Photographing system, server, communication terminal, photographing method, program, and recording medium

Abstract

To enable even a user with shallow knowledge of a camera to capture an image desired by the user.SOLUTION: In an imaging system, a server, a communication terminal, an imaging method, a program and a recording medium according to the present invention, a feature amount of a first image is acquired by analyzing the first image for each first image; the first image is stored in a memory by associating it with a setting value related to imaging of a first communication terminal at the time when the first image was taken, and a text-format tag that expresses the feature amount of the first image; a text-format retrieval key is received from a second communication terminal; the first image to which a tag that matches the retrieval key is given is retrieved from the first images stored in the memory; the setting value associated with the retrieved first image is acquired from the setting value stored in the memory; the acquired setting value is set to the second communication terminal; and an image is captured on the basis of the set setting value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a photographing system, a server, a communication terminal, a photographing method, a program, and a recording medium that photograph an image using a setting value related to camera photographing when an image having a similar feature amount is photographed by another user according to the feature amount of the image to be photographed next by the user.

Background Art

[0002] Users with little knowledge of cameras simply aim vaguely at a subject such as a child and take pictures with the camera set to the auto mode. In fact, they can take pictures with various expressions by changing the camera settings, but they are not aware of this. Alternatively, even if a user with little knowledge of cameras finds an image they like through an SNS (Social Networking Service), they do not know how to change the camera settings to take such an image, so they give up before actually taking the picture.

[0003] Also, for example, even if a user finds an image of a child beautifully photographed at a sports meet through an SNS or the like and wants to take such an image, they quickly forget it. When they are actually at the sports meet scene, they take pictures with the camera set to the auto mode without particularly noticing. Furthermore, there are also users who have not clearly grasped their favorite images and the images they want to photograph in the first place.

[0004] Here, as prior art documents for reference of the present invention, for example, there are Patent Documents 1 to 5.

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a network control device that receives attribute information of a plurality of images including information regarding the color temperature of an image from a plurality of digital cameras, determines common parameters commonly used for image processing of the plurality of images based on the received attribute information of the plurality of images, and sequentially displays on a display unit a plurality of images on which image processing has been performed using the determined common parameters.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes an imaging device that acquires detection information of an imaging signal captured by another camera and performs imaging control and signal processing control adapted to the imaging scene using this detection information.

[0007] Patent Document 3 describes a shooting condition data distribution system that sends a subject image to be shot from a digital camera to a server, extracts features of the subject from the subject image at the server, searches for a reference image similar to the subject image from among reference images stored in association with shooting condition data based on the feature information included in the reference image, extracts the shooting condition data thereof, and distributes it from the server to the digital camera.

[0008] Patent Document 4 describes an imaging system in which, at a server, image information corresponding to position information received from a digital camera is searched for from among image information stored in association with the position information, and the searched image information and control information for setting shooting conditions for the digital camera, which is added thereto, are transmitted to the digital camera, and at the digital camera, shooting conditions are set based on the control information received from the server.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] Patent Document 1 attempts to reduce variations in color tones and the like among a plurality of images, but it is not necessarily the color tones and the like preferred by the user who views the images. Also, if the setting values related to shooting with a digital camera can be changed, expressions that cannot be handled by image processing can be made possible, but Patent Document 1 does not describe changing the setting values related to shooting with a digital camera.

[0011] In Patent Document 2, a plurality of cameras are required to perform control adapted to the shooting scene.

[0012] Patent Document 3 describes associating and storing sample photos and their shooting data for each famous photographer, but does not describe acquiring and using the photos and their shooting data taken by other users from other users' digital cameras. Also, although Patent Document 3 describes that the sample image includes its feature information in addition to the image data, it does not describe analyzing the sample image to obtain the feature amount of the sample image.

[0013] Patent Document 4 describes that control information is added to image information, but does not describe acquiring and using the image information and its control information of the images taken by other users from other users' digital cameras. Also, although Patent Document 4 describes storing image information in correspondence with position information, it does not describe analyzing the image information to obtain the position information of the image.

[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a shooting system, a server, a communication terminal, a shooting method, a program, and a recording medium that enable a user with little knowledge of cameras to shoot an image as the user desires.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a server accessed by a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users, comprising a first processor, and the first processor receives a first image captured by a first communication terminal and a setting value related to the shooting of the first communication terminal when the first image is captured from one or more first communication terminals, for each first image, analyzes the first image to obtain a feature amount of the first image, associates the first image with a text-form tag representing the setting value and the feature amount of the first image, and stores the association in the memory, receives a text-form search key from a second communication terminal, searches for a first image with a tag matching the search key from the first images stored in the memory, obtains a setting value associated with the first image retrieved by the first processor from the setting values stored in the memory, provides a server that transmits the setting value obtained by the first processor to the second communication terminal.

[0016] Here, the first processor for each user, associates the first image with the setting value and the feature amount, and stores the association in the memory, analyzes the image preference of the user of the second communication terminal based on the feature amount of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal stored in the memory, preferably searches for a first image associated with a feature amount that matches or is similar to the image preference of the user of the second communication terminal from the first images stored in the memory.

[0017] Also, the first processor receives at least one of a positive evaluation and a negative evaluation voted by the user of the first communication terminal for the first image from the first communication terminal, associates the first image with the total number of all evaluations voted for the first image, and stores the association in the memory, Receive an instruction for a search based on evaluation from the second communication terminal, In response to the instruction, among the first images stored in the memory, it is preferable to search for a determined number of first images based on the number of evaluations.

[0018] Also, the first processor, Receives the evaluation voting date and time from the first communication terminal, Associates the first image and the evaluation voting date and time and stores them in the memory, Receives the evaluation voting period from the second communication terminal, It is preferable to search, from among the first images stored in the memory, for the first images for which evaluations were voted at the voting date and time within the evaluation voting period.

[0021] Also, the first processor, As feature amounts, obtains the feature amounts of the broadest first - layer concept, and as n is an integer of 2 or more, obtains the feature amounts of the concepts from the second layer to the nth layer that become sequentially narrower than the first - layer concept, It is preferable to search, from among the first images stored in the memory, for a determined number of first images using at least one of the feature amounts of the concepts from the first layer to the nth layer.

[0022] Also, the first processor, Receives information on the first image selected by the user of the second communication terminal from among the plurality of first images searched by the first processor, It is preferable to obtain, from among the set values stored in the memory, the set value associated with the first image corresponding to the information of the first image.

[0023] Also, the set value preferably includes at least one value of the aperture, shutter speed, focal length, and ISO sensitivity of the first communication terminal when the first image was taken.

[0024] Also, the feature amounts preferably include at least one of the header information that the first image has, the subject shown in the first image, and the scene of the first image.

[0025] Furthermore, the present invention includes any one of the aforementioned servers and a plurality of communication terminals. The first communication terminal includes a second processor. The second communication terminal includes a third processor. The second processor transmits the first image and the set value to the server. The third processor receives the set value obtained by the first processor from the server, sets the set value received by the third processor in the second communication terminal, and provides a photographing system that photographs an image based on the set value set by the third processor.

[0026] Here, the communication terminal includes a camera. The camera of the first communication terminal has a second processor. The camera of the second communication terminal has a third processor. The second processor transmits the first image and the set value to the server. The third processor receives the set value obtained by the first processor from the server. The third processor sets the set value received by the third processor in the camera of the second communication terminal. Preferably, an image is photographed based on the set value set by the third processor.

[0027] In addition, the third processor recognizes a subject shown in the through-image captured by the third processor and outputs subject information. Each time a subject shown in the through-image is recognized by the third processor and information on a different subject is output. the third processor transmits the subject information to the server. The first processor receives the subject information from the camera of the second communication terminal. searches for a first image associated with a feature amount of a subject that matches or is similar to the subject information from among the first images stored in the memory. From among the set values stored in the memory, obtain the set value associated with the first image retrieved by the first processor, transmit the set value obtained by the first processor to the second communication terminal, The third processor, receives from the server the set value obtained by the first processor, and preferably repeats the operation of setting the set value received by the third processor in the camera of the second communication terminal.

[0028] Also, the communication terminal includes a camera having a communication function and an information terminal having a communication function, The information terminal of the first communication terminal has a second processor, The information terminal of the second communication terminal has a fourth processor, and the camera of the second communication terminal has a fifth processor, The second processor transmits the first image and the set value received from the camera of the first communication terminal to the server, The fourth processor receives from the server the set value obtained by the first processor, The fifth processor preferably sets the set value received from the information terminal of the second communication terminal in the camera of the second communication terminal and captures an image based on the set value set by the fifth processor.

[0029] Also, the present invention provides a communication terminal including a second processor, and the second processor transmits the first image and the set value to the server, receives from the server the set value obtained by the first processor, sets the set value received by the second processor in the communication terminal, and captures an image based on the set value set by the second processor.

[0030] Also, the present invention is a photographing method in a photographing system including a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users and a server accessed by the plurality of communication terminals, A step in which a first communication terminal with a value of 1 or more transmits a first image captured by the first communication terminal and a setting value related to the shooting of the first communication terminal when the first image was captured to a server; A step in which a first receiving unit of the server receives the first image and the setting value of the first image from the first communication terminal; A step in which a feature amount acquisition unit of the server analyzes the first image for each first image and acquires the feature amount of the first image; The step of associating and storing in the server memory the first image, a text-formatted tag representing the set value and the feature amount of the first image; The step of the first receiving unit receiving a text-formatted search key from the second communication terminal; The step of the image search unit of the server searching for the first image to which a tag matching the search key is assigned from among the first images stored in the memory; A step in which a setting value acquisition unit of the server acquires a setting value associated with the first image searched by the image search unit of the server from among the setting values stored in the memory; A step in which a first transmission unit of the server transmits the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit to a second communication terminal; A step in which a second receiving unit of the second communication terminal receives the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit from the server; A step in which a setting unit of the second communication terminal sets the setting value received by the second receiving unit in the second communication terminal; A step in which a shooting unit of the second communication terminal shoots an image based on the setting value set by the setting unit, and provides a shooting method.

[0031] Further, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the above-described shooting method.

[0032] Further, the present invention provides a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the above-described shooting method is recorded.

Effects of the Invention

[0033] According to the present invention, when an image having a feature amount that matches or is similar to the feature amount of the image to be captured next is captured, the user can capture an image using the same setting value as the setting value of the communication terminal at that time. Therefore, even a user with little knowledge of cameras can quickly and easily capture an image as he or she intends to capture.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0035] Hereinafter, based on the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the imaging system, server, communication terminal, imaging method, program, and recording medium of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment showing the configuration of the imaging system of the present invention. The imaging system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of communication terminals 14 owned by a plurality of users and a server 12 accessed by the plurality of communication terminals 14. Each of the server 12 and the plurality of communication terminals 14 is interconnected via a network 16 such as the Internet, a telephone line, and Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). Thereby, the server 12 and each communication terminal 14 can transmit and receive data to and from each other.

[0037] Server 12 receives the image captured by communication terminal 14 and the setting values regarding the shooting of communication terminal 14 when this image was captured, and in response to a request from the user, transmits to communication terminal 14 of this user the setting values suitable for the feature amount of the image that the user will shoot next. As shown in FIG. 2, server 12 includes a first receiving unit 18, a feature amount acquisition unit 20, a storage unit 22, an image search unit 24, a preference analysis unit 26, a setting value acquisition unit 28, and a first transmission unit 30.

[0038] The first receiving unit 18 receives various data from communication terminal 14. For example, the first receiving unit 18 receives from the first communication terminal 14 the first image captured by the first communication terminal 14 and the setting values regarding the shooting of the first communication terminal 14 when this first image was captured, etc. Also, the first receiving unit 18 receives from the second communication terminal 14 the feature amount of the second image, etc.

[0039] The first communication terminal 14 is one or more of the plurality of communication terminals 14, and transmits the first image and its setting values to server 12. The first image is one or more images captured by the first communication terminal 14. The setting value is the value (shooting condition) of various setting items regarding the shooting of the first communication terminal 14, and is not particularly limited, but desirably includes at least one value of the aperture, shutter speed, focal length, and ISO sensitivity of the first communication terminal 14 when the first image was captured. Also, it may include the values of other setting items. The setting value can be extracted, for example, from the header information such as Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) that the first image has.

[0040] The second communication terminal 14 is one of the plurality of communication terminals 14, transmits the feature amount of the second image to server 12, and receives from server 12 the setting values suitable for the feature amount of the image that the user of the second communication terminal 14 will shoot next. The second image is a sample image for the user of the second communication terminal 14 to search for a first image having feature amounts that match or are similar to the feature amounts of the image to be captured next using the second communication terminal 14.

[0041] For each first image received by the first receiving unit 18, the feature amount acquisition unit 20 analyzes the first image for one or more analysis items and acquires the feature amounts of the first image.

[0042] The analysis items are not particularly limited, but may include analysis of the image quality of the first image, such as the brightness (luminance), color tone (chroma), sharpness, contrast, and degree of blur of the first image. The analysis items may include analysis of the content of the first image, such as detection of the subject (person and object other than person) shown in the first image, detection of the number of subjects, detection of the movement of the subject, detection of the action of the subject, and detection of the scene of the first image. The analysis items may include analysis of the attributes of the first image, such as the shooting date and time, shooting location, model name of the communication terminal 14, and lens name included in the header information of the first image.

[0043] The feature amounts are numerical representations of various information regarding the features of the first image based on the result of the analysis of the first image, and are not particularly limited, but those representing the following (1) to (4) etc. numerically can be used. (1) Information regarding the image quality of the first image. For example, information such as the luminance and sharpness of the first image. (2) Information regarding the content of the first image. For example, information such as the subject shown in the first image, the number of subjects, the number of subjects, the movement of the subject, the action of the subject, and the scene of the first image. (3) Information regarding the attributes of the first image. It is various information obtained from the header information of the first image, and is information not related to the set value, such as the shooting date and time when the first image was taken, the shooting location, the model name of the communication terminal 14, and the lens name. Information representing features such as the image quality, content, and attributes of the first image estimated by the determination model (trained model) as a multi-dimensional vector of 512 dimensions or the like. For example, information such as the subject depicted in the first image and the scene of the first image.

[0044] The feature amount acquisition unit 20 may acquire the feature amount of the first image using a determination program or the like that analyzes one or more analysis items by image analysis, or may estimate the feature amount of the first image using the first determination model. Here, the first determination model is a trained model that has learned the relationship between the first learning image and the feature amount of the first learning image as the first teacher data for a plurality of first teacher data. The first determination model takes the first image as an input and estimates the feature amount of the first image.

[0045] The feature amount is not particularly limited, but preferably includes at least one of the header information included in the first image, the subject depicted in the first image, and the scene of the first image. Also, other feature amounts may be included. The items in the header information used as the feature amount are not particularly limited, but preferably include at least one of the shooting date and time when the first image was taken, the shooting location, the model name of the first communication terminal 14, and the lens name. Also, other items in the header information may be included as the feature amount.

[0046] The storage unit 22 is a memory that stores a database including various data related to the first image, and stores the first image, its setting value, and the feature amount in association with each other for each first image. For example, the storage unit 22 stores these data for each user. The storage unit 22 is not particularly limited, but memory devices such as semiconductor memories, and storage devices such as HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) and SSDs (Solid State Drives) can be used.

[0047] The preference analysis unit 26 analyzes the preference of the user of the second communication terminal 14 for images based on the feature amounts of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14 stored in the storage unit 22.

[0048] The preference for the user's images represents the tendency of the images that this user likes to take. For example, when the feature amounts of the first image include the model name and lens name of a specific camera frequently, the preference analysis unit 26 analyzes that the user likes to take images using the communication terminal 14 with this model name and lens name. Also, when the feature amounts of the first image include many "children", the preference analysis unit 26 analyzes that the user likes to take images of these "children". Furthermore, when the feature amounts of the first image include many "sports meets" in autumn, the preference analysis unit 26 analyzes that the user likes to take images of these "sports meets" in this season.

[0049] The image search unit 24 searches for the first image associated with the feature amounts that match or are similar to the feature amounts of the second image received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first receiving unit 18 among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. Also, the image search unit 24 searches for the first image associated with the feature amounts that match or are similar to the preference of the user of the second communication terminal 14 for images analyzed by the preference analysis unit 26 among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. For example, when the feature amount of the second image is "children", the image search unit 24 searches for the first image associated with the feature amount of "children" among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. Also, when the preference analysis unit 26 analyzes that the user's preference for images is that the user likes to take images of "children", the image search unit 24 searches for the first image associated with the feature amount of "children" among the first images stored in the storage unit 22.

[0050] The setting value acquisition unit 28 acquires the setting value associated with the first image searched by the image search unit 24 from among the setting values stored in the storage unit 22. For example, when the image search unit 24 searches for one first image, the setting value acquisition unit 28 acquires the setting value associated with this one first image from among the setting values stored in the storage unit 22. On the other hand, when the image search unit 24 searches for a plurality of first images, the setting value acquisition unit 28 acquires, from among the setting values stored in the storage unit 22, the setting value associated with one first image selected by the user of the second communication terminal 14 from among the plurality of first images.

[0051] The first transmission unit 30 transmits various types of data to the communication terminal 14. For example, the first transmission unit 30 transmits the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit 28 and the first image searched by the image search unit 24, etc. to the second communication terminal 14.

[0052] The communication terminal 14 transmits the image captured by the communication terminal 14 and the setting value of the communication terminal 14 when this image was captured to the server 12, and in response to a request from the user, receives from the server 12 the setting value of the communication terminal 14 suitable for the feature amount of the image that the user will capture next.

[0053] In the case of this embodiment, the communication terminal 14 includes a camera 32 having a communication function and a portable information terminal 34 having a communication function. The camera 32 is a digital single-lens reflex camera or the like, and as shown in FIG. 3, includes a setting unit 46 and a photographing unit 48. Further, the portable information terminal 34 is a smartphone or the like, and as also shown in FIG. 3, includes a second transmission unit 36, an input unit 38, a display control unit 40, a display unit 42, and a second reception unit 44. Note that the camera 32 and the portable information terminal 34 also include components other than those described above, but the description thereof is omitted here.

[0054] The camera 32 and the mobile information terminal 34 can be connected to each other by wire, for example, by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like, or wirelessly by Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi or the like, and can transmit and receive data to and from each other through their respective communication functions. The communication functions of the camera 32 and the mobile information terminal 34 include a transmission function by a known transmission unit and a reception function by a reception unit. Details of the connection between the camera 32 and the mobile information terminal 34 and the transmission and reception of data are omitted.

[0055] In the mobile information terminal 34, the second reception unit 44 receives various data from the server 12. For example, the second reception unit 44 of the second communication terminal 14 receives the set values acquired by the set value acquisition unit 28 and the first images retrieved by the image search unit 24 from the server 12.

[0056] The input unit 38 acquires various instructions and the like input by the user. The input unit 38 is not particularly limited, but in addition to the instructions input by the physical buttons of the mobile information terminal 34, in the operation screen (graphical user interface) of the application for implementing the present invention displayed on the display unit 42, various instructions and the like input by the user through touch operations using the touch panel provided on the display unit 42 are acquired. For example, the input unit 38 of the first communication terminal 14 acquires instructions to transmit the first image and its set values to the server 12. The input unit 38 of the second communication terminal 14 acquires instructions to transmit the feature amount of the second image to the server 12, an instruction to select one image from the list of the first images displayed on the display unit 42, and an instruction to set the set values received from the server 12 in the camera 32 or not.

[0057] The display control unit 40 causes the display unit 42 to display various information. For example, the display control unit 40 causes the display unit 42 to display the images captured by the imaging unit 48, the list of the first images received from the server 12, and various operation screens and the like.

[0058] The display unit 42 is a display that displays various types of information under the control of the display control unit 40. The display unit 42 is not particularly limited, and is an image display device such as a liquid crystal display and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display.

[0059] The second transmission unit 36 transmits various types of data to the server 12. For example, the second transmission unit 36 transmits at least one of the first image and its set value and the feature amount of the second image to the server 12. More specifically, the second transmission unit 36 of the first communication terminal 14 transmits the first image and its set value to the server 12, and the second transmission unit 36 of the second communication terminal 14 transmits the feature amount of the second image to the server 12. In addition, the second transmission unit 36 transmits various instructions and the like acquired by the input unit 38 to the server 12.

[0060] In the camera 32, the setting unit 46 sets the set value received from the portable information terminal 34 of the second communication terminal 14 in the camera 32 by means of the communication function. For example, the setting unit 46 of the second communication terminal 14 sets the set value in the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14.

[0061] The photographing unit 48 photographs an image when the user presses the shutter button. For example, the photographing unit 48 of the second communication terminal 14 photographs an image based on the set value set by the setting unit 46 of the second communication terminal 14.

[0062] Note that instead of the portable information terminal 34, an information terminal such as a desktop PC (Personal Computer), a notebook PC, or a tablet PC having a communication function may be used.

[0063] Next, the operation of the photographing system 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4.

[0064] First, on the first communication terminal 14, the user captures an image using the camera 32. For example, as shown in the left part of FIG. 5, at a sports meet, the user captures an image of their child's running race. In this case, when the user presses the shutter button of the camera 32, the imaging unit 48 captures an image of the user's child at the sports meet (step S1). Note that the set value of the camera 32 in this case is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, the auto mode or the like.

[0065] After the image capturing is completed, when the user connects the camera 32 and the portable information terminal 34 and instructs the transmission of the image, the input unit 38 acquires this instruction. In response to this instruction, as shown in the left part of FIG. 5, the image and the set value regarding the shooting of the camera 32 when this image was captured are transmitted from the camera 32 to the portable information terminal 34 by the communication function. In the case of this embodiment, the set value of the camera 32 includes the shutter speed, aperture, and focal length. Subsequently, as also shown in the left part of FIG. 5, the image (first image) received from the camera 32 by the communication function and its set value are transmitted from the portable information terminal 34 to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36.

[0066] Note that a set value extraction unit may be provided in the first communication terminal 14, and the set value extraction unit of this first communication terminal 14 may extract the set value from the header information of the image and transmit it from the communication terminal 14 to the server 12. Alternatively, a set value extraction unit may be provided in the server 12, and the set value extraction unit of this server 12 may extract the set value from the header information of the image received from the first communication terminal 14.

[0067] Subsequently, in the server 12, the first receiving unit 18 receives the first image and its set value from the first communication terminal 14 (step S2). Subsequently, the first image received by the first receiving unit 18 is analyzed by the feature amount acquisition unit 20, and its feature amount is acquired (step S3). In the case of this embodiment, as the feature amount of the first image, the subject shown in the first image and the scene of the first image are acquired. Subsequently, as shown in Table 1, the ID (Identification number) for each user, the first image represented by the image name, the model name and lens name of the camera 32, the shutter speed, aperture, and focal length which are the setting values of the camera 32 received by the first receiving unit 18, and the subject and scene which are the feature amounts of the first image acquired by the feature amount acquisition unit 20 are associated and stored in the storage unit 22 (step S4).

[0068]

Table 1

[0069] The first images stored in the storage unit 22 are made public to all users who use the photographing system 10. That is, each user can freely view all the first images of a plurality of users stored in the storage unit 22 on the communication terminal 14 of each user.

[0070] Here, a user who has an image to be photographed, in other words, a user who clearly knows the subject and scene to be photographed next, etc., when photographing an image using the camera 32, selects one first image from the first images stored in the storage unit 22 that matches or is similar to the image that the user will photograph next, and uses the setting values of the camera 32 when this selected one first image was photographed to photograph the next image.

[0071] In this case, on the second communication terminal 14, when the user inputs an instruction to view the list of the first images stored in the storage unit 22, this instruction is acquired by the input unit 38 of the portable information terminal 34. Subsequently, the instruction acquired by the input unit 38 is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmitting unit 36.

[0072] Subsequently, at the server 12, the first receiving unit 18 receives an instruction from the second communication terminal 14. In response to this instruction, the first transmitting unit 30 transmits the list of the first images stored in the storage unit 22 to the second communication terminal 14.

[0073] Subsequently, in the second communication terminal 14, a list of the first images is received from the server 12 by the second receiving unit 44 of the portable information terminal 34. Then, as shown in the right part of FIG. 5, the list of the first images received by the second receiving unit 44 is displayed on the display unit 42 of the portable information terminal 34 under the control of the display control unit 40.

[0074] Here, the user can search for and narrow down the first images based on, for example, the model name of the camera 32, the lens name, the subject, and the scene as the feature amounts of the second images.

[0075] In this case, in the second communication terminal 14, when the user inputs, for example, "sports meet" and "child", the input unit 38 of the portable information terminal 34 acquires this "sports meet" and "child" as the feature amounts of the second images. Subsequently, the feature amounts of the second images acquired by the input unit 38 are transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmitting unit 36.

[0076] Subsequently, in the server 12, the feature amounts of the second images are received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first receiving unit 18 (step S5). Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches for feature amounts that match the feature amounts of "sports meet" and "child" of the second images, that is, the first images associated with the feature amounts of "sports meet" and "child" from among the first images stored in the storage unit 22 (step S6). For example, in the example of Table 1, an image with the image name "Sample1.jpg" in which the feature amount of the subject includes "child" and the feature amount of the scene includes "sports meet" is searched for. Then, the list of the first images searched by the image search unit 24 is transmitted to the second communication terminal 14 by the first transmitting unit 30.

[0077] Subsequently, at the second communication terminal 14, a list of the first images retrieved by the image search unit 24 is received from the server 12 by the second receiving unit 44 of the portable information terminal 34, and as shown in the right part of FIG. 5, the list of the first images received by the second receiving unit 44 is displayed on the display unit 42 under the control of the display control unit 40. Subsequently, when the user selects one first image having a feature amount closest to the feature amount of the image to be captured next from among the list of the first images displayed on the display unit 42 (step S7), information on the first image selected by the user is acquired by the input unit 38. Subsequently, the information on the first image acquired by the input unit 38 is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmitting unit 36.

[0078] Subsequently, at the server 12, the first receiving unit 18 receives the information on the first image from the second communication terminal 14. Subsequently, the setting value acquisition unit 28 acquires a setting value associated with the first image corresponding to the information on the first image received by the first receiving unit 18 from among the setting values stored in the storage unit 22 (step S8). Subsequently, the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit 28 is transmitted to the second communication terminal 14 by the first transmitting unit 30 (step S9).

[0079] Subsequently, at the second communication terminal 14, the second receiving unit 44 of the portable information terminal 34 receives the setting value from the server 12. Subsequently, the setting value received by the second receiving unit 44 and a message prompting a setting such as "Do you want to set this? Yes / No" are displayed on the display unit 42 under the control of the display control unit 40.

[0080] On the other hand, when the user selects "No" (No in step S10), the process ends. In this case, the user can, for example, reselect a desired image from among the list of the first images and execute the above operation again. On the other hand, when the user connects the camera 32 and the mobile information terminal 34 and selects "Yes" (Yes in step S10), as shown in FIG. 5, the set value received by the second receiving unit 44 is transmitted from the mobile information terminal 34 to the camera 32 by the communication function.

[0081] Subsequently, the set value received from the mobile information terminal 34 by the communication function is set in the camera 32 by the setting unit 46 of the camera 32 (step S11). After the setting of the set value is completed, under the control of the display control unit 40 of the mobile information terminal 34, a message such as "The setting is completed" is displayed on the display unit 42. In response to this, the user of the second communication terminal 14 uses the camera 32 in which the set value is set by the setting unit 46 to take an image of the next image to be taken, as shown in the right part of FIG. 5. For example, at a sports meet, an image of the user's child's running race is taken (step S12).

[0082] As a result, the user can take an image using the same set value as the set value of the camera 32 when an image having a feature amount that matches or is similar to the feature amount of the next image to be taken is taken. Therefore, even a user with little knowledge of cameras can quickly and easily take an image as the user wants to take.

[0083] On the other hand, a user who has no particular image to take, in other words, a user who has no particular subject or scene to be photographed next, can select one first image from the first images stored in the storage unit 22 that automatically match the user's preferences by the server 12, and use the set value of the camera 32 when this selected first image is taken to take an image.

[0084] In this case, in server 12, based on the feature amounts of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14 stored in the storage unit 22 by the preference analysis unit 26, for example, the model name and lens name of the camera 32 when the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14 was taken, the subject shown in the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14, and the scene of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14, etc., the preference of the image of the user of the second communication terminal 14 is analyzed.

[0085] For example, when there are many "children" as the feature amounts of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal 14 stored in the storage unit 22, that is, when the user of the second communication terminal 14 frequently takes pictures of "children", it is analyzed that the user likes to take pictures of "children".

[0086] Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches the first images stored in the storage unit 22 for the first images associated with the feature amounts that match or are similar to the user's preferences analyzed by the preference analysis unit 26.

[0087] For example, an image is searched for that uses a camera with the same model name and a lens with the same lens name as the user of the second communication terminal 14, shows a subject that matches the preference of the image of the user of the second communication terminal 14, and has a scene of an event close to the current date. For example, in the case of a user who frequently takes pictures of "children", an image of "children" taken using a camera with the same model name and a lens with the same lens name at the event of the sports meet in October 2020 is searched for.

[0088] Subsequently, the list of the first images searched by the image search unit 24 is transmitted to the second communication terminal 14 by the first transmission unit 30.

[0089] Subsequently, in the second communication terminal 14, the second receiving unit 44 of the portable information terminal 34 receives the list of the first images from the server 12. Then, a list of the first images received by the second receiving unit 44 is displayed on the display unit 42 under the control of the display control unit 40. That is, a list of the first images that match the user's preferences is proposed to the user. The operations after this are the same.

[0090] Thereby, even for a user who has no particular image to be taken, using the set value of the camera 32 when one image selected from the images analyzed to match the user's preferences is taken, it is possible to quickly and easily take an image that matches the user's preferences.

[0091] Note that the analysis, search, and display of images based on the user's preferences may be performed regularly, for example, once a day or once an hour, or may be executed only once when the application implementing the present invention is started or when the web page implementing the present invention is opened.

[0092] In the case of the above-described embodiment, the user of the second communication terminal 14 views the list of the first images displayed on the display unit 42 under the control of the display control unit 40 in the portable information terminal 34, but is not limited thereto, and the list of the first images can also be viewed in the camera 32. In this case, the camera 32 includes the same input unit 38, display control unit 40, and display unit 42 as the portable information terminal 34. The operations when viewing the list of the first images in the camera 32 are the same.

[0093] Also, it is not essential that the communication terminal 14 includes the portable information terminal 34, and it may include only the camera 32. In this case, in addition to the setting unit 46 and the photographing unit 48, the camera 32 includes the same second receiving unit 44, input unit 38, display control unit 40, display unit 42, and second transmitting unit 36 as the portable information terminal 34. First, the first image and its set value are transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmitting unit 36 of the camera 32 of the first communication terminal 14. On the other hand, the feature amount of the second image is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmitting unit 36 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14. Subsequently, the second receiving unit 44 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14 receives the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit 28 from the server 12. Subsequently, the setting value received by the second receiving unit 44 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14 is set in the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14 by the setting unit 46 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14. Then, based on the setting value set by the setting unit 46 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14, an image is captured by the imaging unit 48 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14. Note that the operations of the input unit 38, the display control unit 40, and the display unit 42 of the camera 32 other than those described above are the same as those of the input unit 38, the display control unit 40, and the display unit 42 of the mobile information terminal 34.

[0094] As a result, the user can capture an image in the same manner as when the user has the mobile information terminal 34 even if the user does not have the mobile information terminal 34.

[0095] In addition, when browsing the list of the first images, the user of the second communication terminal 14 can search for and narrow down the first images included in the list based on at least one of the positive evaluation and the negative evaluation voted on the first image.

[0096] In this case, when browsing the list of the first images, the user of the first communication terminal 14 not only selects one first image from the list of the first images but also taps and selects a button for voting a positive or negative evaluation on an arbitrary first image, thereby voting at least one of a positive evaluation and a negative evaluation on this arbitrary first image. In response to this, this evaluation is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36.

[0097] Subsequently, in the server 12, the first receiving unit 18 receives the evaluation voted on the first image by the user of the first communication terminal 14 from the first communication terminal 14. Subsequently, the first image and the total number of all evaluations voted on this first image are associated and stored in the storage unit 22. For example, each time a positive evaluation voted on the first image is received by the first receiving unit 18, the number of positive evaluations of this first image is incremented by one. The same applies to negative evaluations.

[0098] When narrowing down the first image based on the evaluation, when the user of the second communication terminal 14 inputs an instruction for a search based on the evaluation, this instruction is acquired by the input unit 38. Subsequently, this instruction is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36. Subsequently, in the server 12, this instruction is received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first receiving unit 18. Subsequently, in response to this instruction, the image search unit 24 searches for a predetermined number of first images among the first images stored in the storage unit 22 based on the number of evaluations. For example, the image search unit 24 may search for one first image with the largest number of positive evaluations, or a plurality of first images starting from the side with the largest number of positive evaluations. Also, a plurality of first images may be excluded from the side with the largest number of negative evaluations, and the other first images may be searched. Further, one first image with the largest number obtained by subtracting the number of negative evaluations from the number of positive evaluations, or a plurality of first images starting from the side with the largest number of this subtracted number may be searched. The subsequent operations are the same.

[0099] Thereby, even when the user of the second communication terminal 14 has no particular image in mind, the user can take an image using the same setting values as those of the first communication terminal 14 when a popular image was taken by a plurality of users.

[0100] Also, when browsing the list of the first images, the user can search for and narrow down the first images according to the voting period of the evaluations for the first images, such as images of the most recent one week, the most recent one month, or the most recent one year.

[0101] In this case, in the first communication terminal 14, the voting date and time of the evaluation for the first image are transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36.

[0102] Subsequently, in the server 12, the voting date and time are received from the first communication terminal 14 by the first reception unit 18. Subsequently, the first image and the voting date and time received by the first reception unit 18 are associated and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0103] When narrowing down the first images based on the evaluation voting period, when the user of the second communication terminal 14 inputs the evaluation voting period for the first image, the input unit 38 acquires this voting period. Subsequently, this voting period is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36.

[0104] Subsequently, in the server 12, the voting period is received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first reception unit 18. Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches for the first images in which the evaluation was voted on during the voting date and time within the voting period received by the first reception unit 18 among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. The subsequent operations are the same.

[0105] Thereby, the user can take an image using the same setting values as those of the first communication terminal 14 when a trend image reflecting the tendency during the evaluation voting period is taken. Also, the user can narrow down the images to those taken using newly released cameras and lenses, etc., by narrowing down the images by, for example, the most recent voting period, and thus can use the setting values suitable for newly released cameras and lenses, etc.

[0106] Furthermore, when browsing the list of the first images, the user can search for and narrow down the images by the subject shown in the first images.

[0107] In this case, in the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14, a subject recognition unit is provided that recognizes a subject shown in the through-image captured by the imaging unit 48 and outputs information on this subject. Then, in the second communication terminal 14, every time a subject shown in the through-image is recognized by the subject recognition unit and information on a different subject is output, the following operations are repeated.

[0108] First, the information on the subject recognized by the subject recognition unit is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36 of the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14. Subsequently, in the server 12, the information on the subject is received from the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14 by the first reception unit 18. Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches for a first image associated with the feature amount of a subject that matches or is similar to the information on the subject received by the first reception unit 18 from among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. Subsequently, the setting value acquisition unit 28 acquires a setting value associated with the first image searched by the image search unit 24 from among the setting values stored in the storage unit 22. Subsequently, the setting value acquired by the setting value acquisition unit 28 is transmitted to the second communication terminal 14 by the first transmission unit 30.

[0109] Subsequently, in the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14, the setting value is received from the server 12 by the second reception unit 44. Then, the setting value received by the second reception unit 44 is automatically set in the camera 32 of the second communication terminal 14 by, for example, the setting unit 46.

[0110] In this way, when the camera 32 has a subject recognition unit, the subject recognition unit recognizes the subject in the through-image, and by setting, for example, the search condition (the feature amount of the second image) as an image of the same subject, within the most recent one week, and the most popular image in advance, every time a subject other than the background is captured by the camera 32, a setting value that matches the same search condition can be received from the server 12 and automatically set in the camera 32. As a result, the user of the second communication terminal 14 can save the trouble of operating the portable information terminal 34 to search for an image that matches the image to be captured next from the list of the first images, and can automatically set the setting values using only the camera 32 and capture an image.

[0111] In addition, the image search unit 24 can search for the first image based on the similarity of the subject, scene, and the like.

[0112] In this case, a similarity calculation unit described later is provided in the server 12. First, the feature amount acquisition unit 20 uses the first determination model to estimate the feature amount of each first image, and outputs a multi-dimensional vector, for example, a 512-dimensional vector such as (f1_1, f2_1, …, f512_1). Based on this 512-dimensional vector, a similarity determination similar to the feeling when a human determines that two images are similar can be made according to the similarity or distance described later.

[0113] Subsequently, in the second communication terminal 14, a plurality of second images are transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36. The plurality of second images are all different images, but each has a feature amount that matches or is similar to the feature amount of the image that the user of the second communication terminal 14 will capture next using the second communication terminal 14. For example, when the user is going to capture their child in a "track and field race" next, the plurality of second images are all images in which the scene of the child's "track and field race" is captured.

[0114] Subsequently, in the server 12, a plurality of second images are received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first reception unit 18. Subsequently, the feature amount acquisition unit 20 uses the first determination model to estimate the feature amount of each second image, and outputs a multi-dimensional vector, similarly, a 512-dimensional vector such as (f1_2, f2_2, …, f512_2).

[0115] Subsequently, for each first image, the similarity calculation unit estimates the similarity between the feature amount of the first image and the feature amount of each second image.

[0116] The similarity calculation unit can calculate the similarity using the second determination model. The second determination model uses the feature amounts of the second learning images and the third learning images, and the similarity between the feature amount of the second learning image and the feature amount of the third learning image, as the second teacher data, and learns the relationship between the feature amounts of the second learning images and the third learning images, and the similarity between the feature amount of the second learning image and the feature amount of the third learning image, for a plurality of second teacher data, and is a learned model. The second determination model takes the feature amounts of the first image and the second image as inputs, and for each first image, estimates the similarity between the feature amount of the first image and the feature amount of the second image.

[0117] When learning the second determination model, as the second teacher data, for example, the feature amounts of the second learning image and the third learning image that are similar to each other, and the similarity (numerical value) indicating how similar the second learning image and the third learning image are, are given as correct answer data, and learning is repeated for a large number of second teacher data. By using the second determination model learned in this way and giving the feature amounts of the first image and the second image as inputs, it is possible to output whether the feature amount of the first image and the feature amount of the second image are similar, and further, the similarity (numerical value) indicating how similar they are.

[0118] Alternatively, the similarity calculation unit uses the following formula (1) to calculate, for each first image, the distance d1_2 between the 512-dimensional vector (f1_1, f2_1,..., f512_1) that is the feature amount of the first image and the 512-dimensional vector (f1_2, f2_2,..., f512_2) that is the feature amount of each second image, and this distance d1_2 can be used as the similarity between the feature amount of the first image and the feature amount of the second image. d1_2 = √{(f1_1 - f1_2)^2 + (f2_1 - f2_2)^2 ... + (f512_1 - f512_2)^2} … Equation (1)

[0119] In addition, instead of Equation (1), various calculation formulas for calculating distance in mathematics can be similarly used, such as taking the sum of the absolute values of the differences between two values as the distance. Since a smaller distance means a higher similarity, it is more convenient to use the reciprocal of the distance d1_2 as the similarity s1_2 (= 1 / d1_2). Also, for even greater convenience, the similarity s1_2 may be normalized so that it falls within a range such as 0 to 100.

[0120] Further, based on the similarity or distance between the feature amount of the first image and the feature amounts of each second image, the overall similarity between the feature amount of the first image and the feature amounts of a plurality of second images is calculated by the similarity calculation unit. For example, as shown in Table 2, the overall similarity = 85 is calculated by taking the arithmetic mean of the similarity between the first image 1 and the second image A = 85, the similarity between the first image 1 and the second image B = 87, and the similarity between the first image 1 and the second image C = 83.

[0121]

Table 2

[0122] Note that the overall similarities between other first images 2, 3,... and the second images A, B, and C are also calculated in the same way. Also, the method for calculating the overall similarity is not limited to the arithmetic mean, and any calculation formula can be used as long as it comprehensively represents the similarity between the first image and the plurality of second images.

[0123] Subsequently, based on the result of the estimation of the similarity by the second determination model, the image search unit 24 searches for a determined number of first images from among the first images stored in the storage unit 22, starting from the ones with the highest overall similarity. For example, one first image with the highest overall similarity, or a plurality of first images from the ones with the highest overall similarity are searched for. The subsequent operations are the same.

[0124] In the search for the first image based on the above similarity, for example, in a sports meet, when the user's child participates in a footrace, as a plurality of second images, images of footraces of children other than the user's child are taken and transmitted to the server 12. However, if by chance the user's child is a runner in the first group of the footrace, it is difficult to take images of footraces of other children and transmit them to the server 12.

[0125] As a countermeasure in such a case, the image search unit 24 may search for the first image using a search key for searching the first image stored in the storage unit 22.

[0126] In this case, the first image, its setting value and feature amount, and a text-form tag expressing the feature amount of the first image such as the subject and scene in natural language words or sentences are associated and stored in the storage unit 22. For example, when the feature amount of the first image is "child", a text-form tag "child" is stored. The method of assigning tags is not particularly limited, but a tag assignment unit may be provided in the server 12 or the communication terminal 14, and a text-form tag expressing the feature amount of the first image may be automatically assigned by this tag assignment unit. Alternatively, each user may manually assign a text-form tag expressing the feature amount of the first image, or a combination of automatic tag assignment by the tag assignment unit and manual tag assignment by the user may be used.

[0127] Subsequently, at the second communication terminal 14, a text-form search key, for example, "child", is transmitted to the server 12 by the second transmission unit 36.

[0128] Subsequently, at the server 12, the search key is received from the second communication terminal 14 by the first reception unit 18. Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches for a tag that matches the search key received by the first reception unit 18, for example, the first image to which "child" is assigned, from among the first images stored in the storage unit 22. The subsequent operations are the same.

[0129] Also, the feature amount acquisition unit 20 may conceptually divide the feature amounts into a plurality of hierarchies and acquire them.

[0130] In this case, the feature amount acquisition unit 20 acquires the feature amount of the concept of the widest first hierarchy as the feature amount, and subsequently, with n being an integer of 2 or more, the feature amounts of the concepts from the second hierarchy to the nth hierarchy that become sequentially narrower than the concept of the first hierarchy are acquired.

[0131] For example, it is conceivable that the feature amount acquisition unit 20 acquires, as the feature amounts of the concept of the "subject" in the first hierarchy, by dividing them into "scenery", "streetscape", "person", "vehicle", etc. In this case, further, as the feature amounts of the "subject" in the second hierarchy, among the individual "persons", it is conceivable to acquire them by dividing them into "child", "adult", "elderly person", "male", "female", etc. The same applies to other subjects.

[0132] Also, it is conceivable that the feature amounts of the concept of "scene" in the first hierarchy are acquired by dividing them into "night view", "group photo", "event", etc. In this case, further, as the feature amounts of the concept of "scene" in the second hierarchy, among the "events", it is conceivable to acquire them by dividing them into "sports meet", "excursion", "amusement park", etc., and further, as the feature amounts of the "scene" in the third hierarchy, among the "sports meets", it is conceivable to acquire them by dividing them into "athletics" and "play", etc. The same applies to other scenes. Here, for example, "athletics" and "play" can be distinguished based on calculating the moving speed of the subject, calculating the moving direction, and detecting the movement of a part of the body such as the hand by image analysis. Specifically, when the moving speed is fast and the change in the moving direction is relatively small, it can be determined as "athletics". On the other hand, when the moving speed is relatively slow, the change in the moving direction is large, and the movement of the hand is frequent, it can be determined as "play".

[0133] Subsequently, the image search unit 24 searches for a predetermined number of first images from the first images stored in the storage unit 22 by using at least one of the feature amounts of the concepts from the first layer to the nth layer. For example, one first image or a plurality of first images are searched for. The operations after this are the same.

[0134] In this way, by obtaining feature amounts by dividing them into a plurality of layers, in other words, by obtaining the feature amounts of concepts in lower layers, it is possible to obtain feature amounts that more accurately represent the features of the image. For example, as the feature amount, "sports meet" in the second layer concept is more accurate than "event" in the first layer concept, and "footrace" in the third layer concept is more accurate than "sports meet" in the second layer concept.

[0135] In the apparatus of the present invention, for example, the hardware configuration of a processing unit (Processing Unit) that executes various processes such as the first receiving unit 18, the feature amount acquisition unit 20, the image search unit 24, the preference analysis unit 26, the set value acquisition unit 28, the first transmission unit 30, the second transmission unit 36, the input unit 38, the display control unit 40, the second receiving unit 44, the setting unit 46, and the photographing unit 48 may be dedicated hardware, or may be various processors or computers that execute programs.

[0136] The various processors include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which is a general-purpose processor that executes software (program) and functions as various processing units, a programmable logic device (Programmable Logic Device: PLD), which is a processor whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and a dedicated electric circuit, which is a processor having a circuit configuration specifically designed for performing specific processing, such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0137] One processing unit may be constituted by one of these various processors, or may be constituted by a combination of two or more processors of the same type or different types, for example, a combination of a plurality of FPGAs, or a combination of an FPGA and a CPU, etc. Further, a plurality of processing units may be constituted by one of the various processors, or two or more of the plurality of processing units may be collectively constituted by using one processor.

[0138] For example, as represented by computers such as servers and clients, there is a form in which one processor is constituted by a combination of one or more CPUs and software, and this processor functions as a plurality of processing units. Also, as represented by a System on Chip (SoC), etc., there is a form in which a processor that realizes the functions of the entire system including a plurality of processing units with one IC (Integrated Circuit) chip is used.

[0139] Furthermore, the hardware configuration of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit (Circuitry) that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0140] Also, the method of the present invention can be implemented, for example, by a program for causing a computer to execute each of its steps. Also, a computer-readable recording medium on which this program is recorded can be provided.

[0141] Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and of course, various improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0142] 10 Imaging system 12 Server 14 Communication terminal 16 Network 18 First receiving unit 20 Feature amount acquisition unit 22 Memory unit 24 Image search unit 26 Preference analysis unit 28 Set value acquisition unit 30 First transmission unit 32 Camera 34 Mobile information terminal 36 Second transmission unit 38 Input unit 40 Display control unit 42 Display unit 44 Second reception unit 46 Setting unit 48 Shooting unit

Claims

1. A server accessed by a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users, comprising a first processor, wherein the first processor receives, from one or more first communication terminals, a first image captured by the first communication terminal and a setting value related to the shooting of the first communication terminal when the first image was captured, for each of the first images, analyzes the first image to obtain a feature amount of the first image, associates the first image with a text-form tag representing the setting value and the feature amount of the first image, and stores the association in the memory, receives a text-form search key from a second communication terminal, searches for a first image to which a tag matching the search key is assigned from among the first images stored in the memory, retrieves a setting value associated with the first image retrieved by the first processor from among the setting values stored in the memory, and transmits the setting value obtained by the first processor to the second communication terminal. A server as claimed in claim 1,

2. The first processor stores, for each user, the first image, the setting value, and the feature amount in the memory in association with each other, analyzes the image preference of the user of the second communication terminal based on the feature amount of the first image of the user of the second communication terminal stored in the memory, and searches for a first image associated with a feature amount that matches or is similar to the image preference of the user of the second communication terminal from among the first images stored in the memory. The server according to claim 1.

3. The first processor receives, from the first communication terminal, at least one of a positive evaluation and a negative evaluation voted by the user of the first communication terminal for the first image, associates the first image with the number of all the evaluations voted for the first image, and stores the association in the memory, receives an instruction for searching based on the evaluation from the second communication terminal, and in response to the instruction, searches for a predetermined number of first images from among the first images stored in the memory based on the number of evaluations. The server according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first processor receives the voting date and time of the evaluation from the first communication terminal, associates the first image with the voting date and time of the evaluation, and stores the association in the memory, receives the voting period of the evaluation from the second communication terminal, The server according to claim 3, which searches for a first image in which the evaluation has been voted at the voting date and time within the voting period of the evaluation from among the first images stored in the memory.

5. The first processor As the feature amount, obtains the feature amount of the concept of the widest first layer, and sets n as an integer of 2 or more, and obtains the feature amounts of the concepts from the second layer to the nth layer that become sequentially narrower than the concept of the first layer. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which searches for a predetermined number of first images from among the first images stored in the memory using at least one of the feature amounts of the concepts from the first layer to the nth layer.

6. The first processor Receives information on a first image selected by the user of the second communication terminal from among the plurality of first images searched by the first processor. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which obtains a setting value associated with the first image corresponding to the information of the first image from among the setting values stored in the memory.

7. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the setting value includes at least one value of the aperture, shutter speed, focal length, and ISO sensitivity of the first communication terminal when the first image is taken.

8. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the feature amount includes at least one of header information included in the first image, a subject shown in the first image, and a scene of the first image.

9. A photographing system comprising the server according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and the plurality of communication terminals, The first communication terminal includes a second processor, The second communication terminal includes a third processor, The second processor transmits the first image and the setting value to the server. The third processor Receives the setting value obtained by the first processor from the server. Sets the setting value received by the third processor in the second communication terminal. A photographing system that takes a picture based on the setting value set by the third processor.

10. The communication terminal includes a camera, The camera of the first communication terminal has the second processor, The camera of the second communication terminal has the third processor, The second processor transmits the first image and the setting value to the server. The third processor receives the set value acquired by the first processor from the server, sets the set value received by the third processor in the camera of the second communication terminal, and captures an image based on the set value set by the third processor. The imaging system according to claim 9.

11. The third processor recognizes a subject shown in the through-image captured by the third processor and outputs information on the subject, each time a subject shown in the through-image is recognized by the third processor and information on different subjects is output, the third processor transmits the information on the subject to the server, The first processor, receives the information on the subject from the camera of the second communication terminal, searches for a first image associated with a feature amount of a subject that matches or is similar to the information on the subject from among the first images stored in the memory, acquires a set value associated with the first image retrieved by the first processor from among the set values stored in the memory, transmits the set value acquired by the first processor to the second communication terminal, The third processor, receives the set value acquired by the first processor from the server, and repeats the operation of setting the set value received by the third processor in the camera of the second communication terminal. The imaging system according to claim 10.

12. The communication terminal includes a camera having a communication function and an information terminal having a communication function, the information terminal of the first communication terminal has the second processor, the information terminal of the second communication terminal has a fourth processor, and the camera of the second communication terminal has a fifth processor, the second processor transmits the first image and the set value received from the camera of the first communication terminal by the communication function to the server, the fourth processor receives the set value acquired by the first processor from the server, and the fifth processor sets the set value received from the information terminal of the second communication terminal by the communication function in the camera of the second communication terminal and captures an image based on the set value set by the fifth processor. The imaging system according to claim 9.

13. comprises a second processor, and the second processor transmits the first image and the set value to the server according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Receiving, from the server, the set value acquired by the first processor, setting, in the communication terminal, the set value received by the second processor, a communication terminal that captures an image based on the set value set by the second processor.

14. A photographing method in a photographing system including a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users and a server accessed by the plurality of communication terminals, comprising: a step in which one or more first communication terminals transmit a first image captured by the first communication terminal and a set value related to photographing of the first communication terminal when the first image was captured to the server; a step in which a first receiving unit of the server receives the first image and the set value of the first image from the first communication terminal; a step in which a feature amount acquisition unit of the server analyzes the first image for each first image to acquire a feature amount of the first image; a step in which a memory of the server stores the first image in association with a text-form tag representing the set value and the feature amount of the first image; a step in which the first receiving unit receives a search key in text form from a second communication terminal; a step in which an image search unit of the server searches for a first image to which a tag matching the search key is assigned from among the first images stored in the memory; a step in which a set value acquisition unit of the server acquires a set value associated with the first image searched by the image search unit from among the set values stored in the memory; a step in which a first transmission unit of the server transmits the set value acquired by the set value acquisition unit to the second communication terminal; a step in which a second receiving unit of the second communication terminal receives the set value acquired by the set value acquisition unit from the server; a step in which a setting unit of the second communication terminal sets the set value received by the second receiving unit in the second communication terminal; a step in which a photographing unit of the second communication terminal captures an image based on the set value set by the setting unit. The photographing method includes these steps.

15. A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the photographing method according to Claim 14.

16. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the photographing method according to Claim 14 is recorded.

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