for electronic camera, information obtaining system and print order system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Koji Kobayashi, Tsuneo Sato.
Application Number | 20070132872 11/605361 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18596109 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070132872 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sato; Tsuneo ; et
al. |
June 14, 2007 |
Electronic camera, information obtaining system and print order
system
Abstract
The camera comprises: an imaging device; a communicating device
for transmitting and receiving information to and from a portable
telephone capable of determining the communication area, and
obtaining the images and maps of the imaging place and the
information on the printing shops on the basis of information of
the communication area held by the portable telephone; and a
display for displaying the obtained images and maps of the imaging
place and the information on the printing shops. The user can
easily obtain and display the images and maps of the imaging place
and the information on the printing shops.
Inventors: |
Sato; Tsuneo; (Asaka-shi,
JP) ; Kobayashi; Koji; (Asaka-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGINN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW GROUP, PLLC
8321 OLD COURTHOUSE ROAD
SUITE 200
VIENNA
VA
22182-3817
US
|
Assignee: |
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
Minami-Ashigara-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
18596109 |
Appl. No.: |
11/605361 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09811464 |
Mar 20, 2001 |
|
|
|
11605361 |
Nov 29, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/333.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/0049 20130101;
H04N 2201/3253 20130101; H04N 1/00281 20130101; H04N 1/00307
20130101; H04N 1/00204 20130101; H04N 1/32771 20130101; H04N
2201/0055 20130101; H04N 2101/00 20130101; H04N 1/00127
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/333.01 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/222 20060101
H04N005/222 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 21, 2000 |
JP |
2000-078738 |
Claims
1-2. (canceled)
3. An electronic camera which transmits information to and receives
information from a server having information of printing shops and
transferring an image to a printing shop in accordance with a
request for print from a user through an external communication
device capable of determining a communication area where the
external communication device is, the electronic camera comprising:
a communication device which receives printing shop information in
a neighborhood of the communicating area from the server and
transmits an image to the printing shop; a display which displays
the printing shop information obtained from the server through the
communication device; and an information input device which selects
and inputs a desired printing shop from the displayed printing shop
information.
4-5. (canceled)
6. A print order system, comprising: an electronic camera which
transmits an image ordered to be printed to a server through an
external communication device capable of determining a
communication area where the external communication device is; and
the server which receives the order for printing the image
transmitted from the electronic camera through the external
communication device and transmits the received image to a printing
shop in a neighborhood of the communication area, wherein the
electronic camera comprises: an information input device which
selects and inputs the image ordered to be printed from a recording
medium on which images are recorded; a communication device which
transmits the image ordered to be printed which is selected and
inputted to the server through the external communication device
and receives information of the printing shop in the neighborhood
from the server; and a display which displays the received
information of the printing shop, wherein the server comprises: a
selecting device which selects the printing shop in the
neighborhood on the basis of information of the communication area
of the external communication device when the print order is
requested from the electronic camera through the external
communication device; and a transmitting device which transmits the
image ordered to be printed to the selected printing shop and
transmits the information of the printing shop to the electronic
camera.
7. The print order system according to claim 6, wherein the server
transmits a telephone number of the external communication device
to the printing shop and the printing shop records the telephone
number in a file of the image ordered to be printed.
8. An information obtaining system comprising: a server which has
map data and provides the map data in accordance with a request
from a user; and an electronic camera which obtains desired map
data from the server through an external communication device
capable of determining a communication area where the external
communication device is, wherein the electronic camera comprises: a
communication device which transmits a request for map data to the
server through the external communication device and receives the
map data from the server; a recording medium which records the map
data received by the communication device; and a display which
displays a map on the basis of the map data recorded on the
recording medium, wherein the server comprises: a selecting device
which selects the map data in a neighborhood on the basis of the
information of the communication area of the external communication
device when a request for obtaining the map data is supplied from
the electronic camera; and a transmitting device which transmits
the map data selected by the selecting device to the electronic
camera.
9. The information obtaining system according to claim 8, wherein
the electronic camera further comprises: an information input
device which inputs a current position on the map displayed on the
display; and a recording medium on which positional information
indicated by the information input device and an image
optically-captured are recorded together.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic camera, an
information obtaining system and a print order system, and more
particularly to an electronic camera which can communicate with a
portable communication device and can obtain information on an
image-capturing place and information related to a printing shop
through the external communication device.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-147370 discloses
a system in which tourism service information is obtained and goods
are ordered in an interactive manner on the basis of the
information. However, it has been possible for the user only to
order goods and it has been impossible for the user to combine an
image optically-captured by the user with an image gotten in a
tourist spot or the like where the user visits in his trip so as to
synthesize a new image.
[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-161227
discloses a system in which main data is received from an external
image-capturing information transmitter and recorded. However, it
has been impossible to combine an optically-captured image with
received data.
[0006] Moreover, there has been known a camera for recording
positional information as well as an image on the basis of map
information previously recorded on a recording medium. However,
since the quantity of the previously recorded map information is
limited, there has been an inconvenience that the positional
information cannot be obtained in places except the recorded map
information.
[0007] Furthermore, there has been known a camera for getting
positional information from a global positioning system (GPS) to
record it. However, the camera must be equipped with a GPS antenna
in order to implement the functions of the GPS in the camera so as
to obtain the positional information of the image-capturing place.
Therefore, there has been an inconvenience that the size of the
camera itself is increased and the cost of the camera is
raised.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention has been made in view of these
circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to
provide an electronic camera and an information obtaining system
which allows the images or the maps of neighboring tourist spots to
be easily obtained.
[0009] Further, it is another object of the present invention to
provide an information obtaining system in which a correction can
be applied to the positional information of an image-capturing
place obtained via a communication device and both an image
optically-captured by a user and the corrected positional
information can be recorded together and a print order system in
which a printing shop to which a print order is sent can be readily
selected.
[0010] In order to attain the above described objects, the present
invention is directed to an electronic camera which obtains a
desired image from a server storing images of tourist spots and
providing an image in accordance with a request from a user through
an external communication device capable of determining a
communication area where the external communication device is, the
electronic camera comprising: a communication device which
transmits a request for obtaining an image of a tourist spot to the
server through the external communication device and receives
information and the image of the tourist spot around the
communication area from the server; a display which displays the
information and the image of the tourist spot obtained from the
server through the external communication device; an information
input device which selects and inputs a desired image from the
displayed tourist spot information; and a recording medium which
records the image of the tourist spot received through the external
communication device and records an image gotten by an imaging
operation.
[0011] According to the present invention, the images of the
tourist spot in the neighborhood can be easily acquired.
[0012] Preferably, the camera further comprises an information
processing device which combines the image of the tourist spot
recorded on the recording medium with the image obtained by the
imaging operation.
[0013] Further, the present invention is directed to an electronic
camera which transmits information to and receives information from
a server having information of printing shops and transferring an
image to a printing shop in accordance with a request for print
from a user through an external communication device capable of
determining a communication area where the external communication
device is, the electronic camera comprising: a communication device
which receives printing shop information in a neighborhood of the
communicating area from the server and transmits an image to the
printing shop; a display which displays the printing shop
information obtained from the server through the communication
device; and an information input device which selects and inputs a
desired printing shop from the displayed printing shop
information.
[0014] According to the present invention, the printing shop which
is ordered to print the image can be easily selected.
[0015] Still further, the present invention is directed to an
information obtaining system, comprising: a server which stores
images of tourist spots and provides an image in accordance with a
request from a user; and an electronic camera which obtains a
desired image from the server through an external communication
device capable of determining a communication area where the
external communication device is, wherein the electronic camera
comprises: an imaging device which captures an image of an object;
a communication device which transmits a request for obtaining an
image of a tourist spot to the server through the external
communication device and receives the image of the tourist spot
from the server; and a recording medium which records the image of
the tourist spot received by the communication device and the image
captured by an imaging operation, wherein the server comprises: an
image selecting device which selects the image of the tourist spot
in the neighborhood on the basis of the information of the
communication area of the external communication device when there
is sent the request for obtaining the image of the tourist spot
through the external communication device from the electronic
camera; and a transmitting device which transmits the selected
image of the tourist spot to the electronic camera.
[0016] According to the present invention, the images of the
tourist spots in the neighborhood can be gotten with ease.
[0017] Still further, the present invention is directed to a print
order system, comprising: an electronic camera which transmits an
image ordered to be printed to a server through an external
communication device capable of determining a communication area
where the external communication device is; and the server which
receives the order for printing the image transmitted from the
electronic camera through the external communication device and
transmits the received image to a printing shop in a neighborhood
of the communication area, wherein the electronic camera comprises:
an information input device which selects and inputs the image
ordered to be printed from a recording medium on which images are
recorded; a communication device which transmits the image ordered
to be printed which is selected and inputted to the server through
the external communication device and receives information of the
printing shop in the neighborhood from the server; and a display
which displays the received information of the printing shop,
wherein the server comprises: a selecting device which selects the
printing shop in the neighborhood on the basis of information of
the communication area of the external communication device when
the print order is requested from the electronic camera through the
external communication device; and a transmitting device which
transmits the image ordered to be printed to the selected printing
shop and transmits the information of the printing shop to the
electronic camera.
[0018] According to the present invention, the printing shop that
is ordered to print the image can be readily selected.
[0019] Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an
information obtaining system comprising: a server which has map
data and provides the map data in accordance with a request from a
user; and an electronic camera which obtains desired map data from
the server through an external communication device capable of
determining a communication area where the external communication
device is, wherein the electronic camera comprises: a communication
device which transmits a request for map data to the server through
the external communication device and receives the map data from
the server; a recording medium which records the map data received
by the communication device; and a display which displays a map on
the basis of the map data recorded on the recording medium, wherein
the server comprises: a selecting device which selects the map
data, in a neighborhood on the basis of the information of the
communication area of the external communication device when a
request for obtaining the map data is supplied from the electronic
camera; and a transmitting device which transmits the map data
selected by the selecting device to the electronic camera.
[0020] According to the present invention, the map of the tourist
spot in the neighborhood can be easily obtained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The nature of this invention, as well as other objects and
advantages thereof, will be explained in the following with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the
figures and wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic camera;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows configurations of various kinds of
communication devices used when the electronic camera transmits and
receives information;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing contents displayed by the
electronic camera;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which an image
received from a tourist spot information server is combined with an
optically-captured image to form a new image;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a file of the
received image of a tourist spot;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process for receiving image
information;
[0028] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of printing shop
information and map information transmitted to the electronic
camera from the printing shop;
[0029] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing print service information
transmitted to the printing shop from the electronic camera;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a flowchart when the electronic camera receives
the image information and transmits the print service information;
and
[0031] FIG. 10 is a flowchart when the electronic camera receives
map information and records it on the optically-captured image as
auxiliary information.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0032] Referring to the accompanying drawings, preferred
embodiments of an electronic camera, an information obtaining
system and a print order system will be described in more
detail.
[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic camera according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] In FIG. 1, an electronic camera 10 comprises: a lens 14 for
forming an image of an object to be captured on an imaging device
12; an information input device 24 including a shutter release
switch 16 by which the user instructs an image to be
optically-captured in the electronic camera 10, a mode change
switch 18 for changing the operation mode of the electronic camera
10, a cursor switch 20 for moving a cursor, a range selecting
switch 21 for selecting a range, and a determination switch 22 for
instructing selecting information to be determined; an information
processing device 26 for performing processes such as a process of
the optically-captured image, a process for editing the image, a
synthesizing process of the image or the information, a correction
process of a present position, and a process corresponding to the
switch information of the information input device 24; a display 28
for displaying the image or the inputted information; a recording
medium 30 for recording link information upon combination of image
data or the image; and a communication device 32 for
bidirectionally transmitting and receiving the information such as
the image data between an external communication device and the
communication device 32.
[0035] The information processing device 26 is provided with a ROM
in which a program for controlling the electronic camera 10, map
information, sightseeing information, the information of an access
point to be communicated and connected and various kinds of
constants are stored, and a RAM serving as the working area of the
information processing device 26 and storing therein information
gotten through the external communication device.
[0036] FIG. 2 shows the configurations of various kinds of external
communication devices employed when the electronic camera 10
transmits and receives information.
[0037] In FIG. 2, the external communication devices include a
communication device 44 which communicates with the electronic
camera 10 and can transmit information to and receive from a server
42 via a communication network 40 such as a public line, a tourist
spot information server 45 connected in communication to the server
42, and a printing shop 46 for receiving and printing image
information transmitted from the electronic camera 10 and supplying
the image thus printed to the user.
[0038] In the tourist spot information server 45, the latest
information of the tourist spot, image data such as the image of
the past best scene of the tourist spot, a present landscape, etc.
or guide map information, positional information and character
information are stored. The tourist spot server 45 can transmit the
information of the above described tourist spot in accordance with
a request from the server 42.
[0039] The communication network 40 performs a communication with
the external communication device 44 and comprises a plurality of
base stations 47A, 47B, 47C, . . . , performing a communication
with a line control position determining station 48. When the
external communication device 44 and one of the above described
plurality of base stations 47A, 47B and 47C transmit and receive
information therebetween, a preliminary communication is previously
carried out to search for the nearest base station 47B and
determine a communication area, which is an area where the external
communication device 44 is. This control is performed by the line
control position determining station 48 so that the station 48 can
inform the server 42 of the communication area. The server 42 can
select the tourist spot information server 45 or the printing shop
46 in the vicinity of the communication area on the basis of the
communication area information.
[0040] In an example shown in FIG. 2, although the electronic
camera 10 communicates with the external communication device 44
through wireless communication means, it is to be understood that
wired communication means in which the electronic camera 10 is
connected to the external communication device 44 by a cable to
perform communication may be employed. Further, the external
communication device 44 may be a portable telephone capable of
performing communication through a public line.
[0041] The communicating operation of the electronic camera 10
configured as described above will be described below.
[0042] The user sets the mode of the electronic camera 10 to a mode
of "communication". Then, on the display 28 of the electronic
camera 10, a display for urging a communication connecting
destination to be selected is shown. The user designates a desired
communication connecting destination from the communication
connecting destination information displayed on the display 28.
Then, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication with the
server 42 in the neighborhood of the communication area through the
external communication device 44. At this time, in the case where
the external communication device 44 is a cellular type portable
telephone, since the nearest base station 47B can identify the
portable telephone, the portable telephone may be automatically
connected to the nearest server 42. Further, when a plurality of
servers 42 are present in the neighborhood, the user may select and
designate one server 42 thereof.
[0043] When the communication between the server 42 and the
electronic camera 10 is established, the server 42 transmits
available contents information to the electronic camera 10. The
information processing device 26 of the electronic camera 10
displays the received contents information on the display 28. The
user selects a desired item by operating the information input
device 24 on the basis of the displayed information.
[0044] The selected information is transmitted to the tourist spot
information server 45 through the external communication device 44
and the server 42, and the electronic camera 10 receives the
designated information. The received information is recorded on the
recording medium 30 of the electronic camera 10 or the RAM provided
in the information processing device 26. In this case, the
electronic camera 10 may display the received sightseeing
information or the images of tourist spots on the display 28.
[0045] For example, in the case where the user gets the present
scene of Mt. Fuji, when the items of "image", "Shizuoka" and "Mt.
Fuji" are selected, and then, the "present scene" is selected from
the contents displayed in a file structure shown in FIG. 3, the
present image of Mt. Fuji is transmitted from the tourist spot
information server 45 to the electronic camera 10. Further, as
shown in FIG. 3, when there exist a plurality of neighboring
tourist spots in adjacent areas such as "Mt. Fuji" and "the Fuji
Five Lakes", the user may select a plurality of pieces of tourist
spot information and obtain a plurality of pieces of image
information.
[0046] The imaging operation of the electronic camera 10 will be
described.
[0047] The user sets the mode of the electronic camera 10 to a mode
of "imaging". The image of the object to be captured which is
formed on the imaging device 12 of the electronic camera 10 is
converted into an electric signal and displayed on the display 28.
Then, while the optically-captured image displayed on the display
28 is viewed by directing the electronic camera 10 toward the
object whose image is optically-captured, an angle, a focus and an
exposure state relative to the object to be captured are
determined, and then, the shutter release switch 16 is pressed to
optically capture the image.
[0048] The image optically-captured is recorded on the recording
medium 30.
[0049] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which the
optically-captured image is combined with the image received from
the tourist spot information server 45 to produce a new image.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the image selected and received by the
user from the tourist spot information server 45 is displayed on
the display 28, and the user cuts and selects a necessary part by
operating the information input device 24 and designates a range in
which the received image is combined with the optically-captured
image. Then, the user reads out the optically-captured image from
the recording medium 30 to combine it with the above described
image in a desired position. In this case, instead of reading out
the optically-captured image from the recording medium 30, the
range may be designated on the basis of a preview image to be
optically-captured, the received image may be combined with the
optically-captured image and the synthesized image may be
displayed. In such a manner, the received image is combined with
the optically-captured image, so that a synthesized image such as a
synthesized photograph of the image of the past best scene of the
tourist spot and the user that the user cannot obtain on that date
or that time when the user visits the tourist spot can be formed.
In the case where images are combined together, an image
synthesizing apparatus such as a personal computer has been
conventionally required. However, according to the present
invention, the image information is downloaded from the tourist
spot information server 45, so that a synthesized image can be
readily formed in the electronic camera 10.
[0051] FIG. 5 shows the structure of a file of a received image of
a tourist spot.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 5, a file 50 of a received image comprises
an image data part 52 in which the data of the image is recorded,
imaging date information 54 in which information when the image was
optically-captured is written, imaging place information 56 in
which information related to places where the image was
optically-captured is written, and a comment part 58 in which
auxiliary information such as an explanation concerning
advertisement or image data.
[0053] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for receiving the image
information.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, when the processes of the electronic
camera 10 are started in S100 of "start", the setting state of the
mode change switch 18 is monitored in S102 of "set to communication
mode?". If a mode that is currently set is not the communication
mode, the procedure of the processes will branch through S104 of
"shift to a set mode" to the processing program of the set mode. If
the mode change switch 18 is set to the communication mode in S102,
the procedure will advance to S106 of "establish a
communication".
[0055] In S106, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication
with the external communication device 44 by employing the
communication device 32 and also starts a communication with the
server 42 of the nearest access point. When the communication is
established, contents information received via the server 42 is
displayed on the display 28 in S108 of "receive and display
contents".
[0056] The user operates the information input device 24 in S110 of
"select information to be received" to select one or a plurality of
pieces of desired information. The selected information is
transmitted to the tourist spot information server 45 through the
external communication device 44. The tourist spot information
server 45 transmits one or a plurality of pieces of designated
information to the electronic camera 10.
[0057] The electronic camera 10 receives the selected information
and records the information on the recording medium 30 in S112 of
"receive and record information". In subsequent S114 of "select
information to be displayed", when a plurality of pieces of
information are received from the tourist spot information server
45, one piece of information to be displayed is selected. The
contents of the information to be displayed may be image
information, map information or character information.
[0058] In S116 "synthesize image?", the user is asked to decide
whether or not the received image is combined with the
optically-captured image. If the synthesis of the images is not
performed, the procedure will branch to S126 of "END" to finish the
processes without performing a synthesizing process. If the
synthesis of the images is performed, the procedure will advance to
S118 of "obtain optically-captured image".
[0059] In S118, the image recorded on the recording medium 30 is
selected, read out and displayed. Further, when a newly
optically-captured image is combined with the received image, a
mode for performing the imaging operation is selected to optically
capture an image.
[0060] When the image to be combined with the received image is
obtained, the combined position and the combined range of each
image are designated by referring to a display screen in S120 of
"set combined position and combined range". When the combined
position and the combined range are determined, the procedure
advances to S112 of "synthesize" and the information processing
device 26 performs a process for combining the images. When a new
image obtained by the synthesizing process is recorded, the newly
formed image is recorded on the recording medium 30 in S124 of
"record".
[0061] When the recording operation of the image is completed, the
program advances to S126 of "END" to finish the processes for
obtaining the image and combining the images.
[0062] As described above, the image received from the tourist spot
information server 45 is combined with the optically-captured image
in the electronic camera 10, so that the synthesizing process and
the processing work of the images which is conventionally carried
out by using a personal computer or the like can be easily realized
in the electronic camera 10. Therefore, the images can be combined
by a simple operation without requiring complicated works. Further,
a variety of image information required for the synthesizing
process can be acquired from the external tourist spot information
server 45 through the external communication device 44.
[0063] Further, according to the present invention, a service can
be performed in which the image formed in the electronic camera 10
as described above is transmitted to and printed in the printing
shop 46, and the printed image is delivered to the user's house. A
method for obtaining information related to the printing shop 46
and a method for receiving a print service will be described
hereinafter.
[0064] FIG. 7 shows the structure of printing shop information 60
and map information 70 transmitted to the electronic camera 10 from
the printing shop 46.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 7, the printing shop information 60
comprises the telephone number 62 of the printing shop, the address
64 of the printing shop, the name 66 of the printing shop and map
data 68 in the vicinity of the printing shop. When the electronic
camera 10 receives the above described information through the
communication network 40, the electronic camera 10 displays the
printing shop information 60 and the map information 70 on the
display 28.
[0066] In this case, the display 28 may be controlled to display
the printing shop information 60 and the map information 70 on
separate screens, and then, the user may operate the information
input device 24 to switch and display them. When the user
designates the printing shop 46 to be used while viewing the
display, the procedure advances to a process for selecting a
desired image to be printed and transmitting the selected
image.
[0067] FIG. 8 shows print service information 72 transmitted to the
printing shop 46 from the electronic camera 10.
[0068] With reference to FIG. 8, the print service information 72
comprises electronic camera identifying information 74 unique to
the electronic camera 10 as a transmitter, communication device
identifying information 76 such as the telephone number of the
portable telephone, the image data 78 of the owner of the
electronic camera 10, the file name and the number 80 of print
sheets of the print image requested to be printed, and image data
82, 82, . . . , to be printed.
[0069] For the communication device identifying information 76, the
electronic camera 10 or the server 42 may automatically obtain the
telephone number of the portable telephone of the user upon
starting a communication and register it in the print service
information 72. Further, the image data 78 of the owner of the
electronic camera 10 is created by photographing the owner by using
the electronic camera 10 and attaching the data thus obtained
thereto. The image data 78 of the owner of the electronic camera 10
may be used in place of the name of an orderer.
[0070] FIG. 9 shows a flowchart in which the electronic camera 10
receives the image information and transmits the print service
information 72.
[0071] Referring to FIG. 9, when the processes of the electronic
camera 10 are started in S200 of "start", the setting state of the
mode change switch 18 is monitored in S202 of "set to communication
mode?". If a mode that is currently set is not the communication
mode, the procedure of the processes will branch through S204 of
"shift to a set mode" to the processing program of the set mode. If
the mode change switch 18 is set to the communication mode in S202,
the procedure will advance to S206 of "establish a communication
with server".
[0072] In S206, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication
with the external communication device 44 by using the
communication device 32, and also starts a communication with the
server 42 as the nearest access point. When the communication is
established therebetween, information received from the tourist
spot information server 45 in the neighborhood is displayed in next
S208 of "receive and display tourist spot information server in the
neighborhood".
[0073] In next S210 of "select desired tourist spot information
server", the user selects a desired tourist spot information server
45 from the information displayed on the display 28. Then, the
selected information is transmitted to the server 42 through the
external communication device 44 and the communication network 40.
The electronic camera 10 receives contents information from the
selected tourist spot information server 45. The electronic camera
10 displays the received contents information on the display 28 in
S212 of "receive and display contents".
[0074] The user operates the information input device 24 to select
one or a plurality of pieces of desired information in S214 of
"select information to be received". The selected information is
transmitted to the tourist spot information server 45 through the
external communication device 44 and the tourist spot information
server 45 transmits one or a plurality of pieces of designated
information to the electronic camera 10.
[0075] The electronic camera 10 receives the selected information
and records it on the recording medium 30 in S216 of "receive and
record information". In S218 of "select information to be
displayed", when a plurality of pieces of information are received
from the tourist spot information server 45, a process for
selecting the information to be displayed is carried out. The
contents to be displayed may be image information, map information
or character information.
[0076] In S220 of "synthesize image?", the user is asked to decide
whether or not the received image is combined with the
optically-captured image. If the synthesis of the images is not
performed, the procedure will branch to S236 of "END" to finish the
processes without performing a synthesizing process. If the
synthesis of the images is performed, the procedure will advance to
S222 of "obtain optically-captured image".
[0077] In S222, the image recorded on the recording medium 30 is
selected, read out and displayed. Further, when a newly
optically-captured image is combined with the received image, a
mode for performing the imaging operation is selected to optically
capture an image.
[0078] When the image to be combined with the received image is
obtained, the combined position and the combined range of each
image are designated by referring to a display screen in S224 of
"set combined position and combined range". When the combined
position and the combined range are determined, the procedure
advances to S226 of "synthesize". Then, the information processing
device 26 carries out a process for combining the images. When a
new image obtained by the synthesizing process is recorded, the
newly formed image is recorded on the recording medium 30 in S228
of "record".
[0079] When the recording process of the image is completed and the
user desires to print the image, a process for calling the printing
shop 46 is designated. When the electronic camera 10 requests the
server 42 to supply the information of the printing shop 46, the
server 42 selects the information of the nearest or neighboring
printing shop 46 and transmits the information to the electronic
camera 10. The electronic camera 10 displays the received printing
shop information 60 or the map information 70 in S230 of "receive
and display neighboring printing shop information".
[0080] In S232 of "select a desired printing shop", a desired
printing shop 46 is selected from the displayed printing shops 46.
The selected information is transmitted to the printing shop 46
from the electronic camera 10. After that, the printing shop 46 may
transmit information concerning conditions of printing photograph
to the electronic camera 10 so that the user can select various
kinds of conditions.
[0081] When printing conditions or the image to be printed are
determined, the electronic camera 10 transmits the print service
information 72 shown in FIG. 8 to the printing shop 46 in S234 of
"request to print photograph".
[0082] When the request to print the photograph is finished, the
program advances to S236 of "END" to finish the processes for
obtaining the image and requesting to print the photograph. Upon
request to print the photograph, the printing shop 46 may inform
the electronic camera 10 of a finish place or an expected finish
date.
[0083] As mentioned above, since the information processing device
26 of the electronic camera 10 combines the image received from the
tourist spot information server 45 with the image obtained by an
imaging operation and requests the printing shop 46 to print the
synthesized photograph, the processes for combining the images, and
processing and printing the synthesized images which is
conventionally performed by employing the personal computer or the
like can be readily realized by the electronic camera 10.
Therefore, the images can be combined and the synthesized images
can be printed by a simple operation without requiring a
complicated work.
[0084] Now, a description is directed to an embodiment in which an
imaging position is obtained on the basis of the communication area
information of a system provided in the external communication
device 44 and is recorded as the auxiliary information of the
image, when the external communication device 44 is a portable
telephone with a narrow range of communication area such as the
cellular phone system and the personal handy-phone system
(PHS).
[0085] As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic camera 10 is connected to
the external communication device 44 (portable telephone including
a PHS) in a communication. When the communication with a prescribed
server 42 is started through the communication network 40, the
server 42 can obtain the positional information of the nearest base
station 47B relative to the external communication device 44 from
the line control position determining station 48. The server 42
transmits the map information in the vicinity of the base station
47B to the electronic camera 10 on the basis of the positional
information of the base station 47B. This map information may
include only a map or information combined with the positional
information of the longitude and latitude.
[0086] The electronic camera 10 displays the received map
information on the display 28 to inform the user of the map
information. The user recognizes a place where the user is present
from the displayed map information. If an accuracy is required for
the positional information and there exists a difference between
the position where the user is present and the position of the map
information, a current position will be corrected by using the
information input device 24 such as the cursor switch 20 by
comparing the current position with a circumferential state.
[0087] When the user optically captures an image under this state,
the information of the imaging position (present position) is
recorded as the auxiliary information together with the image data
obtained by the imaging operation. Then, when the imaging operation
is performed by moving from the place a little, the previously
employed positional information can be corrected on a map to form
new image information.
[0088] Further, when an imaging operation is carried out at a
position deviated from the displayed map, the map information is
downloaded again from the server 42 and utilized. Still further, in
the case where the user is moving in the displayed map so that it
is troublesome to manually correct imaging information every time,
it is possible to perform a communication with the server 42 and to
download only the positional information and automatically change
the positional information. Thus, the information processing device
26 may classify the optically-captured images and store them on the
basis of the positional information of the imaging place acquired
in such a manner.
[0089] Still further, in the case where the imaging operation is
carried out in a place where the external communication device 44
cannot perform a communication with the communication network 40 as
in the underground of a building or a place where the use of the
portable telephone is prohibited, the map information is previously
gotten from the server 42 and the positional information is changed
by using the displayed map information, so that the imaging
position information can be recorded as well as the image data to
be recorded.
[0090] Still further, in the case where the imaging operation is
continuously carried out so that the image data in the recording
medium 30 of the electronic camera 10 is increased and a remaining
recording capacity is decreased, a communication with a prescribed
server 42 may be started through the external communication device
44 to upload the information recorded in the recording medium 30 in
the server 42. The uploaded information can be retrieved in such a
way that the user downloads it from the server 42, for instance,
after the user returns home.
[0091] The server 42 side can register images to which the
positional information is affixed on the map as associated area
information, create and open to the public the data base thereof,
with consent of the imaging person or the photographer.
[0092] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart when the electronic camera 10
receives the map information and records the map information on the
optically-captured image as the auxiliary information.
[0093] Referring to FIG. 10, when the processes of the electronic
camera 10 are started in step S300 of "start", the setting state of
the mode change switch 18 is monitored in S302 of "set to
communication mode?". If the set mode is not the communication
mode, the procedure will branch through S304 of "shift to set mode"
to the processing program of the set mode. If the mode change
switch 18 is set to the communication mode in S302, the procedure
will advance to S306 of "establish a communication with a
server".
[0094] In S306, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication
with the external communication device 44 by using the
communication device 32, and also automatically starts a
communication with the server 42 as the nearest access point. When
the communication is established therebetween, map information in
the neighborhood received from the server 42 is obtained and
displayed in S308 of "obtain positional information".
[0095] In step S310 of "user's place is present in a map?", the
user is asked to decide whether or not the place where the user is
present is included in the map displayed on the display 28. If the
place where the user is present is included in the displayed map,
the procedure will advance to S314. If the place where the user is
present is not included in the displayed map, the procedure will
branch to S312 of "obtain a map including a current user's place"
to perform a process for receiving another map in which the user's
current place is included, and advance to S314 of "set a map to a
position gotten by the communication device".
[0096] The user sets the map to the position obtained by the
external communication device 44 in S314 and advances to S316 to
decide "whether there is not a difference between the position on
the map and an actual position". In S316, it is decided whether or
not the place where the user is present is deviated from the
position displayed on the map. If there exists a difference between
the place in which the user is present and the position shown on
the map, the procedure will branch to S318 of "operate the
information input device to correct the place on the map where the
user is present".
[0097] In S318, the user operates the information input device 24
to correct a difference between the place in which the user is
present and the position on the map. When the correction is
completed, the program advances to S320 of "record
optically-captured image".
[0098] In S320, a mode for performing the imaging operation is
selected to optically capture the image and the information of the
place where the user is present is affixed to the image information
and recorded on the recording medium 30.
[0099] When the recording operation of the image is completed, the
program advances to S322 of "END" to finish the processes for
obtaining the image and recording the imaging position
information.
[0100] As mentioned above, since the portable telephone is
connected to the electronic camera 10 under a communication, a
function for obtaining the positional information of the base
station 47B near a communication spot is utilized and the
electronic camera 10 receives and records a map in the neighborhood
of the base station 47B on the basis of the positional information,
the information of the imaging position can be easily affixed to
the optically-captured image and they can be recorded. Further,
since the electronic camera 10 can transmit the map information and
the image information to the server 42, the user can optically
capture a large quantity of images irrespective of the recording
capacity of the recording medium 30 of the electronic camera 10.
Besides, it is not necessary to carry a large quantity of recording
media 30 in reserve.
[0101] Still further, in the case where the optical image pickup
person cannot specify a place where he is present in an unknown
area, the above described function capable of obtaining the
positional information of the base station 47B near the
communication point is utilized to display a current position and a
map so that he can know the current place where he is present.
[0102] Furthermore, two persons present in remote places can
exchange respective map information through the portable telephones
in order to know respective places where they are present so that
they can mutually understand the respective places.
[0103] As described above, according to the present invention, the
electronic camera obtains a desired image from a server storing
images of tourist spots and providing an image in accordance with a
request from a user through an external communication device
capable of determining a communication area where the external
communication device is, and the electronic camera comprises: a
communication device which transmits a request for obtaining an
image of a tourist spot to the server through the external
communication device and receives information and the image of the
tourist spot around the communication area from the server; a
display which displays the information and the image of the tourist
spot obtained from the server through the external communication
device; an information input device which selects and inputs a
desired image from the displayed tourist spot information; and a
recording medium which records the image of the tourist spot
received through the external communication device and records an
image gotten by an imaging operation. Thus, the user can easily
acquire the expected images of the landscape of the tourist spot in
the neighborhood from the server, even when an expected landscape
cannot be photographed due to bad weather.
[0104] Further, according to another aspect of the present
invention, the electronic camera transmits information to and
receives information from a server having information of printing
shops and transferring an image to a printing shop in accordance
with a request for print from a user through an external
communication device capable of determining a communication area
where the external communication device is, and the electronic
camera comprises: a communication device which receives printing
shop information in a neighborhood of the communicating area from
the server and transmits an image to the printing shop; a display
which displays the printing shop information obtained from the
server through the communication device; and an information input
device which selects and inputs a desired printing shop from the
displayed printing shop information. Thus, the user can easily
select the printing shop to order to print the image.
[0105] Further, according to the present invention, the information
obtaining system comprises: a server which stores images of tourist
spots and provides an image in accordance with a request from a
user; and an electronic camera which obtains a desired image from
the server through an external communication device capable of
determining a communication area where the external communication
device is, wherein the electronic camera comprises: an imaging
device which captures an image of an object; a communication device
which transmits a request for obtaining an image of a tourist spot
to the server through the external communication device and
receives the image of the tourist spot from the server; and a
recording medium which records the image of the tourist spot
received by the communication device and the image captured by an
imaging operation, wherein the server comprises: an image selecting
device which selects the image of the tourist spot in the
neighborhood on the basis of the information of the communication
area of the external communication device when there is sent the
request for obtaining the image of the tourist spot through the
external communication device from the electronic camera; and a
transmitting device which transmits the selected image of the
tourist spot to the electronic camera. Thus, the user can easily
get the images of the tourist spots in the neighborhood.
[0106] Further, according to the present invention, the print order
system comprises: an electronic camera which transmits an image
ordered to be printed to a server through an external communication
device capable of determining a communication area where the
external communication device is; and the server which receives the
order for printing the image transmitted from the electronic camera
through the external communication device and transmits the
received image to a printing shop in a neighborhood of the
communication area, wherein the electronic camera comprises: an
information input device which selects and inputs the image ordered
to be printed from a recording medium on which images are recorded;
a communication device which transmits the image ordered to be
printed which is selected and inputted to the server through the
external communication device and receives information of the
printing shop in the neighborhood from the server; and a display
which displays the received information of the printing shop,
wherein the server comprises: a selecting device which selects the
printing shop in the neighborhood on the basis of information of
the communication area of the external communication device when
the print order is requested from the electronic camera through the
external communication device; and a transmitting device which
transmits the image ordered to be printed to the selected printing
shop and transmits the information of the printing shop to the
electronic camera. Thus, the user can easily select the printing
shop to order to print the image.
[0107] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the
information obtaining system comprises: a server which has map data
and provides the map data in accordance with a request from a user;
and an electronic camera which obtains desired map data from the
server through an external communication device capable of
determining a communication area where the external communication
device is, wherein the electronic camera comprises: a communication
device which transmits a request for map data to the server through
the external communication device and receives the map data from
the server; a recording medium which records the map data received
by the communication device; and a display which displays a map on
the basis of the map data recorded on the recording medium, wherein
the server comprises: a selecting device which selects the map data
in a neighborhood on the basis of the information of the
communication area of the external communication device when a
request for obtaining the map data is supplied from the electronic
camera; and a transmitting device which transmits the map data
selected by the selecting device to the electronic camera. Thus,
the user can easily obtain the map of the tourist spot in the
neighborhood.
[0108] It should be understood, however, that there is no intention
to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the
contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternate
constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope
of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
* * * * *