Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-14
2002-09-03
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C348S207110, C348S333050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445412
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention is related to a digital camera, and more specifically, directed to a highspeed image selecting method and a digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function, by which an enlarged thumbnail image is fed in fast-forward/fast-backward modes when an image is displayed on a display unit such as a liquid crystal display.
Very recently, digital cameras (electronic still image cameras) have been developed, and are commercially available, and thus are gradually popularized.
A digital camera is arranged as follows. Imaging (photographing) light is photoelectrically converted into image data, and this image data is recorded on a recording medium, and thereafter is outputted to an external image processing apparatus, for instance, a personal computer. Then, the image data is processed by way of a printing image data forming process in the external image processing apparatus, and then the formed printing image data is outputted to a printer, so that a photographed image is printed/reproduced on a print paper.
It should be noted that the most digital cameras are equipped with liquid crystal displays (LCD) for displaying photographed images and the like. On the other hand, image data acquired by photoelectric converting operation are compression-processed to be recorded on recording media. Normally, the compression process operation is carried out based on the JPEG (Joint Photographic Image Coding Experts Group) standard (will be referred to as “JPEG compression” hereinafter).
In the case that an image is selected on the side of a personal computer, a plurality of thumbnail images are previously acquired to be displayed on a monitor, and a user selects a desirable image. Then, the selected image data is acquired from a digital camera to be expanded, and the expanded image is displayed on the monitor. After this expanded image is confirmed by the user, this image is processed by executing a color printing image data forming process, and then this processed image is printed out by a printer connected to the personal computer.
A thumbnail image corresponds to a compressed image which is used when a desirable image is selected from image data acquired by a personal computer and the like. Assuming now that a data size (namely memory capacity) of image data for 1 frame is equal to 1,024×768 pixels, a thumbnail image corresponding to this 1-frame image is such a compressed image having approximately 86×60 pixels by thinning image data from this 1-frame image data. Then the thumbnail image is recorded on a recording medium of a digital camera.
In such a system that a digital camera is connected to a communication line and a wireless (radio) unit such as a portable telephone so as to transmit desirable image data via either a wire line or a wireless line, and/or in order to directly transmit printing image data from the digital camera to a printer to be printed out, this system should be arranged in a manner that the images are reproduced on a liquid crystal display on the side of the digital camera so as to select a desirable image.
However, since the image data have been JPEG-compressed to be stored in the recording medium, these JPEG-compressed image data stored in this recording medium should be read out and then be expanded, and thereafter be extended over a frame memory in order to reproduce/display the images on the liquid crystal display.
When expanding means for compressed data is constituted by a hardware circuit, expanding/extending process time of these compressed data may be shortened. However, in popularized digital cameras, expanding means are normally arranged in a program form (will be referred to as an “expanding program” hereinafter) so as to reduce product cost. In such popularized digital cameras, 2 to 3 seconds are necessarily required to expand a 1-frame image (1,024×768 pixels) which has been JPEG-compressed by using this expanding program.
As a result, there is a problem that users have such feelings that image display time would be prolonged. Moreover, when a desirable image is selected, image data must be sequentially read out to be displayed. Under such a circumstance, if a desirable image is stored in a later order, then a long time duration is actually required in order to select this desirable image. Thus, there is a further problem that such a lengthy access time is practically inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and therefore, has an object to provide a highspeed image selecting method, and also a digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function, capable of enlarging a thumbnail image to feed the enlarged thumbnail image in a fast mode.
To achieve objects, a highspeed image selecting method, according to a first aspect of the present invention, is featured by such a highspeed image selecting method for selecting an image photographed by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: enlarging and feeding the enlarged thumbnail images sequentially in fast-forward/fast-backward modes to be sequentially displayed; and when a desirable thumbnail image is selected from the enlarged thumbnail images under display, extending compression image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail image so as to acquire image data.
In this first aspect, the thumbnail image is fed in the fast-forward/fast-backward modes to be displayed in a high speed. After a desirable thumbnail image is selected, the compressed image data is expanded, so that the image can be selected in a high speed.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in the highspeed image selecting method of the first aspect, the enlarged thumbnail images are indexed, and then the enlarged thumbnail images with the indexes are sequentially fed in the fast-forward/fast-backward modes to be sequentially displayed.
In this second aspect, the thumbnail images with the indexes are enlarged and the enlarged thumbnail images are fed in the fast-forward/fast-backward modes, so that the image can be further easily selected.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function is featured by that in a digital camera for recording on a recording medium, image data produced by photoelectrically converting photographing light and thumbnail image data thereof, a digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function, comprising: a display unit for displaying an image; data expanding means for expanding compressed image data; thumbnail enlarged image display means for enlarging thumbnail image data and for displaying the enlarged thumbnail image data on the display unit; thumbnail image selecting means for feeding the enlarged thumbnail image under display in fast-forward/fast-backward modes to select a desirable thumbnail image; image display means for displaying image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail image on the display unit; and selection image defining means for defining the displayed image as a selection image.
In this third aspect, the thumbnail image is fed in the fast-forward/fast-backward modes to be displayed in a high speed. After a desirable thumbnail image is selected, the compressed image data is expanded, so that the image can be selected in a high speed.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, a digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function is featured by that the fast-forward/fast-backward feeding operations of the enlarged thumbnail image by the thumbnail image selecting means are commenced by executing a predetermined switch operation.
In accordance with the fourth aspect, the enlarging process and the fast-forward/fast-backward feeding operations of the thumbnail image can be readily realized by a predetermined switch operation, so that the thumbnail images can be selected in a high speed.
A digital camera equipped with a highspeed image selecting function according to a fifth aspect of the present
Garber Wendy R.
Nguyen Luong
LandOfFree
Highspeed image selecting method and digital camera having... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Highspeed image selecting method and digital camera having..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Highspeed image selecting method and digital camera having... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2822232