JP2011072016A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image display device allowing a user to efficiently retrieve and view captured images. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera is provided with: an imaging element 21 for photoelectrically converting a light-received subject image and outputting an image signal; an image processing section 22 for converting the image signal into image data; a storage medium 28 for storing an image file including the image data and date/time information indicating the date/time when the image data are created; a display section 24 to display a calendar thereon; a selection frame indicating the date being selected while being superimposed on the display of the calendar; an operating section 30 for moving the selection frame by date; and a control section 20 for prohibiting the selection frame from being moved to any other date of the image file being stored in the storage medium 28, on the basis of the date information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera that can display an image captured by an imaging apparatus.

Conventionally, a captured image is displayed in a calendar for each period (year, month, day), and an image captured in the period is displayed and browsed in a period (date, etc.) area in the calendar display ( For example, Patent Document 1).
JP 11-215457 A

  However, in the above-described conventional example, an image picked up during the period is displayed in the area for displaying the period in the calendar display. Therefore, the displayed image becomes small and the image is not confirmed. It is hard to say that images can be efficiently searched and viewed.

  An object of this invention is to provide the image display apparatus which can search and browse a captured image efficiently.

In a digital camera to which the present invention is applied, an image sensor that photoelectrically converts a received subject image and outputs an image signal, an image processing unit that converts the image signal into image data, the image data, and the image data are created. A storage medium for storing an image file including date and time information at the time, a display unit on which a calendar is displayed, a selection frame indicating the currently selected date superimposed on the display of the calendar, and the selection frame Based on the date information, an operation unit that moves in date units, and the selection frame to a date other than the period from the oldest imaging date to the latest imaging date of the image file stored in the storage medium. And a control unit that prohibits movement.

  The image display device to which the present invention is applied can efficiently browse captured images.

1 is a perspective view of a digital camera 1 to which the present invention is applied. Digital camera block diagram Operation mode switching menu display example Calendar playback mode display screen example (calendar display) Calendar playback mode display screen example (calendar display) Main flow diagram of the camera Process flow diagram in calendar display mode Flow chart of display processing Flow chart of first display preparation process Flow chart of second display preparation process Flow chart of selected date image display processing Display example in image display mode

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera 1 to which the present invention is applied. The digital camera 1 is a lens-integrated digital camera.
<Configuration>
A power button 2 and a release button 3 are arranged on the upper surface of the camera body of the digital camera 1. On the back of the camera body, an operation mode changeover switch 4, a zoom button 5, a function button 6, a ring sensor 7, a determination button 8, a menu button 9, a delete button 10, and a rear monitor 11 are arranged.

  The operation mode changeover switch 4 is used when changing the operation mode of the camera. The zoom button 5 is a composite switch including two switches, a known wide switch 5a (W switch) and a tele switch 5b (T switch), and is used when changing the zoom magnification of the imaging lens. The selection button 6 is a switch for displaying a function menu executed in the operation mode of each camera. The ring sensor 7 is provided with a pressure-sensitive ring-shaped touch sensor that senses a change in pressure. By operating (tracing) the sensor clockwise or counterclockwise with a finger or the like, the menu of the menu is displayed. The display of the selection frame indicating the selection state of the selection item such as the selection display and the selection display of the selected AF area is scrolled.

  The ring sensor 7 is a pressure-sensitive ring-shaped touch sensor, but is not limited to this as long as it senses a rotation operation along the ring shape. For example, the ring sensor may be an electrostatic ring-shaped touch sensor that senses an electrical signal due to static electricity, or a rotary dial switch that is rotatably installed in a ring shape, or at least five sensors or switches in a ring shape. Those arranged as described above may be used.

On the lower layer of the ring sensor 7, an upper button 7a, a lower button 7b, a left button 7c, and a right button 7d, which are push switches, are arranged. That is, the ring sensor 7 has a function as a known cross key including the above-described rotation detection and the upper button 7a, the lower button 7b, the left button 7c, and the right button 7d. The decision button 8 is used when setting the operation of the digital camera 1. The menu button 9 is a switch for causing the rear monitor 11 to display a menu screen for setting the operation of the digital camera 1. The button deletion 10 is a switch for deleting a captured image selected and displayed on the rear monitor 11 in the image display mode.
The rear monitor 11 is a display device configured with liquid crystal, organic EL, or the like.
<Block diagram of digital camera 1>
Hereinafter, components and basic processing of the digital camera 1 in the present embodiment will be described based on block diagrams. A block diagram of the digital camera 1 is shown in FIG.
<Control unit>
The control unit 20 includes a CPU and the like, and includes an imaging device 21, an image processing unit 22, a monitor control unit 23, a display unit 24, a RAM 25, a ROM 26, an EEPROM 27, an external memory 28, an internal memory 29, an operation unit 30, a time measuring unit 31, and the like. And control each member.
<Imaging and image processing>
The image sensor 21 is a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS that converts an object image formed by an imaging lens (not shown) into an electrical signal. The image sensor 21 includes a driver that performs control such as reading of an image signal and control driving of an electronic shutter. The image signal read from the image sensor 21 is sent to the image processing unit 22. The image processing unit 22 performs processing such as noise removal, A / D conversion, color interpolation processing, size change, and encoding on the image signal as necessary, and displays image data for display on the rear monitor 11 and recording. Create image data etc. The recording image data is stored in the external memory 28 as an image file together with imaging information at the time of imaging, and the display image data is displayed on the rear monitor 11 of the display unit 24 by the monitor control unit 23. Here, the imaging information is information at the time of imaging such as shutter speed, aperture value, imaging date and time. The imaging information is included in the file header as EXIF information, for example. The image file may be stored in the EEPROM 27, the internal memory 29, or the like.
<Recording process>
The RAM 25 is used as a temporary storage location for data when the control unit 20 and the image processing unit 22 perform processing. The ROM 26 stores programs necessary for the operation of the digital camera 1, initial values used for the programs, and the like. The EEPROM 27 is a built-in flash memory that retains recorded information even when the power of the digital camera 1 is turned off. Information such as user settings and custom settings of the digital camera 1 is recorded in the EEPROM 27. The external memory 28 is a detachable memory card for storing image files and the like. The internal memory 29 is a storage medium that stores a large-capacity magnetic disk such as a hard disk, a large-capacity optical disk such as a DVD, and an image file such as a flash memory.
<Image display processing>
The monitor control unit 23 causes the display monitor 24 of the display unit 24 to display the display image data, the menu screen, and the like sent in response to the command of the control unit 20. The display unit 24 includes the rear monitor 11 and a driver.
<Operation unit>
The operation unit 30 includes a power button 2, a release button 3, an operation mode switching button 4, a zoom button 5, a function button 6, a ring sensor 7, a determination button 8, a menu button 9 deletion button 10, and the like.
<Date and time information of digital camera 1>
The clock unit 31 is a clock in the camera that starts timing when the date and time is set by the user. Since the date setting method is well known, it will be omitted. When the date and time is set by the user, the imaging date and time at the time of imaging can be recorded in the image file as imaging information in the above-described imaging process. If the date and time are not set, the image pickup date and time is not recorded in the image pickup information, so that the image is not displayed in the calendar display mode described later. The date and time information being timed by the time measuring unit 31 is also used for setting the file creation date and file update date of the image file.

<Camera operation>
Hereinafter, the operation of the digital camera 1 will be described.

The digital camera 1 according to the present embodiment has various functions while viewing a menu mode displayed on the rear monitor 11 and a shooting mode in which an imaging operation, image processing of a captured image, recording processing, and the like are performed according to imaging processing conditions set by a user. A menu mode for setting the above, an image display mode for displaying a recorded image file or the like on the rear monitor 11, and a calendar display mode for displaying a calendar on the rear monitor 11.
<Switching operation mode>
When the operation mode switching button 4 is pressed, a mode switching menu is displayed on the rear monitor 11. A mode switching menu displayed on the rear monitor 11 is shown in FIG. In the mode switching menu, an image shooting mode item 20, an image display mode item 21, a calendar display mode item 22, and a selection frame 100 are displayed. The user can move the selection frame 100 to any item by operating the ring sensor 7. When the user presses the enter button 8, the operation mode is switched to the item selected in the selection frame 100 (the calendar display mode is selected in FIG. 3). When the power is turned on, the image shooting mode is set.
Hereinafter, the operation mode will be described.
<Image capture mode>
In the image capturing mode, since it is a well-known process that can capture still images and moving images, the description will be omitted.

In the image capturing mode, by pressing the release button 3 halfway, an imaging preparation process for adjusting the focus of the imaging lens (not shown) and setting the exposure conditions at the time of imaging is performed, and the release button 3 is fully pressed. A still image or a moving image can be captured according to the exposure condition set by. The captured image data is stored in the external memory 28 or the like as an image file together with imaging information at the time of imaging.
<Image display mode>
The image display mode is a mode in which image data of a recorded image file recorded in the internal memory 28 or the like is displayed on the rear monitor 11 at one frame or four frames simultaneously. Since the image display mode is a well-known method, it will be described briefly. The image display mode of the digital camera 1 in the present embodiment includes a one-frame playback mode in which image data of an image file recorded in the internal memory 28 or the like is displayed on the rear monitor 11 and a four-frame display on the rear monitor 11. There are two image playback modes, i.e., a thumbnail playback mode that can be switched and displayed as appropriate.

Switching between the two image playback modes (one frame playback mode and four frame playback mode) described above is performed by pressing the wide button 5a or the tele button 5b of the zoom button 5 when the operation mode is the image display mode. It is done. Each time the W button 5a is pressed, the mode is changed from one frame playback mode to four frame playback mode to one frame playback mode. When the T button 5b is pressed, four frame playback mode to one frame playback mode to four frame playback is performed. The image playback mode is cyclically switched from mode to mode.
<Calendar display mode>
When entering the calendar display mode, a calendar display mode screen is first displayed on the rear monitor 11. An example of the calendar display mode screen is shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the year / month display area 30 displayed at the top of the screen, the year of the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 is displayed in the year display area 31 and the month is displayed in the month display area 32 (FIG. 4). 4 shows December 2004).
The calendar of the year and month displayed in the year / month display area 30 is displayed in the calendar display area 40 on the right side of the screen. In digital camera 1 in the present embodiment, the calendar displayed in calendar display area 40 is displayed as a seven-day table in which the days of January are arranged by seven days. An underline 41 is displayed on a day having an imaged image and an image that can be displayed in the calendar display mode (an image registered in the display list). The displayable image will be described later.
A selection frame 100 shown on the calendar day in the calendar display area 40 is displayed. The day surrounded by the selection frame 100 indicates that it is selected (in FIG. 4, it indicates that December 27, 2004 is selected). The selection frame 100 is used in order to make it possible for the user to recognize which day in the calendar display area 40 is selected. However, the selection frame 100 is not limited to this if the item selected by the user can be recognized. Absent. For example, the color and display method of the selected item may be changed with respect to other unselected items.
In the selected image display area 50 on the left side of the calendar display area, the oldest image that can be displayed among the images captured on the day selected by the selection frame 100 is displayed. If there is no image captured on the day selected by the selection frame 100, no image is displayed in the selected image display area 50.
When an image is displayed in the selected image display area 50, the imaging date and time and the imaging conditions (recording image quality, shutter) of the image file displayed in the selected image display area 50 in the display image information area 51 above the selected image display area 50 are displayed. Speed, aperture value, focal length), image file name, and the like are displayed, and the number display area 52 above the selected image display area 50 can be displayed as an image captured on the day selected by the selection frame 100. The total number of image data is displayed.
<Files that can be played in the calendar display mode>
In the digital camera 1 in the present embodiment, the total number of image files that can be handled in the calendar display mode is limited to a predetermined N. In the digital camera 1, N = 900.

When the calendar display mode is entered, image files that can be played back by the digital camera 1 recorded in the external memory 28 or the internal memory 29 are searched and a playback list is created. The reproduction list is stored in the RAM 25. Note that the reproduction list may be stored in the EEPROM 27, the external memory 28, the internal memory 29, or the like. In the search, an image file captured without setting the date and time of the digital camera is excluded from the search target. In the digital camera 1, a file in which the shooting date / time is not recorded in the imaging information is determined as image data captured in a state where the date / time is not set. Note that any method may be used for identifying an image file captured in a state where date and time are not set. For example, in the case of a camera that inputs a default fixed value (specified value) for the file creation date and file update date and time of an image file that has been captured in a state where the date and time have not been set (the time measurement unit 31 has not timed) The image file whose file creation date / time or file update date / time is the default date / time may be determined as an image file captured in a state where the date / time is not set. The default date and time is, for example, 2001/01/01 0: 0: 0.00. Immediately after the normal image file is created, the file creation date and the file update date are the same. Thus, the user does not confuse the image file captured without setting the date and time of the digital camera 1 with the image file captured by setting the date and time.
When a moving image file that can be played back by the digital camera 1 is recorded in the external memory 28 or the internal memory 29, it may be counted as one file in the same manner as the image file. In addition, files such as image files that cannot be displayed by the digital camera 1 may be excluded from search targets.
Furthermore, an image file created or overwritten in a state where the date and time of the digital camera is not set in the above-described search may be excluded from the search target. In this case, for example, it is determined that an image file whose file creation date or file update date is a default date / time is an image file created without a date / time setting. As a result, when image processing or the like is performed after the image file is created, a calendar can be displayed based on the update date on which the processing was performed.

  In the reproduction list, the file name of the searched image file, its shooting date and time, the path to the image, and the like are described. Note that the shooting date of the image file, the representative image file name of the same shooting date and its path, the total number of images on the same shooting date, and the like may be recorded in the reproduction list. If the number of searched image files exceeds N, register the N images from the most recent captured image file, up to the Nth image data that was captured the oldest, in the playback list. Images taken before the (N + 1) th image are not added to the display list. Image files that cannot be added to the display list are not played in the calendar display mode.

As described above, the digital camera 1 according to the present embodiment limits the number of image files handled in the calendar display mode to a predetermined number N (900), thereby reducing the storage area of the RAM for storing the playlist. Can be limited. Thereby, it is possible to prevent contention with other processes using the RAM. Further, by limiting the number of image files to be handled in the calendar display mode to the predetermined number N, it is possible to prevent the time required for the search process when creating the reproduction list in the calendar display mode from becoming longer than expected.
<Displayable calendar>
In the calendar display mode, the shooting month (hereinafter referred to as the oldest month) of the image file (hereinafter referred to as the oldest image file) having the oldest imaging date and time of the image file (image file that can be played back) listed in the display list. The calendar of the month (hereinafter referred to as the displayable month period) from the shooting month (hereinafter referred to as the latest month) of the image file (hereinafter referred to as the latest image file) having the latest imaging date and time can be displayed. That is, when the imaging month of the oldest image file listed in the display list is January 1, 2004 and the imaging month of the latest image file is February 16, 2006, from January 2004 The calendar up to February 2006 can be displayed. Thus, the user can display only a calendar in a period in which there is an image that can be displayed in the calendar display mode, and can efficiently search for the image.
<Processing in calendar display mode>
When the calendar display mode is entered, a calendar of the year and month (latest month) in which the latest image file described in the display list is captured is displayed. Further, the selection frame 100 is displayed in a state (selection state) surrounding the date on which the latest image file was captured. In the selected image display area 50, the image data of the oldest image file captured on the date selected by the selection frame 100 among the image files registered in the display list is displayed. The display image information area 51 includes image file information such as imaging information of the image file displayed in the selected image display area 50, and the number area 52 includes a selection frame among the image files registered in the display list. The total number of image files captured on the day selected by 100 is displayed.
It should be noted that, among the image data captured on the date selected by the selection frame 100, the image file registered in the display list and the predetermined number N in the above search are excluded and registered in the display list. If it is a shooting date having both of the image files that did not exist, an * mark (asterisk mark) 53 is displayed beside the number display in the number display area 52. A calendar display screen on which the * mark 53 is displayed is shown in FIG. For example, among the image files recorded in the external memory 28 and the internal memory 29, 800 images are recorded on December 27, 2003, 50 images are printed on December 25, 2003, 40 images are printed on December 18, 2003, 2003. Considering the case where there are a total of 905 images on 15 December 15th, since the predetermined value N = 900 on the digital camera 1, the display list shows the latest image file captured on 27th December 2003. Up to 900 images up to the 900th image captured at the oldest date and time from the image file captured in the period are registered in the display list. That is, five image files captured on the date before the eleventh image counted from 15 image files having the latest image capture date on December 15, 2003 are not registered in the display list and are not displayed in the calendar display mode. Do not show. Therefore, an * mark 53 is displayed on the right side of the number display area 52. Thereby, it can be shown to the user that there is an image that cannot be displayed due to the limitation of the number of N images on the shooting date. As a result, the date on which the selection frame 100 is displayed cannot be handled in the calendar display mode, or there are more images in the external memory 28 or the internal memory 29 than are displayed in the number display area 52. Can be shown to the user.
Here, for example, in the case where the latest image file was captured on December 27, 2004 and 100 images were captured on December 27, 2004 among images registered in the display list, FIG. 4 is used. I will explain. In this case, “2004” is displayed in the year display area 31 and “12” is displayed in the month display area 32. In the calendar display area 40, a calendar for December 2004 is displayed, and a selection frame 100 is displayed so as to surround the 27th day. The selected image display area 50 displays an image (DSCN0024) captured at the oldest time among the images captured on December 27, 2004, and the display image information area 51 displays an image in the selected image display area 50. The image information of the image file displaying the data displays the total number “100” of images captured on December 27, 2004 registered in the display list in the number area 52.
<Operation of moving selection frame 100 by operation of ring sensor 7>
The user can move the selection frame 100 on each day in the calendar display area 40 by operating the ring sensor 7. In the digital camera 1 according to this embodiment, the date on which the selection frame 100 can be moved is limited to the date between the imaging date of the oldest image file registered in the display list and the date of the latest image file. The For example, when the shooting date of the oldest image file described in the display list is January 1, 2004 and the shooting date of the latest image file is February 16, 2006, the selection frame 100 is set to 2004. It can be moved (displayed) only on the day between January 1 and February 16, 2006. That is, in this case, when the calendar for February 2006 is displayed, the selection frame 100 cannot be moved from 17th to 28th, which is a date later than 16th. It should be noted that the days on which the selection frame 100 cannot be moved among the days of the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 may be displayed separately from the movable days. In this case, for example, if the shooting date of the oldest image file listed in the display list is January 1, 2004 and the shooting date of the latest image file is February 16, 2006, then February 2006 When displaying the calendar, the days 1 to 16 may be displayed in black, and the days 17 to 28 outside the range may be displayed in gray. Further, a date other than the date between the imaging date of the latest image file and the oldest image file in the display list may not be displayed in the calendar display area 40.

When the upper button 7a of the ring sensor 7 is pressed, the selection frame 100 is moved to the same day of the previous week with respect to the day selected by the selection frame 100, and when the lower button 7b is pressed, the selection frame 100 is moved to the same day of the next week. Moving. A state in which the selection frame 100 is displayed on December 15, 2004 is shown in FIG. For example, when the upper button 7a of the ring sensor 7 is pressed in the state shown in FIG. 5A, the selection frame 100 moves to the 8th day, and when the lower button 7b of the ring sensor 7 is pressed, the selection frame 100 moves to the 22nd day.
When the ring sensor 7 is operated clockwise by a predetermined amount or more or the right button 7d is pressed, the selection frame 100 turns the ring sensor 7 counterclockwise to the next day selected by the selection frame 100. When a predetermined amount or more is operated or the left button 7c is pressed, the screen moves to the day before the day selected by the selection frame 100. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 5a, when the ring sensor 7 is operated more than a predetermined amount in the clockwise direction or when the right button 7d is pressed, the selection frame 100 moves to the 16th and the ring sensor 7 is operated more than a predetermined amount in the counterclockwise direction. When the left button 7c is pressed, the selection frame 100 moves to the 14th.
In addition, when the selection frame 100 moves across the month by operating the ring sensor 7, the selection frame 100 is displayed after changing the month of the calendar to be displayed.
If the upper button 7a of the ring sensor is pressed when the selection frame is 100 from 1st to 7th, the previous week's calendar is displayed in the calendar area 40 because the same day of the previous week is the previous month. The selection frame 100 is displayed on the same day of the week prior to the day when the selection frame 100 was present before the operation according to the rules described above. For example, when the selection button 100 is displayed on the first day of the calendar of December 2004 and the ring sensor upper button 7a is pressed, the calendar of November 2004 is displayed in the calendar display area 40. The selection frame 100 is displayed on the same day of the week before December 1, 2004, on November 24, 2004.
If the ring sensor is operated counterclockwise by a predetermined amount or when the left button 7c is pressed when the selection frame is 100 on the 1st, the day before the 1st is the last day of the previous month. The calendar of the previous month is displayed in the area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on the previous day (the last day of the calendar after the change) with respect to the day when the selection frame 100 was present before the operation according to the above-described rules. For example, when the selection frame 100 is displayed on the first day of the calendar of December 2004, when the ring sensor is operated counterclockwise by a predetermined amount or when the left button 7c is pressed, the calendar display area 40, a calendar for November 2004 is displayed, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on the 30th day of the last day of November 2004, which is the day before December 1, 2004.
Down button of the ring sensor when the selection frame is displayed in the range of 7 days including the last day of the month of the calendar in which 100 is displayed (for example, in the case of December 2004 between 25th and 31st) When 7b is pressed, since the same day of the next week is the next month, the calendar of the next month is displayed in the calendar area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed before the operation according to the rules described above. It is displayed on the day of the same day of the week following that day. For example, when the selection button 100 is displayed on the 25th day of the calendar of December 2004 and the lower button 7a of the ring sensor is pressed, the calendar of January 2005 is displayed in the calendar display area 40. The selection frame 100 is displayed on the same day of the week following December 1, 2004 on January 1, 2005.
If the ring sensor is operated more than a predetermined amount clockwise or the right button 7d is pressed when the selection frame is displayed on the last day of the calendar on which 100 is displayed, the next day after the last day Is the first day of the next month, the calendar of the next month is displayed in the calendar area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on the next day (the day following the selection frame 100 before the operation according to the rules described above). Displayed on the first day of the new calendar). For example, when the selection frame 100 is displayed on the 31st of the calendar of December 2004, if the ring sensor is operated more than a predetermined amount clockwise or the right button 7d is pressed, the calendar display area 40 is displayed. The calendar of January 2005 is displayed on the calendar, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on January 1, 2005, which is the next day of December 31, 2004.
<Restriction of movement of selection frame 100 by operation of ring sensor 7>
The date calculated based on the above rule by the operation input of the ring sensor 7 is the date on which the date calculated is based on the above rule (the date and the oldest image of the latest image file of the image registered in the display list) If the date is later than the date between the image capturing date of the file, the selection frame moves to the date of the image capturing date of the latest image file. For example, when the imaging date and time of the latest image file is December 16, 2004 and the selection frame 100 is displayed on December 14, 2004, when the lower button 7b of the ring sensor 7 is pressed, the selection frame 100 is displayed. Move to December 16, 2004. The same applies to the case where the movement crosses the months. For example, January 1, 2005 is the imaging date of the oldest image file, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on December 27, 2004 (in the calendar display area 40). When the lower button 7b of the ring sensor 7 is pressed in a state in which the calendar for December 2004 is displayed), the calendar for January 2005 is displayed in the calendar display area 40, and the selection frame 100 is set to January 3, 2005. Move to January 1, 2005, not the day.

When the date of movement of the selection frame 100 by the operation input of the ring sensor 7 is a date before the movable date, the date calculated based on the above rule is the date of the imaging date of the oldest image file. The selection frame moves. For example, when the upper date button 7a of the ring sensor 7 is pressed in a state where the shooting date of the oldest image file is December 7, 2004 and the selection frame 100 is displayed on December 12, 2004, the selection frame 100 is displayed. Will move on December 7, 2004. The same applies to the case where the movement crosses the months. For example, the selection date 100 is displayed on December 3, 2004 on the imaging date and time of November 29, 2004 of the oldest image file (in the calendar display area 40, 2004). When the upper button 7b of the ring sensor 7 is pressed in a state where the calendar for December is displayed), the calendar for November 2004 is displayed in the calendar display area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on November 26, 2004. Instead, it will move on November 29, 2004.
As described above, the selection frame 100 can be moved only within the range from the date of image capture of the oldest image file to the date of image capture of the latest image file, thereby preventing unnecessary movement of the selection frame 100 to a date when there is no image and image search. Efficiency is improved.
<Changing the displayed calendar month using the zoom button 5>
The digital camera 1 according to the present invention can change the month of the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 by pressing the W button 5a or the T button 5b of the zoom button 5 in the calendar display mode.

  When the W button 5a is pressed, the calendar of the previous month of the displayed year and month is displayed in the calendar display area 40. When the T button 5 b is pressed, a calendar for the month following the displayed month is displayed in the calendar display area 40.

  Further, when the W button 5a or the T button 5b is continuously pressed for 2 seconds or more, the calendar display can be continuously changed. For example, when the T button 5b is continuously pressed for 2 seconds or longer, the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 is continuously changed from January 2004 to February 2004.

When the month of the calendar displayed in the calendar display area by the operation input of the zoom button 5 is a month outside the displayable month period, the input of the zoom button 5 is ignored and the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 or the selection The frame 100 does not move.
<Display of selection frame 100 in accordance with change of display calendar month by zoom button 5>
The date on which the selection frame 100 is displayed when the calendar displayed by the zoom button 5 is changed as described above will be described.

When the W button 5a is pressed, the calendar of the previous month displayed before the pressing operation is displayed in the calendar display area 40. When the image file captured in the month of the calendar after the display change is not in the display list, the selection frame 100 is displayed on the last day of the displayed calendar. When the image file picked up in the display month of the calendar display area 40 after the display change is in the display list, the selection frame 100 displays the pick-up date of the image picked up most recently among the images picked up in the display month. Is displayed. For example, when the W button 5a is pressed while the December 2004 calendar is displayed, the November 2004 calendar is displayed. If there is no image captured in November 2004 in the image file registered in the display list, the selection frame 100 is displayed on November 30, 2004 (last day). If there is an image captured in November 2004 among the images registered in the display list, the selection frame 100 is the most recently captured image among the images captured in November 2004. Displayed on the shooting date.
When the T button 5b is pressed, the calendar display area 40 displays a calendar of the month before the display month that was displayed before the pressing operation. If the image file captured in the month of the displayed calendar is not in the display list, the selection frame 100 is displayed on the first day of the displayed calendar. When an image file captured in the displayed calendar month is in the display list, the selection frame 100 is displayed on the captured date of the image captured the oldest among the images captured in the displayed calendar month. Is done. For example, when the T button 5b is pressed while the December 2004 calendar is displayed, the January 2005 calendar is displayed. Here, if there is no image captured in January 2005 in the image file registered in the display list, the selection frame 100 is displayed on the first day of January 2005. Is done. If an image registered in the display list includes an image captured in January 2005, the selection frame 100 is captured on the oldest date among images captured in January 2005. Displayed on the date of image capture.
<Selected image display processing>
As described above, when the determination button 8 is pressed when there is an image file captured on the day when the selection frame 100 is displayed, the image captured on the day when the selection frame 100 is displayed is displayed on the rear monitor 11. The process proceeds to the selected date image display process to be displayed. In the selected date image display processing of the digital camera 1 in the present embodiment, only the image file whose date selected in the selection frame 100 is the imaging date can be displayed among the images registered in the display list. It is. In the selected date image display mode, there are a single-frame playback mode in which an image captured on the selected date is displayed on the rear monitor 11 in one frame and a thumbnail playback mode in which an image captured on the selected date is displayed on the rear monitor 11 in four frames. Yes, it can be switched appropriately. Here, the display of the captured image in the one-frame playback mode and the four-frame playback mode is a well-known method, and thus description thereof is omitted. Switching between the two image playback modes (one-frame playback mode and four-frame playback mode) described above is performed by pressing the wide button 5a or the tele button 5b of the zoom button 5 during the selected day image display processing. It is done. Each time the wide button 5a is pressed, the image playback mode is switched from the 1-frame playback mode to the 4-frame playback mode, and when the tele button 5b is pressed, the image playback mode is switched from the 4-frame playback mode to the 1-frame playback mode. If the enter button 8 is pressed again during the selected date image display process, the display returns to the calendar display mode. When returning to the calendar display mode by pressing the enter button 8, the state before the transition from the calendar display mode to the selected date image display mode is restored. For example, consider a case where the calendar of December 2004 is displayed in the calendar display area 40 and the selection button 100 is pressed when the selection frame 100 is displayed on the 27th to shift to the selected date image display mode. In this case, when the calendar display mode is returned from the selected date image display mode by pressing the enter button 8, the calendar of December 2004 is displayed in the calendar display area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on the 27th. Return.
In the selected date image display process, the image may be displayed only in the single frame display mode. In this case, for example, at the time of the selected image display process, the enlarged image may be displayed with the T button 5b, or the calendar display process may be returned with the W button 5a.

Hereinafter, processing of the digital camera 1 in the present invention will be described with reference to a flowchart.
<Basic flow of digital camera>
The basic processing of the digital camera 1 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the power of the digital camera 1 is turned on, first, a camera activation process is performed in step S101. The activation process is an initial process such as activation of an electric circuit such as the image sensor 21 or the control unit 20 and driving of an imaging lens. Note that in the digital camera 1, the operation mode is set to the image capturing mode in the initial processing of step S101. Next, in steps S102 to S104, it is determined which operation mode is currently set. When the image capturing mode is set as the operation mode, the process proceeds to step S105, and an image capturing process is performed. When the image display mode is set as the operation mode, the process proceeds to step S106 and image display processing is performed. When the calendar display mode is set as the operation mode, the process proceeds to step S107, and a calendar display process is performed. When the menu mode is set as the operation mode, the process proceeds to step S108 and menu processing is performed. When the power of the digital camera is turned off or the operation mode is changed during each process in each operation mode (steps S105 to S108), each process ends and the process proceeds to step S109. In step S109, it is determined whether or not the power of the digital camera 1 has been turned off. When the power is turned off, the end process is performed and the power of the digital camera 1 is turned off. If the power is not turned OFF, the process returns to step S102 to determine the operation mode.
<Calendar display processing flow>
The calendar process in the calendar display mode will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the calendar reproduction mode is entered, images that can be registered in the display list are searched for and registered in the display list among the image files stored in the external memory 28 and the internal memory 29 in step S201. It is determined whether the number of files is equal to or less than a predetermined number N. If the number of image files that can be registered in the display list is N or less, all the searched image files are registered in the display list, and the process proceeds to step S202. If the number of image files that can be registered in the display list is more than the predetermined number N, the display list that has registered up to the Nth oldest image file from the most recently captured image among the searched image files Is stored in the RAM 25 and the process proceeds to step S203.

  In step S202, the imaging date of the oldest image file registered in the display list is substituted for m1, the imaging date of the latest image file registered in the display list is substituted for m2, and the process proceeds to step S204.

  In step S203, the imaging date and time of an image file having the oldest imaging date and time counted from the latest image file registered in the display list is substituted for m1 and the imaging date is substituted for LD, and is registered in the display list. The imaging date of the latest image file is substituted for m2, and the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, m2 is assigned to M, and in step S205, the imaging date of the latest image file is assigned to D, and then the process proceeds to a display processing subroutine of step S206. If the latest imaging date is December 27, 2004, then December 2004 is substituted for M and 27 is substituted for D.
<Display processing subroutine>
Here, the display processing subroutine of step S206 will be described. FIG. 8 shows a flow of processing of the display processing subroutine.
When the display processing subroutine is entered, first, in step S301, the calendar for M year and month is displayed in the calendar display area 40, and the process proceeds to step S302.
In step S302, it is determined whether or not there is an image file captured in the year M and month among the image files registered in the display list. If the image file registered in the display list includes an image file captured in the year M and the month, the process proceeds to step S303, and the image file registered in the display list is captured in the year M and the month. If no image file exists, the process proceeds to step S310.
In step S303, an underline 41 is displayed on the day of the displayed calendar of the year and month when at least one image file captured on that day is registered in the display list. In step S304, it is determined whether there is an image registered in the display list on the year M month D. If there is an image registered in the display list on the date M year / month / D, the process proceeds to step S305, and if there is no image registered in the display list on the date M / D, the process proceeds to step S310. In step S305, it is determined whether or not the number of image files that can be registered in the display list is N or less in the determination in step S201 of the calendar display process. If the number of image files is greater than the predetermined number N, the process proceeds to step S306. If the number of image files is equal to or less than the predetermined number N, the process proceeds to step S308. In step S306, it is determined whether M year / month / day D and m1 year / month / day LD are the same. If M year / month D day and m1 year / month LD day are the same, the process proceeds to step S307, and if M year / month D day and m1 year / month LD day are not the same, the process proceeds to step S308. In step S307, a “*” mark is displayed near the number display area 52, and the process proceeds to step S308.
In step S <b> 308, the image file of the oldest image capturing date / time among images captured on the year M / month / D registered in the display list is displayed in the selected image display area 50. It should be noted that an image file of the latest image capturing date and time among images captured on the year M, month D may be displayed in the selected image display area 50. In step S309, the total number of image files captured on the year M, month D, and date registered in the display list is displayed in the number display area 52. In step S310, the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 is displayed. The selection frame 100 is displayed on the D day, and the display process ends.
When the display process ends, the process returns to each process that called the display process.
<Calendar display processing (step S207 to step S225)>
When the display processing subroutine of step S206 ends, the process proceeds to step S207. In step S207, “0” is substituted for m, and “0” is substituted for d. Next, it is determined which member of the ring sensor 7 has been operated in steps S208 to S211.

  If the ring sensor 7 is rotated by a predetermined amount or more, the result is affirmative in step S208, and the process proceeds to step S212. In step S212, it is determined whether or not the ring sensor 7 has been rotated clockwise by a predetermined amount or more. If the ring sensor 7 is rotated clockwise by a predetermined amount or more, the process proceeds to step S213, and “+1” is substituted for d, and if the ring sensor 7 is rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined amount or more, the process proceeds to step S214. “−1” is substituted. When step S213 or step S214 ends, the process proceeds to step S224.

  When the ring sensor 7 is pressed, the result in Step S208 is negative, the result in Step S209 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to Step S215. In step S215 to step S217, it is determined which button of the ring sensor 7 has been pressed. If the upper button 7a is pressed, an affirmative decision is made in step S215 and the process moves to step S218 where “−7” is substituted for d. If the lower button 7b is pressed, the result is negative in step S215, affirmative in step S216, and “+7” is substituted for d in step S219. If the right button 7d is pressed, the result is negative in step S215 and step S216, affirmative in step S217, and "+1" is input to d in step S220. When the left button 7c is pressed, the result in Step S215, Step S216, and Step S217 is negative, and the process proceeds to Step S221 where “−1” is substituted for d. When step S218 or S219 or S220 or S221 ends, the process proceeds to the first display preparation processing subroutine of step S224.

  When the W button 5a is pressed, the result in Step S208 and Step S209 is negative, the result in Step S210 is affirmative, the process proceeds to Step S222, and “−1” is input to m.

  If the T button 5b is pressed, the result in Step S208, Step S209, or Step S210 is negative, the result is positive in Step S211, the process proceeds to Step S223, and “+1” is input to m. When step S222 or step S223 ends, the process proceeds to the second display subroutine of step S225.

If the ring sensor 7 and the zoom button 5 are not operated, the determination in step S208, step S209, step S210, and step S211 is negative, and the process proceeds to step S226.
<First display preparation processing subroutine>
Here, the first display preparation processing subroutine performed in step S224 will be described. The flow of the first display subroutine process is shown in FIG.

  When the first display preparation processing subroutine is entered, first, in step S401, it is determined whether or not the day D + d is greater than the last day of the year M. If D + d is greater than the last day of the year M, the process proceeds to step S402. If D + d is less than the last day of the year M, the process proceeds to step S407.

  In step S402, it is determined whether or not M + 1 year / month is before m2 year / month. M + 1 is the month and month added to the month of M. When M = November 2004, M + 1 = December 2004. If the M + 1 year / month is before m2 month, the process proceeds to step S403. If the M + 1 year / month is a month after m2 year / month, the process proceeds to step S415.

  In step S403, a value obtained by subtracting the last day of M year from (D + d) is substituted into D. When M = December 2004 (the last day is 31), D = 27 days, and d = + 7, (27 + 7) −31 = 3 is substituted into D. In step S404, M + 1 year and month are assigned to M, and the flow advances to step S405. In step S405, it is determined whether or not the date M is the date after the date when the latest image file was captured in the image file registered in the display list. When the date M is the date after the date when the latest image file in the image file registered in the display list is taken, the process proceeds to step S406, and M year D is displayed in the display list. When the date is before the date when the latest image file in the registered image files is captured, the process proceeds to step S415. In step S406, the date of the date when the latest image file was captured in the image file registered in the display list is substituted for D, and the process proceeds to step S415.

  In step S407, it is determined whether D + d is smaller than 1. When D + d is smaller than 1, the process proceeds to step S408, and when D + d is 1 or more, the process proceeds to step S413.

  In step S408, it is determined whether or not the M-1 year is a month after m1. If the M-1 year / month is the month after the m1 month, the process proceeds to step S409, and if the M-1 year / month is a month before the m1 month, the process proceeds to step S415. In step S409, M-1 year and month are substituted into M, and the process proceeds to step S410. In step S410, a value obtained by adding the last day of M year and month to (D + d) is substituted into D. If M = May 11, 2004 (last day 30), D = 1 day, d = -7, (1-7) + 30 = 24 is substituted into D. Next, in step S411, it is determined whether or not the date M is the date before the date when the oldest image file registered in the display list is captured. When M year / month / day D is a date before the date when the oldest image file registered in the display list is taken, the process proceeds to step S412 and M year / month / day D is registered in the display list. If the date is after the date when the oldest image file was captured, the process proceeds to step S415. In step S412, the date of the date when the oldest image file registered in the display list is captured in D is assigned to D, and the flow proceeds to step S415.

In step S413, M year (D + d) date is after the date of capturing the oldest image file of the image registered in the display list and before the date of capturing of the latest image file of the image registered in the display list. Is determined. When M year (D + d) date is after the date of capturing the oldest image file of the image registered in the display list and before the date of capturing of the latest image file of the image registered in the display list Proceeding to step S414, the date M is the date of acquisition of the latest image file of the image registered in the display list after the date of acquisition of the oldest image file of the image registered in the display list. If not, the process moves to step S415. In step S414, D + d is substituted into D.
In step S415, the process proceeds to the display processing subroutine described above. In the display processing subroutine, the calendar of M year and month is displayed in the calendar display area 40, and the selection frame 100 is displayed on the D day.

When the display processing subroutine of step S415 is finished, the first display preparation processing subroutine is finished.
<Second display preparation processing subroutine>
Here, the second display preparation processing subroutine performed in step S225 of the calendar display processing subroutine will be described. The flow of the second display subroutine process is shown in FIG.

  When the second display processing subroutine is entered, time measurement is first started. Next, in step S502, it is determined whether M + m year / month is after m1 year / month and before m2 year / month. If the M + m year / month is after the m1 year and before the m2 year, the process proceeds to step S503. If the M + m year / month is not after the m1 month and before the m2 year, the process proceeds to step S512.

  In step S503, M + m year / month is substituted for M, and the process proceeds to step S504. In step S504, it is determined whether or not there is an image file captured in the year M in the display list. If there is no image file captured in the year M and month in the display list, the process proceeds to step S505. If there is an image file captured in the year M and month in the display list, the process proceeds to step S508. In step 505, it is determined whether m = + 1. If m = + 1, the process moves to step S506 and “1” is substituted for D. If m = + 1, the process moves to step S507 and the last day of the year M is substituted for D.

  In step S508, it is determined whether m = + 1. If m = + 1, the process proceeds to step S509, and the date when the oldest image file was imaged in M year and month is substituted for D. If m = + 1, the process proceeds to step S510. Substitute D for the date when the latest image file was imaged among the image files captured in year M. When step S506 or step S507, or step S509 or step S510 ends, the process proceeds to step S511. In step S511, the process proceeds to the display processing subroutine described above. When the display process in step S511 ends, it is determined in step S512 whether or not the W button 5a or the T button 5b is pressed. If the W button 5a or the T button 5b is pressed, the process proceeds to step S513. If the W button 5a or the T button 5b is not pressed, the second display preparation processing subroutine is terminated.

  In step S513, it is determined whether or not two seconds or more have elapsed since the time measurement was started in step S501. If 2 seconds or more have elapsed since the start of timing in step S501, the process returns to step S502, and if 2 seconds or more have not elapsed since the start of timing in step S501, the process proceeds to step S512. That is, if the zoom button 5 is kept pressed for 2 seconds or longer, the processing from step S502 to step S511 is continuously performed, so that the calendar displayed in the calendar display area 40 is continuously changed.

The second display preparation processing subroutine ends, and the process proceeds to a calendar display processing subroutine.
<Calendar display processing (step S226 to step S228)>
When the first display processing subroutine of step S224 or the second display processing subroutine of step S225 ends, the process proceeds to step S226. In step S226, it is determined whether or not the enter button 8 has been pressed. If the determination button 8 is pressed, the process proceeds to the selected date image display process in step S227. If the determination button 8 is not pressed, the process proceeds to step S228. In the selected date image display processing in step S227, the image file captured on the date selected by the selection frame 100 in the images registered in the display list is displayed on the rear monitor 11. Details of the selected date image display processing will be described later. In step S228, it is determined whether or not the operation mode has been changed or the power OFF process (the power button 2 is pressed) has been performed. If the operation mode has been changed or the power OFF process has been performed, the calendar display processing subroutine is terminated. If neither the operation mode change nor the power OFF process has been performed, the process returns to step S207.
<Selected image display processing>
Finally, the selection date image display processing subroutine performed in step S227 described above will be described. The flow of the selected date image display subroutine process is shown in FIG.

When the selected date image display processing subroutine is entered, first, in step S600, it is determined whether or not there is an image captured on the year M, month D in the image file registered in the display list. If the image file registered in the display list includes an image captured on M year, month, day D, the process proceeds to step S601, and the image file registered in the display list, M year, month D, day. If there is no captured image, the selected image display processing subroutine is terminated. In step S601, the image file captured the oldest among the image files captured on the year M, month D, among the image files registered in the display list is displayed on the rear monitor 11 as a single frame. FIG. 12 a shows a state where an image file is displayed on the rear monitor 11. In step S601, among the image files registered in the display list, the image file captured most recently among the image files captured on the year M, month D may be displayed on the rear monitor 11. . Next, in steps S602 to S605, it is determined whether or not the zoom button 5 or the ring sensor 7 has been operated.

  If the W button 5a has been operated, the result in step S602 is affirmative, and the process proceeds to step S606. In step S606, if one frame is currently displayed, a total of four images are displayed at the same time, including a total of four image data captured after the image file displayed as a single frame and the image file displayed as a single frame. To display. FIG. 12B shows a state in which one frame of image file is displayed on the rear monitor 11. A selection frame 100 is displayed on the image that has been displayed in one frame. In step S606, if four frames have already been displayed, the four frames are displayed as they are.

  If the T button 5b is operated, the result in Step S602 is negative, the result in Step S603 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to Step S607. In step S607, when four frames are currently displayed, only the image file in which the selection frame 100 is displayed among the image files displayed in four frames is displayed on the rear monitor 11. In step S607, if one frame has already been displayed, the one frame display is continued as it is.

  If the ring sensor 7 has been operated clockwise by a predetermined amount or more, the result in Step S602 and Step S603 is negative, the result in Step S604 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to Step S608. In step S608, if one frame is displayed, the image is registered next to the image file currently displayed in the images captured on the year M, month D and the image registered on the display list. When the image file is displayed on the rear monitor 11 and displayed in four frames, the image file currently displayed in the images captured on the date M, M, D is registered in the display list. Next, the selection frame 100 moves to an image file having a new imaging date.

If the ring sensor 7 is operated counterclockwise by a predetermined amount or more, negative in Step S602, Step S603, and Step S604, an affirmative is determined in Step S605, and the process proceeds to Step S609. In step S609, when one frame is displayed, it has the image pickup date next to the image file currently displayed among the images registered on the display list and picked up on the date M, D, and D. When the image file is displayed on the rear monitor 11 and displayed in four frames, the image file currently displayed in the images captured on the date M, M, D is registered in the display list. Next, the selection frame 100 moves to an image file having the oldest shooting date.
When the processing of step S606 to step S609 ends, the process proceeds to step S610.
In step S610, it is determined whether or not the enter button 8 has been pressed. If the determination button 8 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S611. If the determination button 8 is not pressed, the process returns to step S602. In step S611, the process proceeds to a display process subroutine. When the display process subroutine ends, the selected date image display process ends, and the process returns to the calendar display process and proceeds to step S228.
<Modification>
Although the digital camera 1 to which the embodiment to which the present invention is applied has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and a modified example will be described below.

The shooting list of the image file, the representative image file name of the same shooting date, its bus, the total number of images of the same shooting date, and the like may be recorded in the reproduction list. These pieces of information described in the play list are used for, for example, the process of displaying the underline 41 in step S303 in the display process described above, the process of displaying the total number of days M, D, and the like in step S309. Can be processed more quickly.
Although the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the lens-integrated digital camera 1 has been described, the digital camera to which the present invention is applied is not limited to this, and imaging such as a interchangeable lens digital camera or a digital video camera is possible. The present invention may be applied to an apparatus, an image reproducing apparatus that can reproduce an image, and the like.

1 Digital Camera 2 Power Button 3 Release Button 4 Mode Switch 5 Zoom Button 6 Function Button 7 Ring Sensor 8 Decision Button 9 Menu Button 10 Delete Button 11 Rear Monitor 20 Control Unit 21 Image Sensor 22 Image Processing Unit 23 Monitor Control Unit 24 Display Part 25 RAM
26 ROM
27 EEPROM
28 External memory 29 Internal memory 30 Operation unit 31 Timekeeping unit 100 Selection frame

Claims (1)

An image sensor that photoelectrically converts the received subject image and outputs an image signal;
An image processing unit for converting the image signal into image data;
A storage medium for storing an image file including the image data and date and time information when the image data was created;
A display where the calendar is displayed;
A selection frame indicating the currently selected date superimposed on the calendar display;
An operation unit for moving the selection frame by date;
A control unit that prohibits movement of the selection frame to a date other than a period from the oldest imaging date of the image file stored in the storage medium to the latest imaging date based on the date information. A digital camera characterized by

Images