JP2004328711A - Image listing display device, image listing display program and image listing display method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image listing display device, image listing display program and image listing display method in which an image listing can be created while disposing computerized images within a predetermined area at random, and bias in the disposing positions of images can be reduced. <P>SOLUTION: An image listing display device 11 is composed of an image database 12, a selection means 13, a thumbnail image forming means 14, a thumbnail image disposing means 15, an output means 16 and a display means 17. The image database 12 stores computerized images. The selection means 13 selects an image from the image database 12. The thumbnail image forming means 14 forms a thumbnail image from the image selected by the selection means 13. The thumbnail image disposing means 15 disposes N thumbnail images within an image table area at random, and creates an image table. The image listing is outputted by the output means 16 and displayed by the display means 17. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image list display device, an image list display program, and an image list display method for displaying an image list of a plurality of digitized images.

  In recent years, digital cameras and scanners have been widely used. Accordingly, photographs, documents, and the like have been digitized and stored as electronic images. This electronic image has advantages that it does not deteriorate with time, that it can be easily stored in large quantities, that it is easy to process, and the like. Then, an electronic album utilizing these advantages has been developed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displaying an image list of the image management system described in Patent Literature 1. As shown in FIG. 16, the image list 501 includes a plurality of thumbnail images 502 (502a, 502b, 502c,...) And scroll buttons 503. The thumbnail images 502 are obtained by changing (reducing) an electronic image to a predetermined size, and are arranged regularly in m rows × n columns. Here, the configuration is such that the columns are fixed (four columns) and the number of rows is changed according to the number of thumbnail images 502. When the number of thumbnail images 502 is large, the user browses the image list 501 by scrolling the image list 501 with the scroll button 503. That is, the layout of the image list 501 (the size, arrangement position, and the like of the thumbnail images 502) is set in advance, and the image list 501 is displayed in accordance with the layout.
JP 2000-261749 A ([0039] to [0042], FIG. 5)

However, the image management system described in Patent Document 1 has the following problems.
(1) When the number of the thumbnail images 502 is large, it is necessary to scroll and browse the screen. Therefore, all the thumbnail images 502 cannot be browsed at once, and the listability is impaired. Further, it takes time to operate the scroll buttons 503. Therefore, the function as the image list 501 cannot be sufficiently performed.
(2) Depending on the number of the thumbnail images 502, a fraction may be generated, and the arrangement position of the thumbnail images in the image list 501 may be biased. That is, a blank area 504 is generated as shown in FIG. 16, and the appearance may be deteriorated.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an image list display device, an image list display program, and an image list display method that can arrange an electronic image in a predetermined area, display an image list, and reduce the bias of the image arrangement position. It is an object to provide an image list display method.

    In order to solve the above-described problem, an image list display device according to claim 1 includes an image database that stores a plurality of digitized images, and a part or all of a plurality of images stored in the image database. Selecting means for selecting an image, a thumbnail image forming means for changing the size of the image selected by the selecting means to form a thumbnail image, and a thumbnail image formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list area. A thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging the thumbnail images, an output means for outputting an image list area in which the thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arranging means as an image list, and the image list outputted by the output means. And display means.

  Generally, a “thumbnail image” refers to an image that has been reduced to display a large number of images in a list. In the present invention, the image is not limited to the reduced image, but may be the same magnification or an enlarged image.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display device capable of displaying an image list in which thumbnail images are randomly arranged. Each thumbnail image may overlap, and even if the number of thumbnail images increases, all the thumbnail images selected by the selection means can be displayed in the image list area having a predetermined area. By setting the size of the image list area to be the same size as the screen of the computer, it is possible to provide an image list display device capable of displaying an image list in which all thumbnail images can be viewed without scrolling.

The image list display device according to claim 2 is the image list display device according to claim 1, wherein the thumbnail image forming unit selects the area of the image list region by S, and the selection unit selects When the number of images is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of the N images is changed to form the N thumbnail images so as to inscribe the square having the length x on one side and obtain the maximum area.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display device capable of forming thumbnail images having a size suitable for displaying N thumbnail images in an image list area having an area S. Note that when the size of the image is changed and the thumbnail image is formed, the aspect ratio may be maintained.

  An image list display device according to a third aspect is the image list display device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the thumbnail image arranging means randomly arranges an n-th thumbnail image. At this time, the overlapping area with the already arranged n-1 thumbnail images is calculated, and the operation of the arrangement and calculation is repeated a predetermined number of times, and the arrangement position of the nth thumbnail image is set to the position where the overlapping area is minimized. Is determined, and the operation for determining the arrangement position is performed for N thumbnail images.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display device capable of suppressing overlapping of the thumbnail images in an image list in which N thumbnail images are randomly arranged in the image list area. Also, by suppressing the overlap, it is possible to reduce the bias of the arrangement position of the thumbnail images.

  The predetermined number of times can be set and changed as appropriate. When the number of times is small, there is a high probability that the overlapping of the thumbnail images becomes large. Also, as the number of times increases, the probability that the overlap of each thumbnail image decreases will increase. The time required to create and output an image list is approximately proportional to a predetermined number of times and the number N of thumbnail images.

  An image list display device according to a fourth aspect is the image list display device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the display means is a display, and the display unit displays the image. A configuration is provided in which thumbnail image moving means for moving the thumbnail images output as a list is provided.

  With this configuration, the thumbnail images can be moved on the display, and the user can sort the thumbnail images on the display.

  An image list display device according to a fifth aspect is the image list display device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the display means is a display, and is output as the image list. It is configured to include a grouping unit that divides the thumbnail images into groups.

  With this configuration, the thumbnail images on the display can be divided into groups, and operations can be performed for each group.

  An image list display program according to a sixth aspect of the present invention provides a computer for displaying an image list of a plurality of digitized images by retrieving a plurality of images from an image database storing the plurality of digitized images. Selecting means for selecting a part or all of the images, changing the size of the image selected by the selecting means, forming a thumbnail image, and displaying a thumbnail image formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list. The thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging the thumbnail images in the area, and the image list area in which the thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arranging means function as output means for outputting to the display means as an image list.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display program capable of displaying an image list in which thumbnail images are randomly arranged. Each thumbnail image may overlap, and even if the number of thumbnail images increases, the thumbnail images can be displayed in the image list area having a predetermined area. Provided is an image list display program capable of displaying an image list in which all thumbnail images can be browsed without scrolling if the size of the image list area is set to the same size as the screen of the computer as the display means. be able to.

An image list display program according to a seventh aspect is the image list display program according to the sixth aspect, wherein the thumbnail image forming means selects the area of the image list area by S and the selection means When the number of images is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of the N images is changed to form the N thumbnail images so as to inscribe the square having the length x on one side and obtain the maximum area.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display program capable of forming thumbnail images having a size suitable for displaying N thumbnail images in the image list area having the area S. Note that when the size of the image is changed and the thumbnail image is formed, the aspect ratio may be maintained.

  An image list display program according to claim 8 is the image list display program according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the thumbnail image arranging means randomly arranges an n-th thumbnail image. At this time, the overlapping area with the already arranged n-1 thumbnail images is calculated, and the operation of the arrangement and calculation is repeated a predetermined number of times, and the arrangement position of the nth thumbnail image is set to the position where the overlapping area is minimized. Is determined, and the operation for determining the arrangement position is performed for N thumbnail images.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display program capable of suppressing overlapping of the thumbnail images in an image list in which N thumbnail images are randomly arranged in the image list area. Also, by suppressing the overlap, it is possible to reduce the bias of the arrangement position of the thumbnail images.

  The image list display method according to claim 9, wherein the selecting means selects a part or all of the plurality of images stored in the image database, and the thumbnail image forming means includes the selecting means. A thumbnail image forming step of changing the size of the image selected by the above and forming a thumbnail image, and a thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging the thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list area An image arranging step and an output step of outputting the image list area in which the thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arranging means to the display means as an image list are provided.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display method capable of displaying an image list in which thumbnail images are randomly arranged. Each thumbnail image may overlap, and even if the number of thumbnail images increases, the thumbnail images can be displayed in the image list area having a predetermined area. Provided is an image list display method capable of displaying an image list in which all thumbnail images can be browsed without scrolling if the size of the image list area is set to the same size as the screen of the computer as the display means. be able to.

An image list display method according to a tenth aspect is the image list display method according to the ninth aspect, wherein in the thumbnail image forming step, the thumbnail image forming means sets the area of the image list area to S. , When the number of images selected by the selection means is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of the N images is changed to form the N thumbnail images so as to inscribe the square having the length x on one side and obtain the maximum area.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display method capable of forming a thumbnail image having a size suitable for displaying N thumbnail images in an image list area having an area S. Note that when the size of the image is changed and the thumbnail image is formed, the aspect ratio may be maintained.

  An image list display method according to an eleventh aspect is the image list display method according to the ninth or tenth aspect, wherein in the thumbnail image arranging step, the thumbnail image arranging unit is configured to execute the n th image arranging means. When randomly arranging the thumbnail images, the overlapping area with the already arranged n-1 thumbnail images is calculated, and the operations of the arrangement and the calculation are repeated a predetermined number of times. The arrangement positions of the thumbnail images of the eyes are determined, and the operation for determining the arrangement positions is performed on the N thumbnail images.

  With this configuration, it is possible to provide an image list display method capable of suppressing overlapping of the thumbnail images in an image list in which N thumbnail images are randomly arranged in the image list area. Also, by suppressing the overlap, it is possible to reduce the bias of the arrangement position of the thumbnail images.

  According to the first, sixth, and ninth aspects of the present invention, an image list display device, an image list display program, and an image list display method capable of displaying an image list in which thumbnail images are randomly arranged are provided. can do.

  According to the second, seventh, and tenth aspects of the present invention, an image list capable of forming a thumbnail image having a size suitable for displaying N thumbnail images in an image list area having an area S is provided. A display device, an image list display program, and an image list display method can be provided.

  According to the third, eighth, and eleventh aspects of the present invention, in the image list in which N thumbnail images are randomly arranged in the image list area, it is possible to suppress the overlap of each thumbnail image. An apparatus, an image list display program, and an image list display method can be provided. Also, by suppressing the overlap, it is possible to reduce the bias of the arrangement position of the thumbnail images.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the thumbnail images can be moved on the display, and the user can sort the thumbnail images on the display.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to divide the thumbnail images on the display into groups, and to operate each group.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description will be omitted.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The image list display device 11 includes an image database 12, a selection unit 13, a thumbnail image formation unit 14, a thumbnail image arrangement unit 15, an output unit 16, and a display unit 17.

  The image database 12 is a database that stores digitized images. The image database 12 has electronic albums 12a, 12b, and 12c, which are subdivided databases. Each of the electronic albums 12a, 12b, and 12c stores a plurality of digitized images. Each electronic image is, for example, photographed by a digital camera, and is classified by a user based on its attribute and stored as electronic albums 12a, 12b, and 12c.

An example of the digitized image is shown below.
(1) Photographed by a digital camera.
(2) Images obtained on the Internet.
(3) Photographs, documents, etc., read by a scanner and digitized.

  The selecting unit 13 is a unit for selecting an image to be displayed on the image list from the images stored in the image database 12. In the present embodiment, an image is selected by selecting a desired electronic album from the electronic albums 12a, 12b, and 12c of the image database 12.

  The thumbnail image forming unit 14 forms a thumbnail image from the images stored in the electronic album selected by the selecting unit 13.

  Here, a thumbnail image forming method will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a thumbnail image forming method according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2A, the image 21 is an image having a size of vertical a and horizontal b. The size of the image 21 is changed so that one side of the image 21 is inscribed in a square having a length of x and the area is maximized. In this way, a thumbnail image 22 having a size of vertical a 'and horizontal b' is formed. The size of the thumbnail image 22 is changed while maintaining the aspect ratio of the image 21.

Note that x is obtained by the following method. Assuming that there are N squares each having a side length x, and the sum of the areas of these N squares is equal to the area S of the image list area, the following equation is established.
N × x ² = S

From the above equation, the length x of one side of the square is obtained as follows.
x = √ (S / N)

  The size of the N electronic images is changed while maintaining the aspect ratio so as to inscribe the square having a side length of x and to maximize the area (see FIG. 2B). The total area of the N thumbnail images thus formed is substantially equal to the area S of the image list area. Therefore, it is possible to form N thumbnail images whose size has been changed to a size suitable for being arranged in the image list area having the area S.

  Note that the value of x corresponds to a pixel of the electronic image. Therefore, values after the decimal point are rounded down or rounded off. Therefore, when the value of the rounded result x becomes zero, it is desirable to perform a process of setting the value of x to one.

  The thumbnail image arranging means 15 randomly arranges the N thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means 14 in the image list area to create an image list.

  Here, a thumbnail image arrangement method will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram in which the n-th thumbnail image is randomly arranged. The N thumbnail images are randomly arranged in order from the first one. When arranging the nth thumbnail image, the thumbnail images up to the (n-1) th thumbnail image have already been arranged. Then, the arrangement position of the n-th thumbnail image is determined by repeating the trial arrangement of the n-th thumbnail image a predetermined number of times. Is determined so that the overlapping area with the thumbnail image is minimized. For example, comparing the overlap area U1 in FIG. 3A with the overlap area U2 in FIG. 3B, U1 is smaller. Therefore, the n-th thumbnail image is arranged at the position shown in FIG. In this example, the arrangement position is determined by two trials.

  The output unit 16 outputs the created image list. The output image list is displayed by the display unit 17. The display unit 17 is a computer display here, but may be a printer or the like.

  When the display means 17 is a display of a computer, the image list can be displayed on the entire screen by setting the image list area to have the same shape and the same area as the screen. Further, all thumbnail images can be browsed without scrolling.

  Next, an image list display method using the image list display device 11 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an image list display method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(S1) Selection Step An electronic album for displaying an image list is selected from the image database 12.

(S2) Thumbnail Image Forming Step N thumbnail images are formed from the N images stored in the electronic album selected in S1.

(S3) Thumbnail Image Arrangement Step The N thumbnail images formed in S2 are randomly arranged in the image list area. When the arrangement of the N thumbnail images is completed, an image list is obtained.

(S4) Output step The image list obtained in S3 is output. The output image list is displayed on the display unit 17.

  Further, S2 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a thumbnail image forming method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(S21) Variable obtaining step The number N of images stored in the electronic album selected in S1 and the area S of the image list area are obtained.

(S22) x calculation step x is calculated from N and S acquired in S21.

(S23) Thumbnail image forming step The N electronic images are inscribed in the squares each having x as a side obtained in S22 and are similarly reduced to the maximum size to form N thumbnail images. .

  Further, S3 will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a thumbnail image arrangement method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(S31) Loop Step The work relating to the arrangement of the nth thumbnail image among the N thumbnail images is started. Here, the (n-1) thumbnail images have already been arranged.

(S32) Arrangement Step The nth thumbnail image is randomly arranged in the image list area where the (n-1) thumbnail images have already been arranged.

(S33) Overlapping Area Calculation Step The overlapping area between the nth thumbnail image and the already arranged n-1th thumbnail images is calculated.

(S34) Overlapping area determination step It is determined whether or not the overlapping area calculated in S33 is zero. If it is zero, the process moves to S38. If not zero, the process proceeds to S35.

(S35) Overlapping area comparing step If the overlapping area is not zero, the overlapping area of the current trial is compared with the smallest overlapping area up to the previous trial. If the overlap area in the current trial is smaller, the process proceeds to S36. If the overlap area of the current trial is larger or equal, the process moves to S37. At the time of the first trial, the process proceeds to S36.

(S36) Overlapping area minimum position updating step The arrangement position and the overlapping area of this trial are saved, and are updated as the arrangement position with the minimum overlapping area and the overlapping area. These values are used as the values of the minimum overlapping area up to the previous trial in S35 at the next trial. At the time of the first trial, the arrangement position and the overlapping area are stored.

(S37) Number of trials determination step The number of trials regarding the arrangement of the n-th thumbnail image is determined. If the number of trials does not reach the predetermined number, the process proceeds to S32, and the n-th thumbnail image is randomly arranged again. If the number of trials has reached the predetermined number, the process proceeds to S38. The predetermined number of times can be changed as appropriate, for example, it can be set to 10,000 times.

(S38) Arrangement Position Determination Step The arrangement position of the n-th thumbnail image is determined. If the process has shifted from S34, the arrangement position is determined at a position where the overlapping area becomes zero. If the process has shifted from S37, the arrangement position is determined at the position where the overlap area is minimized, which is stored and updated in S36.

(S39) Loop Step Since the position of the n-th thumbnail image has been determined by the operations up to S38, the work on the n-th thumbnail image is completed. Then, the process returns to S31, and the operation on the (n + 1) th thumbnail image is performed. In this way, the positioning is performed sequentially, and the positions of the N thumbnail images are determined.

  The order in which the N thumbnail images are arranged can be appropriately changed. For example, the setting may be such that the arrangement is performed in the order in which the images are stored in the electronic album.

  Subsequently, when the image list display device 11 according to the first embodiment is applied to an electronic album, a user operation and a transition of a screen of a computer accompanying the operation will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen on which the software of the electronic album is activated. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state where a certain electronic album is designated and opened on the screen. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an image list is displayed. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen in which a thumbnail image in the image list is enlarged. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a method of ending the image list.

  First, the electronic album software is activated to bring it to the state shown in FIG. The electronic images stored in the image database 12 (see FIG. 1) are classified as electronic albums. Each of the electronic albums is displayed as electronic album buttons 71, 72, 73 with titles.

  When the pointer (not shown) is moved by operating the mouse and the electronic album button 71 is left-clicked, an electronic album 81 is displayed as shown in FIG. 8A. Album images 82 (82a, 82b, ...) formed from images stored in the electronic album 81 and reduced to a predetermined size are arranged in a predetermined layout. In addition, the electronic album 81 can be turned by left-clicking the page turning buttons 83a and 83b. As shown in FIG. 8B, an image list display button 84 is provided at the upper right of the electronic album 81.

  When the image list display button 84 is left-clicked, an image list 91 is displayed as shown in FIG. In the image list 91, thumbnail images formed from all the images stored in the electronic album 81 are displayed in an image list area 92.

  If one thumbnail image 93 in the image list 91 is left-clicked, an enlarged image 103 of the thumbnail image 93 is displayed as shown in FIG.

  When the image list 91 is right-clicked, an image list display end bar 111 is displayed as shown in FIG. The image list display end bar 111 has a yes button 112 and a no button 113 as shown in FIG. Left-clicking the Yes button 112 returns to the electronic album 81. When the No button 113 is left-clicked, the image list display end bar 111 disappears.

(Second embodiment)
Subsequently, an image list display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on differences from the image list display device 11 according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an image list display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The image list display device 11A further includes a thumbnail image database 14A, a thumbnail image moving unit 18, and a grouping unit 19.

  The thumbnail image database 14A is a database for temporarily storing the thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means 14. After arranging the thumbnail images, the thumbnail image arranging means 15 transmits the arrangement position to the thumbnail image database 14A, and stores the thumbnail images and the arrangement positions in association with each other.

  The thumbnail image moving means 18 is for moving the thumbnail images arranged in the image list displayed on the display means 17 as a display of the computer on the display. The thumbnail image moving unit 18 can recognize the thumbnail image indicated by the pointer by dividing the thumbnail image from other thumbnail images, and can display the thumbnail image above the other thumbnail image by dragging and dropping at the moved position. Things. That is, the thumbnail image moving means 18 recognizes the thumbnail image existing in the section (arrangement position) dragged by the mouse M, reads the recognized thumbnail image from the thumbnail image database 14A at the position where the mouse M is dragged, and reads the new section (drop). Write the thumbnail image at

  The grouping means 19 is for dividing the thumbnail images arranged in the image list output to the display means 17 which is a display of the computer into groups. The grouping means 19 detects a first position where the button of the mouse M is pressed and a second position where the button of the mouse M is released, and sets the first position and the second position as diagonal lines. The thumbnail images included in the end area are registered as one group in the thumbnail image database 14A.

  The input to the thumbnail image moving means 18 and the grouping means 19 is performed via the mouse M.

  The image list display method according to the second embodiment is substantially the same as the image list display method according to the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, a description will be given of a user operation and a transition of a computer screen when the image list display device 11A according to the second embodiment is applied to an electronic album. Note that the transitions (FIGS. 7 to 11) described in the first embodiment are the same in the second embodiment, and thus the screen transitions after FIG. 11 will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining movement of a thumbnail image. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the grouping of the thumbnail image list. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining how to use a group.

  The thumbnail image 93 can be moved by dragging the thumbnail image 93 to the left (FIG. 13A) and dropping it at an arbitrary place (FIG. 13B). The moved thumbnail image 93 is displayed above the other thumbnail images. Such movement is not limited to the image list area 92, and can be moved anywhere in a virtual space existing in the computer.

  Thus, the thumbnail images can be moved on the display, and the user can sort the thumbnail images on the display.

  Further, the image list area 92 is left-clicked (FIG. 14A), moved to an arbitrary position while keeping the button pressed, and released, thereby forming a rectangle 94 having the first and last positions of the pointer as two diagonal corners. Then, the thumbnail images included in the rectangle 94 can be grouped into one group (FIG. 14B). The thumbnail images 93a to 93g in FIG. 14B are stored as one group in the thumbnail image database 14A.

  If the thumbnail images are grouped and then right-clicked, a pop-up menu 95 (95a to 95h) appears on the screen. Here, a field 95a is used to enter a group name. An output button 95b outputs a thumbnail image in the group as a file when left-clicked. Reference numeral 95c denotes a "rotate" button. When left-clicked, the thumbnail images in the group can be rotated at a predetermined angle (for example, 90 degrees clockwise for each left click) while maintaining the arrangement position. . Reference numeral 95 d denotes a “delete” button, and when left-clicked, deletes the thumbnail images in the group from the image list area 92. Reference numeral 95e denotes a "copy" button. When left-clicked, the thumbnail image in the group is copied (copied) and pasted at an arbitrary position in the virtual space in the computer while maintaining the arrangement position. A cut button 95f cuts the thumbnail image when left-clicked. 95g is a "wallpaper" button, and when left-clicked, sets a thumbnail image in the group as a wallpaper while maintaining the arrangement position. Reference numeral 95h denotes a "print" button, and when left-clicked, prints the thumbnail images in the group while maintaining the arrangement position.

  In this way, it is possible to divide the thumbnail images on the display into groups, and to operate each group.

  The embodiments described above can be appropriately modified in design without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the method of selecting an image by the selection unit 13 is not limited to the method described above. Further, when the size of the image is changed and the thumbnail image is formed, the aspect ratio may be changed. In the above-described embodiment, the apparatus is described as an apparatus. However, the present invention can also be realized by executing the program as a computer program and operating a computing device or a storage device of the computer.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an image list display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a thumbnail image forming method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a thumbnail image arrangement method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying an image list using the image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a thumbnail image forming method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a thumbnail image arrangement method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an electronic album to which the image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied is started. (A) is a diagram showing a screen on which an electronic album to which the image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied is opened, and (b) is a partially enlarged view of (a). It is a figure showing the screen which displayed the picture list of the electronic album to which the picture list display device concerning a first embodiment of the present invention was applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a screen in which an arbitrary thumbnail image is enlarged and displayed from an image list of an electronic album to which the image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. (A) is a diagram showing a method of ending the image list of the electronic album to which the image list display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied, and (b) is an enlarged view of an image list display end bar. It is a block diagram showing an image list display device concerning a second embodiment of the present invention. (A) (b) is a figure for demonstrating the movement of the thumbnail image in the image list of the electronic album to which the image list display apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is applied. FIGS. 14A and 14B are diagrams for explaining grouping of a thumbnail image list in an image list of an electronic album to which the image list display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a figure for explaining how to use a group in an image list of an electronic album to which an image list display device concerning a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen displaying an image list of the image management system described in Patent Document 1.

Explanation of reference numerals

11, 11A Image list display device 12 Image database 12a, 12b, 12c Electronic album 13 Selection unit 14 Thumbnail image formation unit 15 Thumbnail image arrangement unit 16 Output unit 17 Display unit 18 Thumbnail image movement unit 19 Grouping unit 21 Image 22 Thumbnail image 71, 72, 73 Electronic album button 81 Electronic album 82 Album image 83a, 83b Page turning button 84 Image list display button 91 Image list 92 Image list area 93 Thumbnail image 103 Enlarged image 111 Image list display end bar 112 Yes button 113 No button

Claims (11)

An image database for storing a plurality of digitized images,
Selecting means for selecting some or all images from the plurality of images stored in the image database,
Thumbnail image forming means for changing the size of the image selected by the selecting means and forming a thumbnail image;
Thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list area;
Output means for outputting, as an image list, an image list area in which thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arranging means;
Display means for displaying the image list output by the output means,
An image list display device comprising: When the area of the image list area is S and the number of images selected by the selection means is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of N images is changed so that the area obtained is inscribed in a square having x as a side and having the maximum area, and N thumbnail images are formed. 2. The image list display device according to 1.   When arranging the n-th thumbnail image at random, the thumbnail image arranging means calculates an overlapping area with the (n-1) th thumbnail image already arranged, and repeats the operation of arranging and calculating a predetermined number of times. 3. An arrangement position of an n-th thumbnail image is determined at a position where an overlap area is minimum, and an operation for determining the arrangement position is performed for N thumbnail images. An image list display device according to claim 1. The display means is a display,
4. The image list display device according to claim 1, further comprising a thumbnail image moving unit configured to move a thumbnail image output to the display as the image list. 5. The display means is a display,
The image list display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a grouping unit configured to divide the thumbnail images output to the display as the image list into groups. A computer to display an image list of multiple digitized images,
Selection means for selecting some or all of the plurality of images from an image database for storing a plurality of digitized images,
Thumbnail image forming means for changing the size of the image selected by the selecting means and forming a thumbnail image;
Thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list area;
Output means for outputting an image list area in which thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arrangement means to a display means as an image list;
An image list display program characterized by functioning as: When the area of the image list area is S and the number of images selected by the selection means is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of N images is changed so that the area obtained is inscribed in a square having x as a side and having the maximum area, and N thumbnail images are formed. 5. The image list display program according to 5.   When arranging the n-th thumbnail image at random, the thumbnail image arranging means calculates an overlapping area with the (n-1) th thumbnail image already arranged, and repeats the operation of arranging and calculating a predetermined number of times. 9. The arrangement position of the nth thumbnail image is determined at a position where the overlapping area is minimum, and the operation for determining the arrangement position is performed for the N thumbnail images. Image list display program described in. Selecting means for selecting some or all images from the plurality of images stored in the image database,
Thumbnail image forming means for changing the size of the image selected by the selecting means and forming a thumbnail image;
Thumbnail image arranging means for randomly arranging thumbnail images formed by the thumbnail image forming means in an image list area;
An output step of outputting an image list area in which the thumbnail images are arranged by the thumbnail image arrangement means to a display means as an image list;
An image list display method comprising: In the thumbnail image forming step, when the area of the image list area is S and the number of images selected by the selecting means is N,
x = √ (S / N)
The size of N images is changed so that the area obtained is inscribed in a square having x as a side and having the maximum area, and N thumbnail images are formed. 9. The image list display method according to item 9. In the thumbnail image arranging step, when arranging the n-th thumbnail image at random, the thumbnail image arranging means calculates an overlapping area with the (n-1) th thumbnail image already arranged, The calculation operation is repeated a predetermined number of times, the arrangement position of the n-th thumbnail image is determined at a position where the overlapping area is minimized, and the operation for determining the arrangement position is performed on the N thumbnail images. The image list display method according to claim 9.

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