JP2006041873A - Authenticating method of digital camera, digital camera with authenticating function, and memory card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an authenticating method for authentication performed when a digital camera is operated, the digital camera with an authenticating function, and a memory card that disable a third person to make a connection with a network without permission by using the digital camera. <P>SOLUTION: The digital camera comprises a card loading means 27 where the memory card 30 for recording picked-up image data is detachably loaded, a memory means 20 which is provided in a camera main body and in which a password specifying a user who is permitted to perform a specific operation is registered, and a control means 8 for deciding whether a password of the memory card 30 matches the password registered in the memory means 20 when the memory card 30 where the password specifying a user is written is loaded in the card loading means 27 and the specific operation is requested and allowing the user to perform the specific operation when they match each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera authentication method, a digital camera with an authentication function, and a memory card that allow only an authorized person to perform operations that require security protection such as network connection.

  For example, as in the prior art described in Patent Document 1 below, a digital camera is connected to a network by mounting a wireless LAN card or the like on the digital camera, and image data captured by the digital camera is transferred to a large-capacity file server on the network. Or printing with a network printer.

  The same thing can be done with a camera-equipped mobile phone. In the prior art described in Patent Document 2 below, image data taken with a camera-equipped mobile phone can be printed with a network printer.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-283900 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-281028

  Conventionally, when connecting a digital camera or the like to a network, security problems and authentication problems when connecting to the network are not considered. For this reason, anyone who has a digital camera that can be connected to the network has a problem that it can connect to the network.

  Since the camera-equipped mobile phone has the characteristics that it is owned by an individual and rarely carried and used by others, it can be said that it is not necessary to authenticate the user one by one when connecting to a network. However, even if the digital camera is owned by an individual, the frequency of lending and borrowing to a friend acquaintance is higher than that of a mobile phone, and it is a problem that other people who borrowed the digital camera can connect to the network without any authentication. is there. The above is an example of network connection. However, the present invention is not limited to network connection, and it is a problem that another person who borrows a digital camera can operate the digital camera without limitation.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an authentication method, a digital camera with an authentication function, and a memory card when operating a digital camera.

  The digital camera authentication method of the present invention is a digital camera authentication method for recording captured image data in a removable memory card and having memory means inside the camera body, wherein the memory means of the digital camera is provided with the memory means of the digital camera. When a password specifying a user who permits a predetermined operation is registered, and the memory card in which the password specifying the user is written is mounted on the digital camera and the predetermined operation is requested, the memory card The predetermined operation is permitted when a password matches a password registered in the memory means of the digital camera.

  With this configuration, even when another person uses the digital camera, the predetermined operation is not possible, and security protection can be achieved.

  The digital camera with an authentication function of the present invention is registered with a card mounting means for detachably mounting a memory card for recording captured image data, and a password provided in the camera body for identifying a user who permits a predetermined operation A memory means, and the password stored in the memory means when the memory card in which a password specifying a user is written is attached to the card attaching means and the predetermined operation is requested; Control means for determining whether or not they match and permitting the predetermined operation when they match.

  With this configuration, even when another person uses the digital camera, the predetermined operation is not possible, and security protection can be achieved.

  The digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is equipped with a function of registering the password in the memory means.

  With this configuration, the authentication function can be used even with a single camera.

  The digital camera with an authentication function of the present invention is equipped with a function of writing the password in the memory card mounted on the card mounting means.

  With this configuration, the authentication function can be used even with a single camera.

  The memory means of the digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is characterized in that a password for identifying a user who is permitted an operation authority for each operation of the digital camera is registered.

  With this configuration, the access authority can be restricted for each of the plurality of sub-users.

  The memory means of the digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is a rewritable read-only memory.

  With this configuration, the password and the target user can be changed flexibly.

  The predetermined operation of the digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is a network connection operation.

  With this configuration, only authorized users can connect to the network, and unauthorized users are prohibited from connecting to the network without permission through the digital camera.

  The control means of the digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is configured such that when the digital camera is connected to a network and an access request is made to the digital camera via the network, an input of a password is requested to the access source and input. The access is permitted when the password matches the password registered in the memory means.

  This configuration prohibits arbitrary reading of image data recorded on a memory card attached to the digital camera via the network.

  The control means of the digital camera with an authentication function according to the present invention is characterized in that, when the matched password is a password with limited access authority, only access within the access authority is permitted.

  With this configuration, it becomes easy to limit the access authority for each sub-user.

  The memory card of the present invention is a memory card that is detachably mounted on the card mounting means of the digital camera with an authentication function described in any one of the above, and in which the password for specifying the user of the memory card is written. It is characterized by.

  With this configuration, if a user registers his or her password in each memory means of a plurality of digital cameras with an authentication function, the user can perform a predetermined operation on each digital camera with an authentication function only by installing his / her memory card. It is no longer necessary to write a password to the memory card.

  According to the present invention, it is prohibited for another person to perform a predetermined operation such as network connection with a digital camera without permission, and a digital camera with high security can be provided.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital camera includes an optical system 1 equipped with a focus lens and a diaphragm, a solid-state imaging device 2 such as a CCD installed on the back of the optical system 1, and a correlated double sampling process for the output signal of the solid-state imaging device 2. An analog signal processing unit 3 that performs analog signal processing such as gain adjustment, an analog-digital (AD) converter 4 that converts an analog image signal output from the analog signal processing unit 3 into a digital image signal, and an AD converter And a buffer memory 6 that temporarily stores the digital image signal converted at 4 and outputs it to the bus 5.

  This digital camera is further connected to the bus 5 to take in a digital image signal and perform a γ conversion process, a white balance correction process, and the like, and a main CPU 8 connected to the bus 5 and others for overall control of the digital camera. An RGB / YC converter 9 connected to the bus 5 for converting an RGB image signal into an YC signal, and a liquid crystal display unit 10 for displaying the image signal output from the RGB / YC converter 9. And a driver 11 for driving the liquid crystal display unit 10.

  Further, this digital camera performs inter-CPU communication with the main CPU 8 to control the optical system 1, and receives instructions from the sub CPU 14 to the solid-state imaging device 2, the analog signal processing unit 3, and the AD converter 4. A clock generator 15 that outputs a clock signal, a flash tube 16 that performs flash light emission, and a charge light emission control unit 17 that performs light emission control of the flash tube 16 in response to a command from the sub CPU 14.

  Further, an EEPROM 20 connected to the main CPU 8, an operation liquid crystal display unit 21, various switches 22 such as a mode dial, a release switch 23, and a signal from the main CPU 8 are exchanged with the main CPU 8. Is converted to a signal for network connection, and an antenna 25 connected to the baseband modem 24 is provided.

  Further, the RGB image signal connected to the bus 5 and output from the digital signal processing unit 7 is compressed into an image signal such as JPEG, or conversely, the compressed image signal such as JPEG read out from the memory card 30 is expanded. In addition, the compression / decompression ID extraction unit 26 performs processing for extracting an ID number and password registered in the memory card 30, and the memory card 30 and the compression / decompression ID extraction unit 26 are detachably mounted. And an interface (IF) unit 27 provided therebetween.

  The digital camera of this embodiment registers the ID number and password (PASS) of the main user of the digital camera in the EEPROM 20. Alternatively, the ID number and password of the sub-user of this digital camera are registered together. This registration is performed by inputting directly to the digital camera using various switches 22 such as a mode dial, or by inputting from a terminal device such as a personal computer connected to the digital camera via an IO cable.

  Alternatively, as in the digital camera shown in FIG. 2, an ID / PASS input switch 28 is connected to the main CPU 8, and the ID number or password symbol picked up by pressing this switch 28 or corresponding to these. The ID number and password may be registered in the EEPROM 20 by the main CPU 8 analyzing the captured image such as a barcode.

  In this embodiment, in addition to registering the main user and sub-user ID numbers and passwords in the EEPROM 20 on the digital camera body side, the memory card 30 is also provided in the EXIF area of the memory card 30 that is detachably attached to the digital camera. The user ID number and password are registered.

  Digital cameras are frequently lent and borrowed by friends, but since imaged image data is also data that is similar to the personal information of individuals, the frequency of renting and borrowing memory cards is low. For this reason, the ID number and password of the user of the memory card 30 are registered in the memory card 30. This registration is performed, for example, by installing the memory card 30 in the memory card mounting slot of the personal computer and writing the ID number and password. This writing can be performed by a personal computer at home or a computer installed in the store of the memory card 30. Alternatively, the memory card 30 may be attached to the digital camera and writing may be performed using the digital camera.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a personal authentication procedure performed by the digital camera described above. First, the main CPU 8 determines whether or not an ID number or password has been registered in the medium (memory card) (step S1). If it has been registered, the process proceeds to the next step S3. First, an ID number and a password are registered in the memory card 30 using a terminal device such as a camera body or a personal computer (step S2), and the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, the password of the main user registered in the EEPROM 20 in the camera body and the password registered in the memory card 30 are collated to determine whether they match (step S4). If they match, “recognized” is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 21 or 10 (step S5), an operation requiring security protection, for example, a network connection operation is permitted, and this process is terminated. If they do not match, “password does not match” is displayed (step S6), network connection or the like is disallowed, and this process ends.

  If the password registered in the memory card is the password of the sub user of the digital camera and this sub user is permitted to connect to the network by the main user, the result of the collation determination in step S4 is “match”. " What operations are permitted to which sub-users may be set in the EEPROM 20, and basic operations such as photographing operations can also be targeted.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a memory card of a digital camera connected to the network is accessed from a terminal device such as another personal computer on the network. As described with reference to FIG. 3, this digital camera can be connected to the network because the password in the EEPROM 20 of the camera body matches the password in the memory card 30.

  When another personal computer or the like of the network accesses the digital camera (step S10), the main CPU 8 of the digital camera requests the access source to input a password, and the personal computer or the like inputs the password (step S11). ).

  The main CPU 8 collates the input password and the password in the EEPROM 20 (step S12), and determines whether or not they match (step S13). If the passwords do not match, “password does not match” is displayed (step S14), access to the memory card is denied, and this process ends.

  If the passwords match, it is determined whether or not the password is that of the main user (step S15). If the password is the main user, full access to the memory card 30 is permitted (step S16). This process is terminated.

  If the passwords match, but the password belongs to the sub-user instead of the main user, access with limited authority is permitted (step S17), and this process ends. Thereby, for example, even when a plurality of memory cards are inserted into the digital camera, access is permitted only to the memory card whose password registered in the memory card matches the password entered in step S11. Further, only reading of image data is permitted, and operations such as writing (including deletion) are prohibited.

  Since the digital camera according to the present invention has an authentication function, it has an effect of high security, and is useful as a digital camera with high functionality.

It is a block block diagram of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block block diagram of the digital camera which concerns on another embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the authentication processing procedure performed with the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which authenticates the access process from the outside to the camera when the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is network-connected.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical system 2 Solid-state imaging device 3 Analog signal processing part 7 Digital signal processing part 8 Main CPU
20 EEPROM (memory in the camera body)
26 Compression / decompression ID extraction unit 27 Interface unit (card mounting means)
30 Removable memory card

Claims (10)

  In a digital camera authentication method for recording captured image data in a detachable memory card and having a memory means inside the camera body, a password for specifying a user who permits a predetermined operation of the digital camera to the memory means of the digital camera When the memory card in which a password for specifying a user is written is inserted into the digital camera and the predetermined operation is requested, the password of the memory card and the memory means of the digital camera are registered. The digital camera authentication method, wherein the predetermined operation is permitted when the registered password matches.   A card mounting means on which a memory card for recording captured image data is detachably mounted; a memory means provided in the camera body in which a password for specifying a user permitting a predetermined operation is registered; and a password for specifying the user. When the written memory card is mounted on the card mounting means and the predetermined operation is requested, it is determined whether or not the password of the memory card matches the password registered in the memory means. And a control means for permitting the predetermined operation.   3. The digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, wherein a function for registering the password is installed in the memory means.   4. The digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, further comprising a function of writing the password in the memory card mounted on the card mounting means.   5. The digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, wherein a password for identifying a user who is permitted to operate each time the digital camera is operated is registered in the memory unit. .   6. The digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, wherein the memory means is a rewritable read-only memory.   The digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined operation is a network connection operation.   When the digital camera is connected to a network and there is an access request to the digital camera via the network, the control unit requests the access source to input a password, and the input password is registered in the memory unit. The digital camera with an authentication function according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the access is permitted when the password matches the existing password.   9. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein when the matched password is a password with limited access authority, only access within the access authority is permitted. Digital camera with authentication function.   10. A memory card that is detachably attached to the card attaching means of the digital camera with an authentication function according to claim 2, wherein the password for specifying a user of the memory card is written. A memory card characterized by

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