Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera includes a memory configured to store image data
including thumbnail image data and a display configured to display
the thumbnail image data. Further, a controller is configured to
control the display of the thumbnail image data and to display page
data with the thumbnail image data. The page data can include data
of a currently displayed page and data of a total number of pages,
and further an operator can set and reset the number of thumbnail
images which form one page. Further, the operator can change this
setting of the number of thumbnail images in one page while selecting
a specific thumbnail image of a currently displayed page of thumbnail
image data. The controller can calculate the total number of pages
in a currently displayed page, and can recalculate this data if
the number of thumbnail images in a page is reset by an operator.
Further, each of the pages can be accessed sequentially and the
first and last pages can be viewed as sequential pages. Segment
data can also be displayed and can be recalculated if a number of
thumbnail images which form one page is reset by an operator. Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A digital camera, comprising: a memory configured to store image
data including thumbnail image data; a display configured to display
the thumbnail image data; a controller configured to control display
of the thumbnail image data in pages and configured to display page
data with the thumbnail image data; and an input configured to receive
an input to set a number of thumbnail image data to be displayed
in one page, wherein the input is further configured to receive
a reset input to reset the number of thumbnail image data to be
displayed in one page when one thumbnail image data of a displayed
page is selected, and such that the selected thumbnail image data
is displayed on a reset page, and wherein the display is further
configured to display for each thumbnail image both a file number
and a segment number, the file number representing an order in which
each respective thumbnail image data is stored in the memory and
the segment number representing an order of displaying each respective
thumbnail image in one page, and the controller is further configured
to recalculate the segment number based on the reset input to reset
the number of thumbnail image data in one page.
2. A digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the page data
includes data of a currently displayed page and data of a total
number of pages of thumbnail image data.
3. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a
selector configured to consecutively display sequential pages of
the thumbnail image data.
4. A digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the controller
is further configured to calculate at least one of a total number
of pages of thumbnail image data and a currently displayed page
number from the input to set the number of thumbnail image data
in one page.
5. A digital camera according to claim 3, wherein a last page and
a first page are sequential pages.
6. A digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the controller
is further configured to calculate at least one of a currently displayed
page number and a total number of pages of thumbnail image data
based on the reset input to reset the number of thumbnail image
data in one page.
7. A digital camera, comprising: memory means for storing image
data including thumbnail image data; display means for displaying
the thumbnail image data; control means for controlling display
of the thumbnail image data in pages and controlling display of
page data with the thumbnail image data; and input means for receiving
an input for setting a number of thumbnail image data in one page,
wherein the input means can further receive a reset input for resetting
the number of thumbnail image data in one page when one thumbnail
image data of a displayed page is selected, and such that the selected
thumbnail image data is displayed on a reset page, and wherein the
display means further displays for each thumbnail image both a file
number and a segment number, the file number representing an order
in which each respective thumbnail image data is stored in the memory
and the segment number representing an order of displaying each
respective thumbnail image in one page, and the control means further
recalculates the segment number based on the reset input for resetting
the number of thumbnail image data in one page.
8. A digital camera according to claim 7, wherein the page data
includes data of a currently displayed page and data of a total
number of pages of thumbnail image data.
9. A digital camera according to claim 7, further comprising selector
means for selecting to consecutively display sequential pages of
the thumbnail image data.
10. A digital camera according to claim 7, wherein the control
means further calculates at least one of a total number of pages
of thumbnail image data and a currently displayed page number from
the input for setting the number of thumbnail image data in one
page.
11. A digital camera according to claim 9, wherein a last page
and a first page are sequential pages.
12. A digital camera according to claim 7, wherein the control
means further calculates at least one of a currently displayed page
number and a total number of pages of thumbnail image data based
on the reset input for resetting the number of thumbnail image data
in one page.
13. A control method for a digital camera, comprising the steps
of: storing image data including thumbnail image data; displaying
the thumbnail image data; controlling display of the thumbnail image
data in pages and display of page data with the thumbnail image
data; and a step of inputting a setting for a number of thumbnail
image data in one page, wherein the step of inputting can further
reset the number of thumbnail image data in one page when one thumbnail
image data of a displayed page is selected, and such that the selected
thumbnail image data is displayed on a reset page; wherein the display
step further displays for each thumbnail image both a file number
and a segment number, the file number representing an order in which
each respective thumbnail image data is stored in the memory and
the segment number representing an order of displaying each respective
thumbnail image in one page, and the controlling step further recalculates
the segment number based on the setting input to reset the number
of thumbnail image data in one page.
14. A control method for a digital camera according to claim 13,
further comprising a step of selecting to consecutively display
sequential pages of the thumbnail image data.
15. A control method for a digital camera according to claim 13,
further comprising a step of displaying a file number for each thumbnail
image data.
16. A control method for a digital camera according to claim 13,
wherein the controlling step further calculates at least one of
a total number of pages of thumbnail image data and a currently
displayed page number from the setting input to set the number of
thumbnail image data in one page.
17. A control method for a digital camera according to claim 14,
wherein a last page and a first page are sequential pages.
18. A control method for a digital camera according to claim 13,
wherein the controlling step further calculates at least one of
a currently displayed page number and a total number of pages of
thumbnail image data based on the setting input to reset the number
of thumbnail image data in one page.
Digital Camera Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital camera which can display a
plurality of thumbnail images in a display area of the camera, and
more particularly to a digital camera and method which displays
page and/or segment information of a currently displayed page.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, a digital camera having a function to display thumbnail
images in a display area of the camera has become popular and, for
example, a digital camera having such a function is described in
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-195927. The term "thumbnail
images" refers to a reduced data image of a conventional image.
More specifically, in a digital camera full image data of an image
can be stored, and a thumbnail image which presents a fraction of
the data of the full image data can also be stored. An operator
can then quickly review the thumbnail image data prior to selecting
a full image data.
In the digital camera described in JP No. 8-195927, an optical
image of an object is formed on an imaging device by a lens to be
photoelectrically converted to electrical signals. Various kinds
of signal processings are then performed on the electrical signals
such that image data, e.g. of each of YCrCb, is obtained from the
electrical signals. The image data can then be compressed and written
into a memory for storage. The stored image data can then be read
out from the memory and reproduced on a display device such as a
CRT or the like. The digital camera further has a function of displaying
a plurality of thumbnail images arranged in a matrix form on the
display screen of the display device. The thumbnail images are displayed
using a frame memory for temporarily storing therein image data
read out from the memory, and a memory controller for managing a
corresponding relation between a coordinate position on the display
screen and an address of the frame memory.
In the above-described background digital camera, when thumbnail
images stored in the image memory are sequentially split into a
plurality of groups of thumbnail images such that each of the plurality
of groups of thumbnail images can be sequentially displayed on the
display screen (an image of a group of thumbnail images to be displayed
on the display screen is hereinafter referred to as a "page"),
an operator can not determine the page number of a currently displayed
page. Further, the number of thumbnail images in one page can be
varied, to thereby change the number of pages. However, when the
number of thumbnail images to be included in a page is changed while
one of the thumbnail images in a page currently being displayed
on the display screen is designated with a cursor, the thumbnail
image designated with the cursor may not be in a next page displayed
on the display screen. An operator may then have difficulty in finding
the new page in which the thumbnail image designated with the cursor
is located.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide
a novel digital camera and method by which an operator can easily
determine a page number of a currently displayed page, when thumbnail
images stored in an image memory are sequentially split into a plurality
of pages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel digital
camera and method by which a thumbnail image designated with a cursor
is in a page displayed in a display screen, even when a number of
thumbnail images to be included in a page is reset.
The novel digital camera of the present invention can achieve the
above and other objects by including a memory configured to store
image data including thumbnail image data and a display configured
to display the thumbnail image data. Further, in the novel digital
camera of the present invention a controller is configured to control
the display of the thumbnail image data and to display page data
with the thumbnail image data. As a further feature in the present
invention, the page data can include data of a currently displayed
page and data of a total number of pages, and further an operator
can set and reset the number of thumbnail images which form one
page. Further, the operator can change this setting of the number
of thumbnail images in one page while selecting a specific thumbnail
image of a currently displayed page of thumbnail image data.
As further features in the novel digital camera of the present
invention, the controller can calculate the total number of pages
in a currently displayed page, and can recalculate this data if
the number of thumbnail images in a page is reset by an operator.
Further, each of the pages can be accessed sequentially and the
first and last pages can be viewed as sequential pages. Segment
data can also be displayed and can be recalculated if a number of
thumbnail images which form one page is reset by an operator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many
of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as
the same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a digital camera
according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a structural example of a register
used in the digital camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example format structure of
a memory card used in the digital camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example data structure stored
in a directory entry area of the memory card used in the digital
camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example structure of an image
data file area of the memory card used in the digital camera of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining a first operation executed in
the digital camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the first operation
executed in the digital camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining a second operation executed in
the digital camera of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the second operation
executed in the digital camera of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several
views, and more particularly referring to FIG. 1 thereof, a block
diagram showing an embodiment of a digital camera according to the
present invention is illustrated.
A digital camera illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a lens 1 and a
mechanical system 2 including an auto focus, and so forth. The digital
camera further includes a charge coupled device (CCD) 3, a correlate
dual sampling (CDS) circuit 4, an analog to digital (A/D) converter
5, a digital signal processing circuit 6, a compression and decompression
circuit 7, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 8, a memory card
9, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 10, a driver 11, a signal generator
(SG) 12, a central processing unit (CPU) 13, an operation unit 14,
a strobe flash 15, a microphone 16, an amplifier and filter (AMP/FILTER)
17, a digital to analog (D/A) converter 18, a sound data compression
and decompression circuit 19, an A/D converter 20, an AMP/FILTER
21, and an on-screen display unit (OSD) 22. The CPU 13 includes
a RAM 23 and the CPU 13 is connected to various elements by a CPU
BUS 24.
A lens unit of the digital camera includes the lens 1 and the mechanical
system 2 including, e.g., an auto focus, an aperture, and a filter
unit. A mechanical shutter provided inside the mechanical system
2 simultaneously exposes two field images. The CCD 3 converts optical
images, which are input thereto through the lens unit, into electrical
signals (analog image data). The CDS circuit 4 reduces noise in
the electrical signals output from the CCD 3. The A/D converter
5 converts the analog image data, which are input thereto from the
CCD 3 through the CDS circuit 4, into digital image data. In further
detail, the A/D converter 5 converts the signals output from the
CCD 3 to digital signals through the CDS circuit 4 with a most suitable
sampling frequency, for example a multiple number of a sub-carrier
frequency of an NTSC signal format.
The digital signal processing circuit 6 separates the image data,
which is input thereto from the A/D converter 5, into color-difference
data and luminance data, and then performs various processes on
the separated data including processes for correcting and compression/decompression.
The compression/decompression circuit 7 compresses the image data
with, e.g., an orthogonal transformation and a Huffman encoding,
and then decompresses the image data, e.g., with a corresponding
Huffman decoding and an inverse orthogonal transformation, e.g.,
in conformity with the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) standard.
Sound is converted to electrical signals by a sound to electrical
signal conversion device such as the microphone 16. In the AMP/FILTER
17 the sound signals are then amplified, and then the sound signals
in a predetermined band are passed through the AMP/FILTER 17. The
D/A converter 18 then converts the sound signals which have passed
through the AMP/FILTER 17 to digital sound data with a sampling
frequency which is more than double the frequency of the predetermined
band. Then, the sound data compression/decompression circuit 19
compresses and encodes the digital sound data.
The DRAM 8 temporarily stores compressed image data therein. The
compressed image data and sound data are recorded in the memory
card 9 as an image data file and a sound data file, respectively.
The LCD 10 displays an image corresponding to image data stored
in the memory card 9. The LCD 10 also displays messages indicating
conditions of the digital camera, such as a message indicating an
operation mode which is active or a message indicating that an error
has occurred.
The operation unit 14 is provided with operation keys for, as examples,
selecting desired functions, inputting a photographing instruction,
and setting various conditions of the digital camera. The operation
keys include, for example, a "thumbnail images display instruction"
key for instructing the display of a plurality of thumbnail images
on a display screen of the LCD 10 arranged in a matrix form by splitting
the thumbnail images stored in the memory card 9 into a plurality
of sequential pages. The operation keys of operation unit 14 may
further include a "displaying number setting" key for
setting a number for specifying the number of thumbnail images to
be displayed in a page, a cursor key for identifying one of the
thumbnail images currently being displayed in a page with a cursor
(identification display), a "page number designation"
key for designating a desired page number to be displayed, "page
forwarding" and "page moving back" keys for moving
forward or back between displayed pages, and a "page number
display ON/OFF" key for selecting a display or a non-display
of a currently displayed page number P and of a total page number
L.
The CPU 13 controls operations of each unit of the digital camera
in response to instructions from the operation unit 14 or a remote
control unit (not shown), and in accordance with programs stored
in a read-only memory (ROM) (not shown). More specifically, the
CPU 13 controls, for example, operations of recording image data,
thumbnail images, and sound data into the memory card 9, and operations
of playing back the image data, thumbnail images, and sound data
recorded in the memory card 9 to be displayed on LCD display 10.
Further, the CPU 13 includes the random access memory (RAM) 23
which includes a register which is used for displaying a plurality
of thumbnail images on the LCD display 10. FIG. 2 is a structural
example of the register of RAM 23. The register includes, as illustrated
in FIG. 2, at least four registers (R1)-(R4) including (R1) a total
image file number register R1 for storing a total number N of image
data files stored in the memory card 9, (R2) a displaying number
register R2 for storing a number D specifying the number of thumbnail
images to be displayed in a page as instructed from the "displaying
number setting" key provided with the operation unit 14 or
as instructed from a default setting operation, (R3) a total page
number register R3 for storing a total page number L calculated
by dividing the total number N by the number D, and (R4) a currently
displayed page number register R4 for storing a page number P specifying
the page number of the currently displayed page, which can be set
by the "page number designation key" or by a default setting
operation. Moreover, the total number N of the image data files
is retrieved from a file name data in a directory entry area 94
(described below) of the memory card 9.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data format
structure of the above-described memory card 9. This format can
be the same as a DOS format for a personal computer.
The memory card 9 includes, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a data structure
including: an attribute area 91 for storing attribute information
of the memory card 9, such as information of a device type, an access
speed, and a storage capacity of the memory card 9; a boot selector
area 92; a file allocation table (FAT) area 93; a directory entry
area 94; an image data file area 95 for storing image data files,
and; a sound data file area 96 for storing sound data files.
In the boot selector area 92, parameters used for writing/reading
data to/from the memory card 9, for example, a file allocation table
(FAT) and a directory entry, are recorded. In the FAT area 93, a
FAT entry of each FAT including file data is recorded. The address
of each recorded data in the memory card 9 is indicated by a cluster
number that is an allocated number of the recorded data in clusters.
FIG. 4 is an example of the data structure of the directory entry
area 94. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the directory entry area 94 records
each of information of a file name of recorded data, an attribute
of the file, a reserved area, a creation/update time, a creation/update
date, a physical address of a corresponding file or sub-directory
entry (FAT starting number), and a file size. When a corresponding
file is a data file, a file name with extensions is recorded as
one of the attribute information of the file.
FIG. 5 is an example of the data structure of the image data file
area 95 in which respective image data files (for example, R1M00001.JPG,
R1M00002.JPG, R1M00003.JPG, etc.) are sequentially recorded as data
having a fixed data length. An image data file includes an image
header, image data, and a thumbnail image corresponding to the image
data, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In the image header the following
information can be recorded; an attribute of the file; the name
of a standard of the file; a version of the standard; related information
of the image data, the thumbnail image, and a record mode.
Next, an image data recording operation of the digital camera is
now described. After an object image is converted to electrical
signals (analog image data) by the CCD 3, the A/D converter 5 converts
the analog image data, which is input thereto through the CDS circuit
4, into digital image data. The converted digital image data is
processed by the digital signal processing circuit 6 and is then
stored in the DRAM 8 through CPU bus 24. Then, the stored digital
image data in the DRAM 8 is input to the compression/decompression
circuit 7 through the CPU bus 24 to be compressed, and is then re-stored
as compressed data in the DRAM 8. After the compression, the CPU
13 records through the CPU bus 24 (see FIG. 5) the compressed image
data stored in the DRAM 8 in the memory card 9 as an image data
file in a predetermined format. When recording the compressed image
data in the memory card 9, a thumbnail image of the image data is
created by, e.g., subtracting a part of image pixels of the compressed
image data at a predetermined interval, and the created thumbnail
image data is recorded in the same image data file of the compressed
image data (see FIG. 5).
Next, a playing back operation for displaying an image from the
stored image data in the digital camera is now described. When a
desired image data file in the memory card 9 is designated by a
user to be played back for displaying an image of the data through
the operation unit 14, the compressed image data of the designated
image data file is read out from the memory card 9 and is then stored
in the DRAM 8. Then, the stored image data in the DRAM 8 is input
to the compression/decompression circuit 7 through the CPU bus 24
and is decompressed therein, and the decompressed data is then re-stored
in the DRAM 8. The decompressed image data stored in the DRAM 8
is input to the digital signal processing circuit 6 through the
CPU bus 24 and is converted to video signals to be displayed on
the LCD 10.
Next, two exemplary operations (first and second operations) for
displaying a plurality of thumbnail images on the screen of the
LCD 10 of the digital camera so as to be arranged in a matrix form
are now described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the first display operation
and FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of displayed pages
of thumbnail images based on execution of this first display operation.
When a display of thumbnail images is instructed from the "thumbnail
images display instruction" key of the operation unit 14 in
step S1, the CPU 13 checks a total number N of image data files
(each image data file including image data and a corresponding thumbnail
image) stored in the memory card 9 in step S2. Specifically, the
CPU 13 determines the total number N by retrieving the file name
data stored in the directory entry area 94 of the memory card 9
(see FIG. 4). A NO in step S1 reverts the operation to "start".
The CPU 13 stores the total number N of image data files into the
total image file number register R1 in step S3. Then, the CPU 13
stores a number D specifying the number of thumbnail images to be
displayed in a page, which number D can be instructed from the "displaying
number setting" key of the operation unit 14 or which can be
set in a default setting operation, into the displaying number register
R2 in step S4. Then, the CPU 13 stores the total page number L,
which is calculated by dividing the total number N by the number
D, into the total page number register R3 in step S5. In the above-described
calculation, when there is a remainder, the total page number L
is the number generated by adding 1 to the quotient after the above
calculation. For example, when a total number N of image data files
is 50 and a number D for specifying the number of thumbnail images
to be displayed in a page is 4, a total page number L is 13 (the
quotient of 12 plus 1 for the remainder).
The CPU 13 then stores the page number of the currently displayed
page, which can be instructed from the "page number designation"
key of the operation unit 14 or which can be set by a default setting
operation, into the currently displayed page number register R4
in step S6. The same calculation as noted above is performed to
determine on what page an image to be displayed exists (to determine
data stored in R4). For example, in the above example, if it is
selected to display the 30th image, it is determined that this image
is on the 8th page (30/4 equals the quotient 7 plus a remainder
(+1), and thus the 30th image is determined to be on the 8th page).
Then, in step S7 the CPU 13 reads out from the memory card 9 the
thumbnail images of the designated page up to the designated number
D, and displays the read out thumbnail images on the LCD 10 through
the digital signal processing circuit 6. When "page number
display ON" is selected by the "page number display ON/OFF"
key of the operation unit 14 in step S8, i.e. YES in step S8, the
CPU 13 displays "the currently displayed page number P/the
total page number L" at a right bottom part of a displayed
page in step S9. In order to adjust the size of a thumbnail image
to be displayed in a display screen in accordance with the number
D, the CPU 13, e.g., subtracts a part of image pixels of each thumbnail
image stored in the memory card 9 at a predetermined interval. If
the "page number display ON" key is not selected, i.e.
NO is step S8, the operation skips step S9 and proceeds to step
S10.
When the "page forwarding" key of the operation unit
14 is operated in step 10, i.e. YES in step S10, the CPU 13 increments
the currently displayed page number P in the currently displayed
page number register R4 by "1" in step S11, and then displays
the thumbnail images of the next page in step S12. The CPU 13 further
increments the currently displayed page number P displayed in the
currently displayed page by "1" in step S12. If the "page
forwarding" key is not operated in step S10, i.e. NO in step
S10, the operation skips steps S11 and S12 and proceeds to step
S13.
When the "page moving back" key of the operation unit
14 is operated in step S13, i.e. YES in step S13, the CPU 13 decrements
the currently displayed page number P in the currently displayed
page number register R4 by "1" in step S14, and then displays
the thumbnail images of the immediately preceding page in step S15.
The CPU 13 further decrements the currently displayed page number
P displayed in the currently display page by "1" instep
S15. If the "page moving back" key is not operated instep
S13, i.e. NO in step S13, the operation skips steps S14 and S15
and proceeds to step S16.
In the above-described page forwarding and moving back operations,
when a last page is displayed and a "page forwarding"
is instructed by the "page forwarding" key, a first page
is set to be displayed. When a first page is displayed and a "page
moving back" is instructed by the "page moving back"
key, a last page is set to be displayed. That is, the first and
last pages are viewed as sequential pages.
When an end of displaying thumbnail images is instructed from the
"thumbnail images display instruction" key of the operation
unit 14 in step S16, the CPU 13 ends the process of displaying the
thumbnail images. When the end of displaying thumbnail images is
not instructed, i.e. NO in step S16, the processing operation returns
to step S10 after step S16.
Referring to FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B), the display examples shows the
case, as an example, in which the total number N of image data files
is 72, the designated number D of thumbnail images in one page is
9, and the total page number L is 8, i.e., L=N/D=72/9=8. In FIGS.
7(A) and 7(B), the 8th page and 1st page are displayed, respectively.
When the "page forwarding" key is operated while the 8th
page (last page) is displayed as illustrated in FIG. 7(A), the 1st
page (start page) is then displayed as illustrated in FIG. 7(B).
When the "page moving back" key is operated while the
1st page (start page) is displayed as illustrated in FIG. 7(B),
the 8th page (last page) will be then displayed as illustrated in
FIG. 7(A).
As shown in FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B), the page data displayed is the
currently displayed page number P and the total page number L displayed
in the lower right hand corner numerically. That is, the above first
operation describes the case in which the currently displayed page
number P and the total page number L are the page data displayed
by using a numerical figure. However, other displaying methods,
such as using an indicator, can be applied. The displayed page data
can thus clearly include other data in other forms at other positions.
As a specific example, a number of boxes corresponding to the total
page number L may be sequentially arranged at a right lower part
of a page with a box corresponding to the currently displayed page
number P being highlighted.
As described above, according to the example of the first operation,
thumbnail images stored in the memory card 9 are split into pages
by a number D for specifying the number of thumbnail images to be
displayed in one page, which can be instructed by the "displaying
number setting" key or which can be set by a default setting
operation, and each of the pages is displayed in a display screen.
Furthermore, the total page number L (which is calculated by dividing
the total number N of image data files recorded in the memory card
9 by the number D which can be designated by the operator for specifying
the number of thumbnail images to be displayed in a page or which
can be set by a default setting operation) and a currently displayed
page number P are displayed in the display screen. Therefore, an
operator can easily determine the page number of the currently displayed
page and can manipulate displays of thumbnail images smoothly.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the above-noted second display
operation and FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of displayed
pages of thumbnail images with this second display operation.
In the second operation, one of the thumbnail images can be identified
with a cursor (identifying display) by manipulating the cursor key
of the operation unit 14.
As shown in FIG. 8, when a display of thumbnail images is instructed
from the "thumbnail images display instruction" key of
the operation unit 14 in step S21, i.e. YES in step S21, the CPU
13 checks a total number N of image data files (each image data
file including image data and a corresponding thumbnail image) stored
in the memory card 9 in step S22. Specifically, the CPU 13 determines
the total number N by retrieving the file name data stored in the
directory entry area 94 of the memory card 9 (see FIG. 4). A NO
in step S21 reverts the operation to "start".
The CPU 13 stores the total number N of image data files into the
total image file number register R1 in step S23. Then, the CPU 13
stores a number D specifying the number of thumbnail images to be
displayed in a page, which can be instructed from the "displaying
number setting" key of the operation unit 14 or which can be
set in a default setting operation, into the displaying number register
R2 in step S24. Then, the CPU 13 stores the total page number L,
which is calculated by dividing the total number N by the number
D, into the total page number register R3 in step S25. In the above-described
calculation, when there is a remainder, the total page number L
is the number generated by adding 1 to the quotient after the above
calculation, similarly as in the operation discussed above with
respect to the first display operation of FIG. 6.
The CPU 13 then stores the page number, which is instructed from
the "page number designation" key of the operation unit
14 or which can be set by a default setting operation, into the
currently displayed page number register R4 in step S26. Then, in
step S27, the CPU 13 reads out from the memory card 9 the thumbnail
images of the designated page, up to the number D, and displays
the read out thumbnail images on the LCD 10 through the digital
signal processing circuit 6. This operation is also performed similarly
as described in the display operation of FIG. 6. When "page
number display ON" is selected by the "page number display
ON/OFF" key of the operation unit 14 in step S28, i.e. YES
in step S28, the CPU 13 displays "the currently displayed page
number P/the total page number L" at a right bottom part of
a displayed page in step S29. In order to adjust the size of a thumbnail
image to be displayed in a display screen in accordance with the
number D, the CPU 13, e.g., subtracts a part of image pixels of
each thumbnail image stored in the memory card 9 at a predetermined
interval. When the "page number display ON" is not selected
in step S28, i.e. NO in step S28, the operations skips step S29
and proceeds to step S30. When the number D for specifying the number
of thumbnail images to be displayed in a page is changed from the
"displaying number setting" key of the operation unit
14 in step S30, i.e. YES in step 530, the CPU 13 changes the number
of thumbnail images to be displayed in a page and displays the page
including the thumbnail image identified with a cursor, in step
S31. Then, the CPU 13 changes "the currently displayed page
number P/the total page number L" displayed at a right bottom
part of the displayed page, in step 532. When the number D is not
changed in step S30, i.e. NO in step 530, the operation skips steps
S31 and S32 and proceeds to step S33.
When an end of displaying thumbnail images is instructed from the
"thumbnail images display instruction" key of the operation
unit 14 in step S33, i.e. YES in step S33, the CPU 13 ends the process
of displaying thumbnail images. When an end of displaying thumbnail
images is not instructed in step S33, i.e. NO in step S33, the operation
returns to step S30.
FIG. 9 illustrates a display example when the number D for specifying
the number of thumbnail images to be displayed, which can be instructed
from the "displaying number setting" key, is changed from
four to nine and vice versa when one thumbnail image is designated
by a cursor. FIG. 9(A) is a diagram illustrating a displayed page
including 4 thumbnail images (a currently displayed page number
is 3 and a total page number is 8) with a top left thumbnail image
(an image of a personal computer) identified with a cursor. When
the number D of thumbnail images to be displayed in a page is changed
to 9, a page including nine thumbnail images, and the page including
the designated thumbnail image (the image of the personal computer)
identified with the cursor, is displayed as illustrated in FIG.
9(B). In this case, the designated thumbnail image (the image of
the personal computer) identified with the cursor is positioned
at a right bottom segment of the page (a segment number is 9), and
a changed display page number 1 and a total page number 4 are displayed
at the right bottom part of the new page.
In this embodiment, the file numbers and/or the segment numbers
can also be displayed. In the above-described second operation,
the CPU 13 first retrieves the file number C of the designated thumbnail
image identified with the cursor (the image of the personal computer
with file number 9) from the file name data in the directory entry
area 94 of the memory card 9 (see FIG. 4). A file number for each
image data file is sequentially given to each file in order of storing
the image data in the memory card 9. Then, the CPU 13 performs the
calculation to determine a new currently displayed page number and
segment number by dividing "C-1" with the new number D
of thumbnail images to be displayed on one page. As a result, a
value of "quotient +1" is obtained as a new currently
displayed page number and a value of "remainder +1" is
obtained as a new segment number of the thumbnail image identified
with a cursor (the image of the personal computer) in a new displayed
page.
To further clarify this calculation operation of the present invention,
the example noted in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) will now be explained in
further detail. When resetting the number of thumbnail images in
a page from 4 to 9, i.e. when resetting from the display in FIG.
9(A) to the display in FIG. 9(B), first the file number of the selected
thumbnail image (e.g., the image of the personal computer with the
file number 9) has one subtracted therefrom. That is, in this example
the selected personal computer image has file number 9 and one is
subtracted therefrom (9-1)=8. Then, this value (8) is divided by
the reset number of thumbnail images in a page, i.e., 9, and a quotient
are remainder of this division are noted. Thus, by this calculation
(9-1)/9 equals a quotient of 0 and a remainder of 8. To determine
the new segment number for the selected thumbnail image (the image
of the personal computer), the remainder has one added thereto,
i.e. (8+1)=9. To determine the new number of the currently displayed
page, one is added to the quotient, i.e. (0+1)=1. Thus, in this
operation which proceeds from FIG. 9(A) to FIG. 9(B), the designated
thumbnail image of the personal computer has a new segment number
of 9 and a new currently displayed page number of 1. The total number
of pages is 4 and is calculated as described above earlier.
Applying the above-described calculation to a reverse embodiment
is described below. When a page including nine thumbnail images,
with the thumbnail image of the personal computer (the file number
9) identified with a cursor as illustrated in FIG. 9(B), is changed
to a page of four thumbnail images, as shown in FIG. 9(A), a changed
display page number and the segment number of the thumbnail image
identified with the cursor (the image of the personal computer)
in the display page are similarly obtained by the following calculations:
Accordingly, [2+1]=3 (quotient +1) is set as the new currently
displayed page number of the thumbnail image identified with the
cursor in the new display page, and [0+1]=1 (remainder +1) is set
as the new segment number of the thumbnail image identified with
the cursor in the new display page. Thus, the thumbnail image of
the personal computer identified with the cursor is positioned at
the left top segment (segment number 1), and the changed display
page number 3 and the total page number 8 are displayed at the right
bottom part of the new display page.
As described above, according to the example of the second operation,
when thumbnail images stored in the memory card 9 are split into
a plurality of pages and a number for specifying the number of thumbnail
images is changed, a control is executed such that a page including
a thumbnail image identified with a cursor is displayed in a next
new display page. Therefore, an operator can easily find the thumbnail
image identified with a cursor in a previously displayed page in
the new display page.
In changing a number for specifying the number of thumbnail images
to be displayed in a page, any number can be selected on condition
that the length-to-width ratio of a thumbnail image is kept substantially
the same. However, for better viewability, a maximum of sixteen
thumbnail images are preferable in a page.
Obviously, numerous additional modifications and variations of
the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.
It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 09-354801
filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Dec. 24, 1997, the entire
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
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