Imaging device, information storage server, article identification apparatus and imaging system

An information storage server for storing information acquired from an imaging device including:

• an imaging unit for continuously imaging a plurality of subjects to acquire a moving image;
• and a radio receiver for receiving a plurality of radio signals respectively output from RF tags attached to said plurality of subjects to acquire a plurality of units of subject identification information respectively indicated by said plurality of radio signals, said subject identification information being information for identifying a corresponding one of said subjects, said radio receiver moving together with said imaging unit and having a directivity in a direction approximately the same as an imaging direction of said imaging unit, said information storage server comprising:
• a field intensity acquisition unit operable to acquire changes in field intensities of said plurality of radio signals received by said radio receiver;
• an identification information acquisition unit operable to acquire said plurality of units of subject identification information acquired by said radio receiver;
• a moving image acquisition unit operable to acquire said moving image acquired by said imaging unit;
• a moving amount calculation unit operable to calculate a moving amount of said radio receiver based on said moving image acquired by said moving image acquired unit;
• and a subject direction specifying unit operable to specify directions of said plurality of subjects respectively identified by said plurality of units of subject identification information with respect to said imaging device, based on said changes in said field intensities of said plurality of radio signals received by said field intensity acquisition unit, said changes corresponding to said calculated moving amount of said radio receiver.

An article identification apparatus for receiving a radio signal output from an RF tag attached to an article to acquire information on said article and identify said article, comprising:

• a radio receiver operable to receive a plurality of radio signals respectively output from RF tags attached to a plurality of articles and acquire a plurality of units of article information respectively indicated by said plurality of radio signals, said article information being information on a corresponding one of said plurality of articles;
• an article position specifying unit operable to specify positions of said plurality of articles based on changes in field intensities of said plurality of radio signals received by said radio receiver;
• an article information storage unit operable to store said plurality of units of article information acquired by said radio receiver and said positions of said articles specified by said article position specifying unit to be associated with each other, and
• an imaging unit operable to continuously image said plurality of articles to acquire a moving image;
• and a moving amount calculation unit operable to calculate moving amounts of said articles based on said moving image acquired by said imaging unit, wherein said article position specifying unit specifies said positions of said plurality of articles based on said changes in said field intensities of said plurality of radio signals received by said radio receiver, corresponding to said moving amounts of said articles calculated by said moving amount calculation unit.

An imaging device for imaging a subject, comprising:

• a moving image acquisition unit operable to continuously image said subject to acquire a moving image;
• an imaging-restriction signal receiver operable to receive an imaging-restriction signal output from a transmitter attached to said subject, said imaging-restriction signal moving together with said moving image acquisition unit and having directivity in a direction approximately the same as an imaging direction of said moving image acquisition unit;
• a moving amount calculation unit operable to calculate a moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver based on said moving image;
• a subject specifying unit operable to specify said subject to which said transmitter outputting said received imaging-restriction signal is attached based on a change in a field intensity of said received imaging-restriction signal, said change corresponding to said calculated moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver;
• an imaging unit operable to acquire an image when an input of an instruction, from a user was accepted, from said moving image;
• and an image-use restriction unit operable to restrict acquisition or use of said image containing said specified subject.

An imaging system comprising:

• an imaging device operable to image a subject;
• and a transmitter, attached to said subject, operable to transmit an imaging-restriction signal, wherein said imaging device includes:
• a moving image acquisition unit operable to acquire a moving image by continuously imaging said subject;
• an imaging-request signal transmitter operable to transmit an imaging-request signal requesting acquisition or use of an image of said subject to which said transmitter is attached;
• an imaging-restriction signal receiver operable to receive said imaging-restriction signal output from said transmitter, said imaging-restriction signal receiver moving together with said moving image acquisition unit and having directivity in a direction approximately the same as an imaging direction of said moving image acquisition unit;
• a moving amount calculation unit operable to calculate a moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver based on said moving image acquired by said moving image acquisition unit;
• a subject specifying unit operable to specify said subject to which said transmitter outputting said received imaging-restriction signal is attached based on a change in a field intensity of said received imaging-restriction signal, said change corresponding to said calculated moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver;
• an imaging unit operable to acquire an image when an input of an instruction from a user was accepted, from said moving image;
• and an image-use restriction unit operable to restrict acquisition or use of said image containing said subject specified by said subject specifying unit, and said transmitter transmits said imaging-restriction signal to said imaging device when receiving said imaging-request signal.

An imaging system comprising:

• an imaging device operable to image a subject;
• and an output device operable to output an image taken by said imaging device, wherein said imaging device includes:
• a moving image acquisition unit operable to acquire a moving image by continuously imaging said subject;
• an imaging-restriction signal receiver operable to receive an imaging-restriction signal output from a transmitter attached to said subject, said imaging-restriction signal receiver moving together with said moving image acquisition unit and having directivity in a direction approximately the same as an imaging direction of said moving image acquisition unit;
• a moving amount calculation unit operable to calculate a moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver based on said moving image acquired by said moving image acquisition unit;
• a subject specifying unit operable to specify said subject to which said transmitter outputting said received imaging-restriction signal is attached based on a change in a field intensity of said received imaging-restriction signal, said change corresponding to said calculated moving amount of said imaging-restriction signal receiver;
• an imaging unit operable to acquire an image when an input of an instruction from a user was accepted, from said moving image;
• and an image storage unit operable to store said subject specified by said subject specifying unit and said image to be associated with each other, and said output device restricts use of said image containing said subject specified by said subject specifying unit.