JP2002314946A - Image reproducing apparatus and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reproducing apparatus capable of making the center positions of two images to be reproduced (main image and thumbnail image) coincide each other to display the images. SOLUTION: A digital still camera 10 makes the center positions of the two images coincide by a control microcomputer 16 to display the images on an image displaying section 13. For this purpose, the microcomputer 16 determines the center positions of these two images first. Then, a magnified image of the thumbnail image is displayed on the section 13. Subsequently, the main image is magnified on the section 13 so that the center of the main image is positioned at the same position as the center of the magnified image of the thumbnail image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus and an image reproducing method for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to improve the speed of checking a reproduced image, a sub-image or a thumbnail image, which is created from the same image as a main image and has a small image size, is first expanded / compressed.
It has been performed that the main image is expanded during the reproduction, and the main image is reproduced as soon as it is ready.

[0003]

However, it is not guaranteed that the center positions of the two display images coincide with each other. Depending on the processing method, the center positions of the images are shifted, and the position of the image is not changed when switching to the main image. In some cases, discontinuities occurred.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image reproducing apparatus and an image reproducing method capable of displaying two images to be reproduced with their center positions aligned. .

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image reproducing apparatus for displaying two images having different sizes in order to solve the above-mentioned problem. An image display unit, a display storage unit for temporarily storing data of an image to be displayed on the image display unit, and the display storage unit on the image display unit by matching the center positions of the two images. And control means for displaying the information through the control unit.

This image reproducing apparatus has a resolution conversion means for converting the sizes of the two images having different sizes into the same size.

Here, the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image.

The control means obtains the center positions of the two images, aligns the respective center positions, and causes the image display means to continuously display the two images via the display storage means.

The control means converts an auxiliary image smaller than the main image created from the same image and the main image to the same size by the resolution conversion means,
The center position is made coincident, and the auxiliary display is continuously reproduced and displayed on the image display means so that the auxiliary image comes earlier in time.

The control means calculates a center of a first image of the two images so as to match a center position of a display screen on the image display means, and causes the image display means to display the center. The image is displayed on the image display means while calculating the center of the second image so as to match the center position of the display screen.

Also at this time, the control means converts the auxiliary image smaller in size than the main image created from the same image and the main image to the same size by the resolution converting means, And the image is displayed continuously on the image display means so that the auxiliary image comes earlier in time.

In order to solve the above problem, an image reproducing method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in an image reproducing method for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes, the sizes of the two images having different sizes are set to the same size. A resolution conversion step of converting, a center position matching step of matching the center positions of the two images converted to the same size in the resolution conversion step, and a first center position matched in the center position matching step.
A first image display step of displaying the image on the image display device;
A second image display step of displaying, on an image display device, a second image whose center position has been matched in the center position matching step.

Here, the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image.

The image reproducing method according to the present invention is a method for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes, wherein a resolution converting step of converting the sizes of the two images having different sizes into the same size. A first calculation step of calculating a center of a first image of the two images converted into the same size in the resolution conversion step so as to match a center position of a display screen on an image display means; A first image display step of displaying the first image on image display means by aligning a center of the first image calculated in the first calculation step with a center position of the display screen, and the resolution conversion step A second calculation step of calculating the center of the second image of the two images converted into the same size so as to match the center position of the display screen on the image display means, and the second calculation step Before calculated by And a second image display step of displaying on the image display means the second image to match the center of the second image to the central position of the display screen.

Here, the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the image reproducing apparatus and the image reproducing method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

This embodiment incorporates an image reproducing apparatus for reproducing image data from a recording medium for storing image data according to the image reproducing method of the present invention and displaying the image data on an image display unit.
This is a digital still camera 10 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, a digital still camera 10 is shown.
An image processing circuit 12 for performing image processing such as image compression processing and image decompression processing on a video from a lens & CCD section 11 described later; an image display section 13 for displaying an image processed by the image processing circuit 12; DRA which is a display storage unit for temporarily storing image data to be displayed on the image display unit 13
M14, a resolution conversion device 15 for performing resolution conversion processing on an auxiliary image and a main image described later, and main image data and auxiliary image data from a memory card 18 serving as a recording medium for storing image data. Control microcomputer to be displayed (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) 16
And The image processing circuit 12, the image display unit 13, the DRAM 14, the resolution conversion device 15, and the control microcomputer 16 constitute an image reproduction device.

The digital still camera 10 includes, in addition to the components constituting the image reproducing apparatus, a lens & CCD unit 11 for capturing an image of a subject, and a memory card controller 17 for controlling a writing and reading process for a memory card 18. ing.

The image display unit 13 is, for example, 640 × 480
It is a built-in liquid crystal panel having a display range of the size of a pixel. Further, any device capable of displaying an image, such as an EVF or an externally connected television monitor, may be used.

The memory card 18 is a removable medium, and stores a thumbnail image and a main image obtained from the same subject as an image data file.

The DRAM 14 temporarily stores image data to be displayed on the image display unit 13. Memory card 1
8, the header portion including the thumbnail image read out by the reading control of the control microcomputer 16 described later and the remaining portion including the main image are also read out here, but at different timings.

When the thumbnail image or the main image is a compressed image, the image processing circuit 12 expands the thumbnail image and the main image under the control of the control microcomputer 16.

The resolution converter 15 enlarges the thumbnail image to a predetermined size and converts the resolution of the main image.

When the control microcomputer 16 receives an image reproduction request from the user, the control microcomputer 16 reads a header portion including a thumbnail image (shown in FIG. 2A) in the image data file from the memory card 18 to the DRAM 14, and performs image processing. After being expanded by the circuit 12, it is converted to a predetermined size by the resolution converter 15 and displayed on the image display unit 13 as shown in FIG. Then, the image data is expanded by the image processing circuit 12, then converted to a predetermined size by the resolution conversion device 15, and displayed on the image display unit 13 as shown in FIG. Details of the control microcomputer 16 and the image data file will be described later.

Next, the appearance of the digital still camera 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the front side, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the rear side.

The digital still camera 10 has a photographing unit 101 mounted on an upper part of a camera body 100 so as to be rotatable in the front and rear and rear directions. In the camera body 100, the image reproducing device is built in, and a memory card 18 is stored so as to be able to be inserted and removed.
Are arranged. Further, a lens unit 11a and a flash unit 102 are arranged in the photographing unit 101 at a required interval in the horizontal direction. Bottom 1 of camera body 100
03, an insertion opening 104 for loading the memory card 18 is formed, and the insertion circuit 104 is covered by a lid 105.

Next, the general operation of the digital still camera 10 will be described. The image of the subject is a lens &
The image is taken in through the CCD unit 11, subjected to predetermined image processing by the image processing circuit 12, and displayed on the image display unit 13.

When the photographer presses the shutter button SB, the image picked up by the lens & CCD unit 11 is stored in the DRAM 14 through the image processing circuit 12. Next, if necessary, the image is converted into a target image size by the resolution conversion device 15 and stored again in the DRAM 14, subjected to a compression process or the like by the image processing device 12, and stored in a different area of the DRAM 14.

Further, necessary information such as a header is added by the control microcomputer 16 and recorded on the memory card 18 via the memory card controller 17. Here, the recording medium is not limited to a memory card, but may be any recording medium such as a built-in memory.

When a request for reproduction is issued, the image data recorded on the memory card 18 is read out via the memory card controller 17 and stored in the DRAM 14.

Thereafter, necessary information such as a header is read by the control microcomputer 16, expanded by the image processing device 12, and stored in a different area of the DRAM 14. Further, if necessary, the image is converted into a size of an image to be displayed by the resolution conversion device 105, and the image processing circuit 1
After the processing in step 2, the image is displayed on the image display unit 13.

Next, an image photographed by the digital still camera is recorded in the memory card 17 in advance as an Exif 2.1 format JPEG image file, and two images having different sizes are continuously reproduced from the memory card 17. The operation of the digital still camera when performing the operation will be described.

The thumbnail image of 160 × 120 pixels shown in FIG.
2B, the main image is enlarged by the resolution converter 15 as shown in FIG. 2C, and the thumbnail image shown in FIG. 2B is enlarged and displayed. Are displayed on the image display unit 13 so as to be continuous.

Here, the digital still camera 10 uses the control microcomputer 16 to cause the image display unit 13 to display the two images so that the center positions of the two images match.

For this reason, the control microcomputer 16 matches the center positions of the two images according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the resolution conversion device 15
Assume that the thumbnail image and the main image have been converted to the same size.

First, in step S41, the center position of two images is obtained. Then, an enlarged image of the thumbnail image is displayed on the image display unit 13 (step S42).

Next, the main image is enlarged on the image display section 13 so that the center of the enlarged image of the thumbnail image is located at the same position as the center (step S43).

As a result, it is guaranteed that the two images are displayed on the image display unit 13 with their center positions matched.
Therefore, the center position of the image does not shift.

The control microcomputer 16 may match the center positions of the two images according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the thumbnail image and the main image have already been converted to the same size by the resolution conversion device 15.

First, in step S51, an enlarged image of a thumbnail image is displayed on the image display unit 13 by the image processing circuit 12 while calculating the center position so as to match the center position of the display screen. Similarly, the center position of the main image is calculated so as to match the center position of the display screen, and the image is displayed on the image display unit 13 by the image processing circuit 12 (step S52).

As a result, it is guaranteed that the two images are displayed on the image display unit 13 with their center positions matched.
Therefore, the center position of the image does not shift.

Next, FIG. 7 shows the basic structure of a JPEG image data file. The image data file contains an application file immediately after the SOI marker indicating the beginning of the file.
Marker segment APP1 is inserted. The inside of the application marker segment APP1 includes an APP1 marker (Maker), APP1Length, an Exif identification code, additional information, and a header portion.

The attached information has a TIFF structure including a file header, and can record up to two IFDs (0th IFD, 1th IFD). The 0th IFD records additional information about the compressed image (main image). Thumbnail images can be recorded in the 1st IFD.

FIG. 8 shows a flow of a reproducing process for reading out and executing the JPEG image data file from the memory card 18 storing the JPEG image data file when a reproduction request is received from the user.

When a reproduction request is received, a part of the image data file whose format is shown in FIG. 8 is read from the memory card 18 from the beginning (step S1).
The marker (Maker) of P1) is searched (step S2). If the marker exists (YES), the number of bytes of the marker described immediately after the marker is obtained (step S3). AP
As shown in FIG. 2, P1 includes a header portion such as an Exif identification code, attached information, and thumbnail image data.

Next, the acquired data for the number of bytes of APP1 is read from the memory card 18 and stored in the DRAM 14 (step S4). As shown in FIG. 7, if the file is a JPEG compressed file according to the Exif format, the image size of the main image can be obtained from the header information included in APP1. That is, in the 0th IFD of the APP1, additional information regarding the compressed main image is recorded, and the size of the main image can be obtained from this (step S5).

If the size of the acquired main image is reproducible (YES in step S6), the flow proceeds to step S8 in FIG. In step S8 in FIG. 9, the thumbnail processing is expanded by the image processing circuit 12, and D
It is stored in another area on the RAM 14. After that, in step S9, the enlargement process is performed by the resolution conversion device 15,
It is displayed on the image display unit 13 in step S10.

Thereafter, the image data including the main image data is read from the memory card 18 and recorded in the DRAM 14 (step S11), the main image is expanded by the image processing circuit 12, and stored in another area on the DRAM 14. Is performed (step S12).

Then, the image is converted into a display image size by the resolution conversion device 15 (step S13) and displayed on the image display device 103 (step S14).

However, when the marker of APP1 cannot be acquired (NO in step S2 of FIG. 8), or when the acquired main image has an unreproducible image size (FIG. 8). In step S6 (NO), the process proceeds to the main image reproduction process without performing the thumbnail enlargement process (step S7).

As described above, the digital still camera 10 reads a part of the image file including the thumbnail image from the memory card 18 first when reproducing the JPEG image accompanied by the thumbnail image, and By performing the enlargement process and displaying the image on the image display unit 13, then reading the data including the main image, performing the expansion / resolution conversion process, and displaying the image on the image display unit 13, the time until image display can be reduced.

At this time, the digital still camera 10
As described with reference to FIG. 5, the main image is enlarged on the image display unit 13 so that the center of the enlarged image of the thumbnail image is located at the same position as the center.

As a result, it is guaranteed that the two images are displayed on the image display unit 13 with their center positions matched.
Therefore, the center position of the image does not shift.

The digital still camera 10 is similar to that of FIG.
The center positions of the two images are matched according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Thereby, it is guaranteed that the two images are displayed on the image display unit 13 with their center positions matched. Therefore, the center position of the image does not shift.

That is, the digital still camera 10
Reduces the time required for image data to be expanded and displayed by expanding and displaying the thumbnail image first.However, even when reading image file data from a recording medium, By dividing and reading, the time until display can be further reduced. Then, the center positions of the two images are matched, and the center positions of the images are not shifted.

Next, several modified examples of the operation when the digital still camera 10 displays the two images on the image display unit 13 will be described. In any of the modifications, the configuration is as shown in FIG. 1, and the description of the configuration is omitted here.

First, the operation of the first modification will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. This first modification is different from Step S2
There is a marker (YES), and the processing to be continued after acquiring the number of bytes of the marker described immediately after in step S3 is different.

That is, in step S4 ', the number of bytes obtained by adding the fixed number of bytes α in APP1 is read from the memory card and stored in the DRAM 14. By adding the fixed number of bytes α and reading data from the memory card so as to include the frame header SOF of the JPEG file of the main image, the image size of the main image described in the SOF can be obtained.

The processing after step S5 is the same as the processing shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and will not be described here.

Therefore, also in the first modified example, when playing back a JPEG image accompanied by a thumbnail image, a part of the image file including the thumbnail image is first read from the memory card 18 and the expansion / enlargement processing is performed. Then, the data including the main image is read out, the data including the main image is read out, and the image data is subjected to decompression / resolution conversion processing and displayed on the image display unit 13, so that the time until image display can be reduced.

As described with reference to FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the main image is enlarged on the image display section 13 so that the center of the enlarged image of the thumbnail image is located at the same position.

Next, a second modification will be described with reference to FIG. This second modified example is different from the subsequent processing when a marker cannot be obtained in step S2 (NO).

If the marker for APP1 cannot be obtained (NO in step S2), the flow advances to step S16 to read out a specified amount of data including the header. If there is a rule that the head portion is contained within a certain fixed range, the fixed number of bytes is read from the memory card 18 and
It is stored on the RAM 14. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the processes after step S5 shown in FIGS.

Therefore, also in the second modification, when a JPEG image with a thumbnail image is reproduced, a part of the image file including the thumbnail image is first read from the memory card 18 to perform the expansion / enlargement processing. Then, the data including the main image is read out, the data including the main image is read out, and the image data is subjected to decompression / resolution conversion processing and displayed on the image display unit 13, so that the time until image display can be reduced.

As described with reference to FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the main image is enlarged on the image display section 13 so that the center of the enlarged image of the thumbnail image is located at the same position.

In the above description, a digital still camera is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to any device that reproduces an image.

[0068]

According to the present invention, if it is possible to display the two images to be reproduced with their center positions aligned, for example, a thumbnail image may be displayed in order to confirm the displayed image and reduce the reproduction waiting time. For example, when the enlarged image is displayed first, and then the actual image is converted to the display size and then displayed, the discontinuity is less noticeable at the time of image switching, and smooth switching is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital still camera to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an operation of displaying two images continuously by the digital still camera.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the digital still camera.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the digital still camera.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an image reproduction process according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an image reproduction process according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a basic structure of a JPEG image data file.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the digital still camera.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the digital still camera.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a first modification of the digital still camera.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a second modification of the digital still camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 digital still camera, 12 image processing circuit,
13 image display device, 14 DRAM, 15 resolution conversion device, 16 control microcomputer, 17 memory card

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H04N 5/262 H04N 5/93 C 5C053 5/91 5/91 J // H04N 101: 00 G06K 19/00 Q F term (Reference) 2H054 AA01 2H102 BA21 BB08 CA34 5B035 BB09 BC00 5C022 AA13 AC03 AC42 AC54 AC69 5C023 AA02 AA13 AA14 AA21 CA01 DA04 5C053 FA08 FA27 GA11 GB06 GB36 HA33 KA01 KA24 LA02 LA06

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An image reproducing apparatus for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes, an image display means for displaying the two images, and temporarily storing data of an image to be displayed on the image display means. An image reproducing apparatus, comprising: a display storage unit that performs a display operation; and a control unit that causes the image display unit to display a center position of the two images through the display storage unit. 2. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a resolution conversion unit configured to convert the sizes of the two images having different sizes into the same size. 3. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image. 4. The control means determines a center position of the two images, aligns the respective center positions, and causes the image display means to continuously display the two images via the display storage means. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein 5. The control means converts the auxiliary image smaller in size than the main image created from the same image and the main image to the same size by the resolution conversion means, and makes the center positions coincide with each other. 5. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the auxiliary image is continuously reproduced and displayed on the image display means such that the auxiliary image comes earlier in time. 6. The control means calculates a center of a first image of the two images so as to match a center position of a display screen on the image display means, and causes the image display means to display the center. 4. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image display unit displays the image while calculating the center of the second image so as to match the center position of the display screen. 7. The resolution conversion means converts the auxiliary image smaller in size than the main image created from the same image and the main image into the same size by the resolution conversion means, and makes the center positions coincide. 7. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary image is continuously reproduced and displayed on the image display means such that the auxiliary image comes earlier in time. 8. An image reproducing method for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes, comprising: a resolution converting step of converting the sizes of the two images having different sizes into the same size; A center position matching step of matching the center positions of the two converted images; a first image display step of displaying a first image whose center position has been matched in the center position matching step on an image display device; A second image display step of displaying, on an image display device, a second image whose center position has been matched in the center position matching step. 9. The image reproducing method according to claim 8, wherein the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image. 10. An image reproducing method for continuously reproducing two images having different sizes, wherein: a resolution converting step of converting the sizes of the two images having different sizes into the same size; A first calculation step of calculating the center of the first image of the two converted images so as to match the center position of the display screen on the image display means; and A first image display step of displaying the first image on image display means by aligning the center of the first image with the center position of the display screen; and the second image converted to the same size in the resolution conversion step. A second calculation step of calculating the center of the second image of the two images so as to match the center position of the display screen on the image display means; and the second image calculated in the second calculation step Display the center of the above Image playback method characterized by comprising a second image display step of displaying the second image in accordance with the center position of the surface on the image display unit. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the two images having different sizes are two images created from the same image.