Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-29
2004-10-05
Coles, Edward (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
C358S001180, C358S527000, C358S471000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06801327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a filing system and method for recording digital image data, which have been obtained from an input medium such as photographic film, printed matter or a memory card, on an output recording medium such as a floppy disk or optical disk, as well as to a reproduction apparatus and method for reproducing an image represented by digital image data that have been stored on a recording medium created by this filing system.
The invention relates further to a filing system and method for filing image data on a recording medium on which, by specifying a name, data managed in accordance with the name designated can be accessed, a reproduction apparatus and method for reading and outputting image data that have been recorded on such a recording medium, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling a computer so as to accomplish this.
2. Description of the Related Art
The digitization of a variety of information and the preservation of such information by recording it on various recording media have been realized by the popularization of computers and devices that utilize them. Image information is no exception. There is growing need for a system capable of reading, by way of a scanner, images that appear on photographic film, photographs, printed manner and the like, converting the read images to digital image data and recording these data on a recording medium such as an optical disk.
Such a system would, in its simplest form, reproduce image data either by merely displaying or printing the images represented by the image data recorded on the recording medium.
Since image data representing a large number of images can be recorded on a large-capacity recording medium such as an optical disk, situations can arise in which a variety of images are mixed, examples of such images being images of photographs taken on holidays, pictures taken at entrance ceremonies and pictures taken when traveling. From the standpoint of organization, there is a need to collectively display or print images of the same category.
The recording of image data on a high-density recording medium can be carried out by a user employing his or her own personal computer or by employing a special-purpose image-data recording apparatus installed in a photo processing laboratory or the like. Further, using a personal computer, the user can add indicia such as characters or pictures to images represented by image data that have been recorded on the high-density recording medium, thereby making it possible to create one's own personal collection of images.
In a case where images thus created are printed, one's own printer is connected to the personal computer. The printer is activated by the personal computer and is used to print the images. In general, however, printers owned by ordinary users are low in cost and therefore the quality of the prints they produce is low. In order to realize high-quality printing of images, a special-purpose printing apparatus installed in a photo processing laboratory must be used.
On the other hand, in situation where the user records images on a high-density recording medium using his or her own personal computer, the usual practice is for the user to assign a desired directory name. Consequently, in order for images represented by image data that have been recorded on the high-density recording medium to be printed using a special-purpose printing apparatus located in a photo processing laboratory, it is required that a clerk at the laboratory search for the particular directory name. Accordingly, printing cannot be performed in rapid fashion. In addition, the user records the image data on the high-density recording medium in a desired format. This means that the recording formats of individual users must be dealt with in order to carry out the high-quality printing of images represented by image data, which have been recorded on the high-density recording medium, using a special-purpose printing apparatus located in a photo processing laboratory or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to collectively store images of the same category, or to collectively display or print images of the same category in correlated fashion, in a filing system for recording image data, which represent images that appear on photographic film, photographs or printed matter, on a recording medium such as an optical disk, and for reproducing the image data as necessary.
Another object of the present invention is to print, at high speed and quality, images created by a user.
A filing system according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises an image data input unit for entering image data representing an image, a mount image data memory in which mount image data, which represent images of plural types of mounts on which images represented by the image data entered by the image data input unit are to be pasted, have been stored in advance, a mount image selecting unit for selecting a desired mount image from the mount images represented by the mount image data that have been stored in the mount image data memory, and a memory control unit for storing the image data, which have been entered from the image data input unit, and the mount image data, which represent the image of the mount selected by the mount image selecting unit, on a portable storage medium in correlated form.
The first aspect of the invention provides a filing method as well. Specifically, a filing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of entering image data representing an image, storing, in advance, mount image data, which represent images of plural types of mounts on which images represented by the entered image data are to be pasted, selecting a desired mount image from the mount images represented by the mount image data that have been stored in advance, and storing the entered image data and the mount image data, which represent the image of the selected mount, on a portable storage medium in correlated form.
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the image data and the mount image data are correlated and stored on the portable storage medium. The image data and mount image data that have been correlated with each other and stored on the portable storage medium are reproduced by the reproduction apparatus or reproduction method described below.
The reproduction apparatus comprises a readout unit for reading out the image data and mount image data that have been stored on the portable storage medium, and a synthesizing unit for synthesizing and outputting data representing a virtual album image obtained by pasting an image, which is represented by the image data that have been read out by the readout unit, on the mount image represented by the mount image data read out by the readout unit.
The reproduction method comprises the steps of reading out the image data and mount image data that have been stored on the portable storage medium, and synthesizing data representing a virtual album image obtained by pasting an image, which is represented by the image data that have been read out, on the mount image represented by the mount image data that have been read out.
In a case where the image data of a plurality of images are correlated with mount image data of a single mount image, data representing a virtual album image obtained by pasting the plurality of images on a single mount image are synthesized.
The virtual album image is eventually outputted by being displayed on a display unit or printed using a printer.
It should be noted that the term “virtual album image” conceptually covers both an instance in which the virtual album image is composed of a single mount image and one or a plurality of images combined with the mount image, and an instance in which the virtual album image is composed of a plurality of mount images (which may be the same or different) and one or a plurality of images combined with each
Haneda Norihisa
Kojima Kenji
Coles Edward
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Pokrzywa Joseph R.
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