JP2003348506A - Image editing apparatus and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image editing apparatus easy to utilize images again by discriminating the presence of a history of a use in the past in thumbnail display on an image selection screen with respect to an image which is used once when it is desired to perform printing for another purpose by using an image in the same image group again after printing using several images in an inputted image. <P>SOLUTION: The image editing apparatus is a system for performing printing, outputting to digital media or uploading to the Internet with or without editing while using the inputted image and has an image manager for managing the inputted image, a used image notification means for notifying the image manager of an image which is used in printing, outputting or uploading and further, a use history display means for showing that the image is used in the past when displaying a thumbnail image of the image having the history of the use in the past. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and a storage medium, and more particularly to an image in a system for performing printing with or without editing using an input image, outputting to a digital medium, or uploading to a network. It concerns display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional silver halide photographic system, a photographic image is formed by directly exposing a film and printing it on a photographic paper. However, in recent years, even in a silver halide photography system, digitization of a film has been performed in an image input section to digitize the film. In addition, digital camera images, images stored in a CD-ROM, etc., such as printing based on images that have been digitized in advance, or output to digital media such as CD-R,
Alternatively, applications such as uploading an image to a Web site on the Internet are spreading.

In such a situation, in a conventional digital image output system, an input image is displayed as a thumbnail on a screen and selected from the images to be printed, or the selected image is arranged in a designed template. Or printing.

[0004]

However, in the conventional system, the display of the thumbnail images is small, it is difficult to distinguish them from similar images, and when it is desired to obtain another output using the same image again, an error occurs. There is a problem that another similar image is selected and output. Such images are not only selected and output, but also include images whose image quality is improved by performing image correction.

[0005] In addition, even if the images are not similar, there is a problem in that it is not possible to know which image was used for output because no distinguishable mark is displayed for the used image. For example, when an image used in an L-size print is enlarged and printed out of the images used in the L-size print, there is a problem that it is difficult to know which image to use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem. After performing print processing using some of the input images, the present invention re-executes the same image group. If you want to use the image for printing for another purpose, for images that have been used once, the thumbnail display on the image selection screen allows you to determine that there is a history of past use, making it easy to reuse images It is an object to provide an editing device and a storage medium.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, an image editing apparatus according to the present invention is used for a thumbnail image of an image used for printing, outputting to digital media, or uploading to a network. It is characterized in that a determination means for indicating that there is a history is provided. As the determination means, the determination can be made by changing the background color of the peripheral portion of the thumbnail display area or adding some mark.

[0008] Further, the number of times of use is displayed.

With respect to such a use history or the number of times of use, an image manager that manages an input image is notified of the use of the image at the time of printing, outputting, or uploading, so that the use history is left. The number of uses is counted based on the number of notifications. The image editing apparatus is characterized in that it operates so that the use history and the number of times of use can be acquired and displayed by making an inquiry to the image manager when displaying the thumbnail.

[0010] The above-mentioned configuration is shown again in the following (1) to (7).

(1) Thumbnail display of the input image,
An image manager that manages input images in a system that selects at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images and prints, outputs to digital media, or uploads to a network after or without editing; Alternatively, a used image notification unit that notifies an image manager of an image used at the time of uploading, and further, when printing, outputting, or displaying a thumbnail image of the image used at the time of uploading,
An image editing apparatus having use history display means for displaying that there is a use history.

(2) Thumbnail display of the input image,
An image manager that manages input images in a system that selects at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images and prints, outputs to digital media, or uploads to a network after or without editing; Or when uploading,
Used image notifying means for notifying the used image to the image manager, and a used history indicating that there is a used history when displaying a thumbnail image of the image used at the time of printing, outputting, or uploading. An image editing device having display means.

(3) The image editing apparatus according to (1), wherein the use history display means displays a use history by changing a color of a frame of a thumbnail image display area or a peripheral background portion.

(4) The image editing apparatus according to (1), wherein the use history display means displays a use history mark around the thumbnail image display area.

(5) The image editing apparatus according to (2), wherein the use count display means displays the use of the image based on a count value of the number of times registered in the image manager when printing, outputting, or uploading.

(6) Thumbnail display of the input image,
An image manager that manages input images in a system that selects at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images and prints, outputs to digital media, or uploads to a network after or without editing; Or when uploading,
Control to notify the used image to the image manager, and to display that there is used history when displaying the thumbnail image of the image used at the time of printing, outputting, or uploading Storage medium having a code to perform.

(7) The input image is displayed as a thumbnail,
An image manager that manages input images in a system that selects at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images and prints, outputs to digital media, or uploads to a network after or without editing; Or when uploading,
Control to notify the used image to the image manager, and to display that there is used history when displaying the thumbnail image of the image used at the time of printing, outputting, or uploading Storage medium having a code to perform.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019]

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of image editing for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention. The image input from the image input device 10 such as a scanner or a digital camera is registered in the image manager 15 under the control of the image input unit 11. Next, the image editing unit 12 reads out the thumbnail images of the images registered in the image manager 15 and displays them on the thumbnail display unit 13. The image editing unit 12 has an editing function (not shown), and performs operations such as selecting an image displayed on the thumbnail display unit 13 on the designed template, arranging the image on the template, and performing color correction. Is possible. Editing such as color correction can be registered in the image manager 15. Next, the print / output / upload processing unit 14 prints the edited result, writes an image on a digital medium such as a CD-R 17 without editing, or uploads an image to the Internet 18. Or At this time, by notifying the image manager 15 of the image used for printing, outputting to digital media, or uploading to the Internet, the history of used images can be left in the image manager 15.

FIG. 2 is an image editing screen for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. A thumbnail image (1, 2, 3,...) 21 of the image input from the input device is displayed on a thumbnail display section 20 arranged on the left side of the screen. In an editing area 22 arranged on the right side of the screen, an image slot (Slot-A, Slot
t-B, Slot-C) 24, and a thumbnail image 21 displayed on the thumbnail display unit 13 is selected and pasted into the image slot 24, so that a photograph is mounted on a mount as a designed template. You can create a photo book that is based on the image on which is pasted. As a method of pasting the thumbnail image 21 to the template 23, the user selects the image slot 24,
Can be pasted by selecting. Alternatively, the thumbnail image 21 can be pasted by dragging and dropping it with a pointing device such as a mouse. Tools for performing various types of image correction are arranged in a toolbar 25 disposed at the lower right of the screen. The image pasted in the image slot 24 is selected, and the image is corrected using a desired image correction tool. It can be performed. The image correction operation performed here is registered in the image manager 15 and operates so as to be reflected at the time of printing.

FIG. 3 is an image editing screen for explaining the use history display according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The screen configuration is as described in FIG. In FIG. 1, when the print / output / upload processing unit 14 performs each process, the image manager 15
Described that the use history is registered by notifying the image used at the time of editing. When the thumbnails of the images in which the usage histories are registered are displayed at the time of the next editing, the thumbnail images (1, 3, 8) 21 of the images in which the histories of the previous use remain remain as background images of the thumbnail images. By displaying the usage history display (background color) 26 by changing the color of the copy, it is possible to determine the image having the usage history.

FIG. 6 is an image editing flowchart for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. The flow of the process will be described according to this flowchart. An image is input in S101, the image input in the image manager 15 is registered in S102, and a thumbnail image 21 of the registered image is displayed on the thumbnail display unit 20 in S103. next,
A desired template is selected from a template selection unit (not shown) and displayed in the editing area 22. Here, as an initial state of the editing area 22, a predetermined default template 24 is displayed. Then S1
At 05, an image is selected from the thumbnail display list and attached to the template 24. When editing operations such as image pasting and image correction are completed, a print instruction is issued in S106. Regarding the print instruction in S106, the CD-R
17 or an upload instruction to the Internet 18.
When a print instruction is given, the image manager 15 is notified of an image to be printed, and is notified that the image has been used. As a result, the usage history of the image is left. When the notification of the use of the image is completed, actual printing is performed in S108, and a series of processing is completed. Here, if it is desired to continue the editing process, the process returns from S109 to the display of the thumbnail images in S103, and the same process is repeated. Here, when displaying the thumbnail image in S103, the usage history display (background color) is performed for the thumbnail image corresponding to the image notified in S107.
26 to indicate that the image has been used in past editing.

FIG. 7 is a thumbnail display flowchart for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. This processing flow is described in S103 of the image editing flowchart in FIG.
In S201, the thumbnail image and the usage history information of the image are acquired from the image manager 15, and in S202, the thumbnail image is displayed and the usage history is displayed as the usage history information of the image (background color). 26 is displayed.

FIG. 8 is an image manager configuration diagram for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. The image manager 15 has image management information 30 for each image, and manages images using this management information. The configuration of the image management information 30 includes an image ID 31 for identifying an image, a thumbnail image file name 3
2. Display image file name 33, print image file name 34
And the number of times of use 35. The entities of the images represented by the thumbnail image file name 32, the display image file name 33, and the print image file name 34 are managed as a thumbnail image 36, a display image 37, and a print image 38 in the form of separate files. Here, the display image 37 is an image used at the time of editing, is composed of an image that is larger in size than the thumbnail image 36 and smaller than the print image 38, and has a size that can be displayed at high speed.

According to the present embodiment, there is an advantage that the selection becomes very easy when the used image is used again to change the background color and display the thumbnail. Also, in general, it is possible to provide a very effective means for responding to requests such as enlarging and printing a favorite photograph out of photographs printed in an L size or the like, or pasting it on a designed template. There are advantages.

[0026]

Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is an image editing screen for explaining the use history display according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration is
This is the same as FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, except that it is possible to determine whether or not the image has been used in the past by the use history display (mark) 27 of the image. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the advantages are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0027]

Third Embodiment FIG. 5 is an image editing screen for explaining the use history display according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration is
This embodiment is the same as FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, but in this embodiment, instead of performing display in which a past used image can be determined,
By showing the number of times the image has been used on the use number display 28, there is an advantage that the use frequency of each image can be known.

Although not described in the above embodiment, the display of the number of times of use is not described in S in the image editing flowchart of FIG.
At 107, when notifying the image to be printed to the image manager 15, not only the image, but also the number of prints, the output to digital media, or the upload is notified. In addition to the number of uses, the number of prints, the number of outputs to digital media,
Alternatively, it is needless to say that information such as the number of uploads to the Internet can be displayed.

[0029]

According to the present invention, when an image is selected from thumbnail-displayed images and used, an image which has been used even once in the past is displayed by displaying a use history or the number of times of use. Among them, it is possible to immediately determine that an image is worthy of use, and it is possible to improve the efficiency of business when used in a business system.
This has the effect of preventing a similar image from being selected by mistake and printed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of image editing for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an image editing screen for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image editing screen for explaining use history display according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image editing screen for explaining use history display according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image editing screen for explaining use history display according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an image editing flowchart for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a thumbnail display flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of an image manager for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Image input device 11 Image input section 12 Image Editing Department 13 Thumbnail display section 14 Print / output / upload processing section 15 Image Manager 16 Printer 17 CD-R 18 Internet 20 Thumbnail display section 21 Thumbnail image 22 Editing area 23 templates 24 image slots 25 Toolbar 26 Usage history display (background color) 27 Usage history display (mark) 28 Usage count display 30 Image management information 31 Image ID 32 Thumbnail image file name 33 Display image file name 34 Print image file name 35 times of use 36 Thumbnail images 37 Display image 38 Print image

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A system for displaying an input image as a thumbnail, selecting at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images, and printing, outputting to a digital medium, or uploading to a network after or without editing. An image manager that manages input images, a used image notification unit that notifies the image manager of images used for printing, outputting, or uploading, and a display of thumbnail images of images used for printing, outputting, or uploading. An image editing apparatus, comprising: a use history display unit for displaying that there is a history of use when performing. 2. A system for displaying input images as thumbnails, selecting at least one image from the displayed thumbnails, and printing or outputting to digital media or editing to a network after or without editing. An image manager that manages input images, a used image notification unit that notifies the image manager of used images when printing, outputting, or uploading, and a thumbnail image display of images used when printing, outputting, or uploading. An image editing apparatus comprising: a use history display unit for displaying that there is a history of use when performing. 3. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the use history display means displays the use history by changing a color of a frame of a thumbnail image display area or a peripheral background portion. 4. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the use history display unit displays a use history mark around the thumbnail image display area. 5. The image editing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the use count display unit displays the use of the image based on a count value of the number of times registered in the image manager when printing, outputting, or uploading. apparatus. 6. A system in which an input image is displayed as a thumbnail, and at least one image is selected from the thumbnail-displayed image and, after or without editing, is printed, output to digital media, or uploaded to a network, An image manager that manages the input images and controls the image manager to notify the used images when printing, outputting, or uploading, and displays the thumbnail images of the images used when printing, outputting, or uploading. A storage medium having a code for performing control to display that a history of use has been made when the operation is performed. 7. A system for displaying an input image as a thumbnail, selecting at least one image from the thumbnail-displayed images, and printing or outputting to a digital medium or uploading to a network after or without editing. An image manager that manages the input images and controls the image manager to notify the used images when printing, outputting, or uploading, and displays the thumbnail images of the images used when printing, outputting, or uploading. A storage medium having a code for performing control to display that a history of use has been made when the operation is performed.