Communication device, imaging device, control method, program

Abstract

To properly display files in accordance with a recording date and time even when the files externally acquired do not include supplementary information on a creation date and time, or the like.SOLUTION: A communication apparatus includes: storage means which stores a file acquired from a first external device and first information on at least one of a creation date and time and an update date and time of the file; and control means which stores, when the file acquired from the first external device is a first file accompanied by the first information in the first external device, the first file in the storage means, and stores the first information of the first file, or acquires, when the file acquired from the first external device is a second file which is not accompanied by the first information, second information on a recording date and time of the second file from the first external device, and rewrites the first information with the second information when the second file is stored in the storage means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system in which an external device and a communication device are communicably connected.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique of communicably connecting an imaging device such as a digital camera to an external device such as a PC (personal computer) and transmitting contents such as images and sounds stored in the imaging device to the external device.

[0003] In recent years, in the mass media industry such as news agencies and communication companies, there has been an increasing need to quickly deliver contents such as images and sounds taken at the interview site to the company, and various content transfer solutions via network communication have been provided. For example, as an application for mobile devices, there is provided a mobile application having a function of transmitting contents such as still images, moving images, and sounds generated by an imaging device to a mobile device such as a smartphone and transmitting them from the mobile device to an external server by a communication method such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) via a network.

[0004] The mobile application displays contents such as still images, moving images, and sounds stored in the mobile device together with file information such as thumbnails, file names, and recording dates and times so that the user can easily classify them. In addition, the mobile application sorts and displays the files in chronological order according to the recording date and time, or filters and displays only the files of a specific recording date and time, so that the user can view and select the files while considering the recording date and time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, the WAV (RIFF waveform Audio Format), a type of audio file, does not have a metadata area where metadata such as the recording date and time is described, unlike image files such as still images and videos. Therefore, when saving an audio file obtained from an external source to a mobile device, it is not possible to save the recording date and time of that audio file. Consequently, when displaying a list of files stored on a mobile device using a mobile application, it is not possible to sort and display files chronologically by recording date and time, or to filter and display only files with a specific recording date and time.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to realize a technology that can accurately display a file according to its recording date and time, even if the file obtained from an external source does not contain any supplementary information such as the creation date and time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems and achieve the objective, the present invention provides a communication device for communicating with an external device, comprising: a storage means for storing a file acquired from a first external device and for storing first information relating to at least one of the creation date and time and the modification date and time of the file; and a storage means for storing first information relating to the file acquired from the first external device in the first external device Regarding the date and time the file was recorded. The 2 If the first file is accompanied by the information, the storage means stores the first file and the first information of the first file, and the file acquired from the first external device is stored in the storage means. 2 If the second file does not have the information attached, the control means obtains second information regarding the recording date and time on which the second file was recorded from the first external device, and overwrites the first information with the second information when storing the second file in the storage means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, even if a file obtained from an external source does not contain supplementary information such as the creation date and time, the file can be displayed accurately according to the recording date and time. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] System configuration diagram of this embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the configuration of the camera device 100 in this embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the directory structure of files stored in the camera device 100 of this embodiment. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile device 200 of this embodiment. [Figure 5] A software configuration diagram of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the UI screen of the file transfer application 301 for the mobile device 200 of this embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the processing sequence of the camera device 100 and mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Figure 8] A flowchart illustrating the processing of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the processing of the camera device 100 in this embodiment. [Figure 10] A flowchart illustrating the processing of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the directory entries of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Figure 12] A flowchart illustrating the processing of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the imaging device of the present invention is applied to a camera device such as a digital camera, the communication device of the present invention is applied to a mobile device such as a smart device or a tablet device which is a type of mobile phone, and the information processing device of the present invention is applied to a server that provides various services to a client mobile device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] <System Configuration> First, the system configuration of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0014] The system of the present embodiment includes a camera device 100, a mobile device 200, and a server 300. The camera device 100 and the mobile device 200 are communicably connected by a wireless antenna or a wired cable. The camera device 100 can transfer a video file or an audio file generated by the camera device 100 to the mobile device 200. The mobile device 200 and the server 300 are communicably connected by mobile data communication using a line such as 4G / LTE or 5G. The mobile device 200 can transfer various information stored in the mobile device 200 to the server 300 by a communication method such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

[0015] Note that the system configuration of the present embodiment is not limited to the above example. For example, without using mobile data communication, the camera device 100, the mobile device 200, and the server 300 may be connected to the same network via an access point to realize file transfer processing between the devices.

[0016] <Configuration of Camera Device 100> First, referring to FIG. 2(a), the configuration and functions of the camera device 100 of the present embodiment will be described.

[0017] In the present embodiment, a camera device such as a digital camera will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and an information processing device such as a tablet device or a personal computer with a camera function, a media player, a surveillance camera, a medical camera, etc. may also be applicable.

[0018] The control unit 101 is an arithmetic processing unit (CPU) that comprehensively controls the entire camera device 100, and realizes the communication processing and control processing described below by executing a program stored in a non-volatile memory 103 described later. Instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire device, a plurality of hardware may share the processing to control the entire device.

[0019] The imaging unit 102 includes a lens group including a zoom lens and a focus lens, and a shutter having an aperture function. The imaging unit 102 also includes an imaging element composed of a CCD or a CMOS element that converts a subject image into an electrical signal, and an A / D converter that converts an analog image signal output from the imaging element into a digital signal. The imaging unit 102 converts the subject image light formed by the lens included in the imaging unit 102 into an electrical signal by the imaging element under the control of the control unit 101, performs noise reduction processing, etc., and outputs image data composed of a digital signal.

[0020] The control unit 101 performs resizing and color conversion processing on the image data captured by the imaging unit 102, such as pixel interpolation and reduction. The control unit 101 also compresses and encodes the processed still image data in JPEG format or other formats, and encodes video data using a video compression method such as MP4 format to generate image files, which are then recorded on the recording medium 110. In the camera device 100 of this embodiment, image data is recorded on the recording medium 110 in accordance with the DCF (Design Rule for Camera File system) standard. The control unit 101 also performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and based on the obtained calculation results, the control unit 101 controls the focus lens, aperture, and shutter of the imaging unit 102 to perform AF (autofocus) processing and AE (automatic exposure) processing.

[0021] The non-volatile memory 103 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, such as an EEPROM. Constants for the operation of the control unit 101, a program, and the like are stored in the non-volatile memory 103. The program referred to here is a program for executing the communication processing and control processing described later in this embodiment.

[0022] The working memory 104 is used as a work area for expanding constants, variables, and programs read from the non-volatile memory 103 for the operation of the control unit 101. The working memory 104 is also used as a buffer memory for temporarily holding image data captured by the imaging unit 102 and as image display memory for the display unit 106.

[0023] The operation unit 105 consists of various operating elements such as switches, buttons, and a touch panel that accept various operations from the user. For example, as shown in Figures 2(b) and 2(c), the operation unit 105 includes a shutter button 105a for taking pictures, a playback button 105b for playing back captured images, and a four-way key 105c consisting of up, down, left, and right buttons for making various camera settings. The touch panel 105d, which is integrally formed with the display unit 106 described later, is also included in the operation unit 105. Furthermore, the operation unit 105 includes operating elements such as a dedicated connection button for starting communication with an external device via the communication unit 111 described later.

[0024] The display unit 106 displays the viewfinder image during shooting, displays the captured image, and displays text for interactive operation. The display unit 106 is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 106 may be integrated with the camera equipment 100 or it may be an external device connected to the camera equipment 100. The camera equipment 100 only needs to be able to connect to the display unit 106 and have the function to control the display of the display unit 106.

[0025] The audio input unit 107 collects sound from the vicinity of the camera device 100 using one or more microphones built into the camera device 100 or connected via an audio terminal, and converts it into an electrical signal. The audio input unit 107 converts the analog audio signal generated by collecting sound from the vicinity of the camera device 100 into a digital signal and outputs it to the control unit 101. The control unit 101 performs various audio processing on the digital signal generated by the audio input unit 107 to generate audio data. The microphone may be a directional microphone or a non-directional microphone. The control unit 101 compresses and encodes the audio data generated by the audio input unit 107 in WAV format or the like to generate an audio file, and records it on the recording medium 110.

[0026] The recording medium 110 records image data output from the imaging unit 102 and audio data output from the audio input unit 107. The control unit 101 reads the image files and audio files stored in the recording medium 110 in playback mode. The recording medium 110 may be a memory card or hard disk drive installed in the camera device 100, or it may be a flash memory or hard disk drive built into the camera device 100. The camera device 100 only needs to have means to access the recording medium 110.

[0027] The communication unit 111 is an interface for connecting to an external device such as a mobile device 200. The camera device 100 in this embodiment can exchange data with an external device via the communication unit 111. For example, image data generated by the imaging unit 102 and audio data generated by the audio input unit 107 can be transmitted to an external device via the communication unit 111. In this embodiment, the communication unit 111 includes an interface for communicating with an external device via wireless LAN in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The control unit 101 realizes wireless communication with the external device by controlling the communication unit 111. Note that the communication method is not limited to wireless LAN, and can include, for example, an infrared communication interface, a wireless communication interface such as WirelessUSB, and a wired communication interface such as a USB cable, HDMI (registered trademark), or IEEE 1394.

[0028] In this embodiment, the communication unit 111 of the camera device 100 has an AP mode in which it operates as an access point in infrastructure mode, and a CL mode in which it operates as a client in infrastructure mode. By operating the communication unit 111 in CL mode, the camera device 100 in this embodiment can operate as a CL device in infrastructure mode. When the camera device 100 operates as a CL device, it can connect to surrounding AP devices and participate in the network formed by AP devices. Furthermore, by operating the communication unit 111 in AP mode, the camera device 100 in this embodiment can also operate as a simpler AP (hereinafter referred to as a simple AP), although it is a type of AP, with more limited functionality. When the camera device 100 operates as a simple AP, the camera device 100 forms its own network. Peripheral devices of the camera device 100 recognize the camera device 100 as an AP device and can participate in the network formed by the camera device 100. The program for operating the camera device 100 as described above is assumed to be stored in the non-volatile memory 103.

[0029] In this embodiment, although the camera device 100 is a type of AP, it is a simple AP that does not have a gateway function to transfer data received from CL devices to an Internet provider or the like. Therefore, even if it receives data from other devices participating in the network it has formed, it cannot transfer that data to the Internet or other networks.

[0030] <Directory structure of files stored on recording medium 110> Next, with reference to Figure 3, the directory structure of files stored on recording medium 110 will be described.

[0031] The recording medium 110 is formatted with a file system such as exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) that can be accessed by the OS (Operating System).

[0032] The control unit 101 records the video data generated by the imaging unit 102 as an MP4 video file in the "100_0420" directory (the last four characters represent the current date) under the "DCIM" directory. The control unit 101 also generates a metadata file (ancillary information file) in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format, describing the metadata of the video file based on the metatemplate information read from the non-volatile memory 103. Metadata is ancillary information used for data management at the destination of the video data, and information such as the video data's category, title, and comments are entered into the relevant tags in the XML file.

[0033] The control unit 101 records the audio data generated by the audio input unit 107 as a WAV audio file in the "AUDIO" directory under the "PRIVATE" directory.

[0034] Furthermore, when video data and audio data are generated by the imaging unit 102 and the audio input unit 107, the control unit 101 generates or updates a catalog file for file management in the "CANONMSC" directory under the "DCIM" directory. The catalog file records file information that associates the file names and recording dates of the files stored on the recording medium 110.

[0035] The recording medium 110 stores video files recorded in MP4 format, metadata files recorded in XML format, audio files recorded in WAV format, and a catalog file that manages the file information of each file.

[0036] <Configuration of Mobile Device 200> Next, the configuration and functions of the mobile device 200 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0037] In this embodiment, we describe mobile devices such as smartphones, which are a type of mobile phone, but we are not limited to these. Other devices may include digital cameras with communication functions, tablet devices, personal computers, smartwatches, smart glasses, and other wearable computers.

[0038] The mobile device 200 of this embodiment includes a control unit 201, an imaging unit 202, a non-volatile memory 203, a working memory 204, an operation unit 205, a display unit 206, a recording medium 210, and a communication unit 211. The basic functions of these elements are the same as those of the camera device 100, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0039] The non-volatile memory 203 stores the operating system (OS), which is the basic software executed by the control unit 201, and applications that work in cooperation with the OS to realize advanced functions. The non-volatile memory 203 also stores applications for communication with the camera device 100 and the server 300. Furthermore, the non-volatile memory 203 stores file transfer applications for communication with the camera device 100 and the server 300. Additionally, the non-volatile memory 203 stores a file management application for saving and managing image files, such as still image data and video data acquired from the camera device 100, metadata files related to image files, and audio files. Finally, the non-volatile memory 203 stores an image management application that specifically saves and manages image files among the image files, metadata files related to image files, and audio files acquired from the camera device 100.

[0040] The processing of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment is achieved by loading software provided by an application. The application is assumed to have software for utilizing the basic functions of the OS installed on the mobile device 200. The OS of the mobile device 200 may also have software for implementing the processing in this embodiment.

[0041] The communication unit 211 includes a wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with external devices such as the camera equipment 100 and the server 300. The control unit 201 enables wireless communication with the external devices by controlling the communication unit 211. The communication unit 211 may be directly connected to the camera equipment 100 and the server 300, or it may be connected via an access point. As a protocol for communicating data, for example, PTP / IP (Picture Transfer Protocol over Internet Protocol) can be used via a wireless LAN. However, the communication between the camera equipment 100 and the server 300 is not limited to this. For example, the communication unit 211 may include wireless communication modules such as an infrared communication module, a Bluetooth® communication module, or WirelessUSB. Furthermore, wired connection interfaces such as a USB cable, HDMI®, or IEEE1394 may also be used.

[0042] The public network connection unit 213 is an interface used when performing wireless communication via a wide area network (WAN) such as 4G / LTE or 5G. The mobile device 200 can make calls and perform data communication with other devices via the public network connection unit 213. During a call, the control unit 201 inputs and outputs voice signals via the microphone 214 and speaker 215. In this embodiment, the public network connection unit 213 is not limited to 4G / LTE or 5G, but may also use other communication methods such as local 5G, WiMAX, ADSL, or FTTH. In this embodiment, the public network connection unit 213 is an antenna, and the control unit 201 can connect to the public network via the antenna. Note that the communication unit 211 and the public network connection unit 213 can also be shared by a single antenna. Note that the communication unit 211 and the public network connection unit 213 do not necessarily need to be configured with independent hardware; for example, they can be shared by a single antenna.

[0043] Furthermore, since the communication speed achieved by the communication unit 211 is faster than the communication speed achieved by the public network connection unit 213, the mobile device 200 in this embodiment prioritizes communication via the communication unit 211 when it is not making a call with another device via the public network connection unit 213.

[0044] <Software configuration of mobile device 200> Next, the software configuration of the mobile device 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5.

[0045] In this embodiment, the mobile device 200 stores fixed data such as parameters and software such as firmware in the non-volatile memory 203.

[0046] The recording medium 210 stores the OS 310, which is the basic software executed by the control unit 201, and the file management application 306 and image management application 308, which are application software executed by the control unit 201. In addition, the recording medium 210 also stores a file transfer application 301, which has the function of connecting to the camera device 100 to acquire and save files, and connecting to the server 300 to transfer files.

[0047] When the user turns on the power switch included in the control unit 205 of the mobile device 200, the mobile device 200 starts up, and the control unit 201 reads the OS 310 from the recording medium 210, loads it into the working memory 204, and executes it. It also controls each component of the mobile device 200 according to the OS 310 and the applications installed on the OS 310.

[0048] The OS310 not only has the function of controlling each component of the mobile device 200, but also provides various services to the application. As a function of this embodiment, the OS310 has a communication service 311.

[0049] The communication service 311 controls the on / off switching of communication functions, connection to external devices, and data communication with connected external devices. It also controls the provision of data obtained through communication functions to applications, and the sending and receiving of data with external devices in response to requests from applications.

[0050] The file management application 306 has a file management service 307 that manages files stored on the recording medium 210. The file management application 306 also controls the reading of files to be managed from the recording medium 210 and the writing of files to the recording medium 210 in response to requests from the application.

[0051] The image management application 308 has an image management service 309 that manages image files such as still images and videos stored on the recording medium 210. Unlike the file management application 306, the image management application 308 has functions specifically for managing image files, such as a thumbnail list display function for image files and a frame-by-frame playback function for video files. Furthermore, the image management application 308 controls the reading of files to be managed from the recording medium 210 and the writing of files to the recording medium 210 in response to requests from the application.

[0052] Furthermore, the files managed by the file management application 306 and the files managed by the image management application 308 are stored in different areas of the recording medium 210 and cannot access each other.

[0053] Next, the file transfer application 301 of this embodiment will be described.

[0054] The file transfer application 301 generates a UI screen to be displayed on the display unit 206 in the display control 302. The configuration of the UI screen will be described later in Figure 6.

[0055] The file transfer application 301, in the control of the communication service 303, communicates with the camera device 100 using the communication service 311 and obtains the main data of each file stored in the camera device 100, a list of files, and file information for each file. It also uses the communication service 311 to read files stored in the recording medium 210 and transmits them to the server 300.

[0056] In the file transfer application 301, in the control of the file management service 304, the file management service 307 is used to write the main data files held in the working memory 204 to the recording medium 210 and save them.

[0057] The file transfer application 301 writes and stores the main data file held in the working memory 204 to the recording medium 210 using the image management service 309 in the control 305 of the image management service.

[0058] <UI Screen Configuration>Next, referring to FIG. 6, the configuration and functions of the UI screen provided by the file transfer application 301 will be described.

[0059] The UI screen 501 shown in FIG. 6(a) is a function selection screen displayed in a state of being connected to the camera device 100 after the file transfer application 301 is launched. The function selection screen 501 includes a button 502 for selecting the function of displaying the files stored in the camera device 100, and a button 503 for selecting the function of displaying the files stored in the recording medium 210 of the mobile device 200.

[0060] The UI screen 504 shown in FIG. 6(b) is a list screen of the files stored in the camera device 100 connected to the mobile device 200. The list screen 504 is displayed when the button 502 is tapped on the function selection screen 501.

[0061] The list screen 504 includes a button 505 for returning to the previous screen, and buttons 506 and 507 for selecting the recording medium 110 of the file reference destination when the camera device 100 includes a plurality of recording media 110. The list screen 504 in FIG. 6(b) is in a state where the recording medium 110 of the button 506 with an underline in the text is selected, and a list of the files stored in the recording medium 110 displayed on the button 506 is displayed.

[0062] The components 508 to 514 in the list screen 504 of FIG. 6(b) are generated from the list information and related information of the files stored in the camera device 100 connected to the mobile device 200. In the following, the display contents of the components 508 to 512 will be described, and the method for acquiring the related information of the files for displaying each of the components 508 to 512 will be described later in FIGS. 7 to 9.

[0063] Component 508 is a component that displays a file thumbnail. In the case of a video file, it displays the thumbnail attached to the video file, and in the case of an audio file, it displays an image indicating that it is an audio file stored in the non-volatile memory 203.

[0064] Component 509 is an icon that indicates that video and audio files are proxy files. A proxy file is a file whose data size has been reduced by lowering the bitrate and resolution compared to a regular file, and users can identify it as a proxy file if the fourth character of the file name is "P". In the list screen 504 of Figure 6(b), all files are proxy files, so icon 509 is superimposed on all thumbnails.

[0065] Component 510 is a string indicating the file name, and component 511 is a string indicating the date and time the file was recorded.

[0066] Component 512 is an icon that indicates whether or not a metadata file containing the video file's metadata is stored on the same recording medium.

[0067] Components 513 and 514 are icons that indicate the selected / deselected state of a file and are displayed superimposed on the thumbnail 508. Icon 513 indicates the selected state, and icon 514 indicates the deselected state. Each time any file thumbnail 508 is tapped, the selected / deselected state of the file switches, and the displayed icon changes to either icon 513 or icon 514 depending on the selected / deselected state.

[0068] Button 515 initiates the saving of files from camera device 100 to mobile device 200. The files to be saved are those currently selected.

[0069] In the list screen 504 of Figure 6(c), components 516 to 518 are buttons for selecting the application to save files to be imported from the camera device 100 to the mobile device 200 when the camera device 100 is connected to the mobile device 200. When button 515 on the list screen 504 of Figure 6(b) is tapped, these components are displayed superimposed on the list screen 504.

[0070] Component 516 is a button for selecting the file management application 306 as the application to save files. When button 516 is tapped, the process of transferring files stored on the camera device 100 to the mobile device 200 and saving them to the file management application 306 begins. Here, the files to be saved by the file management application 306 are the selected file and the metadata file related to the selected file.

[0071] Component 517 is a button for selecting the image management application 308 as the application to save files. When button 517 is tapped, the process of transferring files stored on the camera device 100 to the mobile device 200 and saving them to the image management application 308 begins. Here, since the image management application 308 is an application capable of managing image files, the only files that can be saved to the image management application 308 are the selected video files.

[0072] Button 518 is a button to cancel saving the file. When button 518 is tapped, the user returns to the list screen 504 in Figure 6(b).

[0073] Components 519 to 521 in the function selection screen 501 of Figure 6(d) are buttons for selecting the application from which to read files when reading files from the recording medium 210. When button 503 in the function selection screen 501 of Figure 6(a) is tapped, it is displayed superimposed on the function selection screen 501 of Figure 6(a).

[0074] Component 519 is a button for selecting the file management application 306 as the application from which to read files. When button 519 is tapped, the process of reading files from the file management application 306 begins. The screen for selecting files to be managed by the file management application 306 will be described later in Figure 6(e).

[0075] Component 520 is a button for selecting the image management application 308 as the application from which to read files. When button 520 is tapped, the process of reading files from the image management application 308 begins. The screen for selecting files to be managed by the image management application 308 will be described later in Figure 6(f).

[0076] Button 521 is a button to cancel file reading, and when button 521 is tapped, the system returns to the function selection screen 501 shown in Figure 6(a).

[0077] The UI screen 522 shown in Figure 6(e) is a screen provided by the OS 310 and is a selection screen for selecting a file to read from among the files managed by the file management application 306. When the button 519 on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(d) is tapped, the selection screen 522 is displayed superimposed on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(a). In this embodiment, the only files that can be selected on the selection screen 522 are MP4 video files and WAV audio files.

[0078] The selection screen 522 in Figure 6(e) includes parts 523 to 529.

[0079] Component 523 is a button to return to the previous screen. When the back button 523 is tapped, the function selection screen 501 shown in Figure 6(a) is displayed.

[0080] Component 524 is a button that completes the file selection. When button 524 is tapped, the list screen 535, which will be described later in Figure 6(g), is displayed.

[0081] Component 525 is a component that displays a file thumbnail. In the case of a video file, it displays the thumbnail attached to the video file, and in the case of an audio file, it displays an image indicating that it is an audio file stored in the non-volatile memory 203.

[0082] Component 526 is a string indicating the file name, and component 527 is a string indicating the date and time the file was recorded.

[0083] Components 528 and 529 are icons that indicate the selected / deselected state of a file and are displayed superimposed on the thumbnail 525. Icon 528 indicates the selected state, and icon 529 indicates the deselected state. Each time any file thumbnail 525 is tapped, the selected / deselected state of the file switches, and the displayed icon changes to either icon 528 or icon 529 depending on the selected / deselected state.

[0084] The UI screen 530 shown in Figure 6(f) is a screen provided by the OS 310 and is a selection screen for selecting a file to read from the files managed by the image management application 308. The selection screen 530 is displayed superimposed on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(a) when the button 520 on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(d) is tapped. In this embodiment, the only files that can be selected on the selection screen 530 are video files.

[0085] Button 531 is a button that cancels the file selection and returns to the previous screen. When the back button 531 is tapped, the user returns to the function selection screen 501 shown in Figure 6(d).

[0086] Button 532 is used to complete the file selection. When button 532 is tapped, the list screen 535, which will be described later in Figure 6(g), is displayed.

[0087] Component 533 is a component that displays file thumbnails, and it displays the thumbnails attached to video files.

[0088] Component 534 is an icon that indicates the file selection status and is displayed superimposed on the thumbnail 533. Icon 534 is only displayed when a file is selected. When the file thumbnail 533 is tapped, the file is selected / deselected, and the display / hide of icon 534 is toggled according to the selected / deselected file status.

[0089] The UI screen 535 shown in Figure 6(g) is a list screen of files selected on the selection screen 522 in Figure 6(e) or the selection screen 530 in Figure 6(f), and is displayed when button 524 on the selection screen 522 in Figure 6(e) or button 532 on the selection screen 530 in Figure 6(f) is tapped.

[0090] The parts 508-512 in the list screen 535 of Figure 6(g) are the same as the parts 508-512 in the list screen 504 of Figure 6(b), and are generated from the list information and related information of the files selected in the selection screen 522 of Figure 6(e) or the selection screen 530 of Figure 6(f) and read from the recording medium 210. The method for obtaining the related information of the files to display parts 508-512 will be described later in Figures 10-12.

[0091] Button 505 is a button to return to the previous screen. When button 505 is tapped, the screen returns to the function selection screen 501 shown in Figure 6(a).

[0092] Button 536 initiates the process of sending files from mobile device 200 to server 300. The files to be sent are all files displayed on list screen 535.

[0093] Furthermore, a function may be provided to send all files selected from the files stored on the camera device 100 on the list screen 504 in Figure 6(b) to the server 300 without saving them to the mobile device 200.

[0094] <Functions of File Transfer Application 301> Next, the functions of the file transfer application 301 of this embodiment will be described.

[0095] The file transfer application 301 of this embodiment has the following two functions.

[0096] The first function is to communicate with the camera device 100 and save files selected by the user from among the video and audio files stored in the camera device 100 to the mobile device 200.

[0097] The second function is to communicate with the server 300 and send (upload) files selected by the user from among the video and audio files stored on the mobile device 200 to the server 300.

[0098] Through the first and second functions described above, the file transfer application 301 can transfer video files and audio files stored in the camera device 100 to the server 300 via the mobile device 200.

[0099] <Processing Sequence of Camera Device 100 and Mobile Device 200> Next, referring to Figures 7 to 9, we will explain the process by which the file transfer application 301 of the mobile device 200 displays the file list screen 504 as exemplified in Figure 6(b).

[0100] Figure 7 shows the processing sequence of the camera device 100 and the mobile device 200 from the time the tap of button 502 is detected on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(a) until the list screen 504 is displayed.

[0101] In T701, when the mobile device 200 detects a tap of button 502 on the function selection screen 501 in Figure 6(a), it sends a request to the camera device 100 to acquire file list information.

[0102] In the T702, when the camera device 100 receives a request to acquire file list information from the mobile device 200, it generates file list information using the file information stored in the recording medium 110. Here, the file list information includes the file name, format information, and file ID. The file ID is unique identification information generated for each file and is used when making requests to the camera device 100, for example, to acquire file information and main unit data files.

[0103] In T703, when the camera device 100 generates file list information, it sends the file list information to the mobile device 200 as a response to the request from T701. When the mobile device 200 receives the file list information from the camera device 100, it refers to the format of all files included in the file list and performs processing according to the format.

[0104] If the file format is MP4, the T704 sends a request to the camera device 100 to retrieve video file information from the mobile device 200. In this case, a file ID is assigned to specify the file from which to retrieve video file information.

[0105] In T705, when the camera device 100 receives a request to acquire video file information from the mobile device 200, it generates video file information based on the information stored in the file's metadata storage area. The metadata storage area of ​​an MP4 file includes the recording date and time as detailed file information, and in this embodiment, the camera device 100 stores a thumbnail in the metadata storage area when generating a video file. As a result, in T705, the video file information generated by referring to the file's metadata storage area includes at least a thumbnail and the recording date and time. Information on whether or not an associated metadata file exists is also included in the video file information.

[0106] In T706, when the camera device 100 generates video file information for the file specified in the video file information acquisition request from the mobile device 200, it sends the video file information to the mobile device 200 as a response to the request from T704.

[0107] If the file format is WAV, the T707 sends a request to the camera device 100 for the acquisition of audio file information from the mobile device 200. In this case, by assigning a file ID, the file for which the audio file information to be acquired is specified.

[0108] In T708, when the camera device 100 receives a request to acquire audio file information from the mobile device 200, it generates audio file information based on the file information of the catalog file stored in the recording medium 110. The file information of the catalog file includes the recording date and time, and the audio file information includes at least the recording date and time.

[0109] In T709, when the camera device 100 generates audio file information for the file specified by the mobile device 200, it transmits the audio file information to the mobile device 200 as a response to the audio file information acquisition request from T707.

[0110] If the file format is not MP4 or WAV, the mobile device 200 determines that it is not eligible for display on the list screen 504 in Figure 6(b), and does not perform any processing.

[0111] When the mobile device 200 performs format-appropriate processing on all files, the T710 generates the list screen 504 shown in Figure 6(b) based on the file list information, video file information, and audio file information obtained from the camera device 100. The default arrangement order of files in the list screen 504 shown in Figure 6(b) is descending order of recording date and time.

[0112] <Processing of Mobile Device 200> Next, referring to Figure 8, we will describe the processing of the mobile device 200 to generate a list screen 504 of files stored in the camera device 100.

[0113] In the following explanation, the file transfer application 301 will be described as the main processing unit, but in reality, the control unit 201 of the mobile device 200 loads the program of the file transfer application 301 (or the application's functions, or the OS or OS services, etc.) stored in the non-volatile memory 203 into the working memory 204 and executes it. The same applies to Figures 10 and 12, which will be described later. Furthermore, the processing in Figure 8 is triggered when the operation unit 205 detects a tap of button 502 while the function selection screen 501 of Figure 6(a) is displayed in the file transfer application 301.

[0114] In S801, the file transfer application 301 obtains file list information from the camera device 100 via the communication service control 303 in order to display a screen 504 listing the files stored in the camera device 100.

[0115] When the file transfer application 301 obtains file list information from the camera device 100, it executes the processes in steps S802 to S805 for all files included in the file list information.

[0116] In S802, the file transfer application 301 determines whether the file format is MP4. If the file transfer application 301 determines that the file format is MP4, it proceeds to S803; if it determines that the file format is not MP4, it proceeds to S804.

[0117] In S803, the file transfer application 301 obtains video file information from the camera device 100.

[0118] In S804, the file transfer application 301 refers to the file list information and determines whether the file format is WAV. If the file transfer application 301 determines that the file format is WAV, it proceeds to S805; otherwise, it terminates the process and executes the processes from S802 onwards for the next file.

[0119] The file transfer application 301 obtains the information necessary to generate the file list screen 504 from the camera device 100 by performing processes S802 to S804 for all files.

[0120] In S806, the file transfer application 301 generates components 508 to 512 in the list screen 504 of Figure 6(b) from file list information, video file information, and audio file information obtained from the camera device 100.

[0121] Through the above process, the file transfer application 301 generates a screen listing the files stored in the camera device 100.

[0122] <Processing of camera device 100> Next, referring to Figure 9, the processing of camera device 100 when it receives a communication command from mobile device 200 will be described.

[0123] The process shown in Figure 9 is achieved when the control unit 101 loads the program stored in the non-volatile memory 103 into the working memory 104 and executes it. The process shown in Figure 9 is also triggered when the communication unit 111 receives a PTP / IP communication command from the mobile device 200.

[0124] In S901, the control unit 101 analyzes the type of PTP / IP communication command received by the communication unit 111.

[0125] In S902, the control unit 101 determines whether the command type is a request to obtain file list information. If the control unit 101 determines that the command type is a request to obtain file list information, it proceeds to S903; if it determines that the command type is not a request to obtain file list information, it proceeds to S905.

[0126] In S903, the control unit 101 analyzes the directory entries of the recording medium 110 and obtains information on all files stored in the recording medium 110.

[0127] In S904, the control unit 101 generates a file ID for each file from the file information acquired in S903, and generates a response command containing file list information including the file name, format, and file ID.

[0128] In S905, the control unit 101 determines whether the command type is a request to acquire video file information. If the control unit 101 determines that the command type is a request to acquire video file information, it proceeds to S906; if it determines that the command type is not a request to acquire video file information, it proceeds to S908.

[0129] In S906, the control unit 101 refers to the metadata storage area of ​​the video file specified by the file ID and obtains detailed file information, including a thumbnail and the recording date and time.

[0130] In S907, the control unit 101 generates video file information, including a thumbnail and recording date and time, as a response command from the detailed information of the video file acquired in S906.

[0131] In S908, the control unit 101 determines whether the command type is a request to acquire audio file information. If the control unit 101 determines that the command type is a request to acquire audio file information, it proceeds to S909; if it determines that the command type is not a request to acquire audio file information, it proceeds to S911.

[0132] In S909, the control unit 101 refers to the information in the catalog file stored in the recording medium 110 and obtains detailed information including the recording date and time of the audio file specified by the file ID.

[0133] In S910, the control unit 101 generates audio file information, including the recording date and time, as a response command from the detailed information of the audio file acquired in S909.

[0134] In S911, the control unit 101 determines whether the command type is a request to acquire the main data file. If the control unit 101 determines that the command type is a request to acquire the main data file, it proceeds to S912; if it determines that the command type is not a request to acquire the main data file, it proceeds to S914.

[0135] In S912, the control unit 101 retrieves the main data file specified by the file ID.

[0136] In S913, the control unit 101 generates the main data file acquired in S912 as a response command.

[0137] In S914, the control unit 101 executes processing according to command types other than those described above and generates a response command. The processing in S914 is not very relevant to this embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0138] In S915, the control unit 101 sends a response command generated in S904, S907, S910, or S913 to the mobile device 200, which is the source of the communication command, via the communication unit 111.

[0139] Through the above process, the camera device 100 exchanges file information and main data files with an external device such as a mobile device 200 via the communication unit 111.

[0140] <File saving process of mobile device 200> Next, with reference to Figures 10 and 11, the process of saving files stored on the camera device 100 to the recording medium 210 of the mobile device 200 will be described.

[0141] On the list screen 504 in Figure 6(b), the user selects the files they want to transfer and save to the mobile device 200 from the files stored on the camera device 100. After completing the file selection operation, the user taps button 515 and then taps button 516 or button 517 in Figure 6(c) to select either the file management application 306 or the image management application 308 as the file save destination. Once the destination application is selected, the mobile device 200 retrieves the selected data files from the camera device 100 and writes them to the management area of ​​the destination application on the recording medium 210.

[0142] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the file saving process of the mobile device 200 when the file management application 306 is selected as the destination application.

[0143] The process in Figure 10 involves the file transfer application 301 detecting a tap of button 516 on the list screen 504 in Figure 6(c) via the operation unit 205, and then executing processes S1001 to S1004 in Figure 10 for all selected files.

[0144] In S1001, the file transfer application 301 sends a request to the camera device 100 from the communication service control 303 to acquire the main data file and acquires the selected main data file. The processing in response to the request to acquire the main data file by the camera device 100 is as described in Figure 9.

[0145] In S1002, the file transfer application 301 writes the main unit data file acquired from the camera device 100 to the management area of ​​the file management application 306 on the recording medium 210, based on the control of the file management service 304.

[0146] In S1003, the file transfer application 301 determines whether the file format is an audio file format. If the file transfer application 301 determines that the file format is an audio file format, it proceeds to S1004. If the transfer application 301 determines that the file format is not an audio file format, it terminates the process and executes the subsequent steps from S1001 for the next file.

[0147] In S1004, the file transfer application 301, via the control of the file management service 304, overwrites the creation date and modification date of the directory entries in the management area of ​​the file management application 306 with the recording date and time of the audio file obtained from the camera device 100.

[0148] Figure 11 illustrates the data structure of the directory entries in the management area of ​​the file management application 306 in S1004 of Figure 10.

[0149] The directory entry contains information about the files managed by the file management application 306, including the file name 1101, extension 1102, creation date 1103, modification date 1104, and file size 1105.

[0150] Figure 11(a) illustrates the directory entry when the determination in S1003 in Figure 10 is NO and the overwrite process is not performed in S1004, that is, when the file acquired from the camera device 100 is saved to the file management application 306.

[0151] When the file management application 306 saves a file obtained from an external source, the date and time the file was saved is written to the creation date and time and modification date and time of the directory entry. In this embodiment, an example is shown where the date and time the file was saved is written to the creation date and time and modification date and time of the directory entry. However, depending on the OS specifications and writing method, only the creation date and time, the modification date and time, or both may be updated.

[0152] Figure 11(b) illustrates the directory entry when the determination in S1003 in Figure 10 is YES and the overwrite process is executed in S1004. In Figure 11(b), if the file obtained and saved from an external source is an audio file, the creation date and modification date of the directory entry are overwritten by the recording date and time when the audio file was obtained from the external source.

[0153] As described above, even if the file obtained from an external source is an audio file whose directory entry does not record the creation date and modification date, the creation date and modification date of the directory entry managed by the destination application are overwritten with the recording date and time of the file obtained from the source, thereby recording the recording date and time of the audio file in the file's directory entry. As a result, the mobile device 200 can accurately display a list of files obtained from an external source according to their recording date and time.

[0154] In this embodiment, an example was described in which both the file creation date and modification date and time are overwritten with the recorded date and time, but either the file creation date and time or the modification date and time may be overwritten.

[0155] <Processing to display a list of files stored on the mobile device 200> Next, referring to Figure 12, we will explain the process of retrieving files from the file management application 306 and generating the file list screen 535 shown in Figure 6(g).

[0156] The process shown in Figure 12 is triggered when the file management application 306 detects a tap on button 524, i.e., when one or more files are selected on the file selection screen 522 in Figure 6(e), indicating that file selection is complete.

[0157] The file transfer application 301 performs the processes shown in S1201 to S1203 for all selected files.

[0158] In S1201, the file transfer application 301 determines whether the file is in MP4 format. If the file transfer application 301 determines that the file is in MP4 format, it proceeds to S1202; if it determines that the file is not in MP4 format, it proceeds to S1203.

[0159] In S1202, the file transfer application 301 analyzes the file's metadata storage area to obtain video file information, including the file's thumbnail and recording date and time.

[0160] In S1203, the file transfer application 301 determines whether the file is in WAV format. If the file transfer application 301 determines that the file is in WAV format, it proceeds to S1204. If it determines that the file is not in WAV format, it terminates the process and executes the subsequent steps from S1201 for the next file.

[0161] In S1204, the file transfer application 301 obtains audio file information by referring to the directory entry of the file management application 306 and interpreting the file creation date and time as the recorded date and time.

[0162] By overwriting the file creation date and time in the directory entry with the recording date and time beforehand, it is possible to obtain the accurate recording date and time when retrieving audio files.

[0163] By performing the above processes S1201 to S1204 for all files, the file transfer application 301 obtains the information necessary to generate the file list screen 535 from the file management application 306.

[0164] In S1205, the file transfer application 301 generates the file list screen 535 shown in Figure 6(g) from the video file information and audio file information obtained from the file management application 306.

[0165] Note that the default order of files in the list screen 535 in Figure 6(g) is descending order of recording date and time.

[0166] Through the above process, when the file transfer application 301 displays a list of files stored in the file management application 306, it can display the accurate recording date and time even for audio files that cannot internally store the recording date and time.

[0167] <Variation> In the embodiments described above, an example of handling audio files in WAV file format was explained, but the audio file may be in another format that does not store the recording date and time.

[0168] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, audio files were used as an example of a file type that cannot save the recording date and time. However, any file that cannot save the recording date and time does not have to be an audio file. For example, when dealing with XML metadata files generated during video recording, the same processing as for audio files may be applied.

[0169] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the presence or absence of a recording date and time for a file was determined from the file format. However, to prepare for cases such as handling files in their original format, the presence or absence of a recording date and time for each file may be managed using a management means such as a catalog file. In that case, when saving a file to the mobile device 200, a management means may be provided to manage whether the file's creation date and time or modification date and time have been updated, and to refer to this when reading file information from the mobile device 200.

[0170] [Other embodiments] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more functions of each embodiment to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. Furthermore, the present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0171] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 100...Camera equipment, 101...Control unit, 102...Imaging unit, 106...Display unit, 107...Audio input unit, 111...Communication unit, 200...Mobile device, 201...Control unit, 205...Operation unit, 206...Display unit, 210...Recording medium, 211...Communication unit, 300...Server

Claims

1. A communication device that communicates with an external device, A storage means that stores a file acquired from a first external device, and also stores first information relating to at least one of the creation date and time and the modification date and time of the said file, If the file acquired from the first external device is a first file to which second information relating to the date and time of recording of the file in the first external device is attached, the storage means stores the first file and also stores the first information of the first file. A communication device characterized by having, if the file obtained from the first external device is a second file that does not have the second information attached to it, a control means that obtains second information relating to the recording date and time on which the second file is recorded from the first external device, and overwrites the first information with the second information when storing the second file in the storage means.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when transmitting the second file stored in the storage means to a second external device, the control means reads the second file from the storage means and obtains the second information by referring to the first information of the second file stored in the storage means.

3. The system further includes a display means for displaying a list of files stored in the storage means, The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that, if the file stored in the storage means is the second file, the control means obtains the second information by referring to the first information of the second file stored in the storage means and displays it in the list of files.

4. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising determination means for determining whether a file acquired from the first external device is the first file or the second file.

5. The communication device according to claim 4, characterized in that the determination means determines whether it is the first file or the second file based on the format of the file obtained from the first external device.

6. The communication device according to claim 4, characterized in that the determination means determines that the file is the second file when the file format is an audio file format.

7. The communication device according to claim 5, characterized in that the determination means determines that the file is the first file when the file format is a still image or video file format.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control means stores in association information indicating whether or not the second file and the first information have been rewritten when the first information is rewritten with the second information when the second file is stored in the storage means.

9. An imaging device that communicates with an external device, A generation means for generating a file containing image data or audio data, When a file containing the aforementioned audio data is generated, a management file is generated that associates the recording date and time of the file containing the aforementioned audio data with the file name, and this file is stored in the storage means. When a file containing the aforementioned image data is generated, a management means generates a metadata file containing the recording date and time of the file containing the aforementioned image data and stores it in the storage means, When a request to retrieve a file containing the audio data is received from the external device, audio file information including the recording date and time of the audio data is transmitted to the external device based on the information in the management file. An imaging device characterized by having a control means that, when it receives a request from the external device to acquire a file containing the image data, transmits image file information, including at least the recording date and time, to the external device based on the information in the metadata file of the image data.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that when the management means saves a file containing the image data generated by the generation means to the storage means, it saves the recording date and time of the file containing the image data and the file name in association with each other in the management file.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the control means transmits a list of files stored in the storage means to the external device when it receives a request from the external device to acquire a list of file information.

12. A method for controlling a communication device that communicates with an external device, The communication device's storage means stores a file acquired from a first external device, and stores first information relating to at least one of the creation date and time and the modification date and time of the file. If the control means of the communication device is such that the file acquired from the first external device is a first file to which second information relating to the date and time of recording of the file in the first external device is attached, then the control means of the communication device stores the first file in the storage means and also stores the first information of the first file. A method for controlling a communication device, characterized by the steps of: if the file obtained from the first external device is a second file that does not have the second information attached to it, obtaining second information from the first external device regarding the date and time on which the second file was recorded, and overwriting the first information with the second information when storing the second file in the storage means.

13. A method for controlling an imaging device that communicates with an external device, The generation means of the imaging device includes the step of generating a file containing image data or audio data, When the management means of the imaging device generates a file containing the audio data, it generates a management file associating the recording date and time of the file containing the audio data with the file name and stores it in the storage means. When a file containing the aforementioned image data is generated, the step of generating a metadata file containing the recording date and time of the file containing the aforementioned image data and storing it in the storage means, When the control means of the imaging device receives a request from the external device to acquire a file containing the audio data, it transmits audio file information, including the recording date and time of the audio data, to the external device based on the information in the management file. A method for controlling an imaging device, characterized by comprising the step of receiving a request from the external device to acquire a file containing the image data, and transmitting image file information, including at least the recording date and time, to the external device based on the information in the metadata file of the image data.

14. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of a communication device described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

15. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an imaging apparatus described in any one of claims 9 to 11.

Images