Imaging system, imaging apparatus, control method thereof, and storage medium for improving collection efficiency of image data

An imaging system in which an image is shared via a server by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group,

• said first imaging apparatus comprising
• a first transmission unit adapted to transmit, to said server, imaging request information for requesting imaging to said second imaging apparatus,
• said server comprising
• a first reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said first transmission unit, and
• a second transmission unit adapted to transmit the imaging request information to said second imaging apparatus, and
• said second imaging apparatus comprising
• a second reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said second transmission unit,
• a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when said reception unit receives the imaging request information,
• an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode,
• a generation unit adapted to generate, using the imaging request information, metadata,
• a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the imaging information generated by said generation unit in association with each other, and
• a second transmission unit adapted to transmit the metadata generated by said generation unit to said server,
• wherein said server further
• shares and holds images held by said second imaging apparatus, and
• receives a request for a part of images stored in the storage unit of said server from the first imaging apparatus, the images being selected using the metadata.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a reception unit adapted to receive imaging request information transmitted from a server or another imaging apparatus;
• a switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when said reception unit receives the imaging request information;
• an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode;
• a generation unit adapted to generate, using the imaging request information, metadata;
• a storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the metadata generated by said generation unit in association with each other;
• and
• a transmission unit adapted to transmit the metadata generated by said generation unit to said server or the other imaging apparatus,
• wherein said reception further receives a request for a part of images stored in the storage unit, the images being selected using the metadata.

A method of controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:

• receiving an imaging request information transmitted from a server or another imaging apparatus;
• switching an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received in the receiving the imaging request information;
• capturing an image in the request imaging mode;
• generating, using the imaging request information, metadata;
• storing the image captured in the capturing the image and the metadata generated in the generating the metadata in association with each other;
• and
• transmitting the metadata generated in the generating to said server or the other imaging apparatus,
• wherein said server further
• shares and holds images, and
• receives a request for a part of images stored in the storing, the images being selected using the metadata.

An imaging system in which an image is shared by a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus which form a network group,

• said first imaging apparatus comprising
• an imaging request information transmission unit adapted to transmit imaging request information to request imaging to said second imaging apparatus;
• and
• said second imaging apparatus comprising
• an imaging request information reception unit adapted to receive the imaging request information transmitted by said imaging request information transmission unit,
• an imaging mode switching unit adapted to switch an imaging mode to a request imaging mode when the imaging request information is received by said imaging request information reception unit,
• an imaging unit adapted to capture an image in the request imaging mode,
• an imaging information generation unit adapted to generate, based on the imaging request information, imaging information assigned to the image captured by said imaging unit, and
• an imaging information storage unit adapted to store the image captured by said imaging unit and the imaging information generated by said imaging information generation unit in association with each other,
• wherein when said second imaging apparatus receives imaging request end information from said first imaging apparatus or when time shared by the network group reaches end time based on end time information included in the imaging request information, said imaging mode switching unit cancels the request imaging mode.