U.S. patent application number 12/556651 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-11 for image display apparatus, image display method, and computer-readable medium.
This patent application is currently assigned to CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Michihiro Nihei.
Application Number | 20100060772 12/556651 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41798941 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100060772 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nihei; Michihiro |
March 11, 2010 |
IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD, AND
COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an image display apparatus includes
a position specifying unit, a first display control unit, and a
second display control unit. The position specifying unit specifies
a retrieval start position indicating an arbitrary place within a
predetermined order of images based on a user operation. The first
display control unit controls displaying an image corresponding to
the retrieval start position. The second display control unit
changes the displayed image in the predetermined order.
Inventors: |
Nihei; Michihiro;
(Mitaka-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TUROCY & WATSON, LLP
127 Public Square, 57th Floor, Key Tower
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Assignee: |
CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
41798941 |
Appl. No.: |
12/556651 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/333.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00442 20130101;
H04N 5/23293 20130101; G09G 5/14 20130101; H04N 1/00448 20130101;
H04N 2101/00 20130101; H04N 2201/0084 20130101; H04N 1/2112
20130101; H04N 1/00458 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/333.01 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/222 20060101
H04N005/222 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 10, 2008 |
JP |
2008-232100 |
Claims
1. An image display apparatus comprising: a display device
configured to display images; a position specifying unit configured
to specify a retrieval start position indicating an arbitrary place
within a predetermined order of images based on a user operation; a
first display control unit configured to control displaying an
image corresponding to the retrieval start position on the display
device; and a second display control unit configured to change the
image displayed on the display device in the predetermined order or
a reverse order of the predetermined order.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second display
control unit is configured to change the image displayed on the
display device in the predetermined order or the reverse order of
the predetermined order in response to a user operation.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position
specifying unit is configured to specify a plurality of retrieval
start positions, the first display control unit is configured to
control displaying each image corresponding to the plurality of
retrieval start positions in display areas differing from one
another on the display device, and the second display control unit
is configured to change each image displayed in the display areas
in the predetermined order or the reverse order of the
predetermined order.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, which further comprises a
display order setting unit configured to set the display order of
the images displayed in the display area for each display area, and
in which the second display control unit is configured to change
each image displayed in the display areas in the set display
order.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the position
specifying control unit is configured to specify a first retrieval
start position and a second retrieval start position of which place
within the predetermined order is higher than that of the first
retrieval start position, the first display control unit is
configured to control displaying an image at the first retrieval
start position in a first display area of the display device, and
displaying an image at the second retrieval start position in a
second display area of the display device, and the second display
control unit is configured to change the image displayed in the
first display area in the predetermined order, and to change the
image displayed in the second display area in the reverse order of
the predetermined order.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the position
specifying control unit is configured to specify a first retrieval
start position and a second retrieval start position, and the first
display control unit is configured to control displaying an image
at the first retrieval start position in a first display area of
the display device, to control displaying an image at the second
retrieval start position, an image preceding the second retrieval
start position, and an image following the second retrieval start
position in a plurality of second display areas each having areas
smaller than the first display area, and to switch the image at the
first retrieval start position displayed in the first display area
and the image at the second retrieval start position displayed in
one of the second display areas in response to a user
operation.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises an
information display control unit configured to control displaying
retrieval position information visually indicating the retrieval
order corresponding to the image displayed on the display device in
the predetermined order by associating the retrieval position
information with the image in a prescribed display form.
8. An image display method comprising: specifying a retrieval start
position indicating an arbitrary place within a predetermined order
of images; displaying an image corresponding to the retrieval start
position on a display device; and changing the image displayed on
the display device in the predetermined order or a reverse order of
the predetermined order.
9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon an image
display program which is executable by a computer, the image
display program controlling the computer to execute functions of:
specifying a retrieval start position indicating an arbitrary place
within a predetermined order of images; displaying an image
corresponding to the retrieval start position on a display device;
and changing the image displayed on the display device in the
predetermined order or a reverse order of the predetermined order.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-232100,
filed Sep. 10, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an image display apparatus
and an image display method of displaying an image, and a
computer-readable medium.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, a display device for a large number of
images is disclosed (see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.
2006-268010). The above display device manages the large number of
images based on groups of images, classifies the images by the
groups, displays images for each group simultaneously, and scrolls
the displayed images for each group. According to this display
device, a target image may be efficiently retrieved from the large
number of images.
[0006] However, in the aforementioned conventional display device,
when scrolling and displaying the images belonging to each group,
the display device firstly displays an image positioned at the head
of each group. That is, when retrieving the images belonging to
each group, the display device is made to start to retrieve with
the image positioned at the head of each group. Therefore, a
problem, such that it still takes a long period of time to retrieve
the target image, is posed in the conventional display device, for
example, when the number of images belonging to each group is
large.
[0007] To prevent such a problem, it is required to increase the
number of the groups. However, the number of images to be
simultaneously displayed on a screen, that is, the number of images
to be recognized at once by a user is also increased. If the number
of images to be simultaneously displayed on a screen is increased,
the target image is difficult to recognize, which is similar to a
case when images to be retrieved are displayed on the screen as a
list of small-sized thumbnail images. Thus, the retrieval
efficiency deteriorates if the number of the groups is
increased.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An image display apparatus according to one embodiment of
the invention comprises a display device configured to display
images; a position specifying unit configured to specify a
retrieval start position indicating an arbitrary place within a
predetermined order of images based on a user operation; a first
display control unit configured to control displaying an image
corresponding to the retrieval start position on the display
device; and a second display control unit configured to change the
image displayed on the display device in the predetermined order or
a reverse order of the predetermined order.
[0009] An image display method according to another embodiment of
the invention comprises specifying a retrieval start position
indicating an arbitrary place within a predetermined order of
images; displaying an image corresponding to the retrieval start
position on a display device; and changing the image displayed on
the display device in the predetermined order or a reverse order of
the predetermined order.
[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, a
computer-readable medium having stored thereon an image display
program which is executable by a computer, the image display
program controlling the computer to execute functions of:
[0011] specifying a retrieval start position indicating an
arbitrary place within a predetermined order of images;
[0012] displaying an image corresponding to the retrieval start
position on a display device; and
[0013] changing the image displayed on the display device in the
predetermined order or a reverse order of the predetermined
order.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0014] FIG. 1 is a rear face view of a digital camera according to
an embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the digital camera;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of a
CPU in a retrieval display mode;
[0017] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are transition diagrams of setting
screen displayed in the retrieval display mode;
[0018] FIGS. 5A and 5B are display patterns of each image in the
retrieval display mode;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing pincer retrieval; and
[0020] FIGS. 7A and 7B are display patterns of each image in a
retrieval display mode of a modified embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the invention will be
described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a rear face
view showing a digital camera 1 having a function as an image
display apparatus of the invention. A liquid crystal display (LCD)
monitor 3, a zooming key 4, a photographing (REC) key 5, a viewing
(PLAY) key 6, a control key 7, a menu (MENU) key 8, and a display
(DISP) key 9 are arranged on the rear face of a housing 2 of the
camera 1. A shutter key 10 is arranged on the upper face of the
housing 2. A memory card slot (not shown), on which a memory card
18 as a recording medium recording photographed images is
detachably loaded, is arranged on the bottom face of the housing
2.
[0022] The REC key 5 and the PLAY key 6 are used for switching
between a photographing (or recording) mode and a viewing (or
reproducing) mode that are basic modes of the camera 1. The LCD
monitor 3 is, for example, composed of a color liquid crystal
display panel with a backlight. In a photographing standby state in
the photographing mode, the monitor 3 displays a subject image
(through image) and a variety of items of photographing
information. The MENU key 8 is used for displaying various menu
screens for various kinds of settings of the camera 1 on the LCD
monitor 3. The DISP key 9 is used for switching information to be
displayed on the LCD monitor 3. The control key 7 is a key
selecting direction of upper, lower, right, and left, and fixing
settings. The control key 7 is used for selecting items on the menu
screen, selecting setting values of the selected items, and
deciding setting content.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram showing the configuration of
the digital camera 1. The camera 1 includes a CPU 12 controlling
the entire device, and the following each unit is connected to the
CPU 12. That is, an optical lens unit 13, an image sensor 14, an
image memory 15, the LCD monitor 3, and a key input unit 17 are
connected to the CPU 12. The optical lens unit 13 includes a focus
lens and a zooming lens to focus an optical image of a subject. The
image sensor 14 such as a CCD or a CMOS digitizes and captures the
focused optical image. The image memory 15 includes an SDRAM, etc.,
temporarily stores the captured image. The key input unit 17
includes the aforementioned various keys and is periodically
scanned by the CPU 12.
[0024] Further, an external storage I/O interface 19, a program
code storage 20, and an image processor 21 are connected to the CPU
12, respectively. The external storage I/O interface 19 interfaces
with the memory card 18 recording images. The program code storage
20 includes a ROM, etc., and stores programs for controlling the
camera 1 by the CPU 12. The image processor 21 variously processes
images captured with an image sensor 14, compresses a processed
image data, and decompresses a compressed image data.
[0025] The program code storage 20 stores a program which makes the
CPU 12 execute the various processing. The processing includes a
position specifying control, an image display control, a display
order setting control, and an information displaying control.
[0026] Next, operations of the camera 1 with the above mentioned
configuration will be described. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart showing a
processing procedure of the CPU 12 of a retrieval display mode
prepared in advance as a lower layer mode of the viewing mode in
the camera 1. The retrieval display mode is a mode prepared for a
user to retrieve a target image from all recorded images stored in
the memory card 18.
[0027] When the retrieval display mode is set, the CPU 12 displays,
as shown in FIG. 4A, a screen 101 for setting the number of images
on the LCD monitor 3. The screen 101 shows four numbers of images
to be simultaneously displayed. The user operates the control key 7
and selects the number of images to be simultaneously displayed.
The CPU 12 stores the selected number of the images as setting
information (Step S1). The setting screen 101 shows two, four, six,
and nine as a selectable number of images as shown in FIG. 4A. The
user can select the desired number of images from among the
numbers. Hereinafter, the operations of the camera 1 will be
described assuming that "four" is selected as the number of images
to be simultaneously displayed.
[0028] After selecting the number of the images, the CPU 12
displays on the LCD monitor 3 a first retrieval start position
setting screen 102 as shown in FIG. 4B or a second retrieval start
position setting screen 103 as shown in FIG. 4C. While displaying
the first or second screen 102 or 103, the user operates the
control key 7 to individually specify positions of retrieval start
images (referred to as retrieval start positions) for display
positions (referred to as display areas) of images which are preset
in response to the number of images selected in advance. The CPU 12
also stores the retrieval start positions for the specified display
areas as setting information (Step S2).
[0029] Not shown in the flowchart, immediately after completing the
selection of the number of the images through the number of images
setting screen 101 (Step S1), the CPU 12 may display the first
retrieval start position setting screen 102. If a predetermined key
operation is detected, the CPU 12 stops display of the first
retrieval start position setting screen 102 and displays the second
retrieval start position setting screen 103. After this, every time
the predetermined key operation is detected, the CPU 12 switches
display of the screens 102 and 103. As mentioned above, when "four"
is selected in Step S1 as the number of images, the entire area of
the display screen of the LCD monitor 3 is divided into four equal
areas as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The display areas include four
areas of upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left.
[0030] On the first retrieval start position setting screen 102,
the CPU 12 displays the total numbers of the recorded images stored
in the memory card 18 and the retrieval start position to specify
which number of the images is specified among all the recorded
images in each display area. On the second retrieval start position
setting screen 103, the CPU 12 displays the oldest imaging date and
the newest imaging date for all the recorded images stored in the
memory card 18, and the retrieval start position to specify the
photographing date in each display area.
[0031] In this embodiment, the order based on the photographing
(recording) order of each recorded image is set as the retrieval
start position. On the first retrieval start position setting
screen 102, the retrieval start position is directly specified. On
the second retrieval start position setting screen 103, the
retrieval start position is indirectly specified. In the following
description, it is assumed that the user uses the first retrieval
start position setting screen 102 and specifies, as shown in FIG.
4B, the retrieval start position in each display area as follows:
the 45th image for the upper left image (display area G1 shown in
FIG. 5A), the 50th image for the upper right image (display area G2
shown in FIG. 5A), the 51st image for the lower left image (display
area G3 shown in FIG. 5A), and the 55th image for the lower right
image (display area G4 shown in FIG. 5A).
[0032] Referring to FIG. 6, the retrieval start positions will be
described. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view illustrating an
arrangement of all 100 images I1, I2, . . . , I100 stored in the
memory card 18 with respect to photographed date.
[0033] As mentioned above, if "four" is set as the number of images
to be simultaneously displayed on the screen of the monitor 3, four
images are displayed in the display areas G1-G4 as shown in FIG.
5A. The CPU 12 sets four retrieval pointers P1-P4 corresponding to
the four display areas G1-G4, respectively as shown in FIG. 6. The
retrieval pointers P1-P4 specify in turn the storage positions of
image data to be read from the memory card 18 by the CPU 12.
Initial values of the retrieval pointers are decided by the
retrieval start positions.
[0034] The retrieval pointers P1-P4 are respectively set for the
display areas G1-G4 arranged on the screen of the LCD monitor 3.
That is, the number of images to be simultaneously displayed on the
LCD monitor 3 (the number of display areas G1-G4 arranged on the
monitor 3) equals to the number of retrieval pointers. The number
of images to be simultaneously displayed is set in response to key
operations by the user.
[0035] As described above, in the embodiment, the positions
(retrieval start positions) of the images displayed in each display
area G1-G4 are set in response to the key operations by the user
when starting retrieval. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, each
retrieval pointer P1-P4 is also set in response to the key
operations by the user when starting the retrieval.
[0036] After selecting the number of the images to be
simultaneously displayed, the CPU 12 displays a display order
setting screen 104, shown in FIG. 4D, on the LCD monitor 3. The
user individually set a frame-by-frame playback order (display
order) when displaying the recorded images stored in the memory
card 18. That is, the user sets whether the chronological order or
reverse chronological order of photographed date as the
frame-by-frame playback order. The set frame-by-frame playback
order is stored as setting information (Step S3). In the
description after this, it is assumed that the frame-by-frame
playback order of upper right and lower right display areas G2 and
G4 is set to the reverse chronological order of photographed date,
and the frame-by-frame playback order of upper left and lower left
display areas G1 and G3 is set to the chronological order of
photographed date.
[0037] When frame-by-frame playback order is set in Step S3,
whether the chronological order or reverse chronological order of
photographed date is set to a moving direction of each retrieval
pointer P1-P4 shown by each arrow in FIG. 6 in response to the key
operations by the user.
[0038] After this setting, the CPU 12 reads each image data
corresponding to the retrieval start position stored in Step S2
from the memory card 18, and also displays the images in the
corresponding display areas G1-G4 on the screen of the monitor 3
respectively as shown in FIG. 5A (Step S4). If the photographed
date has been specified by the second retrieval start position
setting screen 103 as the retrieval start position, the CPU 12
reads image data matching with the specified date (if no matched
image data exists, image data closest date to the specified date)
among all the recorded images, and display the read image. Further,
the CPU 12 displays on the LCD monitor 3 a position display bar 201
indicating the whole area of the retrieval area and a display
pointer 202 visually indicating the retrieval position in order of
photographing (order within decided order) of each displayed image
in each display area (Step S5). The positions of the display
pointer 202 displayed on the position display bar 201 become
recorded positions of the image data indicated by the retrieval
pointers P1-P4 in the storage area of the image data in a retrieval
range. At this moment, a number indicating the order of the image
based on the order of photographed date is displayed in each
display area.
[0039] After this, when detecting the key operation for a
frame-by-frame playback instruction (YES in Step S6), the CPU 12
moves, by one frame, the positions of the retrieval pointers P1-P4
corresponding to the display areas G1-G4, respectively, in a
direction according to the frame-by-frame playback order. Then,
images specified by the moved retrieval pointers P1-P4 are
displayed in the display areas G1-G4, respectively. Thereby, as
shown in FIG. 5B, the respective images shown in the display areas
G1-G4 are changed from the respective images, displayed in the
display areas G1-G4 immediately before the frame-by-frame playback
is instructed, into images photographed before or after the
respective images in accordance with the frame-by-frame playback
order which has been set in Step S3 (Step S7).
[0040] In addition, the CPU 12 moves the display positions of the
respective display pointers 202 in the respective display areas
G1-G4 by one frame in a direction in accordance with the
frame-by-frame playback order. That is, the CPU 12 moves the
display positions of the respective display pointers 202 to
positions corresponding to order of photographed date specified by
the moved retrieval pointers P1-P4 (Step S8). After this, the CPU
12 repeats the processing in the foregoing Steps S7 and S8 at every
time of detection of key operations of the frame-by-frame playback
instruction. The display images are changed in turn in the
respective display areas G1-G4. Thus, the user can retrieve the
target image while seeing images by instructing the frame-by-frame
playback.
[0041] When detecting the key operations for setting change
instructions (NO in Step S6 and YES in Step S9), the CPU 12 repeats
aforementioned setting processing for the number of images to be
displayed simultaneously, retrieval start positions, and the
frame-by-frame playback order (Steps S1-S3), and executes the
display processing based on the new settings (Steps S4 and S5).
[0042] When the key operations for frame-by-frame playback
instruction and for setting change instruction are not detected (NO
in Steps S6 and S9), the CPU 12 executes image selection processing
(Step S10). The image selection processing displays an image
specifying frame, etc., in one of the display areas G1-G4, and
moves the image specifying frame, etc., to select an image in an
arbitrary display area in response to direction instructions of
upper, lower, right or left using the control key 7 by the user.
When the user does not instruct the direction of upper, lower,
right, or left using the control key 7, the image selection
processing ends.
[0043] When the CPU 12 does not detect the key operation for the
image specifying instruction by the user (NO in Step S11), the flow
returns to Step S6. When the CPU 12 detects the key operation of
the image specifying instruction (YES, Step S11), the CPU 12
displays the image selected by the image specifying frame on the
monitor 3 in full screen (Step S12). Thereby, the user can see the
specified image in detail.
[0044] While the specified image is displayed in the full screen,
the CPU 12 sequentially recognizes the key operation for a
retrieval continuation instruction by the user, and the key
operation for a retrieval end instruction. When the key operation
of the retrieval continuation instruction is detected (YES in Step
S13), the flow returns to Step S4 to perform the foregoing
processing based on the retrieval start position for each display
area. That is, the CPU 12 switches the screen on the monitor 3 to
the screen immediately before displaying the specified image in the
full screen in Step S12.
[0045] Then, while the specified image is displayed in the full
screen, when detecting the key operation of the retrieval end
instruction by the user (YES in Step S14), the CPU 12 ends the
processing in the retrieval display mode.
[0046] When the user retrieves the target image from images
displayed in the retrieval display mode, the intention of the user
may be reflected to the procedure of the image retrieval, and a
target image may be efficiently retrieved since the user may freely
set the position of an image starting the retrieval (retrieval
start position indicating the numerical order based on the order of
photographed date) from among all the images to be displayed
(retrieved), that is, since the user may set the image to be
displayed at first in the display areas G1-G4. That is, if the user
recognizes the position of the target image (date and time of
photographing) in all images to a certain extent, a position range,
which has been marked out already, can be retrieved selectively by
setting the retrieval start position according to the recognized
position, and the target image can be reached quickly.
[0047] Since the embodiment sets a plurality of retrieval start
positions, and may individually display images differing in
retrieval start positions in a plurality of display areas in the
screen, the embodiment may simultaneously retrieve a plurality of
position ranges which have been marked out already. While plural
settable (selectable) retrieval start positions (display areas) are
set in the embodiment, they may only be one retrieval start
position (display area); but even in this case, the intention of
the user may be reflected to the procedure in the image retrieval
and the target image may be efficiently retrieved.
[0048] In the embodiment, not only plural retrieval start positions
can be set, but also the number of the retrieval start positions,
that is, the number of the display areas can be changed if
necessary. Therefore, for example, when the number of images to be
displayed which are recorded in the memory card 18 is very large, a
retrieval rate can be increased if the number of the retrieval
start positions (display areas) is increased. When the user marks
the positions of images to be targeted among all the images out
accurately so that the retrieval range may be limited to a narrow
range, the individual images can be easily seen if the number of
the retrieval start positions (display areas) is decreased and each
display area (display size of each image) is enlarged.
[0049] Further, in the embodiment, since the user can freely set
the frame-by-frame playback order in each display area, the user
can efficiently retrieve the target image. More specifically, as
mentioned above, if the user has recognized the position range
(date and time, etc., of photographing) of the target image to a
certain extent, the user sets the head and the end of the position
range to the retrieval start positions respectively, as shown in
FIGS. 4B and 4C, and the frame-by-frame playback order in the
display area (upper right and lower right in examples of FIGS. 4B
and 4D), in which the retrieval start positions on the head side is
set, is set to the reverse chronological order of photographed
date, and also the frame-by-frame playback order in the display
area (upper left and lower left in examples of FIGS. 4B and 4D), in
which the retrieval start position on the end side is set, is set
to the chronological order of photographed date. Then, the
retrieval range can be gradually narrowed from both of the head and
the end, and the target image can be retrieved in a pincer manner.
Hereinafter, this retrieval is referred to as pincer retrieval.
FIG. 6 shows a schematic view showing the pincer retrieval when the
setting of the number of images to be displayed simultaneously, the
retrieval start positions, and the frame-by-frame playback order
are exemplified in FIGS. 4A-4D.
[0050] Moreover, in the embodiment, since the position display bar
201 and the display pointer 202 indicating the retrieval position
of each displayed image are displayed in the respective display
areas G1-G4, the user can intuitively recognize the present
retrieval position based on the position of the display pointer 202
on the position display bar 201.
[0051] In the embodiment, although the user may set the
frame-by-frame playback order for each display area, and perform
the pincer retrieve if necessary, the following configuration may
be also usable. For instance, on the assumption that the digital
camera 1 performs the pincer retrieval, the number of the settable
images is limited to an even number. Thereby, the user sets the
head of the retrieval range as a retrieval start position of one of
a pair of display areas, and sets the end of the retrieval range as
a retrieval start position of the other of the pair of the display
areas. The frame-by-frame playback order of the one of the pair of
the display areas with the head of the retrieval range being set as
the retrieval start position is fixed to the chronological order of
photographed date, the frame-by-frame playback order of the other
of the pair of the display areas with the end of the retrieval
range being set as the retrieval start position is fixed to the
reverse chronological order of photographed date.
[0052] In the embodiment, although the frame-by-frame playback
order of the display image is restricted only in one direction
according to the preset order of the frame-by-frame playback, the
invention may be configured to enable the user to advance one image
at a time in an inverse direction to the frame-by-frame playback
order preset by the user through prescribed key operations if
necessary. Further, the invention may be configured to
automatically conduct the frame-by-frame playback of the display
image in each display area, regardless of the presence or absence
of the frame-by-frame playback instruction by the user, for each
fixed time interval.
Modified Embodiment
[0053] Hereinafter, a modified embodiment in which the retrieval
start positions are settable at two points will be described. For
instance, if the pincer retrieval is performed, the user sets two
points on the head side and the end side in the retrieval range as
the retrieval start positions, and the frame-by-frame playback
order for each display area is fixed, and if the user sets the two
points of the retrieval start positions regardless of a retrieval
method and arbitrarily sets the frame-by-frame playback order for
each display area, the CPU 12 may conduct the following processing
in a retrieval display mode, after the user sets the retrieval
start positions and the frame-by-frame playback order.
[0054] Firstly, after setting the retrieval start positions and the
frame-by-frame playback order, the CPU 12 makes the display screen
of the LCD monitor 3 perform the processing for displaying the
images corresponding to the set retrieval start positions in the
display form shown in FIG. 7A. That is, the display screen of the
LCD monitor 3 includes a first display area G11 with a relatively
large area, and a second display area G12 composed of a main area
G12a and two sub-areas G12b, G12c forming a line at the right and
left sides of the main area G12a. The main area G12a and the two
sub-areas G12b, G12c are smaller than the area G11 respectively.
The CPU 12 displays an image corresponding to one retrieval start
position of the head side, etc., in the retrieval range in the
first display area G11. At the same time, the CPU 12 displays an
image corresponding to the other retrieval start position on the
end side, etc., in the retrieval range in the main area G12a of the
second display area G12, displays a first image in the sub-area
G12b on the left side of the main area G12a, the first image
preceding the image displayed in the main area G12a and displays a
second image in the sub-area G12c on the right side of the main
area G12a, the second image succeeding the image displayed in the
main area G12a.
[0055] When detecting the key operation of the frame-by-frame
playback instruction by the user, the CPU 12 maintains the shown
display form, and changes each image in the first display area G11
and the second display area G12 into images preceding and
succeeding each image. That is, the CPU 12 scrolls each image of
three images by one frame in the second display area G12.
[0056] Further, when the CPU 12 detects the key operation of the
image switching instruction by the user, the CPU 12 displays the
image displayed in the first display area G11 in the main area G12a
of the second display area 12, displays new images, preceding and
succeeding the image displayed in the main area G12a, in the
sub-areas G12b, G12c, and displays the image which has been
displayed in the main area G12a, in the first display area G11.
After this, the CPU 12 repeats the foregoing processing in response
to the frame-by-frame playback or image switching instruction by
the user. That is, if the user inputs image switching instruction
in the state shown in FIG. 7B, the CPU 12 returns to the state
shown in FIG. 7A.
[0057] During the display of images in the foregoing display form,
similarly to the aforementioned embodiments, since the CPU 12
executes the image selection processing, the user can select either
the image in the first display area G11 or the image in the main
area G12a of the second display area G12. When the CPU 12 detects
the key operation of the image specifying instruction by the user,
the CPU 12 may display the specified image in the full screen. The
CPU 12 may enable the user to input only the setting change
instruction or the retrieval end instruction.
[0058] Even in the modified embodiment, when the user retrieves the
target image by seeing a plurality of images, since the user may
freely set the retrieval start position, the user may reflect
his/her intention to the procedure of the image retrieval, and may
efficiently retrieve the target image. Since the user may
simultaneously retrieve two position ranges with marks put thereto,
and may perform the pincer retrieval, the user may efficiently
retrieve the target image.
[0059] When a plurality of images are displayed in the foregoing
display form, even if the user only sets one position and not two
positions for the retrieval start position, and the user fixes the
order of the frame-by-frame playback in the first display area G11
and the second display area G12 in reverse order, since two
different position ranges may be retrieved simultaneously, the
target image can be efficiently retrieved.
[0060] While the given explanation has described the case where the
order of the frame-by-frame playback display order of the images on
the monitor 3 is the standard photographing order, the invention is
not limited to such a case, and another case may be adopted as the
standard of the order of the frame-by-frame playback, and a
combination of a plurality of standards may be adopted. As regards
another standard, for example, a name of a file of image data or a
data size of an image can be used.
[0061] While the invention has been described in the case for use
in a digital camera, the invention may be applied to other camera
devices such as a digital video camera and a cellular phone with a
camera and an arbitrary image display apparatus such as a personal
computer as long as a device has an image display function. In such
a case, images to be displayed (to be retrieved) are not limited to
images which are always captured by photographing, and other images
can be used.
[0062] According to the invention, when retrieving the target image
by seeing a plurality of images, even if a large quantity of images
need to be retrieved, efficient image retrieval may be
achieved.
[0063] While the description above refers to particular embodiments
of the present invention, it will be understood that many
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such
modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the
present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are
therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all
changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. For
example, the present invention can be practiced as a computer
readable recording medium in which a program for allowing the
computer to function as predetermined means, allowing the computer
to realize a predetermined function, or allowing the computer to
conduct predetermined means.
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