Information processing device, imaging device, information processing method and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system that transmits information on a recommended imaging parameter only when effective use of the information is expected.SOLUTION: An information processor analyzes incidental information added to an imaged picture to determine whether or not information on a recommended imaging parameter of the imaged picture for setting it to an imaging apparatus can be effectively used and, only when effective use of the information is expected, transmits the information to the imaging apparatus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for setting shooting parameters for an imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] Even low-priced entry-level models of interchangeable lens cameras have many settings and are complicated to operate. This makes it difficult for entry-level users to set shooting parameters (e.g., shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, etc.) appropriate for the time and place of shooting and take the desired photo. Patent Document 1, for example, is an example of a technology that provides users with optimal shooting parameters. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a camera transmits current location information to a server via a network, and the server transmits to the camera control information for setting the best shot image corresponding to the received location information and recommended shooting parameters. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-348519 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1, the server extracts the best shot images and generates control information based on the location information frequently sent from the camera, and then sends the results to the camera, which places a heavy load on processing and communication.

[0005] The technology disclosed herein has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an information processing system that transmits information on recommended shooting parameters only when it is expected that the information can be effectively utilized. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device according to the disclosed technology is characterized by comprising a receiving means for receiving a captured image with accompanying information attached, a determining means for analyzing the accompanying information and determining whether or not to transmit recommended shooting parameters to be set in an imaging device for the captured image, and a transmitting means for transmitting the recommended shooting parameters based on the result of the determination by the determining means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the technology of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the processing load and communication load across the entire information processing system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the hardware configurations of an imaging device and an information processing device that constitute an information processing system. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the software configuration of an imaging device and an information processing device that constitute the information processing system. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing in the entire information processing system. [Figure 5] FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an example of a mode setting screen, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a shooting parameter setting screen. [Figure 6] 4A to 4D are diagrams showing examples of various tables. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing details of a process for determining whether transmission is necessary based on the time difference between image capture and transmission. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing details of a transmission necessity determination process according to Modification 1. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing details of a transmission necessity determination process according to Modification 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described in detail below based on preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the configurations shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configurations.

[0010] [Embodiment 1] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing system according to this embodiment. Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) are hardware configuration diagrams of an imaging device 100 and an information processing device 200 which constitute the information processing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a software configuration diagram of the imaging device 100 and the information processing device 200 which constitute the information processing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing flow of the information processing system shown in Fig. 1. Below, an overview of the information processing system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

[0011] <Outline of the information processing system> The information processing system according to this embodiment includes an imaging device (camera) 100 equipped with a communication function and an information processing device (server) 200 connected to the imaging device 100 via a wireless network. The imaging device 100 transmits an image (captured image) obtained by capturing an image to the information processing device 200 along with its accompanying information. The accompanying information includes various information related to the captured image, such as the date and time of capture, the model name of the imaging device, shooting parameters such as aperture and ISO sensitivity, and the application used for editing. This accompanying information is attached to the image captured by the imaging device 100. The information processing device 200 receives the captured image along with the accompanying information, analyzes the accompanying information, and transmits information on recommended shooting parameters to the imaging device 100 if it is deemed necessary or useful in light of the time period and location of the image capture.

[0012] <Hardware configuration of imaging device> 2(a) is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the imaging device 100. The imaging device 100 has a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, a display 104, an input unit 105, a secondary storage device 106, a network I / F 107, an imaging unit 108, and a location information acquisition unit 109, and these units are connected to each other via a bus 110. Note that while the imaging device 100 is assumed to be an interchangeable lens digital camera, it is not limited to this and may also be a compact digital camera, a smartphone or tablet terminal with a camera function, or the like.

[0013] The CPU 101 is an arithmetic processing unit that executes programs stored in the ROM 102 and the secondary storage device 106 and controls each unit connected via the bus 110. The ROM 102 is a read-only memory that stores the OS and the like. The RAM 103 is a memory that temporarily stores data when the CPU 101 executes arithmetic processing. The display 104 is a display device that displays information required by the user, such as captured images and various UI screens. The input unit 105 is an input device that includes buttons, a touch panel, and the like, and accepts various user operations such as shooting instructions and various setting instructions. The secondary storage device 106 stores various programs, captured image data, and shooting parameter settings included in the supplementary information. The shooting parameters include aperture, ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, white balance, and the like.

[0014] The network I / F 107 is an interface for connecting to a network such as a local area network (LAN), an intranet, or the Internet. The imaging unit 108 is a module that converts light received by an imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) into an electrical signal and records the signal as an image. The location information acquisition unit 109 is a module that acquires location information of the imaging device 100 based on a signal received from a global positioning system (GPS) satellite. Note that, when acquiring location information, methods other than GPS, such as global satellite systems such as Galileo, GLONASS, and the Beidou system, may be used. Furthermore, the location information may be acquired using a quasi-zenith satellite system, a regional satellite system such as Navigation IC (NavIC), an indoor positioning system, or a positioning system using ultrasound or light. Furthermore, a positioning system using electromagnetic waves may be used, or a combination of these may be used. The position information acquisition unit 109 may be configured as an external device independent of the image capture device 100 and provide the position information to the image capture device 100 via the input unit 105 or the network I / F 107 .

[0015] <Hardware configuration of information processing device> 2(b) is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 200. The information processing device 200 has a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a display 204, a keyboard 205, a secondary storage device 206, a network I / F 207, and a pointing device 208, and these components are interconnected via a bus 209.

[0016] The CPU 201 is an arithmetic processing device that executes programs stored in the ROM 202 and secondary storage device 206 and controls each unit connected via a bus 209. The ROM 202 is a read-only memory that stores an OS and the like. The RAM 203 is a memory that temporarily stores data when the CPU 201 executes arithmetic processing. The display 204 is a display device that displays a UI screen and the like. The keyboard 205 and pointing device 208 are input devices that allow the user to perform various input operations. The secondary storage device 206 stores various programs and setting value data as well as captured image data received from the imaging device 100. The network I / F 207 is an interface for connecting to a network such as a local area network (LAN), an intranet, or the Internet.

[0017] <Logical configuration of information processing system> Next, the logical configuration (software configuration) of the information processing system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0018] <Logical configuration of the imaging device> The imaging device 100 has an imaging control unit 301, a parameter setting unit 302, an auxiliary information generation unit 303, a storage control unit 304, a mode setting unit 305, and a communication control unit 306. These functional units are realized by the CPU 101 executing a program stored in the ROM 102 or the secondary storage device 106. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0019] In response to a shooting instruction from the user, the imaging control unit 301 causes the imaging unit 108 to perform shooting and acquire a shot image based on the shooting parameters set by the parameter setting unit 302. The parameter setting unit 302 sets shooting parameters such as aperture, ISO sensitivity, and shutter speed when the imaging unit 108 shoots, based on a setting instruction from the user or information (recommended parameter set described later) sent from the information processing device 200.

[0020] The incidental information generating unit 303 generates incidental information for an image captured by the imaging unit 108. Examples of the format of the incidental information include Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) and XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform). In the case of Exif or XMP, the information is embedded in the captured image as metadata. The incidental information in this embodiment includes information indicating the date, time, and place when the image was captured, information indicating the date, time, and place when the image was transmitted to the information processing device 200, and mode information indicating the setting value of the transmission mode, which will be described later.

[0021] The image management unit 304 stores and manages the captured images with attached information in the secondary storage device 106. The mode setting unit 305 sets an operation mode (transmission mode) for controlling the transmission of the captured images with attached information to the information processing device 200 based on a user selection. If the set operation mode is the "automatic transmission mode," the images are automatically transmitted at a predetermined timing, and if the set operation mode is the "manual transmission mode," the images are transmitted according to a transmission instruction from the user. The communication control unit 306 exchanges data with the information processing device 200 using the network I / F 107.

[0022] <Logical configuration of information processing device> The information processing device 200 has an image management unit 401, a transmission determination unit 402, a recommended parameter determination unit 403, and a communication control unit 404. These functional units are realized by the CPU 201 executing a program stored in the ROM 202 or the secondary storage device 206. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0023] The image management unit 401 assigns an image ID to the captured image with the accompanying information received from the image capture device 100, and stores and manages the image in an image database (hereinafter referred to as "image DB").

[0024] The transmission determination unit 402 determines, based on the supplementary information of the captured image, whether or not to transmit information on recommended shooting parameters to the imaging device 100. When the transmission determination unit 402 determines to "transmit," the recommended parameter determination unit 403 determines a combination of shooting parameters suitable for the shooting scene of the received captured image by referring to a table or the like that stores combinations of shooting parameters desirable for each shooting scene.

[0025] The communication control unit 404 exchanges data with the image capturing apparatus 100 using the network I / F 207 .

[0026] The functional units of the information processing device 200 may be distributed among multiple information processing devices. When the functions are distributed among multiple information processing devices, they are connected by a LAN or the like so as to be able to communicate with each other, and cooperate to perform a series of processes described below.

[0027] <Processing flow in information processing systems> Next, the flow of processing in the information processing system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 4. In the following description, the symbol "S" means step.

[0028] First, a user inputs a shooting instruction to the imaging device 100 (S401). Upon receiving the shooting instruction, the imaging device 100 performs a shooting process (S402). Specifically, the imaging unit 108 captures the image based on a command from the imaging control unit 301. Next, the accessory information generation unit 303 generates accessory information for the captured image (S403). The captured image data with the accessory information is temporarily stored in the secondary storage device 106 or RAM 103 by the image management unit 304, and then transmitted to the information processing device 200 by the communication control unit 306 (S404). At this time, if the transmission mode setting is "automatic transmission mode," the image is automatically transmitted to the information processing device 200 at a predetermined timing. If the transmission mode setting is "manual transmission mode," the image is transmitted upon receiving a transmission instruction from the user. FIG. 5A shows an example of a UI screen for setting the transmission mode. The user operates a toggle button 501 on the transmission mode setting screen 500 shown in FIG. 5A to select either "automatic transmission mode" or "manual transmission mode." Specifically, a user who wants to switch to the "automatic transmission mode" operates the toggle button 501 to move it to the right to display "ON," while a user who wants to switch to the "manual transmission mode" operates the toggle button 501 to move it to the left to display "OFF." When a user who has selected a mode presses the confirm button 501, the mode setting unit 305 sets the selected operating mode as a setting value. In the "automatic transmission mode," the captured image is transmitted to the information processing device 200, for example, when the captured image is stored in the secondary storage device 106 by the image management unit 304 or when the power to the imaging device 901 is turned on or off. In the "manual transmission mode," the photographer issues an instruction to transmit the captured image via a transmission instruction UI screen (not shown) displayed on the display 104. Note that the selection of the transmission mode and the instruction to transmit the captured image may be performed using a device other than the imaging device 100.

[0029] In the information processing device 200, which has received the captured images with accompanying information from the imaging device 100, the image management unit 311 stores the received captured images together with the accompanying information in the secondary storage device 206, which serves as an image DB (S405). At this time, the image management unit 311 issues an image ID that uniquely identifies the captured image and stores it in an image table together with a file path indicating the storage destination. An example of the image table is shown in FIG. 6(a). In this way, by storing the image ID of each captured image in association with the file path, shooting date and time, shooting location, and transmission date and time, it is possible to reference the file path, shooting date and time, shooting location, and transmission date and time using the image ID as a key.

[0030] Next, the transmission determination unit 312 determines based on the additional information whether or not to transmit the recommended shooting parameters to the image capturing device 100 (S406). Details of the transmission necessity determination process in the transmission determination unit 312 will be described later.

[0031] If it is determined that transmission is required, the recommended parameter set determination unit 313 determines a recommended combination of shooting parameters by referring to a parameter table prepared in advance (S407). Hereinafter, a combination of shooting parameters will be referred to as a "parameter set," and a recommended combination of shooting parameters will be referred to as a "recommended parameter set." An example of a parameter table is shown in FIG. 6(b). The parameter table includes fields for a "parameter set ID" that uniquely identifies each parameter set, the "time period" during which shooting will be performed, and the "manufacturer name" and "model number" of the imaging device. It also includes fields for shooting parameters such as "shutter speed," "aperture," "ISO sensitivity," "focal length," "white balance," "exposure compensation," and "flash." Corresponding values are stored for each field. Using the "parameter set ID" in the parameter table as a key, the recommended parameter set determination unit 313 first identifies a record whose manufacturer name and model number match those included in the supplementary information of the captured image. Then, based on the time indicated by the transmission date and time of the captured image, it identifies a record corresponding to the "time period" in the condition table. The combination of shooting parameters stored in the record thus identified becomes a recommended parameter set. Then, the communication control unit 314 transmits the determined recommended parameter set to the imaging device 100 that is the sender of the captured image (S408). At this time, in addition to the recommended parameter set, information on the shooting scene corresponding to the recommended parameter set (e.g., "ideal for landscapes," "ideal for night scenes," "ideal for portraits," etc.) may be transmitted.

[0032] If a captured image is transmitted from a device other than the imaging device 100 (such as a mobile terminal), the recommended parameter set may be transmitted to the other device that transmitted the image. Furthermore, when the recommended parameter set determination unit 313 identifies one record from multiple records, it is desirable to select a record with a date and time closest to the future based on the transmission date and time. Captured images captured after the recommended parameter set is set will always occur in the future relative to the transmission date and time of the captured image. Therefore, by adopting a record with a date and time closer to the future, a parameter set closer to the timing of the next capture can be provided. Furthermore, if the parameter set content is insufficient due to missing item values in a record selected from the parameter table, the parameter set may be supplemented from another record. In this case, if the supplemented value is not supported by the imaging device, it may be replaced with the closest value that can be set by the imaging device. This makes it possible to provide a more appropriate recommended parameter set to the photographer even if a sufficient number of parameter sets are not stored in the parameter table when a service using the technology disclosed herein is started. Furthermore, while in the above example, a record is identified based on the manufacturer name, model number, and transmission date and time, the record may also be identified based on the transmission location. In this case, first, records with matching manufacturer names and model numbers are identified, and then the records are narrowed down using the transmission date and time, and the record with the closest transmission location is identified from among them. Furthermore, an "evaluation value" field may be provided in the parameter table, and this may be taken into consideration when identifying records. Here, the evaluation value is a numerical value, such as an evaluation score, assigned to each parameter set by other photographers or professional photographers who own the same model of imaging device, or by developers at the imaging device manufacturer. The higher the evaluation value, the more desirable the captured image. By preferentially selecting parameter sets with high evaluation values, when multiple parameter sets matching the conditions are found, the more desirable recommended parameter set can be provided to the photographer. Furthermore, the transmission date and evaluation value may be weighted to emphasize one of the indicators.

[0033] Then, in the imaging device 100, the parameter setting unit 302 sets the shooting parameters according to the recommended parameter set received from the information processing device 200 (S409). At this time, if the user specifies in advance that the shooting parameters be automatically set using the contents of the received recommended parameter set, the shooting parameters may be set without delay after reception by the communication control unit 306. FIG. 5B shows an example of a UI screen for automatically setting the recommended parameter set. The user operates a toggle button 511 on the shooting parameter setting screen 510 shown in FIG. 5B to select whether or not to automatically set the shooting parameters. Specifically, if automatic setting is desired, the user operates the toggle button 511 to move it to the right to display "ON." If automatic setting is not desired (if setting is desired based on user instructions), the user operates the toggle button 511 to move it to the left to display "OFF." After making a selection, when the user presses the enter button 512, the mode setting unit 305 sets the selected content as the operating mode of the parameter setting unit 302.

[0034] Note that if automatic setting is not specified and a recommended parameter set and information on the corresponding shooting scene are received together, the user may be allowed to select whether or not to set the contents of the recommended parameter set in the imaging device. In other words, the received recommended parameter set may be set after the photographer has confirmed that it is appropriate for the scene to be shot.

[0035] <Details of the process to determine whether transmission is necessary> Next, the transmission necessity determination process (S406) in the transmission determination unit 312 will be described in detail with reference to a flowchart. Here, the elapsed time (time difference) from when the image is captured until when the image is transmitted is used as a determination factor for determining whether or not to transmit. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the details of the transmission necessity determination process based on the time difference from when the image is captured until when the image is transmitted. In the following description, the symbol "S" means step.

[0036] In S701, the shooting date and time of the photographed image to be processed (hereinafter referred to as the "target photographed image") is obtained. Specifically, the image table is searched using the image ID assigned to the target photographed image as a key, and the value stored in the "shooting date and time" of the record with a matching image ID is obtained. Now, assuming that the image ID of the target photographed image is "IM_001" and the image table in Figure 6(a) mentioned above is referenced, the value "2020-06-19 11:47:27" is obtained.

[0037] In S702, the transmission date and time of the target photographed image is obtained. Specifically, as in S701, the image table is searched using the image ID assigned to the target photographed image as a key, and the transmission date and time value of the record with a matching image ID is obtained. As in S701 above, if the image ID of the target photographed image is "IM_001" and the image table in Figure 6(a) mentioned above is referenced, the value "2020-06-19 11:55:23" will be obtained.

[0038] In S703, the difference between the transmission date and time acquired in S702 and the shooting date and time acquired in S701 is calculated. Specifically, the transmission date and time and shooting date and time acquired are each converted to UNIX (registered trademark) time, and the UNIX time of the shooting date and time is subtracted from the UNIX time of the transmission date and time to calculate the difference between the two dates and times. Note that UNIX time refers to the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970, 0:00:00 AM, Coordinated Universal Time. Because it is expressed as an integer equal to or greater than 0, the result of subtracting the shooting date and time from the transmission date and time is guaranteed to be a positive integer. Currently, the shooting date and time value is "June 19, 2020, 11:47:27 AM," and the transmission date and time is "June 19, 2020, 11:55:23 AM." In this case, the UNIX time of the shooting date and time is "1592534847," and the UNIX time of the transmission date and time is "1592535323," so the resulting difference value is "476."

[0039] In S704, a threshold value is acquired as a criterion for determining whether or not to transmit a recommended parameter set. Since the determination factor is the elapsed time from the shooting date and time to the transmission date and time, a value of "600", which corresponds to 10 minutes in UNIX time, for example, is acquired as the threshold value. This threshold value can be determined in advance by the user and stored in the secondary storage device 206, and then read and acquired.

[0040] In S705, the difference value acquired in S703 is compared with the threshold value acquired in S704, and processing is assigned based on the comparison result. If the comparison result shows that the difference value is equal to or less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S706, and if it is less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S707. In the above example, the difference value between the transmission date and time and the shooting date and time is "476", which is equal to or less than the threshold value of "600", so the process proceeds to S706.

[0041] In S706, it is determined that the recommended parameter set is to be transmitted under the assumption that the photographer remains at the shooting location, whereas in S707, it is determined that the recommended parameter set is not to be transmitted under the assumption that the photographer has already left the shooting location.

[0042] The above is the content of the transmission necessity determination process when the elapsed time from image capture to image transmission is used as a factor for determining whether or not to transmit.

[0043] Note that the date and time of reception at the information processing device 200 may be used instead of the date and time of transmission. When the communication quality between the imaging device 100 and the information processing device 200 is low, it takes a long time from the start of transmission to reception. In such a case, even if a recommended parameter set based on the date and time of transmission is provided to the photographer, it is unlikely that the recommended parameter set will be valid for the next shooting. Therefore, by determining whether or not to transmit a recommended parameter set based on the difference between the date and time of shooting and the date and time of reception, it becomes possible to provide the photographer with a parameter set that will be valid for the next shooting. In this case, low communication quality refers to, for example, a communication line in which it takes several minutes or more than ten minutes to send one captured image, or a communication situation in which the communication connection is intermittently interrupted or communication errors occur frequently due to electromagnetic obstructions, resulting in frequent error corrections.

[0044] In this embodiment, the image table stores the shooting date and time in hyphen format, but this is not limiting. For example, the date and time may be converted to UNIX time format, or may be stored in ISO 8601 or JIS X 0301 format. If the image table stores the shooting date and time in UNIX time format, the conversion process to UNIX time in S703 is not necessary.

[0045] <Variation 1> Next, a mode in which the distance between the location where the image was taken and the location where the transmission was performed is used as a determination factor for determining whether or not to transmit will be described as Modification 1. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing details of the transmission necessity determination process according to this modification. Note that the following description will focus on differences from the flowchart in Fig. 7 above, and a description of common content will be omitted.

[0046] In S801, the location information of the target photographed image at the time of photographing is obtained. Specifically, the image table is searched using the image ID assigned to the target photographed image as a key, and the value stored in the "Photographed Location" of the record with a matching image ID is obtained. Now, assuming that the image ID of the target photographed image is "IM_001" and the image table in Figure 6(a) mentioned above is referenced, the values "36.737901" and "139.501889" indicating the latitude and longitude of Kegon Falls, a famous tourist spot, are obtained.

[0047] In S802, location information of the target photographed image at the time of transmission is acquired. Specifically, as in S801, the image table is searched using the image ID assigned to the target photographed image as a key, and the value of "transmission location" of the record with a matching image ID is acquired. Now, assuming that the image ID of the target photographed image is "IM_001" and the image table in Figure 6(a) mentioned above is referenced, the same values "36.737901" and "139.501889" as those acquired in S801 will be acquired.

[0048] In S803, the distance between the photographing position acquired in S801 and the transmission position acquired in S802 is calculated. For this calculation, for example, the following equation (1) may be used to calculate the distance d between two points by approximating the Earth as a perfect sphere.

[0049]

number

[0050] In the above formula (1), r represents the radius of the Earth (6371 km), α1 and β1 represent the latitude and longitude of the shooting location, and α2 and β2 represent the latitude and longitude of the transmission location. The azimuth angles for north, east, south, and west are 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, respectively.

[0051] In S804, a threshold value is acquired as a criterion for determining whether or not to transmit a recommended parameter set to the imaging device. Since the determination factor is the distance between the location where the image was taken and the location where the image was transmitted, a value such as 10 m is acquired as the threshold value. This threshold value may be determined in advance by the user and stored in the secondary storage device 206, and then read and acquired.

[0052] In S805, the distance acquired in S803 is compared with the threshold value acquired in S804, and processing is assigned based on the comparison result. If the result of the comparison shows that the calculated distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S806, and if it is less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S807. In the above example, the value of the "photography location" acquired in S801 and the value of the "transmission location" acquired in S802 are the same, so the distance between the two points is "0", which is always equal to or less than the threshold value, and therefore the process proceeds to S806.

[0053] In S806, it is determined that the photographer remains at the shooting location, and a decision is made to transmit the recommended parameter set, whereas in S807, it is determined that the photographer has already left the shooting location, and a decision is made not to transmit the recommended parameter set.

[0054] The above is the content of the transmission necessity determination process according to this modification, in which the distance between the location where the photograph was taken and the location where the image was transmitted is used as a determining factor for whether to transmit. As described above, whether to transmit may be determined based on the distance between the two points calculated from the information on the photographing location and the transmission location included in the incidental information.

[0055] It is also possible to combine the method using the elapsed time from when the image is taken until it is transmitted (flow in Fig. 7) with the method using the distance between the location of the image taken and the location of transmission (flow in Fig. 8) to determine whether to transmit. In this case, the results of both methods can be used as an AND or OR condition to determine whether to transmit.

[0056] Furthermore, whether to transmit may be determined based on the angle between two vectors, i.e., the angle between a vector pointing from the center of the earth as the origin O to the shooting location and a vector pointing from the origin O to the transmission location. In that case, the angle φ between the two vectors may be calculated using the following equation (2) instead of the above equation (1).

[0057]

number

[0058] Here, the definitions of the variables and azimuth angles in the above formula (2) are the same as those in the above formula (1).

[0059] Furthermore, while the above description assumes that the Earth is a perfect sphere, this is not limiting and other models, such as the GRS80 ellipsoid or the WGS84 ellipsoid, may be used. It is preferable to use a model that matches the positioning system used by the imaging device, as such matching can improve the accuracy of the location information compared to when it is not matched. Furthermore, if the transmission location is in an ocean area, the model used may be configured to change depending on the transmission location, such as using WGS84. Any configuration may be used as long as it improves the accuracy of the location information.

[0060] <Variation 2> Next, an embodiment in which transmission mode setting information is used as a determination factor for determining whether or not to transmit will be described as Modification 2. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the transmission necessity determination process according to this modification. Note that the following description will focus on differences from the flowchart in Fig. 7 above, and a description of common content will be omitted.

[0061] In S901, the setting value of the transmission mode included in the supplementary information is acquired. In the next S902, processing is assigned based on the acquired setting value. Specifically, if the acquired setting value is "manual transmission mode," the process proceeds to S903, and if it is "automatic transmission mode," the process proceeds to S904.

[0062] In the "manual transmission mode" in S903, it is assumed that the photographer has an intention to have the recommended parameter set transmitted (that is, the photographer has requested it), and it is decided to transmit the recommended parameter set. On the other hand, in the "automatic transmission mode" in S904, it is assumed that the photographer has not requested it, and it is decided not to transmit the recommended parameter set.

[0063] The above is the content of the transmission necessity determination process according to this modified example when the transmission mode setting information is used as a factor for determining whether or not to transmit.

[0064] <Variation 3> In the above-described embodiment, a record that meets the conditions is identified from the parameter table, and the parameter set of the identified record is set as the recommended parameter set. Next, as Modification 3, an aspect in which the recommended parameter set determination unit 313 derives the optimal parameter set for imaging based on the accompanying information will be described.

[0065] In this modified example, a recommended parameter set is derived using a table (a scene-specific parameter table) storing various parameter sets corresponding to the shooting scene and a table (an imaging device specification table) storing specifications for each imaging device. For example, consider the case of photographing a waterfall in a mountain stream along a mountain path where leaves are lush and light is scarce. In this case, if the shooting parameters are automatically set, the imaging device 100 generates a captured image by setting parameters with a high shutter speed and ISO sensitivity to avoid blurring of the subject and loss of highlights and shadows. However, if such shooting parameters are used, the captured image will be uninteresting, with the water appearing still. In this modified example, assuming such a case, a recommended parameter set more suitable for the shooting scene is derived using a scene-specific parameter table and an imaging device specification table to provide the photographer with a recommended parameter set. In the above example, for a photographer who wants to capture the movement of water, a recommended parameter set including an ISO sensitivity and shutter speed that allow for blurring of the subject and loss of highlights can be derived.

[0066] FIG. 6(c) shows an example of a scene-specific parameter table, and FIG. 6(d) shows an example of an imaging device-specific specification table. The scene-specific parameter table in FIG. 6(c) describes appropriate combinations of imaging parameters (parameter sets) for each scene, set by professional photographers, for each main shooting location and subject. Examples of main shooting locations include famous tourist spots, and examples of main subjects include people, flowers, waterfalls, and buildings. The recommended parameter set determination unit 313 first references the scene-specific parameter table and extracts one or more records for the target captured image that have similar latitude and longitude indicating the shooting location (or transmission location) and whose subject matches the target captured image. The identity of the subject can be determined using an estimator that estimates the main subject from the captured image or an analytical method such as pattern matching. Then, based on the extracted record, the unit references the record of the corresponding imaging device in the imaging device-specific specification table to derive the optimal recommended parameter set within the settable range of each shooting parameter. In this case, if multiple records are extracted from the scene-specific parameter table, the average value for each shooting parameter included in each record is calculated, and the one with the smallest difference from the calculated average value is selected. For example, suppose three records are extracted for a certain captured image, and the ISO sensitivity value is "100" in the first and second records, and "200" in the third record. In this case, the average ISO sensitivity value is "133." If the ISO sensitivity can be set in the imaging device within the range of "100," "200," "400," and "6400," the optimal ISO sensitivity is selected as "100," which is closest to "133." The recommended parameter set determination unit 313 can also perform this process for shutter speed, exposure compensation, etc., to determine recommended parameter settings.

[0067] Furthermore, the recommended parameter set determination unit 313 may derive a recommended parameter set by referring to the transmission date and time in addition to the location information. Furthermore, if the information processing device 200 is configured to accept images captured only from imaging devices of a specific manufacturer, the manufacturer names can be limited, and the "manufacturer name" may be deleted from the parameter table. This eliminates the need to refer to the manufacturer name when scanning the parameter table, thereby improving search speed and reducing table capacity.

[0068] Furthermore, the next location where the photographer will take a photograph may be estimated from records with similar photographing or transmission locations, and a recommended parameter set corresponding to the estimated location may be derived. For example, when photographing a landscape from the window of a Shinkansen train, the Shinkansen's travel path is fixed and approximately straight, so the next photographing location can be estimated by calculating a movement vector from past transmission locations and transmission dates and times. Specifically, it is determined whether the transmission location of the photographed image is on the straight Shinkansen track, and if it is on the straight track, the next photographing location is estimated from information on the past transmission locations. Then, by deriving a recommended parameter set corresponding to the estimated location, it is possible to provide the photographer with a parameter set suitable for the expected next photographing location. A similar method can also be applied to highways and ocean routes. Furthermore, in tour trips, the travel itinerary and sightseeing spots are generally the same, so the time periods, locations, and subjects of images taken by tour participants tend to be roughly similar. Therefore, images taken by past tour participants and their associated information are stored in a database. Then, based on the transmitted photographed images and their accompanying information, it is determined whether the photographer is following the same route as in past tour trips. If it is determined that the photographer is following the same route, the photographer's next photographing location is estimated based on the images and accompanying information taken on the past tour trip. A recommended parameter set corresponding to that photographing location may then be derived. In this way, by estimating the photographer's next photographing location from the past behavioral history of others, a more preferable parameter set can be provided to the photographer.

[0069] <Other variations> In the above-described embodiments, including the various modifications, the incidental information has been described as information embedded in the captured image as metadata, but this is not limited to this. For example, the incidental information may be linked to the captured image so that its relationship with the captured image can be understood, and then saved and transmitted as separate data. By managing the incidental information separately from the captured image, it is possible to handle image formats that do not support metadata. Furthermore, managing the incidental information as separate data allows information such as the date and time of shooting to be obtained without analyzing the metadata, which leads to reduced implementation and analysis costs.

[0070] As described above, according to this embodiment, a recommended parameter set is transmitted to the imaging device only when it is estimated from the incidental information of the captured image that the photographer remains at the shooting location. If it is estimated based on the incidental information that the photographer is no longer at the shooting location, the information processing device does not generate or transmit a recommended parameter set, thereby reducing processing load and communication load. Furthermore, the imaging device transmits current location information and the like to the information processing device at a predetermined timing according to the selected transmission mode, and receives a recommended parameter set only when the information processing device determines it is necessary, thereby reducing battery consumption.

[0071] (Other Examples) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program.The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 100 Imaging device 200 Information processing device 301 Imaging control unit 302 Parameter setting section 306 Communication Control Unit 314 Communication Control Unit 312 Transmission decision unit

Claims

1. a receiving means for receiving a photographed image to which accompanying information has been added; a determination means for analyzing the supplementary information and determining whether or not to transmit recommended photographing parameters to be set in an imaging device for the photographed image; a transmitting unit that transmits the recommended photographing parameters based on the result of the determination by the determining unit.

2. the additional information includes information on the date and time when the photographed image was taken and the date and time when the photographed image was transmitted to the information processing device, 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines whether or not to transmit the recommended shooting parameters based on a difference between the date and time of the image capture and the date and time of the transmission.

3. The supplementary information includes information on the date and time when the photographed image was taken, 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines whether or not to transmit the recommended shooting parameters based on a difference between the date and time of the image capture and the date and time the image capture is received by the receiving means.

4. The determining means converts the date and time into UNIX time and calculates the difference; If the calculated difference is equal to or smaller than a threshold, it is determined that the recommended imaging parameters are to be transmitted; 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the calculated difference exceeds a threshold value, it is determined that the recommended shooting parameters are not to be transmitted.

5. the additional information includes information on a location where the photographed image was taken and a location where the photographed image was transmitted to the information processing device, 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines whether or not to transmit the recommended photographing parameters based on a distance between the photographed location and the transmitted location.

6. The determination means Approximating the Earth as a sphere, the distance d between the two points of the photographed location and the transmitted location is calculated using the following formula: In the above formula, r represents the radius of the Earth, α 1 and β 1 are the latitude and longitude of the shooting location, and α 2 and β 2 respectively represent the latitude and longitude of the location from which the signal was transmitted, and the azimuth angles are 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees for north, east, south, and west, respectively; If the calculated distance d is equal to or smaller than a threshold, it is determined that the recommended photographing parameters are to be transmitted; 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the calculated distance d exceeds a threshold value, it is determined that the recommended shooting parameters are not to be transmitted.

7. the additional information includes information on a location where the photographed image was taken and a location where the photographed image was transmitted to the information processing device, The determination means determines whether or not to transmit the recommended photographing parameters based on an angle formed between a vector pointing from the origin O, which is the center of the earth, to the photographed location, and a vector pointing from the origin O to the transmitted location.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

8. The determination means Approximating the Earth as a sphere, with the center of the Earth as the origin O, the angle φ between the vector pointing from the origin O to the photographed location and the vector pointing from the origin O to the transmitted location is calculated using the following formula: In the above formula, α 1 and β 1 are the latitude and longitude of the shooting location, and α 2 and β 2 respectively represent the latitude and longitude of the location from which the signal was transmitted, and the azimuth angles are 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees for north, east, south, and west, respectively; If the calculated angle φ is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that the recommended photographing parameters are to be transmitted; The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when the calculated angle φ exceeds a threshold value, it is determined that the recommended shooting parameters are not to be transmitted.

9. The additional information includes mode information indicating whether the transmission is in a manual transmission mode or an automatic transmission mode, The determination means If the mode information indicates a manual transmission mode, determining that the recommended shooting parameters are to be transmitted; 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the mode information indicates an automatic transmission mode, it is determined that the recommended shooting parameters will not be transmitted.

10. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means transmits the recommended photographing parameters to a sender of the photographed image to which the supplementary information is added.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the transmission source is an imaging device that captured the captured image.

12. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional information is information in a format that is embedded in a photographed image as metadata.

13. a receiving step of receiving a captured image with accompanying information; a determination step of analyzing the supplementary information and determining whether or not to transmit recommended shooting parameters to be set in an imaging device for the captured image; a transmitting step of transmitting the recommended imaging parameters based on a result of the determination in the determining step; An information processing method comprising:

14. A program for causing a computer to function as the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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