U.S. patent application number 11/553627 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-22 for using metadata stored in image files and a separate database to facilitate image retrieval.
Invention is credited to John R. McCoy, Kenneth A. Parulski.
Application Number | 20070067295 11/553627 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24897041 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070067295 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Parulski; Kenneth A. ; et
al. |
March 22, 2007 |
USING METADATA STORED IN IMAGE FILES AND A SEPARATE DATABASE TO
FACILITATE IMAGE RETRIEVAL
Abstract
A digital camera for capturing images and for adding personal
image metadata labels to the captured images, including an image
sensor for capturing a plurality of images; an analog-to-digital
converter for digitizing the plurality of captured images, from the
image sensor, to produce a plurality of captured digital images.
Also, included in the digital camera is a memory location for
storing the plurality of captured digital images; a display coupled
to the memory location for displaying at least one of the plurality
of captured digital images. The digital camera has a user control
for selecting a personal image metadata label which corresponds to
an emotional or aesthetic category as judged by a user; and a
processor responsive to the user control for associating the
personal image metadata label with the at least one of the
plurality of displayed captured digital image.
Inventors: |
Parulski; Kenneth A.;
(Rochester, NY) ; McCoy; John R.; (Webster,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Pamela R. Crocker;Patent Legal Staff
Eastman Kodak Company
343 State Street
Rochester
NY
14650-2201
US
|
Family ID: |
24897041 |
Appl. No.: |
11/553627 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10635837 |
Aug 6, 2003 |
7171113 |
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11553627 |
Oct 27, 2006 |
|
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09721222 |
Nov 22, 2000 |
6629104 |
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10635837 |
Aug 6, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.007; 707/E17.026 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/58 20190101;
Y10S 707/915 20130101; Y10S 707/99943 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/007 |
International
Class: |
G06F 7/00 20060101
G06F007/00 |
Claims
1. A method for rating images to facilitate image retrieval,
comprising: (a) storing a plurality of digital image files in a
digital memory; (b) displaying the plurality of stored digital
image files; (c) permitting a user to select one of the plurality
of displayed images and to select a rating, wherein the rating
indicates how much the user likes the image; (d) storing metadata,
indicating the user's selected rating, in both a stored digital
image file corresponding to the displayed image and in a database
separate from the stored digital image file.
2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the rating is provided
using a multi-point scale.
3. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising: (e)
displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least
some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (f) retrieving
the metadata from the stored digital image files corresponding to
the group of thumbnail images; and (g) displaying an icon adjacent
to at least one of the thumbnail images correlating to or
associated with the retrieved metadata.
4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the stored digital image
files comprise JPEG image files.
5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein the stored digital image
files comprise Exif image files.
6. The method claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of
transferring the plurality of digital image files from a digital
camera, prior to storing the plurality of digital image files in
the digital memory.
7. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein the metadata also
includes a label for identifying the person or event depicted in
the selected displayed image.
8. The method claimed in claim 7, further comprising: (i)
displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least
some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (ii)
retrieving the label metadata from either the stored digital image
files corresponding to the group of thumbnail images or from the
database; and (iii) displaying the retrieved label as text adjacent
to the thumbnail image.
9. A computer software product comprising a computer readable
storage medium having a computer program, which when loaded into a
computer causes the computer to perform the steps according to
claim 1.
10. A method for rating images to facilitate image retrieval,
comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of digital image
files in a digital memory; (b) displaying the plurality of stored
digital image files; (c) permitting a user to select ratings for
each of the plurality of displayed images, wherein the rating
indicates how much the user likes each displayed image; (d) storing
metadata, indicating the user's selected rating, in each of the
plurality of stored digital image files corresponding to the
plurality of displayed images, and in a database separate from the
plurality of shared digital image files.
11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the rating is provided
using a multi-point scale.
12. The method claimed in claim 10, further comprising: (e)
displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least
some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (f) retrieving
the value metadata from either the stored digital image files
corresponding to the group of thumbnail images or from the
database; and (g) responsive to the retrieved metadata, displaying
an icon adjacent to at least one of the thumbnail images.
13. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the stored digital
image files comprise JPEG image files.
14. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein the stored digital
image files comprise Exif image files.
15. The method claimed in claim 14, further comprising transferring
the plurality of digital image files from a digital camera, prior
to storing the plurality of digital image files in the digital
memory.
16. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein the metadata also
includes a label for identifying the person or event depicted in
the selected displayed image.
17. A computer software product comprising a computer readable
storage medium having a computer program, which when loaded into a
computer causes the computer to perform the steps according to
claim 10.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Regular Continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
10/635,837 filed Aug. 6, 2003, titled "Digital Camera For Capturing
Images And Selecting Metadata To Be Associated With The Captured
Images " by Kenneth A. Parulski, et al., which is a Continuation of
U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,104, filed on Nov. 22, 2000, titled "Method For
Adding Personalized Metadata To A Collection Of Digital Images" by
Kenneth A. Parulski, et al.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to the field of photography,
and in particular to collecting and categorizing images. More
specifically, the invention relates to a personal database of
metadata labels constructed prior to image capture.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Image metadata is well-known, and is useful in retrieving
desired images from a large collection of images. The Kodak
DC265.TM. camera formulates many metadata items, such as the
date/time, camera lens setting, scene light level, etc. when the
picture is taken, and stores this metadata within the Exif/JPEG
digital image file. Unfortunately, this metadata cannot identify
the subject of the photo, or whether this particular photo is one
of the user's "favorite" photos. It is this latter type of
information that is most useful in quickly and easily retrieving
desired images from a large collection of pictures.
[0004] Many software applications allow the user to manually type
in text, such as a "picture title" or "picture description," and
store this text within the image file. This could be used to add a
description including the people, events, or type of photo. The
text strings from all images in the database could later be
searched to retrieve images having the names, events, etc. of
interest. Unfortunately, this is an extremely tedious method of
adding metadata. In addition, since the user may type in different
text to describe the same item (e.g. Matt, Matthew, or X-mas,
Christmas) the database may not contain consistent names for the
same picture categories. Some particular software applications,
such as Image Expert 2000.TM. developed by Sierra Imaging Inc.,
allow the user to add keywords to captured images. The keywords are
categorized as "location," "occasion," "photographer," and
"subject." While viewing a group of thumbnail images, a user can
create keywords in these categories and assign the keywords to one
or more captured images by selecting the thumbnails and keywords.
The keywords from all images in the database can later be searched
to retrieve images that were assigned to those particular
keywords.
[0005] Unfortunately, these conventional software applications make
it difficult for an untrained consumer to categorize their images
in a way that enables them to later locate their favorite images of
a selected subject. What is needed is a simple, fast method for the
user to add emotional or aesthetic based type metadata to a
collection of images, and to use this emotional or aesthetic based
metadata to retrieve images of interest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more
of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to
one aspect of the present invention there is a method of using a
digital camera to assign personal image metadata labels to captured
images including the steps of: capturing a plurality of images with
an image sensor; digitizing the plurality of captured images, from
the image sensor, with an analog-to-digital converter to produce a
plurality of captured digital images; storing the plurality of
captured digital images in a memory location; displaying at least
one of the plurality of captured digital images on a display
coupled to the memory location; selectively assigning a personal
image metadata label, employing a user control, which corresponds
to an emotional or aesthetic category, as judged by a user; and
associating the personal image metadata label with the at least one
displayed captured digital image by employing a processor
responsive to the user control.
[0007] The present invention has the advantage of allowing a user
to preemptively categorize photos that are particularly noteworthy
to the user. The application can display a menu of metadata labels,
including labels such as "favorite photos," "funny photos," etc.
The metadata labels, or alternatively metadata label identifier
codes, are then stored within the image files and/or in a database
separate from the image files, but referencing the appropriate
images. At a later time, when the database contains hundreds or
thousands of images, several metadata labels can be selected
together to easily retrieve images. For example, by selecting the
categories "Matthew," Matthew's Birthday," and "favorite photos,"
the user can get a thumbnail display or slideshow of the "best"
photos of Matthew taken on his birthday every year, rather than
searching through a collection of hundreds or thousands of captured
digital image files.
[0008] These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of
the present invention will be more clearly understood and
appreciated from a review 10 of the following detailed description
of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference
to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an example flow diagram of the method of this
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a system that implements
this invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows an example of a main user interface screen;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows an example menu for selecting labels;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows an example of the main user interface screen as
labels are selected;
[0014] FIG. 6 shows a user interface screen displaying a selected
picture with its corresponding metadata labels; and
[0015] FIG. 7 shows the user interface screen displaying an image
retrieved using selected labels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1 a flow diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention for adding personalized
metadata to a collection of images is shown. Operation block 100
discloses a user inserting an auto-launch CD-ROM into a CD-ROM
drive of a computer in order to install software that implements
the method of the present invention. Operation 110 discloses
prompting a user to create "labels" for their pictures (i.e.,
images), prior to capturing any images, for the purpose of locating
(i.e., retrieving) the pictures at a later time. An inquiry
operation 120 asks the user to respond affirmatively or negatively.
Should the user respond negatively, all operations cease. In
contrast, should the user respond affirmatively, she would be
prompted to enter nicknames of her family and friends by operation
130. As will be described later, the user entries are prompted by
questions including "please enter first names of family members and
pets" and "please enter nicknames of friends you often photograph."
Subsequently, the user is prompted to either select or enter
picture classifications, locations, and subjects according to
operation 140. As will be described later, the user entries
concerning classifications are prompted by questions concerning the
types of situations and occasions that they generally
photograph.
[0017] Operation 150 causes user labels to be stored in a metadata
database. This completes the process of developing the database of
pre-assigned metadata labels personalized for the particular user.
Some time later (e.g., immediately thereafter, or several hours
later, or several days later), a user can capture one or several
images and transfer the captured images to the computer in
operation 160. Upon transfer of the images in operation 160,
operation 170 causes thumbnail images to be displayed.
[0018] Operation 175 queries the user whether more labels should be
added to the images. Simultaneously, operation 200 adds a selected
label to metadata for all selected images. Operation 180 receives
an affirmative response from the query of operation 175. The user
selects one, many, or all of the images from the thumbnail display
in operation 180. A final query operation 185 asks whether the
label is part of a pull down menu. An affirmative response is an
input for operation 190, wherein the user selects a label by
clicking on a menu item. Next, operation 200 adds the selected
label to metadata for all selected images. A negative response to
the final query operation 185 causes operation 195 to prompt the
user to enter in a label, which is then added to the metadata
database.
[0019] A negative response to query operation 175 causes operation
210 to store metadata within each image file and in a separate
database. Some time later (e.g., immediately thereafter, or many
days later, or many years later), operation 220 prompts the user to
select labels in order to retrieve images of interest. In the final
operation 230, images with corresponding labels are retrieved and
viewed as thumbnails (so that the corresponding full resolution
images can be selectively printed, transmitted, etc.) or may be
viewed as a slide show.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a digital imaging system useful
in practicing the method of the present invention, which enables
users to easily customize the interface and features of their
digital camera prior to taking pictures. The digital imaging system
includes a digital camera 10 which is supplied along with metadata
categorization software provided on a compact disc 32, CD-ROM 42, a
floppy disk 34, or other digital media. The digital imaging system
also includes a host computer 40, such as a Dell Dimension XPS
M200.TM., and a Network Service Provider 70. In accordance with one
preferred embodiment of the present invention, metadata
categorization software is executed external to the digital camera
10, and is executed on the host computer 40. However, the metadata
categorization software can alternatively be executed by an
Internet appliance, set-top box, or other external device, or can
be executed internal to the digital camera 10, provided that the
digital camera has an appropriate user interface for displaying and
responding to questions. The metadata categorization software can
be provided along with the camera customization software described
in commonly-assigned U.S. Ser. No. 09/549,356 filed Apr. 14, 2000
by Prabhu et al., titled "Method And Apparatus For Providing A User
Customizable Digital Camera."
[0021] The digital camera 10 produces digital images that are
stored on a removable memory card 30 or other digital storage
device. The digital camera 10 has a zoom lens 12 that is controlled
by a zoom switch (not shown) having telephoto (T) and wide angle
(W) positions, and having zoom and focus motor drives (not shown),
and an adjustable aperture and shutter (not shown) for focusing
light from a scene onto an image sensor 14. The image sensor 14 can
be, for example, a single-chip, colored, charge-coupled device
(CCD), using the well-known Bayer color filter pattern. When the
user depresses a shutter button (not shown), the analog output
signal from the image sensor 14 is converted to digital data by an
analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 16. The digital data is processed
by a processor 18 that is controlled by firmware stored in a
reprogram able memory, such as a Flash EPROM 28.
[0022] The processed digital image file is provided to a digital
storage interface 20 which stores the digital image file on the
removable memory card 30, or on another type of digital memory
device, such as a floppy disk or magnetic hard drive, or smart
media. The removable memory card 30, which is well-known to those
skilled in the art, can include, for example, a memory card adapted
to the PCMCIA card interface standard, as described in the PC Card
Standard, Release 2.0, published by the Personal Computer Memory
Card International Association, Sunnyvale, Calif., September 1991.
The removable memory card 30 can also be adapted to the Compact
Flash interface standard, such as described in the CompactFlash
Specification Version 1.4, published by the CompactFlash
Association, Palo Alto, Calif., July 1999, or to other memory
devices such as the well-known SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disc Card)
or Memory Stick formats.
[0023] The processor 18 performs color interpolation followed by
color and tone correction, in order to produce rendered sRGB image
data. The processor 18 can include internal buffer memory to store
a portion of the image, or to store one or more entire images.
Alternatively, the processor 18 can use a separate external memory,
such as DRAM memory 19. The rendered sRGB image data is then JPEG
compressed and stored as a JPEG image file on the removable memory
card 30. The processor 18 also provides a lower resolution or
"thumbnail" size image data to a color image display 22, such as a
color liquid crystal display (LCD), which displays the captured
image for the user to review. The low-resolution image can be
created as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,831
issued Nov. 17, 1992 to Kuchta et al., titled "Electronic Still
Camera Providing Multi-Format Storage Of Full And Reduced
Resolution Images." Several camera user buttons 24 are used to
control the digital camera 10. The camera user buttons 24, together
with text and icons displayed on the image display 22 (not shown),
form the camera graphical user interface (GUI). This GUI is
controlled by the user interface portion of the firmware stored in
the Flash EPROM 28.
[0024] The digital camera 10 determines various metadata items,
such as the date/time the picture was taken from the real-time
clock (not shown) provided by the processor 18, the camera lens
settings, scene light level, etc. These metadata items are stored
within a so-called "Exif" image file as defined in "Digital Still
Camera Image File Format (Exif)" version 2.1, June 1998 by the
Japan Electronics Industries Development Association (JEIDA),
Tokyo, Japan. This format includes an Exif application segment that
stores particular image metadata, for example the date and time the
picture was captured, the lens f/number and other camera settings.
It can also include user-selected custom metadata labels, as will
be described later.
[0025] After a series of images has been taken by the digital
camera 10 and stored on the removable memory card 30, the removable
memory card 30 can be inserted into a memory card reader 48
communicatively attached to, as shown, or incorporated within (not
shown) the host computer 40. Alternatively, an interface cable 36
can be used to connect between a host interface 26 in the digital
camera 10 and a camera interface 46 which may be external or
internal to the host computer 40. The interface cable 36 may
conform to, for example, the well-known universal serial bus (USB)
interface specification.
[0026] The captured images from the digital camera 10 can be
downloaded to the host computer 40 and stored on a hard drive 56
under the control of a central processing unit (CPU) 50. The CPU 50
is coupled to a display monitor 52, which is used to view the
images, and a keyboard 54. A mouse 55 permits the user to readily
communicate with the CPU 50. The CPU 50 communicates with a CD Rom
drive 42 in order to read the information on the compact disc 32.
The CPU 50 also communicates with the floppy disk drive 44 in order
to read the information on the floppy disk 34. The CPU 50
communicates with a local printer 58, such as an Epson Stylus Photo
700.TM. printer, which produces hard copy prints of the images that
were captured by the digital camera 10.
[0027] The digital camera 10 that is supplied to a user includes
firmware that provides normal camera features and remains stored in
the Flash EPROM 28. In an alternative embodiment of the present
invention, the user can customize the firmware stored in Flash
EPROM 28 of the digital camera 10 using the metadata categorization
software provided with the digital camera 10, so that the metadata
labels entered or selected by the user in blocks 130 and 140 of
FIG. 1 are stored in Flash EPROM 28. The color LCD image display 22
and user buttons 24 are then used to assign metadata labels to
images, substituting for blocks 175 through 210 of FIG. 1, as the
images are captured or reviewed using the digital camera 10. The
CPU 50 uses the metadata categorization software in accordance with
the present invention to provide custom metadata labels within the
firmware code that is downloaded under the control of processor 18
of the digital camera 10 via the removable memory card 30, and
stored in the Flash EPROM 28, as described in commonly-assigned
U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,264 issued Dec. 19, 1995 to Sarbadhikari et al.
titled "Electronic Imaging System Using a Removable
Software-Enhanced Storage Device," or via the interface cable 36 as
described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,425 issued Mar.
31, 1998 to Takizawa et al. titled "Electronic Still Camera With
Replaceable Digital Processing Program."
[0028] The metadata categorization software provided on the compact
disc 32 or the floppy disk 34 can also include digital image
application software, such as the Picture Easy.TM. version 3.1
software developed by the Eastman Kodak Company. Alternatively,
instead of being provided on a compact disc or floppy disk 34, the
metadata categorization software could be downloaded from the
Network Service Provider 70 via a modem 60. The modem 60
communicates via a channel 64 with another modem 72 at the Network
Service Provider 70, which is connected to a computer 74, and a
customer image storage device or system 76. A billing system 78 can
charge the user (e.g., via a credit card) for downloading the
metadata categorization software. The computer 74 operates an
application software database 80 that can also provide input to one
or more hardcopy printers 82 for subsequent printing of images
captured by the digital camera 10.
[0029] As shown in block 100 of FIG. 1, the user begins by
installing the program on her computer. The program may be provided
on a compact disc 32 which may be a Photo CD also having digitized
images (so that the digital camera 10 is not needed), or can
alternatively be included as part of application software provided
with the digital camera 10. As part of this installation process,
the user is prompted to answer a number of questions (blocks 130
and 140 of FIG. 1) that produce a personalized database of metadata
"labels." At least some of the database of metadata labels is
derived from the user's emotional judgment about the content of the
images that she usually captures. The present invention allows a
user to develop emotional or aesthetic based metadata that is
useful in categorizing several of the user's captured images
according to the user's own emotional or aesthetic judgment
regarding the captured images.
[0030] The emotional or aesthetic based metadata is derived from a
user answering queries about her family, friends, and her aesthetic
judgment of the typical images that she captures. Consequently, the
user is able to preemptively categorize "how much they like a
picture" by using emotional or aesthetic based metadata labels such
as "favorite photos," "best photos," "cute photos," "important
moments," or "funny photos." These metadata labels are then stored
within the captured image files and/or in a database that may be
separate from the image files, but still references the appropriate
categorized images. Labels assigned to each digital image file may
be stored as ASCII text strings or as other types of metadata label
identifiers, such as digital code values assigned to a particular
metadata label. For example, a user's "best" pictures may be stored
with the ASCII text "BEST," for "user image value," or may be
stored with the digital value "10" (using a 10 point scale where 1
is lowest and 10 is highest) as the metadata label identifier in
the "user image value" field. After describing how the answers will
be used, the following types of personal queries may be asked:
[0031] Type the nicknames of immediate family members [0032] Type
the nicknames of friends you often photograph [0033] Are these good
ways to classify your pictures? (select, deselect, or add) [0034]
Best photos, funny photos, cute photos, important moments [0035]
Where do you often take pictures (select, deselect, or add) [0036]
Our house, our yard, (friend's name's house), zoo, ______ park,
etc.
[0037] 1What type of pictures do you often take (select, deselect,
or add) [0038] Portraits, landscapes, flower & plants,
sports
[0039] In block 150, the user's responses to these questions are
used to configure and store a database of pre-assigned metadata
labels for the user in a digital memory, normally hard drive 56 of
computer 40.
[0040] In block 160, the user then proceeds to use the metadata
categorization software to display images either stored in or
downloaded from the digital camera 10, or provided from a compact
disc 32, or another image source. For example, in block 130 to 140
of FIG. 1, the user may develop metadata labels that relates to
family members, that family member's birthday party, as well as
emotional metadata labels, for example images that the user `feels`
are her favorite photos. For an explicit example, a user selects
categories labeled "Matt," "Matt's Birthday," and "favorite
photos." Adding labels to the appropriate images as part of blocks
175 through 210 of FIG. 1 will enable the user to later (in blocks
220 through 230) quickly and easily access a thumbnail display or
slideshow of the "best" photos featuring Matt taken on his birthday
every year that pictures were taken, rather than searching through
a collection of hundreds or thousands of captured digital image
files taken over many years.
[0041] As part of block 160, the images from the camera (or full
size or thumbnail size images from the compact disc) are
transferred to the computer hard drive 56. In block 170, the CPU
50, running the metadata categorization software displays thumbnail
size images of each new downloaded picture on the computer monitor,
as depicted in FIG. 3, along with a message such as "Label your
photos now, so you can find them later." The user selects one,
several, or all of the thumbnail images by clicking on the images.
The user then selects, from a pull-down menu, a metadata category
(e.g., "People--who's in the picture," "Subject--who's in this
picture," "Type--What type of picture is this?" Then, for the
selected category, they select one or more metadata items using
blocks 175 through 200 of FIG. 1. For example, if they select
"Subject--who's in this picture," the application may display a
menu listing "Ken, Susan, Matthew, JoAnn, etc." and allow them to
click on one or more names. If necessary, they can type in new
names (block 195 of FIG. 1), which are added to future display
lists. When the user selects "Type--what type of picture is this,"
the application displays a menu including a number of emotional or
aesthetic categories such as "best photos," "funny photos,"
etc."
[0042] Example display and pull-down menu embodiments for blocks
175 through 200 of FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS. 3-6. Referring to FIG.
3, a "Main User Interface Screen" 3000 includes the following
toolbar buttons: an "Add Label" 3010, a "Show labels" 3020, a "Find
with Labels" 3030, a "Slide Show" 3040, and a "Transfer Pictures"
3050. The main user interface screen 3000 has a slider or scrollbar
3060 for scrolling up and down through a group of thumbnail images.
Many thumbnail images 3070 (e.g. 16 thumbnail images) may be
displayed for the user to view and choose.
[0043] The interface screen shown in FIG. 3 provides an efficient
way for the user to enter metadata for images, a "group" of
thumbnails at a time. A typical digital memory card 30 can contain,
for example, 24 pictures taken over 3 "picture taking sessions."
For example, over the course of a weekend, the group of images on
the digital memory card 30 may include 12 shots taken at Matthew's
birthday party at home, 8 shots taken during a visit to the zoo,
and 4 taken during a stop at JoAnn's house. The thumbnail images
3070 shown in FIG. 3 are 16 images from this set, corresponding to
the position of scroll bar 3060 within the set of images. The
thumbnail images 3070 are provided using the thumbnail image data
stored within the Exif image file. The date each image was taken is
also read from the Exif image file metadata and displayed beneath
each image. In order to label images, the user selects the "add
label" icon 3010.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 4, a screen entitled, "Menu for Selecting
Labels" 4000 lists an example of pre-assigned metadata labels
configured in blocks 130 to 150 of FIG. 1, which can now be
selected by the user in block 190 of FIG. 1. The list includes the
following menu selections: an "Add Label" 4010, a "People" 4020, a
"Places" 4030, a "Subjects" 4040, a "Types" 4050. At the next
level, the selections correspond with the user's input to the
previous selections. For example, selection 4060 corresponds with
the user's input to menu selection 4020 (e.g. the list of family
members and friends that are often photographed). Selection 4070
corresponds to the user input for menu selection 4030. Selection
4080 corresponds to the user input for menu selection 4040.
Selection 4090 corresponds to the user input for menu selection
4050. One of ordinary skill can envision further levels as
well.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 5, a display screen 5000 showing how the
"main user interface screen labels are selected" is disclosed. A
user selects "Add Label" 3010, and uses the pull down menu to
select "People" 4020, whereby a second pull down menu with the
user's input 4060 is shown. The display includes a scroll bar 3060
and several thumbnail images 3070 as well as icons or text 5010
that indicate which of the thumbnail images 3070 have associated
metadata labels.
[0046] FIG. 6 displays a screen 6000 that depicts a selected
picture 6020 with its associated metadata labels 6010. The current
labels 6010 correspond to the labels selected during steps 175
through 200 of FIG. 1. The selected picture 6020 includes the
labels 6010 "Matthew" (people), "Ken" (people), "Our backyard"
(place), "Flowers" (subjects) and "Best photos" (type).
[0047] In block 180, the user selects one or more thumbnail images
using the thumbnail images 3070. For example, the user can quickly
highlight the first 12 images, and then select (in block 190)
Event.fwdarw.Matthew's birthday to label all of these images using
the list shown in FIG. 4, and proceed to highlight and label the
other groups if they wish (repeating blocks 175 through 200 of FIG.
1). As another example, also shown specifically in FIG. 5, in block
180 of FIG. 1 the user can highlight all the images on the roll
with one click, deselect those few that do not include Matthew, and
then select People.fwdarw.Matthew in block 190 to further label the
appropriate images. As another example, in block 180 the user can
highlight the one or two of the pictures they judge to be their
very best images of the group, and select Type.fwdarw.Best Photos
in block 190. If an appropriate label does not exist, the user can
create a new label in block 195, which is stored in the metadata
label database for future use.
[0048] As labels are added to each image, graphics 6010 (or text)
coded to indicate the category of labels provided for the image,
are positioned in the corner of the corresponding thumbnail image
display, as shown in FIG. 6. When the "show labels" button 3020 is
selected by the user, the labels are displayed adjacent to the
selected image, so that it is apparent what labels have been
applied to a particular image, as shown in FIG. 6. In this mode,
the user can also add additional labels or change previous-applied
labels for that particular image.
[0049] In block 210, the metadata text labels or other metadata
label identifiers are then stored within the image files and/or in
a database separate from the image files. At a later time, when the
database contains hundreds or thousands of images, the metadata can
be used to easily retrieve images. FIG. 7 discloses a "Find with
Labels" feature 7000 that allows a user to locate images using the
pre-assigned metadata labels configured in blocks 130 through 150
of FIG. 1 and assigned to particular images in blocks 175 through
210 of FIG. 1. Toolbar button "Find with labels" 3030 is selected.
The user then selects, from the menu depicted in FIG. 4, labels of
interest, for example the labels "Matthew," "Zoo," and "Best
photos" 7020. A scroll bar 3060 allows a user to scroll the images
7040 found by the label search. In the example of FIG. 7, by
selecting the categories "Matthew," "Zoo," and "Best photos," the
user can get a thumbnail display or slideshow of the best photos
featuring Matt taken on his birthday over the course of several
years, rather than searching through a collection of hundreds or
thousands of digital image files stored on hard drive 56.
[0050] In an alternative embodiment, blocks 170 through 210 of FIG.
1 are implemented in the digital camera 10 of FIG. 2. In another
alternative embodiment, the user identifies only certain types of
images, such as favorite images, important events, or funny images,
when the images are captured on digital camera 10, by selecting the
appropriate labels using user buttons 24 while reviewing captured
image thumbnails on the color LCD image display 22. The metadata
labels associated with these emotional or aesthetic judgments are
then stored within the Exif image files. Additional metadata labels
can optionally be added when these images are transferred from the
digital camera 10 to the computer 40, as described earlier in
relation to blocks 170 through 210 of FIG. 1.
[0051] Computer program products, such as readable storage medium,
can be used to store the customization software, and also the
desired firmware components in accordance with the present
invention. The readable storage medium can be a magnetic storage
media, such as a magnetic disk (such as a floppy disk) or magnetic
tape; optical storage media, such as an optical disk, an optical
tape, or a machine readable bar code; solid state electronic
storage devices, such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read
only memory (ROM); or any other physical device or medium employed
to store computer programs.
[0052] The invention has been described with reference to a
preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that
variations and modifications can be effected by a person of
ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention.
PARTS LIST
[0053] 10 digital camera [0054] 12 lens [0055] 14 CCD image sensor
[0056] 16 A/D converter [0057] 18 processor [0058] 19 DRAM memory
[0059] 20 digital storage interface [0060] 22 color LCD image
display [0061] 24 user buttons [0062] 26 host interface [0063] 28
flash EPROM [0064] 30 memory card [0065] 32 compact disc [0066] 34
floppy disk [0067] 36 interface [0068] 40 host computer [0069] 42
CD-ROM drive [0070] 44 floppy disk drive [0071] 46 camera interface
[0072] 48 memory card reader [0073] 50 CPU [0074] 52 display
monitor [0075] 54 keyboard [0076] 55 mouse [0077] 56 hard drive
[0078] 58 local printer [0079] 60 modem [0080] 64 channel [0081] 70
network service provider [0082] 72 modem [0083] 74 computer [0084]
76 customer image storage [0085] 78 billing system [0086] 80
application software database [0087] 82 printer [0088] 100
autolaunch operation [0089] 110 label query operation [0090] 120
user response [0091] 130 nickname operation [0092] 140 picture
classification operation [0093] 150 label storage operation [0094]
160 image capture operation [0095] 170 image display operation
[0096] 175 additional label query [0097] 180 image selection
operation [0098] 185 menu query [0099] 190 label selection
operation [0100] 195 metadata database input operation [0101] 200
label and metadata match operation [0102] 210 image-associated
metadata storage operation [0103] 220 label selection operation
[0104] 230 image viewing operation [0105] 3000 Main User Interface
Screen [0106] 3010 Add label toolbar button [0107] 3020 Show labels
toolbar button [0108] 3030 Find with labels toolbar button [0109]
3040 slide show toolbar button [0110] 3050 transfer pictures
toolbar button [0111] 3060 scroll bar toolbar button [0112] 3070
thumbnail images [0113] 4000 Menu for selecting labels [0114] 4010
add label toolbar button [0115] 4020 people selection [0116] 4030
places selection [0117] 4040 subject selection [0118] 4050 types
selection [0119] 4060 user input associated people selection [0120]
4070 user input associated places selection [0121] 4080 user input
associated subjects selection [0122] 4090 user input associated
types selection [0123] 5000 screen for how "Main User Interface
labels are selected" [0124] 5010 metadata label icon [0125] 6000
screen for "Show Picture Labels" [0126] 6010 current picture labels
displayed [0127] 6020 associated thumbnail image [0128] 7000 screen
for "Find with Labels" [0129] 7020 user selected labels [0130] 7040
label search images
* * * * *