Abstract:
The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus which captures incident light from an object through an image pickup lens by an image pickup element according to an image pickup operation, generates image data, and records the image data in a recording section. The apparatus includes a microphone that collects speech of a person who takes images, a speech recognition section that recognizes speech output from the microphone and outputs a character code, and an image signal processing section that decides whether a folder having a name code corresponding to the character string code exists in the recording section or not based on the character string code output from the speech recognition section and performs processing of recording the image data in the folder when the character string code matches the name code.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus which records image data generated according to an image pickup operation in a recording section.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    For a portable image pickup apparatus such as a hand-held document scanner or digital camera, it is a conventionally known technique to operate such an apparatus by receiving a speech command (e.g., see Patent Document 1).  
           [0005]    Furthermore, for a conventional electronic camera, there is also a technique usingdifferent folders which exist in a recording section for different purposes (e.g., see Patent Document 2).  
           [0006]    [Patent Document 1] 
           [0007]    Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-215021 (paragraph number 0021, FIG. 1)  
           [0008]    [Patent Document 2] 
           [0009]    Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-169222 (summary, FIG. 1)  
           [0010]    Using different folders for different purposes requires not only image capturing through an image pickup operation but also an operation of specifying a folder to record an image in a recording section such as a recording medium. As pointed out in Patent Document 2, all such operations are conventionally performed through key operations and the problem is that performing this operation every time an image is recorded is complicated and takes much time.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention has been implemented taking into account the situation described above and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of easily performing image control after image taking.  
           [0012]    The image pickup apparatus which attains the above object is an image pickup apparatus that captures incident light from an object through an image pickup lens by an image pickup element, generates image data according to the image pickup operation and records the image data in a recording section, including: a microphone which collects speech of a person who picks up images; a speech recognition section that recognizes a speech signal output from the microphone and outputs a character string code; and an image signal processing section that decides whether a folder having a name code corresponding to the character string code exists in the recording section or not based on the character string code output from the speech recognition section and performs processing of recording image data in the folder when the character string code matches the name code.  
           [0013]    In the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, the person who takes the image inputs speech representing the folder name to the microphone, the speech recognition section converts the speech signal from the microphone to a character string code, and it is decided whether a folder having a name code corresponding to the character string code exists in the recording section or not based on the character string code output from the speech recognition section, and further, processing of recording image data in the folder is performed when the character string code matches the name code. This allows the picked-up image to be controlled using speech and makes image control easier.  
           [0014]    Here, in the image pickup apparatus of the present invention if it is decided that no folder having the name code corresponding to the character string code exists in the recording section, the image signal processing section preferably creates a new folder having the name code corresponding to the character string code and then performs processing of recording the image data in the folder.  
           [0015]    This allows the picked-up image to be controlled using speech even if no folder for speech data exists.  
           [0016]    Here, the speech to be input to the microphone is preferably a keyword representing the content of the image.  
           [0017]    As explained above, the present invention can perform image control after image pickup using speech without any key operations. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is an external view of a digital camera which is an embodiment of the image pickup apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal processing section provided in the digital camera in FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an operation of the digital camera of the embodiment; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a hierarchic folder structure of a recording medium. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 shows an external view of a digital camera which is an embodiment of the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, part (a) of FIG. 1 is a front view and part (b) of FIG. 1 is a rear view.  
         [0024]    A digital camera  100  shown in FIG. 1 is designed to guide an image of an object from an photographing lens  101  to a CCD solid-state imaging element provided inside the camera  100 . An operation section for the user to perform various operations when using this digital camera  100  is provided on the back of the digital camera  100 .  
         [0025]    This operation section is provided with a group of operation switches and an LCD screen  105   a . The group of operation switches includes a power switch  102  for turning ON power to operate the digital camera, an photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  which switches between photographing and reproduction freely, an execution key  106   a , a cancel key  106   b , a cross key  107  and a popup switch  108  for a flash light-emitting section  104 , etc. A display section  107   a  is provided inside this cross key  107  and the cross key  107  allows items in a selection menu displayed on the LCD screen  105   a  to be selected. Furthermore, a display key  1051  is also provided to decide whether to activate the LCD screen  105   a  or not. Furthermore, a release button  109  is provided at the top of this digital camera  100 . When this release button  109  is pressed, a command for starting photographing is transmitted to a signal processing section, which will be described later, inside the digital camera.  
         [0026]    The digital camera  100  can freely switch between photographing and reproduction using the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103 . When performing photographing, the user sets the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  to an photographing side  103   a  and when performing reproduction, the user sets the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  to a reproduction side  103   b . Furthermore, the flash light-emitting section  104  is provided to allow nighttime photographing.  
         [0027]    Furthermore, this digital camera  100  incorporates a microphone  150  so that the user can input speech.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a signal processing circuit provided inside the digital camera  100 .  
         [0029]    All processing in the digital camera  100  of this embodiment is controlled by a CPU  111  and under the control of this CPU  111 , a DSP  112  processes image data obtained by a CCD solid-state imaging element  110 . This CPU  111  and DSP  112  are connected by a bus (not shown) and data is exchanged through this bus. Furthermore, an SDRAM  113  and flash ROM  114  are connected to the CPU  111 , the SDRAM  113  stores image data to be processed by the DSP  112  and the flash ROM  114  stores a program to be executed by the CPU  111 . FIG. 2 indicates using arrows that the image data stored in the SDRAM  113  is read by the DSP  112 .  
         [0030]    The input part of this CPU  111  receives an electric signal according to an operation of an operation section  115  made up of various keys and switches shown in FIG. 1. This operation section  115  specifically includes the power switch  102 , photographing/reproduction changeover switch  103 , display key  1051 , execution key  106   a , cancel key  106   b , cross key  107  made up of four keys; UP key  1071 , RIGHT key  1072 , DOWN key  1073 , and LEFT key  1074  and a shutter switch actuated by pressing the release button  109 .  
         [0031]    A speech signal from the microphone  150  is sent through an audio interface  140 , converted to a digital signal by this audio interface  140 , received by the DSP  112 , this received signal is stored in the DSP  112 , and the stored signal is converted to an analog signal through the audio interface  140  and supplied to a speaker  141  if necessary. A speech signal processing section is provided in the DSP  112  and performs processing on a speech signal necessary for speech input/output devices such as the microphone  150  and speaker  141 . The speech signal processing section is also used when motion pictures are taken by the digital camera of this embodiment, or used for other purposes.  
         [0032]    Further, in the digital camera  100  of this embodiment, the output of the audio interface  140  is also input to a speech recognition section  142  for speech recognition and character data obtained by the speech recognition is also input to the DSP  112 .  
         [0033]    Furthermore, the digital camera  100  of this embodiment allows the LCD screen  105   a  (see FIG. 1) provided in an LCD display section  105  to show a display menu and items shown in the menu can be selected by the cross key  107 .  
         [0034]    Using this cross key  107 , it is possible to select any one of items from the selection menu displayed on the LCD screen  105   a . Of the four keys of the cross key shown in FIG. 1, pressing the UP key  1071  moves a cursor shown on the LCD screen  105   a  upward and pressing the RIGHT key  1072  moves the cursor rightward, and so on.  
         [0035]    When these keys  1071  to  1074  are pressed, the fact of the pressing of those keys  1071  to  1074  is recognized by the CPU  111  and the CPU  111  transfers a command for moving the cursor to the LCD screen  105   a  through the bus based on the fact that any one of the keys is pressed. Then, the cursor is moved to any one of the displayed items and any one of the items is selected by the cursor which has moved there.  
         [0036]    When the execution key  106   a  is pressed in a state the cursor is placed at any one of the items, the item is executed. Therefore, the user can select any one of the items from the selection menu using the cursor displayed on the LCD screen  105   a.    
         [0037]    When the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  is changed to the reproduction side  103   b , reproduction from the recording medium is performed. At this time, even if a signal from the release button which gives a command for photographing is input from the release button, etc., no processing of photographing is carried out.  
         [0038]    Then, the output part of the CPU  111  will be explained.  
         [0039]    The output part of the CPU  111  is connected to a timing generator (hereinafter referred to as “TG”)  116 , a motor driver (hereinafter referred to as “DRV”)  117  which drives a focus lens  118  and a flash light-emitting device  104   a  which causes the flash light-emitting section  104  to perform flash light emission.  
         [0040]    When an image is taken, the image of an object is displayed on the LCD screen  105   a  according to the movement of the object. While viewing this object image displayed, the user performs framing and when the user presses the release button  109 , the image is finally taken. When this release button  109  is pressed, the CPU  111  outputs a command for instructing a start of photographing to the TG  116 . Upon receipt of this command, the TG  116  supplies a signal informing that the release button  109  has been pressed to the CCD solid-state imaging element  110 . Upon receipt of this signal, the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  outputs, as an RGB signal, an image pickup signal of an image taken by the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  when the release button  109  is pressed.  
         [0041]    Hereinafter, how the image pickup signal taken by the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  is processed will be explained sequentially.  
         [0042]    The image pickup signal acquired at the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  is converted to an RGB signal and supplied to the CDS and A/D section  119 . At this CDS and A/D section  119 , noise is reduced, and the signal is converted to a digital signal and supplied to the DSP  112  as a digital RGB signal. This DSP  112  includes various signal processing sections such as an image signal processing section, compression processing section, AE (Auto Exposure) detection section, AWB (Auto White Balance) detection section, video encoder and speech signal processing section.  
         [0043]    This DSP  112  applies a series of processes to the image data made up of the RGB signal obtained by the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  and the processed image data is output to output devices such as the LCD display section  105  having the LCD screen  105   a  and a recording section  120  in which a recording medium  130  is loaded. With respect to speech, the DSP  112  performs, in its speech signal processing section, processing on a speech signal necessary for speech input/output devices such as the microphone  150  and speaker  141 . In the digital camera  100  of this embodiment, a speech signal from the microphone  150  is received by the DSP  112  through the audio interface  140  and the received signal is stored in the DSP  112  and the stored signal is supplied to the speaker  141  through the audio interface  140  if necessary. The speech signal processing section in the DSP  112  is also used when motion pictures are taken by the digital camera, or used for other purposes. This is the flow of an image pickup signal acquired by the CCD solid-state imaging element  110 .  
         [0044]    Now, the flow of image data when the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  is changed to the photographing side  103   a  and photographing is performed will be explained in detail.  
         [0045]    When a photograph is taken, the photographing/reproduction changeover lever  103  connected to the input part of the CPU  111  is changed to the photographing side  103   a.    
         [0046]    In this digital camera  100 , even if the release button  109  is not pressed, the image of an object to which the image-taking lens is directed is always shown on the LCD screen  105   a  of the LCD display section  105  as a through image. This through image displayed is acquired when image data consisting of an RGB signal read from the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  at predetermined intervals is converted to a YC signal by the image signal processing in the DSP  112  and the YC signal is supplied to the LCD display section  105  through the video encoder in the DSP  112 . When such a through image is displayed, the DSP  112  carries out camera-specific signal processing such as exposure adjustment and focusing for each through image.  
         [0047]    When the desired object is shown as a through image on the LCD screen  105   a , the user presses the release button  109 . When the user presses the release button  109 , the CPU  111  outputs a command for starting photographing to the TG  116 . Upon receipt of this command, the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  outputs an RGB signal for generating image data to be recorded.  
         [0048]    This output RGB signal is converted to a digital signal by the CDS and A/D conversion section  119 , guided into the DSP  112  by an image input controller in the DSP  112 , the guided RGB signal is supplied to the SDRAM  113  through the bus in the DSP  112  and the RGB signal which is a digital signal is written into the SDRAM  113 . When the capturing of the RGB signal corresponding to the image data to be generated in this photographing is completed, the RGB signal is read from the SDRAM  113  and supplied to the DSP  112 . At the DSP  112 , the RGB signal is converted to a YC signal, the image data compressed in the DSP  112  is supplied to the recording section  120  through an interface  121  and the image data is recorded as a JPEG compressed file in the recording medium  130  loaded in this recording section  120 .  
         [0049]    This DSP  112  and CPU  111  are connected through the bus and addresses and data are exchanged through this bus. The CPU  111  is provided with various registers inside and the contents of these registers are rewritten according to the progress of processing of various signal processing sections. The CPU  111  makes out the contents of these registers and carries out processing according to the procedure of the program stored in the flash ROM  114 .  
         [0050]    This is the flow of image data when photographing is carried out by the digital camera  100  of this embodiment until the image data is recorded in the recording medium  130 .  
         [0051]    The digital camera of the present invention allows photographing operations and image control to be carried out by a speech operation as shown below.  
         [0052]    As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the microphone  150  built in the digital camera  100  is connected to the audio interface  140  and the output of this audio interface  140  is input to the DSP  112  through the speech recognition section  142 .  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of an photographing operation and an image control operation using speech.  
         [0054]    When a selection menu is displayed on the LCD screen  105   a  and a mode of carrying out an operation by speech is selected by operating the cursor keys  1071  to  1074 , etc., the processing according to the flow chart shown in this FIG. 3 is carried out.  
         [0055]    While the mode of carrying out the operation by speech is selected, if a message, for example, “photograph” is input from the microphone  150  instead of operating the release button  109  during photographing, a speech trigger is input to the DSP  112  through the audio interface  140  (step S 1 ), a command for starting photographing is issued from the CPU  111  to the TG  116 , the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  which has received this start command captures an image (step S 2 ) and the CCD solid-state imaging element  110  outputs an RGB signal which forms a basis of image data for recording.  
         [0056]    This output RGB signal is converted to a digital signal by the CDS and A/D conversion section  119 , guided into the DSP  112  through the image input controller in the DSP  112 , the guided RGB signal is supplied to the SDRAM  113  through the bus in the DSP  112  and the RGB signal which is a digital signal is written into the SDRAM  113  (step S 3 ). When the capturing of the RGB signal corresponding to the image data to be generated in this photographing is completed, the RGB signal is read from the SDRAM  113  and supplied to the DSP  112 . At the DSP  112 , the RGB signal is converted to a YC signal, subjected to JPEG compression processing in the DSP  112  and the compressed image data is stored in the SDRAM  113  again (step S 4 ).  
         [0057]    In this embodiment, processing for recording data in the recording medium  130  is also carried out by speech. That is, in a stage in which the compressed image data is stored in the SDRAM  113 , if the user voices a keyword expressing the content of an image from the microphone  150 , for example, “Family” in the case of a family photo or “Friend” in the case of a photo of a friend, the speech output is input through the audio interface  140  to the speech recognition section  142  (step S 5 ), converted to a character string code at the speech recognition section  142  (step S 6 ) and input to the DSP  112 . The DSP  112  decides whether a folder for speech data of a name code corresponding to the character string code exists in the recording medium loaded in the recording section  130  or not (step S 7 ). If the folder exists, the compressed image data recorded in the SDRAM  113  is read to the DSP  112 , sent to the recording section  120  from the DSP  112 , and recorded in the folder in the recording medium  130  loaded in the recording section  120  (step S 9 ). If the folder does not exist, a new folder is created (step SB) and similar processing is carried out thereafter. Thus, the JPEG-compressed image data is recorded in the recording medium  130  as a JPEG compressed file.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a hierarchic folder structure of the recording medium  130 . In the formatted recording medium  130 , image (DCIM), speech (dsam) and other (MISC) folders are created under a root and a folder “100_fuji” is prepared under the DCIM folder. While a normal mode is selected in which no specific folder is specified, if the shutter button  109  is pressed, image data subjected to JPEG compression processing is generated every time the shutter button  109  is pressed and files (DSCF0001.jpg, DSCF0002.jpg, etc., in the example here) storing the respective image data are created in the folder “100_fuji” one by one. The folder name “100_fuji” can be changed to a desired name according to the operation. Here, in FIG. 4, a folder “Family” and a folder “Friend” are shown. However, suppose theses folders are not prepared yet, and how these folders are prepared when folder names “Family” and “Friend” are specified by speech will be explained below.  
         [0059]    Here, a mode of instructing photographing and specifying a folder through speech is selected and photographing is performed using a command by speech. Then, if “Family” is voiced as a name of a folder to store JPEG compressed image data generated by that photographing operation, the pronunciation “Family” is recognized and a folder “Family” is prepared and a file  11  storing the JPEG compressed image data acquired through this photographing is created in the folder.  
         [0060]    Then, the next photographing is performed by a command using speech and if “Family” is voiced again, a file  12  storing the JPEG compressed image data acquired through this photographing is created in the “Family” folder.  
         [0061]    Then, further photographing is performed according to an photographing command using speech and when “Friend” is voiced this time. A folder “Friend” is newly prepared since it does not exist yet, and a file  13  for the JPEG compressed image data acquired from this photographing is created in the “Friend” folder.  
         [0062]    Image data is stored in a folder having a name specified by speech in this way.  
         [0063]    Input speech in this case can be any speech if it is at least a keyword expressing the image content with a single word.  
         [0064]    The above-described embodiment is the case where an image is recorded in the recording medium  130 , but the present invention is also applicable to a type of a camera which records an image in an image recording memory instead of using a recording medium and in the case of that type of camera, the image can be recorded in a folder in the image recording memory by speech in the like manner.  
         [0065]    Furthermore, a digital camera has been taken as an example here, but the present invention is applicable not only to an apparatus having an independent function as a digital camera but also to any composite-type apparatus at least having an image-taking function (a function as an image-taking apparatus) such as a cellular phone incorporating a camera function or PDA (Personal Data Assistant).