JP3534304B2 - Image transfer device and image processing method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transfer device for capturing a desired image on a display of a recent mobile phone, in other words, a vendor kiosk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, "i-mode" and "Skyweb"
With the widespread use of mobile phones with large liquid crystal screens such as "ez web", it is possible to display image data such as images on the display such as the liquid crystal screen in addition to the conventional character display.

On the other hand, in mobile phones which have been remarkably widespread in recent years, the exterior of the mobile phone is decorated, a key holder having a function of lighting when receiving an incoming call is attached, and the user composes a melody for the incoming call. It is becoming popular to give mobile phones owned by the user an originality with a sense of play by using music.

The basis of such a trend is that the function of the mobile phone as a network terminal has been improved, so that the processing functions for multimedia of various mobile phones have been successively provided.

[0005]

In order to display an image on the display-equipped mobile phone, (1) a digital camera, an Internet personal computer, a homepage for oneself is prepared, or (2) a personal computer, a mobile telephone. Since it is necessary to prepare a dedicated data link software for the model, and a dedicated cable for connecting the personal computer to the mobile phone, even if there is a desire to customize the mobile phone to your own specifications, it is quite difficult for an amateur and it is difficult to install peripheral devices. There is a problem that it requires a certain amount of money to arrange them.

[0006] Then, in order to prepare the above-mentioned homepage (album) for exclusive use of oneself for a fee, user registration is performed on the photonet service site, and the photograph taken by a digital camera or the like is added to the homepage (album)
Create an album via the Internet using a computer. After creating, if you access the online album viewing page in the i-mode of the mobile phone, you can see the photos in the registered album on the mobile phone display through the authentication input procedure. There are problems with fees and the hassle of authentication (“ht
tp / www. photonet. co. jp / imo
de / howto. html. The details are described in ").

There is also provided a service in which a transparent cellophane image on which a character image is imprinted is stuck on the surface of a liquid crystal display of a mobile phone. In such a method, the user selects from a character prepared in advance. This inventor thought that he might not be able to meet another desire to customize because he is in a passive position.

[0008] Further, as a future subject of multimedia related to the above-mentioned mobile phone, since it is necessary to handle moving images and other large-capacity data, communication of these large-capacity data is restricted by the communication speed. Efficient use of network is mentioned. This is especially true in the case of a kiosk on the corner.
If the transfer time takes tens of minutes, problems such as customers not waiting can occur. On the other hand, credit card payments on the Internet are spreading due to the spread of the Internet, but there is another problem that it is courageous to use it due to fear of leakage of personal information resulting from security problems, The present inventor has considered that the security problem can be solved by providing the kiosk with a charging device to be described later. The present inventor also considered that the kiosk with a billing device has an advantage that cash payment can be performed on the spot, and thus troublesome work such as an authentication procedure required for Internet payment is not required.

Further, taking the above moving picture as an example, a personal computer and a digital camera or a video camera are required as means for providing the data, and the video taken by the camera is used as the data applicable to the mobile phone to be used. It is necessary to process, and (3) not only requires some knowledge of a personal computer and data conversion software to perform such processing, but (4) any of these equipment can be prepared because it is expensive. There is a problem such as not. In addition, the age of use of the above-mentioned mobile phones and the age of use with digital cameras have declined due to the price reduction of devices and changes in lifestyle habits, for example, and these devices are becoming popular among elementary school students and the like. Therefore, there is a problem that the problems (3) and (4) described above become more prominent for those young people and old people.

According to the present invention, a mobile phone with a display capable of taking in image data can be easily carried even by an amateur even by taking in image data such as an image taken by a digital camera or a photograph taken in the past. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transfer device and a transfer method that can be displayed on a display of a telephone, and more specifically, to an image transfer device and a transfer method with a settlement function as in a vending machine.

[0011]

In view of the above problems, the following constitution is adopted for each invention in each claim.

That is, in the invention of claim 1, the charging device
Has, to storable portable telephone with display image data, an image transfer device for transferring an image in accordance with an input operation by the operating means of the user, the image capturing, such as the photographer or photo A camera for shooting a sheet, a memory for storing model-specific data of the display-equipped mobile phone, and image data captured by the camera with reference to model-specific data in the memory according to model selection by the operating means. And a transfer means for transferring the image data processed by the control means to the display-equipped mobile phone.

The above-mentioned "processing the image data photographed by the camera with reference to the model-specific data in the memory" means, for example, the size of an image that can be taken in according to a mobile phone with a display that takes in the image data. Different, or the number of colors that can be used is fixed, the number of pixels is different from the captured image data, processing such as conversion to image data suitable for the mobile phone with display is required, The control means is to perform such processing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for transferring an image to a mobile phone with a display capable of storing image data according to an input operation by a user's operating means. Alternatively, the mobile phone with a display in which image data such as a photograph is captured by a camera for capturing an image-captured sheet and the captured image data is stored in advance according to a model selection made by the operating means. It is characterized by having at least the plurality of steps including a step of referring to the model-specific data and editing and processing, and a step of transferring the edited and processed image data to a mobile phone.

As described above, "the step of editing and processing the captured image data by referring to the model-specific data of the display-equipped mobile phone stored in advance according to the model selection by the operating means" is described above. In the same manner as the processing of claim 1, the captured image data is scaled up or down, the number of colors is reduced, or the image is converted from color to monochrome by dithering. .

As the above-mentioned transfer means, when image data is transferred by connecting to a portable telephone with a connection cable, an interface such as this connection cable corresponds to this, and transfer is performed via a storage medium such as a memory stick. In the case of doing so, the writing means to the memory corresponds to this. In short, the transfer means may be any means as long as it can transfer the image data to the mobile phone.

[0017]

[0018]

The image data applied to the mobile phone with a display or the mobile terminal with a display may be moving image data.

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example of an image transfer apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below as an embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of this image transfer apparatus, and in the figure, 1 indicates a housing.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first camera 2 for photographing a subject standing in front of the casing and an image such as a desired photograph are captured in the casing 1. Second for
Camera 3, a monitor 4 for displaying image data captured by both cameras, and operating means 5 for a user to perform an input operation according to an operation guide screen displayed on the monitor 4. The main structure is an interface 6 for connecting the mobile phone 20 and the image transfer device.

The first camera 2 and the second camera 2
The camera 3, the monitor 4, the operation means 5, and the interface 6 are electrically connected to the control means 10 housed in the housing 1.

Further, the control means 10 has a built-in memory 10A in which data for generating a guide screen for the user is stored in the monitor 4.

Further, the control means 10 has a CD-R.
Model-specific data 7 stored in an external storage medium such as OM
Are readable by the control means 10. Since the model-specific data corresponds to mobile phones in which new models frequently appear in the market, it is preferable that the model-specific data can be added or replaced online or replaced by a ROM cartridge.

Reference numeral 3A in FIG. 1 is an insertion port for inserting the image capturing sheet photographed by the second camera 3 described above, and an image capturing sheet such as a photograph to be captured from the insertion port 3A. Can be inserted and the seat position can be moved to an optimum position by the user's own operation while watching the monitor 4.

Further, a fixing means 8 for fixing the mobile phone 20 is provided on the front surface of the housing 1. By fixing the mobile phone 20 having the display 21 to the fixing means 8, it is possible to perform input work by the operating means 5 without releasing it while maintaining a good connection between the interface 6 and the mobile phone 20. . In some cases, the display 21 of the mobile phone 20 is used as the monitor 4, and an image is finally displayed on the display 21 so that the image data processed by the image transfer device can be confirmed. You can also

Needless to say, if the final confirmation screen can be confirmed on the display 21 itself, the user's dissatisfaction such as a difference from the image confirmed on the monitor 4 can be reduced.

Next, the operation processing procedure of the image transfer apparatus will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

When money is inserted into the coin selector 9 as the billing device in FIG. 2, the monitor 4 of the image transfer device is displayed.
The mobile phone type selection screen is displayed on the screen (step B).

When the mobile phone selection screen is displayed, the user selects the model of the mobile phone 20 to which the user wants to transfer the image data by inputting the operation means 5 (step C).

When the selection work is completed, the control means 10
Generates a shooting or image capture selection guide screen based on the data 10A and displays it on the monitor 4 (step D). Photographing means taking a picture of a user standing in front of the housing 1 with the first camera 2 as a person to be photographed, and taking an image means a photograph which is a base paper of an image to be taken into the mobile phone from the insertion opening 3A. Is inserted, and the image of the base paper of the image to be captured is captured by the second camera 3 as image data.

Then, while looking at the image-pickup or image-pickup selection screen, the user selects either the image-pickup or the image-pickup by the operating means 5 (step E).

After the above selection is completed, the operation is branched into two modes, that is, an image capturing mode in which the first camera 2 captures an image and an image capturing mode in which an image such as a photograph is captured by the second camera 3. However, here, the shooting mode will be described first.

When the photographing mode is selected in step E,
The shooting guidance screen is displayed on the monitor 4 (step F).
This shooting guidance screen is stored in advance in the memory 10A.

When the shutter input G is made by operating the operating means 5, a trimming guide screen is displayed on the monitor 4 (step H). The trimming guide screen is an operation guide screen for allowing the user to operate the operation unit 5 to leave only a desired image portion and delete the image after the captured image.

After the operation guide screen is displayed, an image taken by the camera 2 is displayed on the monitor 4.
Unnecessary portions of the image are cut out by the operating means 5 (step I).

When the step I is completed, the user inputs the trimming decision by the operation means 5 (step J).

When step J is completed, a character input guide screen (step K) for inputting characters on the trimmed screen by the handwriting input means 5A connected to the control means 10. It is not always necessary to perform the above-mentioned trimming and character input, and it is possible to move to the next step by performing determination input each time by the operating means 5.

When the character input is completed, the user inputs the character input by the operation means 5 (step L).

Next, a composite screen in which the above-mentioned trimmed screen and the input character are composited is displayed on the monitor 4 (step M).

After confirming the quality on the composite screen displayed in step M, the user inputs a decision using the operating means 5 (step N). If the user does not like the composite image, the operating means 5 is used.
If a cancel input is made by, the process can return to step I. At this time, if the mobile phone 20 to be described later and the connection interface 6 of the control means 10 are connected in advance, the confirmation of the composite image is displayed and confirmed on the display 21 of the mobile phone 20 actually used. You can also do it.

Next, the composite image is connected to the mobile phone 20, and a mobile phone connection guide screen for transferring image data to the mobile phone is displayed (step P).

While looking at the mobile phone connection guide screen displayed in step P, the user connects the mobile phone 20 and the control means 10 with the connection interface 6 which is a connection cable, and in the connected state, the holder 8 is connected. Is prompted to fix the mobile phone 20.

Next, the control means 10 confirms whether or not it is electrically connected to the mobile phone 20 (step R).
If not connected, a warning image prompting a prompt connection to the guide screen may be displayed, or a warning sound may be emitted from a speaker (not shown).

Next, the control means 10 enlarges or reduces the composite image data determined in step N according to the type of the mobile phone selected in steps B and C, and uses the display of the mobile phone. The image data suitable for the above is processed or edited (step S).

When the processing in step S is completed, the image data processed in step S is transferred to the mobile phone fixed to the holder 8 through the interface 6 (step T).

The control means 10 confirms that the transfer in step T is completed, and after the confirmation, the data transfer is completed on the display screen, and the interface 6 and the portable telephone 20 are connected.
And a guide to separate the display and a display screen that visually indicates that the processing is completed (step U).

Next, the above-mentioned image capturing mode will be described, although it is before and after.

When the image capture mode is selected in step E, the control means 20 displays an image capture guide screen on the monitor 4 (step V). At this time, an instruction is made to insert the sheet 25 on which the image as displayed on the monitor 4 of FIG.

Then, while looking at the monitor 4, the user holds and moves the sheet 25 by hand to perform an image capture determination operation (step W).

After the step W is completed, the process moves to the above-mentioned step H, and the flow thereafter is from the step after the above-mentioned step H.

The type of the mobile phone selected in step B does not necessarily have to be the same as the type of the mobile phone to be captured, and the telephone from which the captured mobile phone is desired to show / send the image. You can also enter the type of.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the above embodiment. 5 are the same as those in FIGS. 1 to 4 and are the same as those in FIGS. 1 to 4, the description thereof will be omitted without reiterating.

In the figure, reference numeral A is a network which can be used as a mobile phone and is connected to the display-equipped mobile terminal A1, and reference numeral B is a use which can be used as a mobile telephone and is connected to the display-equipped mobile terminal B1. It is a network that is used.

The network networks A and B are connected to another network network C. FIG. 6 shows a case (game software vending machine / image transfer device) in the modification of FIG.
2 is a hardware block diagram of No. 1; FIG. In this control means 10,
Game information including a plurality of game programs is stored in the memory 10A, and a CD-ROM 10B in FIG.
It is possible to replace a plurality of types of game information stored in the memory 10A. Such a data exchange method can avoid problems such as data transfer failure that occurs when the amount of data is large, unlike exchange by a telephone line or the like.

The control means in the housing 1 is provided with a memory 10D storing various compression programs,
With this compression program, moving image data captured by the camera 2 and game information stored in the memory 10A
The control means 10 operates so that the user operates the operation means 5 to compress the operation means 5 into an appropriate compression mode selected.

Next, the case 1 which is the game software vending machine.
How to use is explained. First, the user puts money necessary for purchasing the game software into the conselector 9.

Secondly, the portable terminal 20 and the casing 1 are connected via the interface 6, and preparations are made to transfer the game information data in the casing 1 to the portable terminal 20.

Thirdly, the user operates the operating means 5 to input the data format, compression format, model name, etc. to be transferred to the portable terminal 20.

Fourthly, the game information is transferred to the portable terminal 20 in a data format suitable for the data format, compression format, model name, or other information input by the user operating the operating means 5. To do.

Fifth, the transferred game information is once stored, and the control unit of the portable terminal reads it from the memory storing the decompression program, decompresses the once stored game information according to the read decompression program, and re-decodes it. It becomes possible to store the game in the memory and play the game on the mobile terminal 20 by using the game information stored in the memory.

Furthermore, the moving image taken by the camera 2 is
The user operates the operating means 9 to select the compression format,
A case will be described in which the compressed moving image data compressed and edited in the compression format is transferred to the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 2
The compressed moving image data transferred to 0 is temporarily stored in an internal memory (not shown). Then, the mobile terminal 20 (A
Using the mobile phone function of 1), another mobile terminal 20 (B
The moving image data once stored is transferred to 1). As for the transfer route, when the network networks used by the mobile terminal A1 and the mobile terminal B1 are different, for example, when one is “i-mode” and one is “ez web”, the mobile phones of both mobile terminals A1 are transferred. Through the network network A in which the telephone is used, it is transmitted to the network B in which the mobile telephone of the mobile terminal B1 is used via the network C of the Internet, and is transmitted to the mobile terminal B1 to be transferred through the network B. Transferred. further,
Since the transferred moving image data is compressed,
Data for determining the compression format is added to the transferred moving image data so that the compression format can be determined by the transferred mobile terminal B1.
The control unit of the mobile terminal B1 displays the data for determining the compression format on the display of the mobile terminal B1 automatically or by the control unit of the mobile terminal B1 according to the added data for determining the compression format. Then, the compression format is determined, and the decompression program is used to decompress it by operating the operation means of the mobile terminal B1.

[0066]

According to the present invention described above, an image with originality can be displayed on a mobile phone with a display.
It can be processed as image data edited into an image suitable for the model of the mobile phone, and even an amateur can easily capture the image data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of the image transfer device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a control flow diagram of the image transfer apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a control flow diagram of the image transfer apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modified example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a hardware block diagram of a housing according to a modified example of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A few cameras 7 Mobile phone model data memory 10 Control means 20 Mobile phone with display

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-10-243048 (JP, A) JP-A-11-136394 (JP, A) JP-A-11-238116 (JP, A) JP-A-11- 345178 (JP, A) JP 2001-148839 (JP, A) JP 2001-218176 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 7/14 H04B 7/26

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image transfer device for transferring an image to a mobile phone with a display , which has a charging device and is capable of storing image data, in accordance with an input operation by a user's operation means, and which comprises: A camera for capturing a sheet for capturing images such as photographs, a memory for storing model-specific data of the display-equipped mobile phone, and referring to model-specific data in the memory according to model selection by the operation unit, An image transfer apparatus comprising: a control unit that processes image data captured by the camera; and a transfer unit that transfers the image data processed by the control unit to a mobile phone with a display. 2. An image processing method for transferring an image to a mobile phone with a display capable of storing image data according to an input operation by a user's operating means, the method comprising: The step of capturing image data with a camera for capturing an image capture sheet, and the captured image data is stored in advance as model-specific data for the display-equipped mobile phone according to the model selection by the operating means. An image processing method comprising at least the plurality of steps including a step of referring to editing and processing and a step of transferring the edited and processed image data to a mobile phone.