Photography system and print production system

Abstract

A photography system and a print production system are provided that can automatically set the photography parameters of a camera installed at a predetermined location to values ​​according to the situation. [Solution] The photography system includes an image receiving unit that receives photographed images from a photography device, a storage unit that stores a plurality of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of different photography parameters are set, and a table that defines application conditions for the plurality of preset parameter files, a determination unit that references the table and determines whether or not to update the photography parameters of the photography device, and a parameter update unit that, when the determination unit determines that the photography parameters should be updated, updates the parameter values ​​of the photography parameters of the photography device to the parameter values ​​set in the preset parameter file that correspond to the application conditions.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging system and a print production system. [Background technology]

[0002] In theme parks and the like, a service is provided in which visitors are photographed, the printed photographs are attached to original mounts, and the photographs are sold to visitors. In addition, a service is provided in which a camera is installed in an attraction and a moment during the experience of the attraction is automatically photographed. For example, a ride photo is known that automatically photographs an exciting moment, such as the moment when a roller coaster falls.

[0003] In order to capture natural expressions of visitors to the park, automatic photography systems often install cameras in places that visitors will not notice, such as high up. However, such places are often difficult for people to enter and exit, and it is difficult to directly touch and operate the camera to adjust shooting parameters such as exposure compensation and aperture value (F-number) after the camera is installed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6393360 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a photography system and a print production system that can automatically set the photography parameters of a camera installed at a predetermined location to values ​​appropriate to the situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The photography system of the present invention includes an image receiving unit that receives a photographed image from a photography device, a storage unit that stores a plurality of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of different photography parameters are set and a table in which application conditions of the plurality of preset parameter files are defined, a determination unit that refers to the table and determines whether or not to update the photography parameters of the photography device, and a parameter updating unit that updates the parameter values ​​of the photography parameters of the photography device to parameter values ​​set in the preset parameter file that corresponds to the application conditions when the determination unit determines that the photography parameters should be updated.

[0007] The print production system of the present invention comprises the photographing system of the present invention, an acquisition unit that acquires identification information via a reader, a transmission unit that transmits the photographed image and the identification information, a server device that associates and stores the photographed image and the identification information received from the transmission unit, and an image printing device that, upon receiving input of identification information, notifies the server device of the input identification information, receives from the server device a photographed image associated with the notified identification information, and prints out the received photographed image. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the shooting parameters of a camera installed at a predetermined location can be automatically set to values ​​appropriate to the situation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a print product production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a parameter setting screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a timer setting screen. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a timer setting screen. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a print production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the print production system includes a control device 1, a photographing device 2, an operation display device 3, a reader 4, a server device 5, an image printing device 6, and a sensor 8, and prints out an image photographed by the photographing device 2.

[0012] The control device 1 is communicably connected to an image capturing device 2, an operation and display device 3, a reader 4, a server device 5, and a sensor 8 via a wired or wireless network. The image capturing device 2 is, for example, a digital camera. The operation and display device 3 displays images and accepts information input, and is, for example, a touch panel. The operation and display device 3 may have input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse.

[0013] This print production system is installed in a leisure facility or the like, and for example, the photographing device 2 photographs a scene in which a visitor U is enjoying an attraction.

[0014] The sensor 8 detects the approach of a visitor U and notifies the control device 1. In response to the notification from the sensor 8, the control device 1 instructs the photographing device 2 to photograph the visitor U. The photographing device 2 photographs the visitor U and transmits the photographed image to the control device 1.

[0015] The control device 1 displays the captured image on the operation and display device 3. As shown in Fig. 1, after enjoying the attractions, a visitor U checks his / her image displayed on the operation and display device 3 and holds the ticket T over the reader 4. The ticket T is distributed to each visitor U upon entering the park, and has a two-dimensional code printed on it that indicates the visitor's unique identification information. The reader 4 reads the two-dimensional code and transmits the identification information to the control device 1.

[0016] The control device 1 associates the captured image with the identification information and transmits them to the server device 5. When leaving the park, the visitor U has the image printing device 6 read the two-dimensional code on the ticket T. The image printing device 6 notifies the server device 5 of the identification information obtained from the two-dimensional code. When the server device 5 is notified of the identification information from the image printing device 6, it transmits the captured image linked to this identification information to the image printing device 6. The image printing device 6 prints and outputs the captured image received from the server device 5 on paper. The visitor U can obtain a commemorative print 7.

[0017] In such a system, in order to capture natural expressions of the visitors U, the image capturing device 2 is installed in a place such as a high place that the visitors U will not notice. However, when the image capturing device 2 is installed in such a place, it is difficult to directly touch and operate the image capturing device 2 to adjust the image capturing parameters such as exposure compensation and aperture value.

[0018] Furthermore, when the image capturing device 2 is installed outdoors, the surrounding environment, such as brightness (amount of light), changes depending on the time of day. In order to provide visitors U with good quality images, it is preferable to adjust and update the image capturing parameters depending on the time of day and capture images with the image capturing parameters suited to the surrounding environment.

[0019] Therefore, in the photographing system according to the present embodiment, multiple types of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of photographing parameters are set are prepared in advance. For example, multiple types of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of photographing parameters such as shutter speed and aperture value are different are prepared.

[0020] Also, a table is prepared that defines in advance which preset parameter file's parameter values ​​will be used for shooting depending on the time (time zone). Multiple types of preset parameter files and tables are stored in the control device 1. The control device 1 refers to the table and remotely controls the shooting parameters of the imaging device 2 so that the parameter values ​​are set to the preset parameter file for the current time. A Software Development Kit (SDK) is used for remote control of the imaging device 2.

[0021] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the control device 1. The control device 1 is a computer equipped with a communication unit, a storage unit, a CPU, etc., and the CPU executes a control program to realize the functions of a sensor signal receiving unit 101, an imaging instruction unit 102, an image receiving unit 103, a display processing unit 104, an identification information acquiring unit 105, a data transmitting unit 106, a preset parameter setting unit 110, a table creating unit 111, a determining unit 112, and a parameter updating unit 113, as shown in FIG.

[0022] The control device 1 may have functions such as a weather forecast data acquisition unit 114, a light amount calculation unit 115, and an image analysis unit 116. These functions will be described later.

[0023] The sensor signal receiving unit 101 receives a detection signal from the sensor 8 indicating that a visitor is approaching.

[0024] When the sensor signal receiving unit 101 receives the detection signal, the photographing instruction unit 102 instructs the photographing device 2 to execute photographing processing.

[0025] The image receiving unit 103 receives the captured image from the image capturing device 2 .

[0026] The display processing unit 104 causes the captured image to be displayed on the operation and display device 3.

[0027] The identification information acquisition unit 105 acquires, from the reader 4, the identification information of the visitor indicated by the two-dimensional code printed on the ticket.

[0028] The data transmission unit 106 associates the captured image displayed on the operation display unit 3 with the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 105, and transmits them to the server device 5.

[0029] The preset parameter setting unit 110 accepts the setting of the parameter values ​​of the shooting parameters and creates a preset parameter file. For example, the preset parameter setting unit 110 displays a parameter setting screen as shown in FIG. 3 on the operation display device 3. The manager (facility manager) operates the parameter setting screen and inputs the parameter values ​​of each shooting parameter. When the setting button 31 is pressed, one preset parameter file is created. The preset parameter file is stored in the storage unit 10.

[0030] The administrator creates a plurality of preset parameter files, for example, by changing the aperture value and exposure compensation value to create a preset parameter file suitable for a bright environment, a preset parameter file suitable for a dark environment, and the like.

[0031] The table creating unit 111 creates a table that associates the time (time period) with the preset parameter file. The created table is stored in the storage unit 100.

[0032] For example, the table creation unit 111 displays a timer setting screen as shown in Fig. 4 on the operation display unit 3. The administrator sets the time period (start time and end time) and the preset parameter file. As shown in Fig. 4, the names of the preset parameter files stored in the storage unit 10 may be displayed in a drop-down list so that the preset parameter file can be selected from the list. Fig. 4 shows an example in which three types of preset parameter files, preset A to C, are created and a selection is made from among them.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5, the timer setting screen may be configured to allow setting of not only the time period but also the date.

[0034] This makes it possible to create a table such as that shown in Fig. 6, which associates dates and time periods with preset parameter files. In the example shown in Fig. 6, Preset A, which is a preset parameter file suitable for dark environments, is associated with the time period from 19:00 to 21:00 throughout the year. Preset C, which is a preset parameter file suitable for bright environments only in the summer (6 / 1 to 8 / 31), is associated with the time period from 9:00 to 12:00, and Preset B, which is a preset parameter file suitable for standard brightness, is associated with the time period from 20:00 to 21:00 only in the summer (6 / 1 to 8 / 31).

[0035] The determination unit 112 refers to the table and determines whether or not to update (change) the imaging parameters to be set in the imaging device 2. For example, in spring (March 1 to May 31), it is determined that the imaging parameters are to be updated at 12:00, 16:00, and 19:00.

[0036] The parameter update unit 113 remotely controls the image capturing device 2 to update the image capturing parameters based on the determination result of the determination unit 112. For example, in winter (12 / 1 to 2 / 28), at 16:00, the image capturing parameters of the image capturing device 2 are updated to the parameter values ​​set in the preset parameter file of preset A.

[0037] In this way, according to this embodiment, the shooting parameters of the image capturing device 2 can be automatically updated to parameter values ​​suitable for the surrounding environment, and therefore, a good-quality image can be provided to the visitors U.

[0038] In the above embodiment, an example of updating the shooting parameters of the image capturing device 2 according to the date and time period has been described, but the method of updating is not limited to this. For example, the light amount at the current time may be predicted from a weather forecast, and suitable shooting parameters may be set. In this case, the weather forecast data acquisition unit 114 acquires weather forecast data for the installation location of the image capturing device 2 from a database of the Japan Meteorological Agency or the like. The light amount calculation unit 115 calculates the ambient light amount at the current time from the weather forecast data.

[0039] 7, a table associating light amounts with preset parameter files is prepared in the storage unit 100. The determination unit 112 refers to the table, identifies the preset parameter file corresponding to the light amount calculated by the light amount calculation unit 115, and determines whether or not to update the shooting parameters.

[0040] A light amount sensor may be installed near the photographing device 2. The determination unit 112 identifies a preset parameter file corresponding to the amount of light detected by the light amount sensor, and determines whether or not to update the photographing parameters.

[0041] The image analysis unit 116 may analyze the image captured by the image capture device 2, obtain a luminance histogram, and calculate the amount of ambient light at the current time. The determination unit 112 identifies a preset parameter file corresponding to the calculated amount of light, and determines whether or not to update the shooting parameters.

[0042] The application conditions of the preset parameter file defined in the table are not limited to the time period, the amount of light obtained by calculation, and the amount of light measured by the sensor.

[0043] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Control device 2. Imaging Device 3 Operation display device 4 Reader 5. Server equipment 6. Image Printing Device

Claims

1. an image receiving unit that receives a captured image from the photographing device; a storage unit that stores a plurality of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of mutually different shooting parameters are set, and a table that defines application conditions of the plurality of preset parameter files; a determination unit that refers to the table and determines whether or not to update the imaging parameters of the imaging device; a parameter update unit that updates a parameter value of the shooting parameter of the shooting device to a parameter value set in the preset parameter file according to the application condition when the determination unit determines that the shooting parameter is to be updated; a light amount sensor for detecting the amount of light at a location where the photographing device is installed; Equipped with The table associates light amounts with the preset parameter files, The parameter update unit updates a parameter value of a shooting parameter of the shooting device to a parameter value set in a preset parameter file corresponding to the amount of light detected by the light amount sensor.

2. an image receiving unit that receives a captured image from the photographing device; a storage unit that stores a plurality of preset parameter files in which parameter values ​​of mutually different shooting parameters are set, and a table that defines application conditions of the plurality of preset parameter files; a determination unit that refers to the table and determines whether or not to update the imaging parameters of the imaging device; a parameter update unit that updates a parameter value of the shooting parameter of the shooting device to a parameter value set in the preset parameter file according to the application condition when the determination unit determines that the shooting parameter is to be updated; an image analysis unit that analyzes the captured image and calculates the amount of light at a location where the photographing device is installed; Equipped with The table associates light amounts with the preset parameter files, The parameter update unit updates the parameter values ​​of the shooting parameters of the shooting device to parameter values ​​set in a preset parameter file corresponding to the amount of light calculated by the image analysis unit.

3. The imaging system according to claim 1 or 2, An acquisition unit that acquires identification information via a reader; a transmission unit that transmits the captured image and the identification information; a server device that stores the captured image and the identification information received from the transmission unit in association with each other; an image printing device that, upon receiving an input of identification information, notifies the server device of the input identification information, receives from the server device a photographed image associated with the notified identification information, and prints out the received photographed image; A print production system comprising:

Images