JP2003348524A - Digital camera with communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera with which an object is photographed, an image file is created and recorded by depressing a shutter button, and the image file is transmitted while being attached to electronic mail. <P>SOLUTION: The digital camera is internally provided with a communication means which makes possible a connection to an Internet provider by means of a PHS or the like and calling by means of an Internet telephone, a GPS for acquiring position information and two loading slots for loading memory recording media, so that an image recording medium for recording the image file and an address directory recording medium for electronic mail are inserted. Besides, the digital camera is equipped with the shutter button and a communication button, the communication button is depressed for the connection with the Internet provider or the like, the shutter button is depressed to perform photographing, the creation of the image file and recording on the recording medium, and the image file is transmitted to a transmitting destination recorded on the address directory recording medium as electronic mail with the image file attached thereto. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a digital camera 1 with a communication function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to transmit an image photographed by a digital camera to a destination, the image is photographed once and recorded as an image file on a recording medium inserted in the digital camera. Using a memory reader or a floppy (registered trademark) disk adapter to read the image file on a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer), attach the read image file to an e-mail, and send it via the Internet. I was Further, the personal computer and the digital camera 1 were directly connected by a cable such as a USB, and the image file could be taken into the personal computer without removing the recording medium mounted in the digital camera.

[0003] In a camera-equipped mobile phone, a captured image file can be immediately transmitted from a mobile phone to a destination in a form attached to a mail. In a mobile phone with a videophone function, it was possible to transmit and receive video images in both directions.

[0004]

However, besides saving as an image file, a digital camera can be used for transmitting an object to a destination immediately after shooting, such as a mobile phone with a camera. Digital cameras do not have a communication function, so image files cannot be sent immediately after shooting, and many work procedures are required to send image files to the destination. I couldn't send a file while shooting. In addition, a camera-equipped mobile phone can transmit an image file in less work and in a shorter time than a digital camera, but cannot shoot a high-resolution image file as described above. The image file could not be transmitted at the same time as shooting. In addition, even in a mobile phone with a videophone function, there is no means for recording images transmitted and received by the transmitting side and the receiving side, and it has not been possible to transmit to a plurality of destinations.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has been made in consideration of the above. A provider 3 for connecting the digital camera 1 to the Internet 40 via a PHS or the like is provided.
9, a communication circuit 34 and a communication device 35 capable of communicating with an Internet telephone and a GPS 32 capable of communicating with a GPS satellite 41 for acquiring position information, and a memory recording medium such as a smart media. An image recording medium 36 for recording an image file, and an address book recording medium 37 for recording an address book in which an e-mail address to be transmitted is recorded. Can be inserted. The digital camera 1 has a shutter button 3 and a communication button 8
The communication button 8 is pressed to enable communication by dialing the telephone number of the provider 39 for connection with the Internet 40 and transmitting a user ID and password for authentication, and a shutter button. Pressing 3 allows shooting, generation of an image file, and recording on a recording medium, and transmission of the image file as an e-mail attached to the destination recorded on the address book recording medium 37. Provide a digital camera with a communication function.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention comprises a digital camera 1 provided with a shutter button 3 at the top, a lens 2 at the front, a viewfinder 4, and a dropper 5 used when exposure is insufficient. Finder 4, communication button 8,
An operation key 9, a mode changeover switch 10 for changing the operation of the shutter button 3, and a liquid crystal screen 11 are provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the back of the digital camera 1 is provided with a cover that can be opened and closed, and by opening the cover, a button input unit for inputting numbers and characters as in a conventional mobile phone is provided. 4 and 5, a power button 7, an AC power jack 16, a USB jack 17 for connecting to a device such as a personal computer, and an earphone jack are provided on the right side of the digital camera 1 as shown in FIGS. 18 and a recording medium insertion port 15 on the left side surface. The recording medium insertion port 15 has a lid, and the lid is closed at the time of shooting, when not in use, and when storing. The recording medium can be attached and detached with the lid open. As shown in FIG. 6, a cover is also provided on the bottom surface of the digital camera 1, and when the cover is opened, a storage battery insertion port 19 is provided, and it is possible to replace a storage battery such as a battery or a small battery. Like the conventional digital camera 1, a tripod screw hole 20 is provided so that a tripod can be used. It is necessary to insert the image recording medium 36 into the recording medium insertion slot 15 before turning on the power. If the power is turned on without inserting the image recording medium 36, an error message is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 11, and the image is recorded. Cannot be performed.

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the external view of the digital camera 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and the internal configuration diagram of the digital camera 1 shown in FIG. By rotating the mode change switch 10 on the back of the digital camera 1, it is possible to change the shooting mode, the transmission mode, the zoom mode, and the operation mode of the digital camera 1. When the photographing mode is selected by the mode changeover switch 10, photographing of the subject through the lens 2 is performed in the same manner as the function of a conventional digital camera.
The recording is performed by the CD 22, the photographing information from the CCD 22 is converted into a signal for generating an image in the signal converting circuit 23, and the signalized photographing information is generated as an image file in the image generating circuit 24. The image is recorded on the image recording medium 36 inserted in the mouth 15. When the current position is set to be included in the image file when the image file is generated, communication between the GPS 32 built in the digital camera 1 and the GPS satellite 41 for acquiring position information is performed as shown in FIG. Is performed, the position information of the user is obtained, and the obtained position information is compared and analyzed with the address and place name in the position analysis circuit 31 to analyze and determine the current position of the user. The circuit 28 encodes the encoded character information for image file processing, converts the encoded character information into an image file in the image generation circuit 24, and records the image file on the image recording medium 36 again.

When the mode changeover switch 10 is set to the transmission mode, the address book recording medium 37 is inserted into the recording medium insertion slot 15 so that a plurality of e-mail addresses recorded on the address book recording medium 37 can be transmitted. The generated image file can be attached to an e-mail and transmitted. Before photographing, an address book recording medium 37 on which a mail address is recorded is inserted into the recording medium insertion port 15 on the side of the digital camera 1, and a destination is selected.
As shown in FIG. 8, a list of e-mail addresses recorded in the address book recording medium 37 is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 11, and it is possible to select a transmission destination to which the image file is transmitted using the operation keys 9. If no destination is selected, it is assumed that all mail addresses registered in the address book recording medium 37 have been selected. The selected destination mail address is recorded in the destination recording unit 38 of the digital camera 1.
After the destination mail address is recorded in the destination recording unit 38, when the shutter button 3 is pressed during photographing, photographing and generation of an image file and recording on the image recording medium 36 are performed in the same manner as in the photographing mode, and generation of the image file Later, in the mail generation / transmission circuit 33, the destination recording unit 3
Enter the e-mail address recorded in E-mail
An e-mail with the generated image file as an attached file is created as an address, and a provider 39 registered via a communication circuit 34 and a communication device 35 built in the digital camera 1 as shown in FIG. Dial the telephone number, and when communication becomes possible, send the user ID and password to perform authentication.
After the connection to is completed, the e-mail attached with the created image file is transmitted to all the e-mail addresses recorded in the transmission destination recording section 38. After the transmission of the e-mail is completed, a message indicating the completion of the transmission is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 11 to notify the user of the completion of the transmission of the e-mail.

Further, the digital camera 1 makes it possible to simultaneously perform a telephone call and a photograph using an Internet telephone function. By pressing the call button provided on the back of the digital camera 1, the Internet 40 registered in advance is
Communication circuit 3 to the telephone number of the provider 39 to connect to
4 and the communication device 35, and after the dial connection, the user ID and the password are transmitted to perform authentication.
After the authentication is completed, connection to the Internet 40 becomes possible, and when the user presses the telephone number of the other party to be called from the button input unit 14 provided on the back of the digital camera 1, the Internet telephone function is used. When the telephone is dialed and the user can talk with the other party, the user can talk with the other party using the voice input unit 13 and the voice output unit 12 on the back of the digital camera 1. When the mode switch 10 on the back of the digital camera 1 is in the photographing mode, when the shutter button 3 is depressed during a call, the subject is photographed by the CCD 22 in the same manner as during the non-call, and the photographing information from the CCD 22 is converted into a signal conversion circuit. An image recording medium is converted into a signal for generating an image in 23, the signalized photographing information is generated as an image file in the image generation circuit 24, and is inserted into the recording medium insertion port 15 on the side of the digital camera 1. 36, and when the mode changeover switch 10 is in the transmission mode, it is possible to take a picture of a subject, generate an image file, record on the image recording medium 36, and send an address while talking, as in the case of the transmission mode. Creating an e-mail and attaching and sending an image file to the e-mail address selected from the book recording medium 37 Although it is possible to carry out, because it has been already connected to the Internet 40, it does not carry out the operation for connecting to the Internet 40.

When the mode changeover switch 10 is set to the zoom mode, if the shutter button 3 is kept depressed for a certain period of time, optical and digital zoom operations are controlled centering on a focused portion in the zoom circuit 27. . Focusing is performed at an arbitrary magnification, and shooting is performed after focusing. The mechanism after shooting is the same as that in the shooting mode, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. If the state in which the shutter button 3 is kept pressed after photographing is maintained, the magnification is increased again to perform zooming and photographing. The zoom operation and photographing are performed a plurality of times up to the maximum magnification, and each time photographing is performed, an image file is generated and the image recording medium
Record to Since the mechanism of the zoom operation is the same as the zoom operation of a conventional digital camera,
Detailed description here is omitted.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. First, before turning on the power of the digital camera 1, the user inserts a recording medium for recording an image file into the digital camera 1.
It is inserted into the recording medium insertion opening 15 on the side. Similarly, an address book recording medium 37 on which an address book is recorded is also inserted. The insertion of the address book recording medium 37 may be performed after the power of the digital camera 1 is turned on. Next, by turning on the power button 7 provided in the digital camera 1, power is supplied from a storage battery such as a battery or a dry battery inserted into the storage battery insertion slot 19, and all operations of the digital camera 1 are enabled. Becomes When the power is turned on, the image recording medium 36
If is not inserted, a message such as "Please insert a memory" is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 11 to notify the user that shooting is not possible. Next, the user operates the mode changeover switch 10 provided on the back of the digital camera 1,
Select the mode that the user wants to perform. Here, the following embodiments will be described on the assumption that the transmission mode is selected.

After the mode changeover switch 10 is switched to the transmission mode, a destination selection menu is selected from the liquid crystal screen 11 with the operation keys 9 and the address book is inserted from the address book recording medium 37 inserted in the recording medium insertion slot 15 to the address book. Is read and a list is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 11. The user may use the operation keys 9 to select a destination to be transmitted, and select a plurality of destinations. The selected transmission destination is recorded in the transmission destination recording section 38 provided in the digital camera 1, and is recorded until the next transmission destination is selected. After selecting the transmission destination, the user confirms the subject on the display of the viewfinder 4 or the liquid crystal screen 11 on the back of the digital camera 1 and presses the shutter button 3. When the shutter button 3 is pressed, the subject is photographed by the CCD 22 through the lens 2, and the photographing information captured by the CCD 22 is converted into a signal for generating an image in the signal conversion circuit 23. The signalized photographing information is generated as an image file in the image generating circuit 24, and is recorded on the image recording medium 36 inserted in the recording medium insertion opening 15 on the side surface. Also, since the mode is the transmission mode, after the image file is generated,
The transmission circuit 33 generates an electronic mail with the selected destination mail address as the TO address and the generated image file as an attached file. After the generation of the e-mail, the user dials the telephone number of the provider 39 for connection to the Internet 40 recorded in the communication circuit 34 via the communication device 35, transmits the user ID and the password after the connection, and performs authentication and connection to the Internet 40. After the connection is completed,
Send the generated e-mail. After the transmission of the e-mail was completed, the Internet line was disconnected, a transmission completion message such as "The transmission of the e-mail was completed" was displayed on the liquid crystal display 11, and the photographed image file was transmitted to the user by the e-mail. To the effect.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image file photographed in an e-mail format can be transmitted to an arbitrary destination simultaneously with photographing a subject, and the Internet telephone function can be used. The image file can be transmitted in an e-mail format even during a call. This eliminates the need to read a recording medium recorded by a conventional digital camera with a personal computer and create an e-mail, etc., and eliminates the need to carry a notebook personal computer one by one since the personal computer itself is not required. Also, since the transmission can be performed on the spot, the processing can be completed in a short time. For example, it is possible to check an image file of the work situation at a work site such as a construction site almost simultaneously at the head office distant from the work site, and to the photographer at the work site from the checking side at the head office. On the other hand, since an instruction such as “more right side” can be given, it is possible for the checker to shoot the desired image. Also, when exchanging an e-mail with an image file attached to the mobile phone with the digital camera 1, the photographing and transmission are performed at the same time, so that the operability is improved and the user can use the mobile phone more easily. Further, when an injured or sick person occurs, by photographing the situation and transmitting it to the doctor, it is possible to directly receive an instruction for appropriate first-aid treatment from the doctor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention (when the cover of the button input unit 14 is opened).

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an internal configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an example of an e-mail destination selection screen according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a communication state according to the present invention.

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A communication circuit 34 and a communication device 35 connectable to the Internet 40 and capable of using an Internet telephone function, a strobe 5 serving as a light source when exposure is insufficient, and recording of a generated image file. And a recording medium insertion port 15 for an address book recording medium 37 to which an image file is to be transmitted, a GPS 32 (global positioning system) built-in, and a monitor and a liquid crystal for use in checking recorded image files. Screen 11
A communication button 8 for communicating with a shutter button 3 for taking a picture and a mode changeover switch 10 for switching the operation of the shutter button 3 for making a call. The camera has an audio input unit 13 and an audio output unit 12, and can switch between a shooting mode, a transmission mode, and a zoom mode by the mode changeover switch 10. In the shooting mode, the shutter button 3 is pressed in the same manner as in a conventional digital camera. By doing so, it is possible to take a picture of the subject and record the generated image file on the recording medium for recording the image file, and when the transmission mode is selected, when the user presses the shutter button 3 , An image file is generated and recorded on the recording medium 36 for recording the image file. Connection, and further, the image file is transmitted to a plurality of e-mail addresses selected from the address book recorded on the recording medium 37 for recording the address book, and the connection to the Internet is automatically disconnected after the transmission is completed. When the zoom mode is selected, by continuously pressing the shutter button 3 for a predetermined period of time, shooting and image file generation are performed continuously while zooming automatically. It is possible to perform recording on the recording medium 36, and when the communication button 8 is pressed, it is possible to automatically connect to the Internet 40, and in this state, it is possible to make a call using the Internet telephone function. At the same time, when the shutter button 3 is pressed, shooting and generation of an image file, recording on a recording medium, and recording from the address book recording medium 37 are performed. -Option the plurality of digital cameras, which made it possible to send an image file that is generated to the destination. 2. A voice input is possible via a voice input unit 13, the input voice is displayed on a liquid crystal screen 11, and the input voice is processed as a character into an image file recorded on a recording medium. It is possible to process decorations such as frames prepared in advance, and obtain the current position of the user by performing communication between the built-in GPS 32 and GPS satellite 41. It is possible to
Further, the acquired position information can be analyzed not only as a simple address but also as a place name such as a sightseeing spot by the position information analysis circuit 31, and the analyzed address and place name can be analyzed by the character generation circuit 28 for image processing. It is possible to process the image file recorded in the image recording medium 36 and generate the image file with the analyzed address or place name added when generating the image file immediately after shooting. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the digital camera is capable of doing things.