KR101417805B1 - Apparatus of processing digital image and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus capable of storing first and second files including different kinds of data, and storing information of a second file in a first file, and a control method thereof. The present invention provides a storage medium, comprising: a first storage medium storing a first file; A second storage medium storing a second file including data of a different format from the first file; And a control unit for adding data of the second file to the first file and storing the data in the first storage medium.

Description

[0001] Digital image processing apparatus and control method thereof [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a digital image processing apparatus and a control method thereof that can include an image file and an audio file, respectively.

The digital image processing apparatus includes all devices that process images of a digital camera, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a phone camera, a PC camera, or the like and use an image recognition sensor.

The digital image processing apparatus can receive input through an image pickup device or display an image of an image file stored in a storage medium on a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

In addition, the digital image processing apparatus may have a function of generating a voice file by receiving voice and storing the voice file, or outputting the voice of the voice file through a voice output device such as a speaker.

The object of the present invention is to provide a digital image processing apparatus capable of storing first and second files including different types of data and storing information of a second file in a first file and a control method thereof do.

The present invention provides a storage medium, comprising: a first storage medium storing a first file; A second storage medium storing a second file including data of a different format from the first file; And a control unit for adding data of the second file to the first file and storing the data in the first storage medium.

An audio output unit for outputting the audio information, an image output unit for outputting the image information, and a user input unit for inputting a user's operation.

The control unit may convert the format of the data of the second file into the format stored in the first file and insert the converted data of the second file at a predetermined position of the first file.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium including: (a) a first file is selected; (b) selecting a second file including data of a format different from the first file; And (c) adding data of the second file to the first file.

Wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of: converting the format of the data of the second file into a format stored in the first file; and inserting the converted data of the second file into a predetermined position of the first file Step.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method comprising the steps of: (a) reproducing an image of an image file; (b) displaying a file list of voice files; (c) selecting a voice file from the file list; And (d) adding an image of the image file to the selected audio file.

According to the digital image processing apparatus and the control method therefor according to the present invention, the user can easily store the information of the second file in the first file in the digital image processing apparatus.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a digital image processing apparatus 100 includes a storage unit 110; A control unit 120; An audio output unit 130; An image output unit 140; And a user input unit 150. The storage unit 110 may include a first storage medium 111 and a second storage medium 112.

The first storage medium 111 may store a first file. And a second file may be stored in the second storage medium 112. [ The first file and the second file may include data in different formats. For example, the first file may be a voice file including voice information, and the second file may be an image file including image information.

The control unit 120 may add the data of the second file to the first file to control the first file to be stored in the first storage medium. That is, the control unit 120 may add data of an image file to the voice file, and control the voice file including the image data to be stored in the first storage medium.

At this time, the controller 120 converts the format of the data of the second file into the format stored in the first file, and inserts the converted data of the second file into the predetermined position of the first file.

In another embodiment, the control unit 120 may add data of the first file to the second file to control the second file to be stored in the second storage medium. At this time, the first file may be an image file including image information, and the second file may be a voice file including voice information. That is, the control unit 120 may add data of the voice file to the image file and control the image file including the voice data to be stored in the second storage medium.

At this time, the controller 120 converts the format of the data of the first file into the format stored in the second file, and inserts the converted data of the first file into the predetermined position of the second file.

Voice files can be in various formats. The audio file may be an MP3 file compressed in MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer-3) format.

The voice output unit 130 outputs voice information. The image output unit 140 outputs image information. The user input unit 150 inputs the user's operation.

The digital image processing apparatus 100 is capable of shooting an image and / or reproducing an image file, and an audio file such as an MP3 file can be stored and / or reproduced. In addition, the digital image processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention can easily include an album jacket image in an audio file such as an MP3 file.

In this case, when an audio file is reproduced through the audio output unit 130, it can be displayed on the image output unit 140 by album art or the like.

Meanwhile, the MP3 file, which is one embodiment of the audio file, may include an ID3 tag (TAG) capable of recording various additional information therein. At this time, the ID3 tag may have an image data area. Therefore, specific image data is recorded in the image data area of the ID3 tag, so that a specific image can be included in the MP3 file.

The image recorded in the ID3 tag can be added, deleted, edited, etc., and even if it is transferred to another apparatus, it is recorded in the file, so the recorded information can be maintained.

In accordance with the protocol of ID3 version 2, the photographed image or the original image of the stored image can be converted into JFIF (JPEG Interchange File Format) data and recorded in the ID: APIC area. To this end, the voice file is opened, the image data of the image file is recorded in the APIC area, and the voice file is closed.

As described above, the MP3 file to which the image data is added contains the image information that can be played together when the MP3 file is reproduced in the ID3 tag, so that the user can easily and easily store the image information desired to be stored in the MP3 file.

For this, the controller 120 converts the format of the data of the image file into the format stored in the APIC area of the MP3 file, and inserts the converted image file data into the predetermined position of the MP3 file, i.e., the APIC area.

There may be various embodiments for inserting image data into an audio file, such as an MP3 file, or including audio information in an image file. The specific embodiment thereof can be implemented by the control method (S400, S500) of the digital image processing apparatus shown in the flowcharts of FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 4, an image photographed during reproduction of the MP3 file or an image selected from the stored images may be stored in the MP3 file being reproduced. In this case, the MP3 file is reproduced in the background mode, and the operation can be performed by picking up an image or selecting a specific image from the stored images. In addition, a single MP3 file may include a plurality of images.

In one embodiment, when an image is photographed during playback of the MP3 file, the photographed image may be recorded in the currently playing MP3 file. In this case, the image photographed at the time of image shooting may be temporarily stored in a file, and the temporarily stored image may be recorded in an MP3 file.

At this time, the image shooting operation can be performed while the MP3 file is being reproduced in the background mode.

The second storage medium 112 in which the photographed image is temporarily stored in an image file may comprise a volatile memory element such as a DRAM (204 in FIG. 3). At this time, the first storage medium 111 in which the MP3 file is stored may include a memory card, a flash memory, or the like.

As another example, a specific image file may be selected and stored in an MP3 file among image files that are previously photographed during playback of the MP3 file and stored in the second storage medium 112 or input from the outside.

At this time, in a state in which the MP3 file is reproduced in the background mode, a selection operation of a specific image can be performed on the images stored in the second storage medium 112.

The first storage medium 111 in which the MP3 file is stored and the second storage medium 112 in which the image file is stored may be the same storage medium. That is, the first storage medium 111 and the second storage medium 112 may include a memory card, a flash memory, or the like.

As another example, an MP3 file may be selected during image playback, and an image being played back may be added to the selected MP3 file, as in the method illustrated in FIG. At this time, the image reproduction can be performed in an image reproduction mode in which one image is displayed and in a thumbnail reproduction mode in which a plurality of images are displayed on one screen.

The image reproduction method can be designated by settings such as a menu. In addition, a plurality of images can be stored in one MP3 file.

In this case, the MP3 file may not be reproduced in order to edit the MP3 ID3 tag.

Meanwhile, a digital camera, a control device thereof, and a control method thereof are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0130650 (titled as a quadratic function of a camera And a method of automatically focusing a quadratic function in a camera.

The digital camera, its control device, and control method disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. application are incorporated in this specification, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a rear view of the digital camera 20, which is one embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a direction button 21, a menu-OK button 22, a wide angle-zoom button W, a telephoto-zoom button Zoom ) Button T, a speaker SP, a display panel 25, and the like.

The direction button 21 may include a total of four buttons including an up button 21a, a down button 21b, a left button 21c, and a right button 21d. The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 are keys for inputting various menus related to the operation of the digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera.

Wide angle-zoom button W or telephoto-zoom button T widens the view angle or narrows the view angle depending on the input. In particular, it can be used to change the size of the selected exposure area. At this time, when the wide-angle zoom button W is input, the size of the selected exposure area is reduced, and when the telephoto-zoom button T is input, the size of the selected exposure area may be enlarged.

As the display panel 25, an image display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be used. The display panel 25 may be included in the image output unit 140 of FIG.

Sound can be output through the speaker SP. The speaker SP may be included in the audio output unit 130 of FIG.

A shutter release button 26, a flash (not shown), a power switch (not shown), and a lens unit (not shown) may be provided on a front surface or a top surface of the digital camera 20. In addition, an objective lens and an eyepiece lens of the viewfinder 27 may be provided on the front and rear surfaces of the digital camera 20.

The shutter release button 26 is opened and closed to expose an image pickup element or film such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) to light for a predetermined time. Further, the shutter release button interlocks with an iris (not shown) to appropriately expose the subject to record the image on the imaging element.

The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 are used to select a voice file and / or an image file, perform a user's operation for selecting a mode, embedding an image file in the voice file, May be included in the user input unit 150 of FIG.

3 is a block diagram of a control apparatus 200 of a digital image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The control device 200 of the digital image processing apparatus can be mounted inside the digital camera 20 of Fig.

Referring to the drawings, an optical system (OPS) including a lens unit and a filter unit optically processes light from a subject. The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens. When the user presses the wide-zoom button W or telephoto-zoom button T included in the user input unit INP, a corresponding signal is input to the microcontroller 212.

Accordingly, as the microcontroller 212 controls the lens driving unit 210, the zoom motor M _Z is driven to move the zoom lens. That is, when the wide-angle zoom button W is depressed, the focal length of the zoom lens is shortened to enlarge the angle of view, and if the telephoto-zoom button T is depressed, the focal length of the zoom lens becomes long and the angle of view becomes narrow.

Meanwhile, in the auto focusing mode, the main controller built in the digital signal processor 207 controls the lens driving unit 210 through the micro controller 212, so that the focus motor M _F is driven do. That is, the focus motor M _F is driven to move the focus lens to a position where the sharpest picture can be obtained.

The compensation lens compensates for the overall refractive index and is not driven separately. Reference symbol M _A denotes a motor for driving an aperture (not shown).

In the filter section of the optical system (OPS), an optical low pass filter removes optical noise of a high frequency component. Infra-red cut filter blocks the infrared component of incident light.

The photoelectric conversion unit OEC may include an image pickup device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor). The photoelectric conversion unit OEC converts light from the optical system OPS into an electrical analog signal.

The analog-to-digital conversion unit may include a CDS-ADC (Correlation Double Sampler and Analog-to-Digital Converter) The analog-to-digital converter processes the analog signal from the photoelectric converter (OEC), removes the high-frequency noise, adjusts the amplitude, and converts the analog signal into a digital signal. Here, the digital signal processor 207 controls the timing circuit 202 to control the operations of the photoelectric conversion unit (OEC) and the analog-digital conversion unit 201.

The real-time clock 203 provides time information to the digital signal processor 207. The digital signal processor 207 processes digital signals from the CDS-ADC device 201 to generate digital image signals classified into luminance (Y value) and chromaticity (R, G, B) signals.

A self-timer lamp, an auto-focus lamp, a mode indicating lamp, a flash standby lamp, and the like are connected to the light emitting unit (LAMP) driven by the microcontroller 212 under the control of the main controller incorporated in the digital signal processor 207 . The user input unit INP may include a direction button 21, a wide-angle zoom button W, a tele-zoom button T, and the like.

A digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is temporarily stored in a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 204. An EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) 205 stores algorithms and setting data such as a boot program and a key input program necessary for the operation of the digital signal processor 207. In the memory card interface 206, a user's memory card can be detached.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is input to the display panel driver 214, thereby displaying an image on the display panel 215. [

On the other hand, the digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 can be transmitted by serial communication through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection part 31a or an RS232C interface 208 and its connection part 31b, 209 and the video output unit 31c as video signals.

Here, the digital signal processor 207 may include a microcontroller 212 therein.

The audio processor 213 outputs the audio signal from the microphone MIC to the digital signal processor 207 or the speaker SP and outputs the audio signal from the digital signal processor 207 to the speaker SP.

In the present invention, the image output unit 140 of FIG. 1 may include a display panel driver 214 and a display panel 215. The audio output unit 130 of FIG. 1 may include an audio processor 213 and a spiger (S). The user input unit 150 of FIG. 1 may include a user input unit INP.

The control unit 120 of FIG. 1 may include a digital signal processor 207 and / or a microcontroller 212. The storage unit 110 of FIG. 1 may include a DRAM 204 and / or a memory card connected via the memory card interface 206, and / or various other flash memories.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control method (S400) of a digital image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus can be implemented inside the control apparatus 200 of the digital image processing apparatus of FIG. To this end, the control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be stored in the storage means of FIG. 3 or may be a program or algorithm implemented in the form of a semiconductor chip such as a firmware.

Therefore, the same items as those described for the digital image processing apparatus in the control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus will be referred to and the detailed description will be omitted.

A control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus includes a first file selection step (S410); A second file selection step (S420, S430); And a file updating step (S440, S450).

In the first file selection step (S410), the first file is selected. The second file is selected in the second file selection step (S420, S430). In the file updating step (S440, S450), the data of the second file is added to the first file.

The first file and the second file may include data in different formats. For example, the first file may be a voice file including voice information, and the second file may be an image file including image information.

Voice files can be in various formats. The audio file may be an MP3 file compressed in MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer-3) format.

In this embodiment, in the control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus, an image photographed during reproduction of the MP3 file or an image selected from the stored images may be stored in the MP3 file being reproduced. For this, the selected MP3 file can be played back in the first file selection step S410.

In the second file selection step (S420, S430), if the mode is capable of importing images during MP3 file playback (S420), the image is fetched (S430).

At this time, a mode in which an image can be imported while playing an MP3 file can be a mode in which an MP3 file can be played back in a background mode. In addition, a mode in which an image can be imported while playing an MP3 file can be entered by the user selecting an image addition function during playback of the MP3 file.

In this case, the MP3 file is reproduced in the background mode, and the operation can be performed by picking up an image or selecting a specific image from the stored images.

If an image is captured and input, an image may be captured and input in the background mode during playback of the MP3 file in step S430 of importing the image. At this time, the image file can be created by temporarily storing the photographed image. At this time, a plurality of photographed images may be sequentially added to the MP3 file.

In another embodiment, when a specific image is selected from the stored image, a specific image file may be selected from among the image files stored in step S430. To this end, it is possible to display a list of image files stored in the storage medium to the user, and to select image files from the file list. At this time, the user may select a plurality of images.

In a file update step (S440, S450), if an image can be added to an MP3 file (S440), data of the image file may be added to the MP3 file (S450). At this time, a mode in which an image can be added to an MP3 file can be selected by selecting a menu or a specific function button.

The file update step (S440, S450) may include a file format conversion step and a data insertion step. That is, the addition of the data of the image file to the MP3 file can be performed by the file format conversion step and the data insertion step.

In the file format conversion step, the data format of the image file can be converted into a format that is stored in an MP3 file. In the data insertion step, the data of the converted image file can be inserted at a predetermined position of the MP3 file.

When conforming to the ID3 version 2 protocol, the format of data in the image file is converted into the JFIF format (format), which is a format stored in the APIC area of the MP3 file, and the data of the converted image file is converted into a predetermined position of the MP3 file, As shown in FIG.

When the photographed image is added to the MP3 file, a control method (S400) of the digital image processing apparatus generates an image file by an IPC (image process chain) and stores the image file in a storage medium ).

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a control method (S500) of a digital image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The control method (S500) of the digital image processing apparatus can be implemented inside the control apparatus 200 of the digital image processing apparatus of Fig. To this end, the control method (S500) of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be a program or algorithm stored in the storage means of FIG. 3 or implemented in the form of a semiconductor chip such as a firmware.

Therefore, the same items as those described for the digital image processing apparatus in the control method (S500) of the digital image processing apparatus will be referred to and detailed description will be omitted.

The control method of the digital image processing apparatus (S500) includes an image reproducing step (S510); A file list display step (S520, S530); A file selection step S540; And a file updating step (S550).

In the image reproduction step S510, an image of the image file is reproduced. In the file list display step (S520, S530), a file list of voice files is displayed. In the file selection step S540, a voice file is selected from the file list. In the file update step S550, an image of the image file is added to the selected voice file.

Voice files can be in various formats. The audio file may be an MP3 file compressed in MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer-3) format.

In the image reproduction step S510, the image file can be selected and reproduced by selecting a menu or a specific button. At this time, the image file can be selected while the user directly views the image. Images can be displayed on a single screen or as thumbnails so that the user can select them.

In the file list display step (S520, S530), if the image file can be added to the MP3 file (S520), the file list of the MP3 files stored in the storage medium is displayed. At this time, a mode in which an image can be added to an MP3 file can be entered by the user selecting an image adding function to an MP3 file by operation of a menu or a button.

In the file selection step S540, an MP3 file is selected from the file list of the MP3 file.

In the file updating step S550, if an MP3 file is selected in the file selecting step S540, an image of the image file to be reproduced is added to the selected audio file. At this time, the file updating step (S550) may include a file format converting step and a data inserting step. That is, the addition of the data of the image file to the MP3 file can be performed by the file format conversion step and the data insertion step.

In the file format conversion step, the data format of the image file can be converted into a format that is stored in an MP3 file. In the data insertion step, the data of the converted image file can be inserted at a predetermined position of the MP3 file.

When conforming to the ID3 version 2 protocol, the format of data in the image file is converted into the JFIF format (format), which is a format stored in the APIC area of the MP3 file, and the data of the converted image file is converted into a predetermined position of the MP3 file, As shown in FIG.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, You will understand. Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the appended claims.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the outer appearance of the back side of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control device included in the digital image processing apparatus of FIG.

4 is a flowchart schematically showing a control method of a digital image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a control method of a digital image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (16)

A first storage medium in which a first file is stored; A second storage medium storing a second file including data of a different format from the first file; And a control unit for adding data of the second file to the first file and storing the data in the first storage medium, Wherein the control unit converts the format of the data of the second file into a format stored in the first file and inserts the converted data of the second file at a predetermined position of the first file, . The method according to claim 1, Wherein the first file is a voice file including voice information and the second file is an image file including image information. 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the first file is an audio file compressed in MP3 format. 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the image is taken during playback of the audio file, and the audio file is stored including the image. 5. The method of claim 4, Wherein the second storage medium comprises a volatile memory element in which the photographed image is temporarily stored as the image file. 3. The method of claim 2, Further comprising a voice output unit for outputting the voice information, an image output unit for outputting the image information, and a user input unit for inputting a user's operation. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the second file is selected from the second storage medium during the reproduction of the first file and the information of the second file is recorded in a specific area of the first file and is stored in the first storage medium, . The method according to claim 1, Wherein the first file is selected from the first storage medium during reproduction of the second file and the information of the second file is recorded in a specific area of the first file and is stored in the first storage medium, . delete (a) selecting a first file; (b) selecting a second file including data of a format different from the first file; And (c) adding data of the second file to the first file,  The step (c) includes the steps of converting the format of the data of the second file into a format stored in the first file, and inserting the converted data of the second file into a predetermined position of the first file And controlling the digital image processing apparatus. 11. The method of claim 10, Wherein the first file is a voice file including voice information and the second file is an image file including image information. 12. The method of claim 11, Wherein the voice file is selected and reproduced in step (a), and the photographed image of the image file is temporarily stored and generated. 12. The method of claim 11, Wherein the audio file is selected and reproduced in the step (a), and the image file is stored in the step (b). delete (a) an image of an image file is reproduced; (b) displaying a file list of voice files; (c) selecting a voice file from the file list; And (d) adding an image of the image file to the selected audio file, Wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of: converting the format of the image data of the image file into a format stored in the voice file; and inserting the converted data of the image file into a predetermined position of the voice file A method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus. delete

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