JP2001268499A - Digital album device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital album device capable of taking a photographing image matched with a frame while photographing. SOLUTION: A photographing means for photographing an optional object and the frame desired by a user is provided and the two kinds of the frames for being horizontally long and for being vertically long are provided for the respective frames. The two kinds of the frames are switched by the respective photographing directions of horizontally long photographing and vertically long photographing or by a vertical/horizontal frame selection switch.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital album apparatus, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus, such as a digital still camera, for storing video signal information obtained by an image pickup device in a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory. , Which captures an arbitrary subject and a horizontally long frame and a vertically long frame desired by the user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art One of the functions of a digital still camera is as follows.
There is an album function for organizing images. The photographed image can be edited into an image with a frame by selecting various frames prepared in advance.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned frame-added image creation, a user must select a desired frame in an edit mode after shooting with a digital still camera, so that an image suitable for the frame is shot. May not be.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a digital album apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a photographing means for photographing an arbitrary subject or a frame, and an image for storing images of the photographed subject and a frame. Memory means, and a storage area for storing a plurality of frames,
Each frame has two types of frames, landscape and portrait, and two types of frames, landscape and portrait, depending on the shooting direction of landscape and portrait, respectively. In this case, even if the shooting direction of the digital still camera is changed to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, a frame according to the shooting direction is selected, so that an image suitable for the frame is shot. It is easy.

[0005] The digital album apparatus according to claim 2 is
2. The digital album apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a subject and a frame are simultaneously displayed on a monitor at the time of photographing, and an image with a frame can be confirmed on the monitor during photographing. It is easy to do.

[0006] The digital album device according to claim 3 is
2. The digital album apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection key for selecting a type of the plurality of frames, wherein various types of frames can be viewed during shooting, so that an image suitable for the frame is shot. It is easy to do.

A digital album apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the digital album apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of frames are provided with a frame that can be selected only in a horizontal shooting mode and a frame that can be selected only in a vertical shooting mode. With the increase in frame options,
It is possible to create an image with a frame that is more suited to the photographer's preference.

[0008] The digital album apparatus according to claim 5 is
5. The digital album apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the frame that can be used only in the landscape shooting and the frame that can be used only in the portrait shooting are automatically switched to a frame that matches a shooting direction. If a frame that can be used only during shooting and portrait shooting cannot be used due to a change in the shooting direction, automatically switch to a frame that can be used in that direction to cope with the change in the shooting direction Can be.

A digital album apparatus according to claim 6 is
A photographing means for photographing an arbitrary subject or a frame, an image memory means for storing an image of the photographed subject and a frame, and a storage area for storing a plurality of frames. , And two types of frames for portrait orientation, and a switch is used to switch between two types of frames for landscape orientation and portrait orientation. In a state where the posture of the digital still camera is kept constant, Photographing and portrait photographing can be performed.

[0010] The digital album apparatus according to claim 7 is
7. The digital album apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a subject and a frame are simultaneously displayed on a monitor at the time of shooting, and an image with a frame can be confirmed on the monitor during shooting, so that an image suitable for the frame is shot. It is easy to do.

[0011] The digital album device according to claim 8 is
7. The digital album apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the monitor for displaying the subject and the frame is square, and the image with the horizontal frame and the image with the vertical frame are displayed even when the digital still camera is kept in the same posture. It can be displayed on a monitor and can be photographed.

A digital album apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the digital album apparatus according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a selection key for selecting a type of the plurality of frames. , It is easy to capture an image that matches the frame.

[0013]

(Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 of the invention described in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the present invention will be described below. This will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the digital album device in FIG.
First, the configuration of the digital album device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The subject 11 is an object to be photographed. C
The CD block 12 sends the captured subject image to the image controller 13. The image controller 13 sends the subject image to the VRAM 17. When a frame is selected by the frame type selection key 20, the object image and the frame image are combined, and the image is sent to the VRAM 17.

The VRAM 17 stores the subject image or an image obtained by combining the subject image and the frame image with the image display IC 1.
8 and the image display IC 18 displays the transferred image on the monitor 19. Frame type selection key 20
By pressing this, the frame stored in the frame storage area is transferred to the image controller 13 via the DRAM 16. Further, the frame type is switched, and the user selects a desired frame. When the shutter 14 is pressed, the storage device 15
The subject image or the subject image and the frame image are stored via the RAM 16. It also includes a frame storage area in which a plurality of frames are stored.

The attitude direction discriminating device 21 discriminates the photographing direction of the digital still camera in which the photographing is performed vertically and horizontally, and switches between two types of frames, that is, portrait and landscape. This posture direction discriminating device 21 depends on a conventional device for discriminating the posture direction. As an example, there is a method of determining the attitude direction based on the position of a sphere in a diamond.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. First, when the subject 11 is photographed by the CCD block 12, the subject image is sent to the image controller 13 from the CCD block 12 in which the image pickup device directed to the subject 11 is incorporated. Thereafter, the normal subject image is transferred to the VRAM 17 and displayed on the monitor 19 by the image display IC 18. Here, when the frame type selection key 20 is pressed, a frame image is added to the subject image, synthesized by the image controller 13, and
And transferred to the monitor 1 by the image display IC 18.
9 is displayed. The frame added to the subject image is depressed by pressing the frame type selection key 20.
The user can select a desired one from a plurality of frames stored in the frame storage area included in the storage area 15. Further, the selected frame is automatically selected as portrait or landscape according to the attitude of the digital still camera by the attitude direction determination device 21.

Here, a method of switching the frame type will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how to switch the frame type in the first embodiment.
Here, the horizontally long and vertically long frames have the same shape even when the frames are switched by the posture direction determination device 21, and the horizontally long and vertically long frames are
The figure shows that the shape of the frame changes when the frame is switched by the posture determination device 21. A detailed description will be given later with reference to FIGS.

In the vertical direction in FIG. 5, various types of different horizontal frames 1 to n, or vertical frames 1 to n, horizontal special frames 1 to n, or vertical special frames 1 to n are arranged. The change is performed by the frame type selection key 20. The horizontal direction in FIG. 5 is a change from a horizontally long frame to a vertically long frame and from a vertically long frame to a horizontally long frame. The change in the shooting direction is determined by the posture direction determination device 21 so that the switching is performed.

In this way, when the user selects a desired frame during photographing, checks the composite image displayed on the monitor 19, and presses the shutter 14, the subject image and the frame image are stored via the DRAM 16. Stored in device 15.

Next, in the first embodiment, the characteristics of the frame when the posture of the digital still camera is changed during photographing will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. This will be described with reference to an image display example in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional photographed image display with frames, FIG. 3 shows an example of a photographed image display with horizontal and vertical frames according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG.
3 shows a display example of a captured image with a horizontally long dedicated frame and a vertically long dedicated frame according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

First, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the difference in image display change during shooting with a frame attached, which occurs when the posture of the digital still camera is changed during shooting according to the related art and the present invention. explain.

An image 22 shown in FIG. 2 is a photographed image with a horizontally long frame, which is a subject image and a frame image when a conventional digital still camera is photographed in a horizontal posture. The image 23 is a photographed image with a vertically long frame, which is a subject image and a frame image when the posture direction of the digital still camera is changed vertically while the horizontally long frame is selected.

The image 24 shown in FIG.
The photographed image with a and the image 25 are photographed images with the vertically long frame 25a when the posture direction of the digital still camera is changed to the vertical while the frame is selected.

In a conventional digital still camera which does not have two types of portrait orientation and landscape orientation for each of the attitude determination device and each frame, if the digital still camera is set in the vertical direction, an image 23 shown in FIG. As the frame 22a
Also becomes the vertical direction as it is, and the shape of the frame 22a with respect to the human subject 22h, that is, its relative relationship changes. On the other hand, in the digital still camera according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention in FIG. 3, a horizontally long image 24 is formed by a frame plate 24 a having a frame 22 a for a human subject 22 h (the frame plate 24 a in this state is referred to as a horizontally long frame 24 a). From the obtained state, when the digital still camera is set in the vertical direction, the direction of the frame plate 24a is kept as it is (rotated by 90 ° with respect to the digital still camera), so that the portrait image 25 is obtained (this The above-mentioned frame plate 24a in the state is referred to as a vertically long frame 25a), and when the digital still camera is set in the vertical direction as described above,
The posture direction determination device 21 determines the shooting direction of the camera, and automatically switches the horizontally long frame 24a to the vertically long frame 25a.

Next, the difference between a horizontally long and vertically long frame and a horizontally long and vertically long frame will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. An image 26 in FIG. 4 is a captured image with a horizontally long dedicated frame 26a, and an image 27 is a captured image with a vertically long dedicated frame 27a when the posture direction of the digital still camera is changed to vertical while a frame of that type is selected. .

In the horizontally long frame of FIG. 3, a vertically long frame 25a of the vertically long image 25 is created by rotating the square portion 24a of the horizontally long image 24 surrounded by a dotted line by 90 degrees. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the horizontally long dedicated frame 26a in FIG. 4 rotates the square portion 24a surrounded by the dotted line in the horizontally long image 24 described above by 90 degrees. However, the original imaging surface in the frame is lost, and the shape of the frame is different. Therefore, in this case, a method of newly providing a vertically long dedicated frame 27a corresponding to the horizontally long dedicated frame 26a is adopted. For example, when the shooting direction of the digital still camera is changed vertically while the landscape-only frame 26a is selected, the portrait orientation discriminator 21 automatically changes the orientation of the portrait-only frame corresponding to the landscape-only frame 26a. Switch to frame 27a.

With such a configuration, the digital album apparatus according to the first embodiment can photograph an image with a frame without worrying about the frame and the photographing direction.

(Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention described in Claims 6, 7, and 9 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a digital album device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

First, the configuration of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a vertical and horizontal frame selection switch 30 is provided.

The vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30 switches between the two types of frames, horizontal and vertical, instead of the attitude direction discrimination device 21 that switches between two types of frames, horizontal and vertical, in the first embodiment. I do.

Next, the operation in the second embodiment will be described. First, when the subject 11 is photographed by the CCD block 12, the subject image is sent to the image controller 13 from the CCD block 12 in which the image pickup device directed to the subject 11 is incorporated. Thereafter, the normal subject image is transferred to the VRAM 17 and displayed on the monitor 19 by the image display IC 18. Here, when the frame type selection key 20 is pressed, a frame image is added to the subject image, synthesized by the image controller 13, and
And transferred to the monitor 1 by the image display IC 18.
9 is displayed. The frame added to the subject image is depressed by pressing the frame type selection key 20.
The user can select a desired one from a plurality of frames stored in the frame storage area included in the storage area 15. By pressing the vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30, it is possible to select a vertical frame or a horizontal frame. FIG.
Shown in Here, when the shutter 14 is pressed, the subject image and the frame image are stored in the storage device 1 via the DRAM 16.
5 is stored.

Next, a method of switching the frame type according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the horizontal frames 1 to n and the vertical frames 1 to n are
Even if the frame is switched by the vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30, the frame shape is the same, and the horizontal dedicated frames 1 to n and the vertical dedicated frames 1 to n are switched when the vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30 switches the frames.
The frames have different shapes. The frame type is selected by a frame type selection key 20. For the two types of frames, the horizontal frame and the vertical frame, which are provided above the broken line in FIG. 7, the vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30 switches between the horizontal and vertical frames. Also, vertically dedicated frames 1 to n and horizontally dedicated frames 1 to 1 below the broken line in FIG.
Regarding n, it is assumed that the switching is performed by the frame type selection key 20.

By having such a configuration, in the digital album apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the posture of the digital still camera is kept constant.
A portrait and landscape frame can be selected, or a portrait-only frame and a landscape-only frame can be selected.

Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the present invention described in claims 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. . FIG.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a digital album device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The configuration and operation of the digital album device according to the third embodiment are the same as those of the second embodiment except for the following points. The difference from the second embodiment in FIG. 8 is that the monitor 19 of the digital still camera is a square 31.

Here, with reference to FIG. 6, a description will be given of a change in image display during shooting with a frame attached, which occurs when the vertical / horizontal frame selection switch 30 is pressed during shooting.
FIG. 6 is a display example of a captured image with a frame according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The image 28 is an image being shot with a horizontally long dedicated frame 28a, and the image 29 is an image being shot with a vertically long dedicated frame 29a.

As described above, by forming the monitor 19 of the digital still camera into the square 31, it is possible to display the image with the horizontal and horizontal special frame, and the image with the vertical and the vertical special frame on the monitor, and to shoot in the same posture. Can be done. The broken lines in the images 28 and 29 indicate that the upper, lower, left and right portions of the dashed line of the subject image are cut when the image is saved as the image with the horizontal frame 28a and the image with the vertical frame 29a.

[0039]

As described above, according to the digital album apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the photographing means for photographing an arbitrary subject or frame, and the image memory means for storing the photographed subject and frame images. And a storage area for storing a plurality of frames. Each of the frames has two types of frames, one for landscape orientation and one for portrait orientation, in each of the shooting directions of landscape shooting and portrait shooting. It is characterized by switching between two types of frames for landscape and portrait in response to the selection of landscape and portrait frames, landscape-only frames, and portrait-only frames according to landscape and portrait photography, respectively. It is possible to take a shot image that matches the frame during shooting.

According to the digital album apparatus of the present invention, a photographing means for photographing an arbitrary subject or a frame, an image memory means for storing the photographed subject and a frame image, and a plurality of frames. And a storage area for storing the frame. Each frame has two types of frames for horizontal and vertical, and a switch is used to switch between two types of frames for horizontal and vertical. With this feature, it is possible to select a horizontally long frame and a vertically long frame, and further, a horizontally long dedicated frame and a vertically long dedicated frame while keeping the posture of the digital still camera constant.

Further, by making the monitor for displaying the subject and the frame square, an image with a horizontally long frame,
An image with a vertically long frame can be displayed on a monitor, and can be photographed in the same posture.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital album device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a display example of a conventional captured image with a frame.

FIG. 3 is a display example of a captured image with a frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a display example of a captured image with a horizontally long dedicated frame and a vertically long dedicated frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a display diagram showing a method of switching frame types according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a display example of a captured image with a frame according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a display diagram of a method of switching a frame type according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a digital album device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a digital album device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 subject 12 CCD block 13 image controller 14 shutter 15 storage device, frame storage device 16 DRAM 17 VRAM 18 image display IC 19 monitor 20 frame type selection key 21 attitude direction determination device 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 Captured image with frame 30 Vertical and horizontal frame selection switch 31 Square monitor

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/91 NF term (Reference) 5C022 AA13 AC01 AC31 AC32 AC42 AC54 AC69 5C023 AA18 AA37 AA38 BA11 CA02 CA05 DA04 DA08 5C052 AA17 AB04 DD02 DD10 EE02 EE03 GA02 GA03 GA07 GB01 GB09 GC00 GE04 5C053 FA08 FA14 FA27 GB40 JA16 KA03 KA04 KA24 LA01 LA06

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A photographing means for photographing an arbitrary object or a frame, an image memory means for storing an image of the photographed object and a frame, and a storage area for storing a plurality of frames. Has two types of frames: a horizontally long frame and a vertically long frame. According to the respective shooting directions of horizontally long shooting and vertically long shooting, a horizontally long frame and a vertically long frame A digital album apparatus for switching between two types of frames. 2. The digital album apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a subject and a frame are simultaneously displayed on a monitor during photographing. 3. The digital album device according to claim 1, further comprising a selection key for selecting a type of the plurality of frames. 4. The digital album apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising, as the plurality of frames, a landscape-only frame that can be selected only in landscape photography, and a portrait-only frame that can be selected only in portrait photography. Digital album device. 5. The digital album apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a frame that can be used only in the horizontal shooting, and a frame that can be used only in the vertical shooting, wherein the frame to be used is one of the two frames. A digital album device that automatically switches to a frame that matches the shooting direction. 6. Photographing means for photographing an arbitrary subject or a frame, image memory means for storing a photographed subject and an image of a frame, and a storage area for storing a plurality of frames. Has two types of frames, a horizontally long frame and a vertically long frame.
A digital album device characterized by switching between types of frames. 7. The digital album apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a subject and a frame are simultaneously displayed on a monitor during photographing. 8. The digital album apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a monitor for displaying a subject and a frame is square. 9. The digital album apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a selection key for selecting a type of the plurality of frames.