Recording apparatus, communications apparatus, recording system, communications system, and methods therefor

Abstract

A recording apparatus includes a communications device which can receive from another communications apparatus by wireless an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing process or a sound recording condition of restricting a sound recording process, and a device which performs an image-capturing or sound recording process according to the received image-capturing condition or sound recording condition. Thus, a user can automatically set a recording function of a recording apparatus in a restricted state without special care in a position where image-capturing, sound recording, etc. are prohibited, thereby recording on an allowed condition. Since it further includes a communications device which can receive by wireless from another communications apparatus a reproducing condition of restricting a reproducing function of an image, and a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to the received reproducing condition, an available function can be used by easily specifying a user of the communications apparatus.

1 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a communications device which receives a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image from another communications apparatus by wireless; and    a reproducing device which reproduces the image according to the reproducing condition.    
     
     
         2 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications device receives by wireless an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function from another communications apparatus, and comprises an image-capturing device which performs an image-capturing process according to the image-capturing condition.  
     
     
         3 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the image-capturing condition includes at least one of prohibition of all image-capturing processes, setting a time in which an image-capturing process is restricted, prohibition of image-capturing using a flash, prohibition of image-capturing with a resolution of at least a predetermined number of pixels, prohibition of image-capturing using a specified model of a recording apparatus, inserting predetermined information claiming a copyright into data of a captured image, compressing a captured image, settings of a condition of resolution of captured image information, and restrictions on sound issued by a recording apparatus after an image-capturing process.  
     
     
         4 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reproducing condition includes at least one of a reproducing condition of prohibiting all reproducing processes, a condition of setting a time at which a reproducing process is restricted, a reproducing condition of prohibiting a reproducing process with a resolution of at least a predetermined number of pixels, a reproducing condition of inserting predetermined information claiming a copyright for an image, a compressing condition when an image is output, and resolution of an image to be reproduced.  
     
     
         5 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the communications device receives by wireless an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function from another communications apparatus, and comprises an image-capturing device which performs an image-capturing process according to the image-capturing condition.  
     
     
         6 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the image-capturing condition includes at least one of prohibition of all image-capturing processes, setting a time in which an image-capturing process is restricted, prohibition of image-capturing using a flash, prohibition of image-capturing with a resolution of at least a predetermined number of pixels, prohibition of image-capturing using a specified model of a recording apparatus, inserting predetermined information claiming a copyright into data of a captured image, compressing a captured image, settings of a condition of resolution of captured image information, and restrictions on sound issued by a recording apparatus after an image-capturing process.  
     
     
         7 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a recording unit which records identification information unique to a communications apparatus to which the recording unit belongs; and    a transmission device which reads the identification information recorded in the recording unit, and transmits the information to another communications apparatus.    
     
     
         8 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records in advance first identification information for specifying a first user of a communications apparatus;    a communications device which can receive identification information from another communications apparatus by wireless, associated with a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image, for specifying a second user of a communications apparatus;    a matching device which compares the first identification information specifying the first user with the second identification information specifying the second user; and    a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to a comparison result.    
     
     
         9 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a recording unit which records identification information unique to a communications apparatus to which the recording unit belongs; and    a transmission device which reads the identification information recorded in the recording unit, and transmits the information to another communications apparatus.    
     
     
         10 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records in advance first identification information specifying a first user of the communications apparatus;    a communications device which receives by wireless from another communications apparatus identification information which is associated with an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function about an image-capturing process, and specifies a second user of the communications apparatus;    a matching device which compares the first identification information specifying the first user and the second identification information specifying the second user; and    an image-capturing device which performs an image-capturing process according to a comparison result.    
     
     
         11 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a recording unit which records identification information unique to a communications apparatus to which the recording unit belongs; and    a transmission device which reads the identification information recorded in the recording unit, and transmits the information to another communications apparatus.    
     
     
         12 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records an image and a first reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing the image;    a reception device which receives a second reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image from another communications apparatus;    a matching device which compares the first reproducing condition with the second reproducing condition; and    a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to a comparison result.    
     
     
         13 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first and second reproducing conditions contains at least one of identification information unique to the communications apparatus, identification information specifying a operator, and identification information specifying one who carries out reproduction.  
     
     
         14 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 an image pickup device which captures an image of a subject,    wherein the recording device records the captured image after associating the captured image with the received second reproducing condition,    wherein the reproducing device reproduces an image according to one of the comparison result and the second reproducing condition.    
     
     
         15 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second reproducing conditions contains at least one of identification information unique to the communications apparatus, identification information specifying a operator, and identification information specifying one who carries out reproduction.  
     
     
         16 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a recording unit which records identification information unique to a communications apparatus to which the recording unit belongs; and    a transmission device which reads the identification information recorded in the recording unit, and transmits the information to another communications apparatus.    
     
     
         17 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image of an electronic camera after associating the condition with first identification information specifying a user of the electronic camera;    a reception device which receives second identification information specifying a user of the electronic camera; and    a transmission device for reading a reproducing condition of an electronic camera recorded as associated with the first identification information in the recording device according to the received second identification information, and transmitting the condition.    
     
     
         18 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the recording device records an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function of an electronic camera as associated with the first identification information; and    the transmission device transmits an image-capturing condition of an electronic camera as associated and recorded with the first identification information in the recording device according to the received second identification information.    
     
     
         19 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first and second identification information refers to a telephone number of a portable telephone.  
     
     
         20 . A communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image of an electronic camera after associating the condition with identification information specifying a user of the electronic camera; and    a transmission device which transmits a reproducing condition of an electronic camera recorded as associated with the identification information to the recording device.    
     
     
         21 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the recording device records an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function of an electronic camera as associated with the identification information; and    the transmission device transmits the image-capturing condition of the electronic camera recorded as associated with the identification information.    
     
     
         22 . The communications apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first and second identification information refers to a telephone number of a portable telephone.  
     
     
         23 . A communications system, comprising: 
 a first communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a first communications device which receives a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image from another communications apparatus by wireless; and  
 a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to the received reproducing condition;  
   a second communications apparatus, comprising 
 a first recording device which records first identification information specifying a user of the first communications apparatus; and  
 a second communications device which transmits the first identification information recorded in the first recording device to another communications apparatus; and  
   a third communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a second recording device which records a reproducing condition of restricting a reproducing function of an image of the first communications apparatus as associated with second identification information specifying a user of the first communications apparatus;  
 a reception device which receives the first identification information specifying the user of the first communications apparatus; and  
 a transmission device which reads and transmits a reproducing condition of an image of the first communications apparatus recorded as associated with the second identification information in the second recording device according to the first identification information.  
   
     
     
         24 . The communications system according to  claim 23 , wherein: 
 the first communications device of the first communications apparatus receives an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function from another communications apparatus by wireless;    the first communications apparatus comprises an image-capturing device which performs an image-capturing process according to the received image-capturing condition;    the second recording device of the third communications apparatus records the image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function of the first communications apparatus as associated with second identification information specifying a user of the first communications apparatus; and    the transmission device of the third communications apparatus reads and transmits the image-capturing condition of the image of the first communications apparatus recorded as associated with the second identification information in the second recording device according to the received first identification information.    
     
     
         25 . A communications system, comprising: 
 a first communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a recording device which records in advance first identification information specifying a first user of the first communications apparatus;  
 a communications device which receives by wireless from a second communications apparatus second identification information which is associated with a reproducing condition of restricting a function of reproducing an image of the first communications apparatus, and specifies a second user of the first communications apparatus;  
 a matching device which compares the first identification information with the second identification information; and  
 a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to a comparison result; and  
   the second communications apparatus comprising: 
 a transmission device which transmits the second identification information specifying the second user of the first communications apparatus to the first communications apparatus.  
   
     
     
         26 . A communications system, comprising: 
 an electronic camera, comprising 
 a recording device which records in advance first identification information specifying a first user of the electronic camera;  
 a communications device which receives by wireless from another communications apparatus second identification information which is associated with an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing function of the electronic camera, and specifies a second user of the electronic camera;  
 a matching device which compares the first identification information with the second identification information; and  
 an image-capturing device which performs an image-capturing process according to a comparison result; and  
   a communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a transmission device which transmits to the electronic camera the second identification information specifying the second user of the electronic camera.  
   
     
     
         27 . A communications system, comprising: 
 a first communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a first recording device which records an image associated with a first reproducing condition of restricting a reproducing function of the image;  
 a first communications device which receives a second reproducing condition of restricting a reproducing function of an image from another communications apparatus;  
 a matching device which compares the first reproducing condition with the second reproducing condition; and  
 a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to a comparison result;  
   a second communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a second recording device which records the first identification information specifying a user of the first communications apparatus; and  
 a second communications device which transmits the first identification information recorded in the second recording device to another communications apparatus; and  
   a third communications apparatus, comprising: 
 a third recording device which records the second reproducing condition of the image of the first communications apparatus associated with second identification information specifying the user of the first communications apparatus;  
 a reception device which receives the first identification information specifying the user of the first communications apparatus; and  
 a transmission device which reads and transmits the second reproducing condition recorded as associated with the second identification information in the third recording device according to the received first identification information.  
   
     
     
         28 . The communications system according to  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the first communications apparatus further comprises an image pickup device which captures an image of a subject;    the first recording device of the first communications apparatus records an image obtained by an image-capturing process as associated with the received reproducing condition; and    the reproducing device of the first communications apparatus reproduces an image according to one of the comparison result and the second reproducing condition.