JP5266984B2 - Reward providing server and reward providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system including a camera and a server, which can perform information addition to an image based on image analysis without increasing server's processing loads. <P>SOLUTION: Photographing is performed by a digital camera 1, and when a symbol detection part 16a detects a symbol from image data, a metadata addition part 16b adds a symbol ID corresponding to the detected symbol to an image file as metadata. When a user transmits the image file to the server 3 via a network 2, the image file is recorded in a storage area corresponding to the user. The image file is disclosed by a file disclosure part 32b via the network 2. A reward rank determination part 32c calculates a score in each user based on the metadata of the image file and the browsing frequency of the image file. When the user's score exceeds a prescribed threshold, a reward provision part 32d increases the storage area of the user by a fixed amount. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera, and a server that receives a captured image created by the imaging apparatus.

  A process for analyzing a large amount of stored image data and acquiring various information such as image characteristics and subject information is known. The analysis result obtained by such processing is used for various processing such as image search and tabulation. Also, it is common practice to record the analysis result as metadata accompanying the image data. For example, the image management apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 executes a process of acquiring information from accumulated image data and a process of adding the acquired information to the file header portion of each image data.

JP 2003-333497 A

  In the prior art, an apparatus for managing image data collectively executes acquisition of information from image data and addition of information to image data. Therefore, there has been a problem that when the number of image data to be managed increases, the processing load of the apparatus becomes enormous.

Compensation providing server according to the invention according to claim 1 includes a receiving means for receiving a plurality of image files, and the file public means to expose the plurality of image files received by the receiving means via the network, the file publishing section A counting means for counting the number of browsing for each image file, and an image in the image file added to the image file received by the receiving means include predetermined things. A discriminating unit that discriminates the metadata indicating that the image file is viewed, and the number of browsing of the image file is totaled for each metadata discriminated by the discriminating unit, and based on the result of the totaling, to the sender of the image file and rewards calculation means for calculating the compensation data for providing a reward, on the basis of the compensation data to which the compensation calculation means has calculated, before Characterized in that it comprises a compensation providing means for providing compensation to the sender, the.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reward providing system for photographing a subject and creating a photographed image, a file creating means for creating an image file including the photographed image, and thing information relating to a predetermined thing in the subject. Storage means for storing, detection means for detecting that the predetermined image is included in the captured image created by the imaging means based on the thing information stored in the storage means, An addition means for adding, to the image file, metadata indicating that the predetermined thing is included in the photographed image when the detection means detects the predetermined thing from the photographed image; And a reward providing server according to claim 1 .

  According to the present invention, information acquisition from an image and information addition to the image are performed by the camera that creates the image, so that the processing load on the server is reduced.

-First embodiment-
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a connection form of a digital camera, a server, and an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The digital camera 1, the server 3, and the image processing apparatus 4 are connected to each other via the network 2, and can transfer an image file storing image data to each other.

  The digital camera 1 can be directly connected to the image processing apparatus 4 without going through the network 2. In this case, the image file is transferred without going through the network 2. Further, the digital camera 1 and the image processing device 4 are configured so that the storage medium 22 can be attached. Therefore, the image file can be transferred from the digital camera 1 to the image processing apparatus 4 by attaching the storage medium 22 on which the digital camera 1 has recorded the image file to the image processing apparatus 4.

  Hereinafter, details of the digital camera 1 and the server 3 will be described in order.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the digital camera according to the present embodiment. The digital camera 1 includes an input device 13, a focus adjustment device 14, an image sensor 15, a control circuit 16, a DRAM 17, a flash memory 18, an LCD drive circuit 19, a liquid crystal monitor 20, a memory card interface (I / F) 21, and an external device I. / F23 and a communication circuit 25.

  The imaging element 15 is configured by a CCD or CMOS image sensor including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to pixels. The imaging element 15 captures a subject image formed on the imaging surface and outputs a photoelectric conversion signal (image signal) corresponding to the brightness of the subject image. R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filters are provided on the imaging surface of the imaging element 15 so as to correspond to the pixel positions, respectively. Since the image pickup device 15 picks up a subject image through the color filter, the image signal output from each image pickup device has RGB color system color information.

  The image signal output from the image sensor 15 is input to the control circuit 16. The control circuit 16 performs various image processing on the image signal to generate image data. Then, the control circuit 16 performs compression processing on the generated image data by a predetermined method such as JPEG, and records it in the storage medium 22 as an image file in a format such as EXIF. The control circuit 16 is configured by, for example, RISC and controls each circuit shown in FIG.

  The focus adjustment device 14 performs a known focus evaluation value calculation based on the imaging signal output from the imaging element 15, and outputs the calculation result to the control circuit 16. Based on the calculation result, the control circuit 16 moves the photographing lens 10 to a position where the focus evaluation value is maximized.

  The DRAM 17 is used to temporarily store data during or after image processing, image compression processing, and display image data creation processing. The display image data is generated by the control circuit 16 based on the image data generated by the control circuit 16 based on the output from the image sensor 15 or the image data recorded in the storage medium 22. The generated display image data is stored in the DRAM 17 by the control circuit 16. The flash memory 18 is a non-volatile memory in which various processing programs for the control circuit 16 to perform operations are stored, for example.

  The LCD drive circuit 19 drives the liquid crystal monitor 20 based on a command from the control circuit 16, and the liquid crystal monitor 20 displays an image based on display image data stored in the DRAM 17. The liquid crystal monitor 20 displays various setting menu screens of the digital camera. The input device 13 includes various operation buttons such as a release button and a playback button, and outputs an operation signal of each operation button by the user to the control circuit 16.

  The external device I / F 23 is an interface for connecting an external device such as the image processing apparatus 4. The digital camera 1 transmits and receives image files to and from these external devices through the external device I / F 23. Similarly, the communication circuit 25 is an interface for connecting to the network 2, and transmits / receives image files to / from other devices connected to the network 2.

  The control circuit 16 includes a symbol detection unit 16a and a metadata addition unit 16b. The symbol detector 16a detects symbols included in the image data based on symbol data (described later) recorded in the flash memory 18. The metadata adding unit 16b adds metadata indicating that the symbol detected by the symbol detecting unit 16a is included in the image data to the image file in which the image data is stored.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing symbol data recorded in the flash memory 18. In the symbol data 40, three symbols 41, 42, and 43 are stored. Each symbol is assigned a symbol ID which is a unique integer value given to each symbol. In FIG. 3, the symbol ID of the symbol 41 is 101, the symbol ID of the symbol 42 is 102, and the symbol ID of the symbol 43 is 103.

  When photographing is performed using the digital camera 1, the image data is stored in the DRAM 17 by the control circuit 16 as described above. Here, first, the symbol detector 16a searches for the symbols 41, 42, and 43 from the image data. For the symbol search, for example, a known technique such as pattern matching can be used. Further, for example, an algorithm that can detect that a symbol is included in the image data in a rotated state or that the symbol is included in the image data in a deformed state may be used. Further, it may be detected that one image data includes a plurality of symbols at the same time.

  When the symbol detection unit 16a detects a symbol, the metadata addition unit 16b acquires a symbol ID corresponding to the detected symbol from the symbol data 40. When the control circuit 16 records the image data on the storage medium 22, the symbol ID is added as metadata to the image file. This metadata means that a symbol corresponding to the symbol ID is included in the image data. When the symbol detection unit 16a detects a plurality of symbols, the metadata includes a plurality of symbol IDs.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an image file created by the digital camera 1. The image file 50 includes header information 51 and image data 52. The header information 51 includes a logical address of the image data 52, information on the digital camera 1 used for shooting, information indicating an environment at the time of shooting, and the like. Further, the header information 51 stores a symbol ID representing a symbol included in the image data 52 as a contained symbol ID 53.

  Next, details of the server 3 will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the server according to the present embodiment. The server 3 includes a storage device 31, a control circuit 32, a DRAM 33, a flash memory 34, and a communication circuit 37.

  The storage device 31 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). A certain amount of storage area of the storage device 31 is allocated for each user of the server 3, and the user can store the image file in the storage area allocated to the user. When the allocated storage area is used up, no more image files can be stored.

  The image file transmitted by the user to the server 3 via the network 2 is received by the communication circuit 37. The communication circuit 37 passes the received image file and the user ID of the user who transmitted the image file to the control circuit 32. The control circuit 32 records the received image file in a storage area corresponding to the received user ID in the storage area of the storage device 31. Then, the file name of the received image file is recorded in a file list table (described later) corresponding to the user ID.

  The DRAM 33 is used to temporarily store data during and after various processes such as image processing. The flash memory 34 is a non-volatile memory that stores various processing programs for the control circuit 32 to perform operations, for example.

  The control circuit 32 includes a metadata interpretation unit 32a, a file disclosure unit 32b, a reward rank determination unit 32c, and a reward provision unit 32d. The metadata reading unit 32a reads metadata from the image file received by the communication circuit 37, and recognizes which symbol the captured image data stored in the image file contains.

  The file publishing unit 32 b publishes the image file recorded in the storage device 31 via the network 2. The published image file can be browsed from a device connected to the network 2. The file publishing unit 32b records the browsing count of each image file in a file list table (described later).

  The reward rank determination unit 32c calculates the score of each user based on the file list table. And based on the magnitude | size of a score, the reward rank of each user is determined. The reward providing unit 32d changes the size of the storage area allocated to the user based on the reward rank determined by the reward rank determining unit 32c.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a file list table. The file list table 61 is a table in which a list of image files transmitted to the server 3 by each user is recorded. There is one file list table per user. The file list table 61 stores the file name of the image file recorded in the storage device 31, the content symbol ID added to the image file, and the number of times the image file has been viewed.

  For example, the line 62 of the file list table 61 shown in FIG. 6 indicates that the content symbol IDs of the image file “DSCN0001.jpg” are 101 and 103, and that this image file has been viewed 120 times so far. Show. Further, referring to the symbol data 40 shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the image file includes the symbol 41 and the symbol 43.

  The file name and content symbol ID of the file list table 61 are recorded by the control circuit 32 when the image file is transmitted to the server 3. The browsing number is set to 0 by the control circuit 32 when the image file is transmitted to the server 3.

  As described above, the image file recorded in the storage device 31 can be browsed via the network 2. The file disclosure unit 32b increases the number of browsing of the file list table 61 every time an image file is browsed. In addition, when the same image file is browsed several times by the same terminal or the same user, the number of browsing may not be increased.

  The reward rank determination unit 32c creates a score table from the file list table 61 at a predetermined timing. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a score table. Similar to the file list table 61, there is one score table 71 for each user. In the score table 71, a symbol ID and a score corresponding to the symbol ID are recorded.

  For each symbol ID, the more an image file containing that symbol ID as a contained symbol ID is viewed, the higher the score corresponding to that symbol ID. The score of the symbol ID in the present embodiment is the sum of the number of browsing image files including the symbol ID as the contained symbol ID. For example, in FIG. 6, there are two files containing 101 in the contained symbol ID, and the number of browsing is 120 and 50, respectively. Therefore, in FIG. 7, the score of the symbol ID 101 is 170 (= 120 + 50).

  The sum of the scores of all the symbol IDs in the score table 71 is the user's score corresponding to the score table 71. The reward providing unit 32d checks whether the score exceeds a predetermined threshold for each user. If the user's score exceeds a predetermined threshold, the size of the storage area allocated to the user is increased by a certain amount. In other words, more image files can be recorded in the storage device 31.

  Next, functions of the digital camera 1 and the server 3 will be described based on specific usage situations. Consider the situation where the sponsoring company holds a contest to shoot its logo mark. Further, it is assumed that the server 3 is operated by a server operating company, and a user has a storage area of a predetermined size allocated to the server 3 in advance.

  The contest sponsor company distributes symbol data including its logo as a symbol. The user obtains distributed symbol data and transfers it to the digital camera 1. The symbol data may be transferred directly from the network 2 to the digital camera 1 or from the image processing device 4 to the digital camera 1 connected to the image processing device 4. The control circuit 16 records the transferred symbol data in the flash memory 18. The symbol data may be distributed by the server 3 or by another server. Further, the symbol data may be distributed by distributing the storage medium 22 on which the symbol data is recorded. In this case, the digital camera 1 reads symbol data from the attached storage medium 22.

  When a user takes a picture using the digital camera 1 in which the symbol data 40 is recorded, an image file including a symbol ID corresponding to the above logo mark is recorded when the above logo mark is included in the photographed image. The The user transmits an image file created by photographing to the server 3 and publishes it through the network 2. The contest sponsoring company can obtain a certain advertising effect by releasing an image file including its logo mark.

  When the image file is transmitted to the server 3, the image file is stored in a storage area corresponding to the user of the storage device 31. Also, the image file is registered in the user file list table 61. Each time this image file is viewed by another person, the number of browsing of the file list table 61 increases.

  The server 3 creates the score table 71 and calculates the user's score at a constant cycle. The higher the number of image files viewed, the higher the user's score. When the user's score exceeds a predetermined threshold, the storage area allocated to the user increases as a reward for the user releasing an image file including a logo mark. In the server 3, the cost incurred for increasing the storage area is borne, for example, by the contest sponsoring company.

  Note that when new symbol data is transferred to the digital camera 1 in which the symbol data 40 has already been recorded, the new symbol data is added to the symbol data 40. As a result, the user can participate in a plurality of contests.

  Next, the flow of increasing the storage area in the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of increasing the storage area in the present embodiment. First, in step S <b> 11, the symbol data 40 is transferred to the digital camera 1. In step S12, the user performs photographing with the digital camera 1 having the symbol data 40.

  In step S13, the image file created by shooting is transferred to the server 3. In step S <b> 14, the image file metadata received by the server 3 is totaled to create a file list table 61. In step S15, the image file is released by the server 3. In step S <b> 16, the number of times of browsing the image file is counted, and the count result is stored in the file list table 61. In step S <b> 17, the score table 71 is created based on the file list table 61. In step S18, the size of the storage area allocated to the user is changed based on the score table 71.

According to the image data totaling system according to the first embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The symbol detection unit 16a detects that the image data includes a symbol based on the symbol data 40 recorded in the flash memory 18. If a symbol is detected, the metadata adding unit 16b adds metadata indicating that the symbol is included in the image data to the image file. Thereby, the symbols included in the image data created by the digital camera 1 can be easily confirmed simply by reading the metadata added to the image file.

(2) The control circuit 16 can record the newly distributed symbol data 40 in the flash memory 18. Thereby, the symbol which the digital camera 1 can detect can be added suitably.

(3) When the server 3 receives the image file by the communication circuit 37, the content symbol ID added to the received image file and indicating that the symbol is included in the image data is read by the metadata reading unit 32a. The file list table 61 is aggregated. Based on the file list table 61, the reward rank determination unit 32c calculates a score for providing a reward to the user who transmitted the image file. Thereby, the reward data based on the symbols included in the image data can be calculated without complicated image analysis.

(4) Based on the score calculated by the reward rank determining unit 32c, the reward providing unit 32d provides an additional storage area as a reward to the user corresponding to the score. Thereby, it is possible to motivate the user to photograph the subject including the symbol.

(5) The digital camera 1 can be directly connected to the network 2. Thereby, transmission of the image file to the server 3 and reception of the symbol data from the server 3 can be performed only by the digital camera 1.

The following modifications are also within the scope of the present invention, and one or a plurality of modifications can be combined with the above-described embodiment.
(1) The distributed symbol data may not be recorded in the digital camera, but a digital camera in which the symbol data is incorporated in advance may be sold. Further, the symbol data recorded in the digital camera may not be added or deleted later.

(2) Instead of explicitly preparing symbol data by the user, the digital camera may acquire the symbol data in a form that the user does not know. For example, each time the digital camera is turned on, the digital camera may acquire new symbol data from a predetermined server.

(3) The reward provided to the user when the score exceeds the threshold may be other than the additional storage area. For example, it may be money, a right to increase the memory of a digital camera, a discount coupon that can be used in online shopping, electronic money, or the like. Further, electronic money provided as a reward may be recorded on a mobile phone registered by the user.

(4) The score may be calculated based on data other than the number of browsing. For example, the score may be calculated based on the number of symbols included in all published image files.

(5) There may be more than one threshold for the score for determining the provision of reward. For example, ten threshold levels may be prepared, and the higher the score, the more rewards the user can receive.

(6) The symbol detector may detect something other than symbols. For example, it may be the face of a specific person. In addition, any thing such as a car, a camera, and a dog may be used.

(7) The symbol detection unit may detect a symbol only when the symbols appear in a specific combination. In this case, a symbol ID may be set for the combination of symbols, or a symbol ID may be set for each symbol.

(8) The score may be changed depending on the direction and size of the symbol included in the image data. In this case, in addition to the symbol ID, metadata representing the direction and size of the symbol is added to the image file. Alternatively, different symbol IDs are set even for the same symbol for each direction and size of the symbol.

(9) The server that publishes the image and the server that calculates the score or the like may be different servers.

(10) In the first embodiment, the image data is a still image, but the present invention can be similarly applied to a moving image.

(11) A server that counts metadata does not necessarily require the disclosure of image files. For example, the server may only count the metadata added to the image file, or may be a NAS (Network Attached Storage) that stores the image file.

  As long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other forms conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention. .

It is a block diagram which shows the connection form of the digital camera in 1st Embodiment, a server, and an image processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the digital camera by 1st Embodiment. 3 is a diagram showing symbol data recorded in a flash memory 18. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image file which the digital camera 1 produces. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the server by 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows a file list table. It is a figure which shows a score table. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the increase in the storage area in 1st Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Camera 2 Network 3 Server 4 Image Processing Device

Claims (5)

Receiving means for receiving a plurality of image files;
File publishing means for publishing the plurality of image files received by the receiving means via a network ;
About the image file published by the file publishing means, a counting means for counting the number of browsing for each image file ,
A discriminating unit for discriminating metadata added to the image file received by the receiving unit and indicating that a predetermined thing is included in an image in the image file;
Remuneration calculation means for calculating the remuneration data for providing the remuneration to the sender of the image file based on the result of the aggregation by counting the number of browsing of the image file for each metadata determined by the determination means. When,
A reward providing server , comprising: reward providing means for providing a reward to the sender based on the reward data calculated by the reward calculating means . Imaging means for photographing a subject and creating a photographed image;
File creation means for creating an image file including the captured image;
Storage means for storing content information regarding specific contents within the subject,
Detection means for detecting that the predetermined thing is included in the captured image created by the imaging means based on the thing information stored in the storage means;
An appending unit for adding metadata indicating that the predetermined thing is included in the photographed image to the image file when the detection unit detects the predetermined thing from the photographed image;
A camera comprising:
The reward providing server according to claim 1 ;
A reward providing system characterized by comprising: The reward providing system according to claim 2 ,
The server further includes transmission means for transmitting information related to a thing different from the predetermined thing to the camera.
The camera has a receiving means for receiving the information transmitted by the transmitting means, and the predetermined information is stored in the storage means based on the information received by the receiving means. A reward providing system, further comprising information adding means for adding information on different things. In the reward providing system according to claim 2 or 3 ,
The storage means stores information relating to a predetermined design as the thing information,
The reward providing system, wherein the detecting means detects that the predetermined design is included in the photographed image based on the thing information stored in the storage means. In the reward providing system according to claim 2 or 3 ,
The storage means records a face of a predetermined person as the thing information,
The reward providing system, wherein the detection means detects that the face of the predetermined person is included in the photographed image based on the thing information stored in the storage means.

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