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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera to which a storage medium can be connected, includes
a profile information storer and a profile information reader. The
profile information storer stores profile information representing
a storage medium user in the storage medium connected to the digital
camera. The profile information reader reads the profile information.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A digital camera to which a storage medium can be connected,
comprising; a profile information storer that stores profile information
representing a storage medium user in said storage medium connected
to said digital camera; and a profile information reader that reads
said profile information.
2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising,
a user identifier that identifies a digital camera user who is using
said digital camera; and a storage-medium user judge that judges
whether said storage medium user represented by said profile information,
is said digital camera user or not.
3. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising,
an image data eraser that erases image data stored in said storage
medium connected to said digital camera.
4. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising,
a storage medium initializer that initializes said storage medium
connected to said digital camera.
5. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein when said storage
medium initializer initializes said storage medium, said profile
information storer regards said digital camera user as said storage
medium user and stores said profile information.
6. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein when said profile
information reader does not read said profile information, said
profile information storer regards said digital camera user as said
storage medium user and stores said profile information.
7. The digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising,
a user register that registers a user who can use said digital camera
as a registered user; and a camera user judge that judges whether
a user attempting to use said digital camera is said registered
user or not; wherein when said camera user judge judges said user
attempting to use said digital camera is said registered user, said
user identifier identifies which one of said registered users is
said user attempting to use said digital camera.
8. The digital camera according to claim 7, wherein said camera
user judge judges whether said user attempting to use said digital
camera is said registered user or not, based on an identification
code input by said user.
9. The digital camera according to claim 8, further comprising,
a profile information generator that generates said profile information
based on said identification code.
10. The digital camera according to claim 7, wherein when said
camera user judge judges said user attempting to use said digital
camera is said registered user, said digital camera becomes operable.
11. The digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising,
a profile information eraser that erases said profile information
from said storage medium connected to said digital camera, wherein
when said storage-medium user judge judges said storage medium user
represented by said profile information is said digital camera user,
said profile information eraser can erase said profile information
from said storage medium.
12. The digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising,
a profile information eraser that erases said profile information
from said storage medium connected to said digital camera, wherein
when said user identifier identifies that a predetermined user is
using said digital camera and said storage-medium user judge judges
that said storage medium user is not said predetermined user, said
profile information eraser can erase said profile information representing
said storage medium user.
13. The digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising,
an image data storer that stores image data in said storage medium
connected to said digital camera; wherein when said storage-medium
user judge judges said storage medium user is not said digital camera
user, said image data storer can store said image data of an image
photographed by said digital camera user.
14. The digital camera according to claim 13, wherein said image
data storer stores said image data to be related to user information
representing said digital camera user who photographed said image.
15. The digital camera according to claim 13, further comprising,
an image data eraser that erases said image data from said storage
medium connected to said digital camera; wherein said image data
eraser can erase said image data of an image photographed by said
digital camera user.
16. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising,
a storage medium initializer that initializes said storage medium
connected to said digital camera; and a storage-medium user judge
that judges whether said storage medium user represented by said
profile information stored in said storage medium is said digital
camera user or not; wherein when said profile information reader
can not read said profile information, or when said storage-medium
user judge judges said storage medium user is said digital camera
user, said storage medium initializer can initialize said storage
medium.
17. A digital camera system comprising; a storage medium; and a
digital camera to which said storage medium can be connected, comprising;
a profile information storer that stores profile information representing
a storage medium user in said storage medium connected to said digital
camera; and a profile information reader that reads said profile
information.
Digital Camera Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a digital camera and a
digital camera system, especially to a digital camera having a user
identifying function, and to a digital camera system including such
a digital camera and a storage medium.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, in digital cameras, a storage medium is connected
to a digital camera and is used for storing photographed images.
A storage medium in which images are stored, is detached from the
digital camera and photographed images stored therein are replayed
on a computer.
[0005] In the case where a digital camera to which a storage medium
is attached, is used by a plurality of users, the storage medium
used by one user may be initialized by another user and image data
stored in the storage medium may be deleted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide
a digital camera which has a user identifying function, and which
can store information representing the identified users of the digital
camera in a storage medium, and which can judge whether an identified
user using the digital camera matches a user represented by the
information previously stored in the storage medium, or not.
[0007] A digital camera according to the present invention, to
which a storage medium can be connected, includes a profile information
storer and a profile information reader. The profile information
storer stores profile information representing a storage medium
user in the storage medium connected to the digital camera. The
profile information reader reads the profile information.
[0008] A digital camera system according to the present invention,
includes a storage medium and a digital camera. The digital camera
to which the storage medium can be connected, includes a profile
information storer that stores profile information representing
a storage medium user in the storage medium connected to the digital
camera, and a profile information reader that reads the profile
information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will be better understood from the
description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth
below together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front view of the digital camera of the embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital camera;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view representing a screen displayed on the
LCD monitor for inputting a user identification code;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the digital camera;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a conceptual view representing profile information
stored in the memory card;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a flowchart representing a user registration routine;
and
[0016] FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing a memory card initialization
routine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention
is described with reference to the attached drawings.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view of the digital camera of the embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital camera.
[0019] On an upper surface 10U of the digital camera 10, a release
button 12 and a mode dial 14 are provided. On a front surface 10F
of the digital camera 10, a photographing optical system 16 including
a zoom lens, and a lighting device 20 are provided. Further, on
a rear surface 10R of the digital camera 10, an LCD monitor 22 for
displaying a subject image, a menu button 11, a focus setting button
13, a flash setting button 15, an image deleting button 17, a cross
key 21, an OK button 23, and a zoom lever 25 and so on are provided
(see FIG. 2). On a side surface 10S of the digital camera 10, a
slot (not shown) for inserting a memory card 46 for storing image
data and a memory card cover 24 for covering the slot are provided.
The memory card 46 is inserted into the digital camera 10 to store
photographed images and is detached through the slot in accordance
with need.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a view representing a screen displayed on the
LCD monitor 22 for inputting a user identification code.
[0021] When the digital camera 10 is used for the first time, an
initial set-up process is carries out by the user. For the set-up
process, predetermined screens are automatically displayed on the
LCD monitor 22. One of the screens for the initial set-up process,
is for registering a user as shown in FIG. 3. A user who uses the
digital camera 10 for the first time, is registered as an owner
user (a predetermined user), by inputting a user identification
code and a pass word on the screen by using the cross key 21, the
OK button 23, and so on.
[0022] The owner user registered in the digital camera 10, can
register other new users as regular users who are allowed to use
the digital camera 10. In this case, the menu selection screen is
displayed on the LCD monitor 22 by pressing the menu button 11,
and then the screen for inputting a user identification code (called
the input screen hereinafter) shown in FIG. 3 is displayed being
selected on the menu selection screen. When a new user who is allowed
to use the digital camera 10 inputs his user ID and a password,
the user is registered as a regular user. As mentioned above, a
user who can use the digital camera 10, is registered as an owner
user who has predetermined authorities, or as a regular user who
is permitted to use the digital camera 10 by the owner user. Hereinafter,
the owner user and the regular user are called a registered user.
[0023] On the other hand, at every starting time of the digital
camera 10, excluding the first starting time for usage, the input
screen is automatically displayed for identifying the user. Only
in the case where a user identification code and a password input
by the user attempting to use the digital camera 10 matches to those
of a registered user previously registered, the digital camera 10
becomes operable.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the digital camera 10. FIG.
5 is a conceptual view representing profile information stored in
the memory card 46.
[0025] In the digital camera 10, a microprocessor 19 for controlling
all of the digital camera 10, a flash memory 42 being built-in for
storing image data and so on, an EEPROM 44 in which data for processing
signals in the microprocessor 19 is stored, and so on are provided.
To the microprocessor 19, a main switch SWM, a mode dial 14, and
so on are connected. The main switch SWM is a power switch for the
digital camera 10, and the microprocessor 19 starts when the main
switch SWM is turned on by an operation of the user.
[0026] The microprocessor 19 transmits predetermined signals to
the LCD monitor 22, so that the input screen is displayed. When
a user ID and password are input, signals corresponding to the input
information are transmitted to the microprocessor 19. In the microprocessor
19, whether the combination of the user ID and the password represented
by the signals, corresponds to one of those of registered users
previously stored in the flash memory 42, or not is judged. Only
when it is judged that the combination of the user ID and the password
corresponds to one of those of the registered users, does the digital
camera 10 become operable. On the other hand, when it is judged
that the combination of the user ID and the password does not correspond
to one of those of a registered user, any operation except for turning
the power to the digital camera off and inputting user IDs and passwords
is invalidated by the microprocessor 19, and this continues as long
as a user ID and a pass word corresponding to those of a registered
user are not input. Therefore, it can be identified that a user
using the digital camera 10, is one of the registered users. When
the operation of the digital camera 10 by a person other than a
registered user is attempted, the operation is invalidated, and
a warning message is displayed on the LCD monitor 22 to inform the
person that the digital camera 10 has not become operable, based
on the signals from the microprocessor 19.
[0027] A mode for photographing a subject, and other modes for
replaying an image and so on, are selectively set by an operation
of the mode dial 14 to be in predetermined rotating positions, and
signals corresponding to the position of the mode dial 14 are transmitted
to the microprocessor 19. The menu button 11, the focus setting
button 13, the flash setting button 15, the image deleting button
17, the cross key 21, and the OK button 23 are connected to the
microprocessor 19. When these buttons and a key are operated, signals
corresponding to the operation are transmitted to the microprocessor
19. Users can select various parameters for photographing and so
on by operating these buttons.
[0028] When the release button 12 is half depressed, a photometry-measuring
switch SWS is turned on. When the photometry-measuring switch SWS
is turned on in a photographing mode, a subject distance is measured
by a distance-measuring device (not shown), and photometry of a
subject is measured by a photometry-measuring device (not shown).
The obtained distance and photometry data are transmitted to the
microprocessor 19. The microprocessor 19 controls an AF/aperture
driving circuit 34 to adjust the position of a photographing lens
30 for focusing.
[0029] When the release button 12 is fully depressed, a release
switch SWR is turned on. When the release switch SWR is turned on,
an aperture 31 is opened by a predetermined amount by the AF/aperture
driving circuit 34, and a shutter (not shown) is opened to the predetermined
position for a predetermined time based on the control signals from
the microprocessor 19. In the case an aperture value and a shutter
speed are previously selected and set by the user, the aperture
31 and the shutter are driven according to each of the set parameters.
And then the CCD 38 controlled by a CCD driving circuit 36 is exposed,
so that image signals according to the image are generated in the
CCD 38. When it is judged that illuminating a subject is necessary
based on the distance and photometry data by the microprocessor
19, control signals are transmitted to a flash circuit (not shown)
from the microprocessor 19, and the lighting device 20 emits illuminating
light.
[0030] Image signals generated by the CCD 38 are processed to reduce
noise at a CDS circuit 39 and are converted from analog to digital
signals by an A/D converter 40. The digitalized image signals are
transmitted to the microprocessor 19 after various processes such
as white balance adjustment. Image signals are further transmitted
to an LCD driver (not shown) from the microprocessor 19, the LCD
monitor 22 is driven based on the image signals, and a subject image
is displayed on the LCD monitor 22.
[0031] Image data of the photographed subject image is temporally
stored in a DRAM 45, and stored in the flash memory 42 at the recording
size previously selected, for example "1600.times.1200"
pixels. The image data is transmitted to a memory card 46 inserted
into the body of the digital camera 10 via an interface 43, and
is also stored in the memory card 46. Image data is stored to be
related to user information based on the user ID input by the registered
user who photographed the image. Therefore, which one of the registered
users is the photographer of each image can be identified by the
microprocessor 19.
[0032] Whether or not profile information representing a user of
the memory card 46, is already stored in the memory card 46 inserted
into the digital camera 10 is judged by the digital camera 10. And
when the profile information is not stored, the profile information
is provided to the memory card 46. That is, the profile information
representing the registered user currently using the digital camera
10 identified by the microprocessor 19 based on the user ID input
at the starting time, as a user of the card memory 46 is generated
by the microprocessor 19 based on the user ID. The generated profile
information is transmitted to the memory card 46, and stored. The
profile information shown as "USER. ini" is stored in
the route directory of the memory card 46, and image data is stored
in sub directories shown as "File 1" or "File 2"
(see FIG. 5).
[0033] When it is judged that the profile information is already
stored in the connected memory card 46 by the digital camera 10,
the profile information can be read. That is, when the memory card
46 is inserted into the digital camera 10, the profile information
is read by the microprocessor 19, and whether the registered user
that the read profile information represents, is the registered
user who is using the digital camera 10 at the time or not, is judged.
[0034] As a result of this, when the profile information is already
stored in the memory card 46, and the registered user that the read
profile information represents is the same as the registered user
who is using the digital camera 10 at the time, the memory card
46 becomes fully operable and any operation for the memory card
can be carried out. In this case, the registered user who is using
the digital camera 10 can store photographed images in the memory
card 46, can select the replay mode by an operation of the mode
dial 14 and images replayed on the LCD monitor 22 can be successively
changed by an operation of the cross key 21, can delete image data
stored in the memory card 46 by a depression of the image deleting
button 17, and can initialize the memory card 46.
[0035] The initialization which is a process for deleting all data
stored in the memory card 46, is carried out by the following operations.
First, the menu selection screen is displayed on the LCD monitor
22 by an operation of the menu button 11 and so on, and the initialization
of the memory card 46 is ordered by the registered user. Based on
control signals transmitted from the microprocessor 19 via the interface
43, all image data stored in the memory card 46 is deleted. When
this initialization of the memory card 46 finishes, the profile
information representing the registered user using the digital camera
10, is automatically transmitted to the memory card 46 from the
microprocessor 19 and is stored in the memory card 46.
[0036] In case the user represented by the profile information
is the same as the registered user currently using the digital camera
10, deleting the profile information can also be carried out. In
this case, the menu selection screen is displayed on the LCD monitor
22, and when the menu item for deleting the profile information
is selected by the using registered user, the profile information
stored in the memory card 46 is deleted based on the control signals
transmitted from the microprocessor 19. Note that in the case where
the user represented by the profile information does not correspond
to the registered user currently using the digital camera 10, when
the registered user currently using the digital camera 10 is the
owner user, the profile information can be deleted by the owner
user.
[0037] In the case where the profile information is not read from
the memory card 46, the same as the case where the user represented
by the profile information stored in the memory card 46 inserted
in the digital camera 10, corresponds to the registered user who
is using the digital camera 10, all operations for the memory card
46 can be carried out. Therefore, in this case, the profile information
representing the registered user currently using the digital camera
10, as a user of the memory card 46, is also transmitted to the
memory card 46 from the microprocessor 19 after initialization of
the memory card 46, and is stored in the memory card 46.
[0038] On the other hand, in the case where the profile information
has already been stored in the memory card 46, and the registered
user represented by the read profile information does not correspond
to the registered user currently using the digital camera 10, the
memory card 46 can be used, however, not all operations for the
memory card 46 can be carried out. That is, in this case, the registered
user currently using the digital camera 10 can store images photographed
by himself in the memory card 46, can replay the images on the LCD
monitor 22, and can delete the images photographed by himself and
stored in the memory card 46, however, initializing the memory card
46 is not allowed, and the image data of the images photographed
by other registered users before the current user started to use
the digital camera 10 and stored in the memory card 46, can not
be deleted. These controls for operations of the memory card 46
can be carried out because image data is stored to be related to
the user information representing the registered user who photographed
the image. When initializing the memory card 46 and deleting the
image data are not allowed, although they are ordered, a warning
message to inform the current registered user that the operation
ordered can not be conducted, is displayed on the LCD monitor 22
based on control signals from the microprocessor 19.
[0039] Note that when the registered user represented by the profile
information does not correspond to the registered user currently
using the digital camera 10, images photographed by the other registered
users and already stored, may not be displayed on the LCD monitor
22. In this case, as mentioned above, the registered user currently
using the digital camera 10 can not order the deletion of the data
of the images.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a flowchart representing a user registration routine.
[0041] The user registration routine starts when the main switch
SWM is turned on by a user. At step S101, the power source of the
digital camera 10 is turned on and then the process proceeds to
step S102. At step S102, whether or not a user is registered and
initial setting for the digital camera 10 is necessary, is judged.
When it is judged that the initial setting for the digital camera
10 is necessary, the process proceeds to step S103, and when it
is judged that the initial setting for the digital camera 10 is
not necessary, the process proceeds to step S104. At step S103,
an owner user is registered by inputting a user ID and a password,
and the process proceeds to step S106.
[0042] At step S104, a user ID and a password are input on the
input screen displayed on the LCD monitor 22, and the process proceeds
to step S105. At step S105, whether or not a user attempting to
use the digital camera 10 is a registered user, that is, whether
or not the combination of the input user ID and the password accords
with a combination previously stored in the flash memory 42, is
judged by the microprocessor 19. When it is judged that the user
attempting to use the digital camera 10 is a registered user, the
process proceeds to step S106.
[0043] At step S106, whether the initialization of the memory card
46 is ordered or not is judged. When it is judged that the initialization
is ordered, the process proceeds to step S107, and when it is judged
that initialization is not ordered, the process proceeds to step
S108. At step S107, a memory card initialization routine to initialize
the memory card 46 is carried out (see FIG. 7), and the process
proceeds to step S108.
[0044] At step S108, whether the user currently using the digital
camera 10 is the owner user or not is judged. When it is judged
that the user currently using the digital camera 10 is the owner
user at step S108, it is further judged whether new registration
for a regular user allowed to use the digital camera 10 is necessary
or not, at step S109. When it is judged that new registration for
a regular user is necessary, a regular user is newly registered
by an operation of the owner user at step S110, and the process
proceeds to step S111. At step S111, a subject is photographed,
and the process proceeds to step S112. At step S112, a photographed
image is replayed or deleted, and the user registration routine
ends.
[0045] FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing a memory card initialization
routine.
[0046] The memory card initialization routine starts when the initialization
of the memory card 46 is ordered at the user registration routine
(at step S106). At step S201, whether the profile information is
stored or not is judged. When it is judged by the microprocessor
19 that the profile information is stored, the process proceeds
to step S202, and when it is judged that the profile information
is not stored, the process proceeds to step S203. At step S202,
whether the registered user represented by the profile information
corresponds to the registered user currently using the digital camera
10 or not, is judged. When it is judged that the registered user
represented by the profile information corresponds to the registered
user currently using the digital camera 10, the process proceeds
to step S204, and when it is judged that the registered user does
not correspond to the current user, the process proceeds to step
S205.
[0047] At step S203, the memory card 46 is initialized and the
process proceeds to step S206. At step S206, the profile information
regarding the registered user currently using the digital camera
10 as the user of the memory card 46, is stored in the memory card
46, and the memory card initialization routine ends.
[0048] On the other hand, at step S205, a warning message is displayed
on the LCD monitor 22 to inform the current user that the memory
card 46 can not be initialized, no initialization carried out, and
the memory card initialization routine ends.
[0049] In the embodiment mentioned above, the digital camera 10
is provided which can identify the user currently using the digital
camera 10, store information representing the identified user as
the user of the memory card 46 in the memory card 46, and judge
whether the user represented by the information previously stored
in the memory card 46 corresponds to the user of the digital camera
10 who is currently using the digital camera 10. Therefore, in a
case where a plurality of users use the digital camera 10 with the
memory card 46, the situation where the memory card 46 used by a
user is initialized by another user by mistake, and so on is prevented,
so that image data is protected.
[0050] Note that in this embodiment, it is judged whether the profile
information is stored in the memory card 46 or not at step S201
in the memory card initialization routine, after the initialization
order for the memory card at step S106 in the user registration
routine. However, this judgment at step S201 can be conducted before
the initialization order at step S106. In this case, when it was
judged that the profile information was not stored in the memory
card 46, new profile information representing the current user is
transmitted from the microprocessor 19 and stored in the memory
card 46, therefore, the initialization of the memory card 46 is
necessarily carried out, without a step for judgment corresponding
to the step S202 in this embodiment.
[0051] When a registered user represented by the profile information
stored in the memory card 46 does not correspond to the registered
user currently using the digital camera 10, any usage of the memory
card 46 may not be allowed.
[0052] Deletion of the profile information can be conducted by
the owner user, only in the case where the profile information stored
in the memory card 46 represents the owner user, that is, only in
the case where the user of the memory card 46 is the owner user,
similarly to the regular users. On the other hand, the owner user
may be able to initialize any memory card including one in which
profile information representing a regular user is stored.
[0053] When the user represented by the profile information stored
in the memory card 46 under usage correspond to the registered user
currently using the digital camera 10, the profile information may
not be deleted at the initialization of the memory card 46. In this
case, transmitting the profile information from the microprocessor
19 to the memory card 46 is not required.
[0054] The method for identifying the user attempting to use the
digital camera 10, is not limited by inputting a user ID. For example,
a power switch may detect the fingerprints of a user.
[0055] The invention is not limited to that described in the preferred
embodiments, namely, various improvements and changes may be made
to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope
thereof.
[0056] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained
in Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-032993 (filed on Feb. 9,
2005) which is expressly incorporated herein, by reference, in its
entirety.
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