JP2012098846A - Information processor, information processor processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism capable of facilitating retrieval of an image file by visually displaying a retrieval condition of the image file according to a hierarchical structure of folders managing the image files.SOLUTION: An information processor includes hierarchical information storage means for storing hierarchical information of folders managing image files. The information processor receives input of a retrieval condition, identifies a folder in which the input retrieval condition matches information associated with the folders, classifies the information associated with the folders selectable as a retrieval condition on the basis of the identified folder and a hierarchical structure, displays the classified information, specifies the displayed information, identifies a folder in which the specified information matches the information associated with the folders, and re-classifies the information associated with the folders selectable as a retrieval condition on the basis of the identified folder and the hierarchical structure.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that searches for an image file, a processing method of the information processing apparatus, and a program.

  In recent years, when searching for a file, a technique for performing a visual search has been considered.

  As one of them, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for providing an excellent graphical user interface that allows a user to easily specify a complicated conditional expression.

  In particular, a conditional expression for data retrieval is created only by operating the mouse on the desktop. In this technology, as described in paragraph 0032 and the like, a user can create a conditional expression by operating an icon on the desktop and apply it to a file system that is organized and stored hierarchically. it can. Similarly, paragraphs 0033 to 0034 describe the graphical user interface.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-230538

  However, in the graphical user interface described in Patent Document 1, a user can create a conditional expression by icon operation on the desktop without understanding the detailed contents of a complicated program. When the target is unclear (for example, when an expression such as “some flower image” is unclear in the image search), it is difficult to perform an efficient search. In particular, it lacks user assistance when searching.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism capable of easily searching for an image file by visually displaying the search conditions for the image file according to the hierarchical structure of a folder for managing the image file. .

  In order to achieve the object of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for storing an image file, a hierarchy information storage means for storing hierarchy information of a folder managing the image file, and a search condition input for receiving an input of a search condition Means for specifying a folder in which the search condition input by the search condition input means matches the information corresponding to the folder, the folder specified by the folder specifying means, and the hierarchical structure. Classification means for classifying information associated with a selectable folder, classification information display means for displaying information classified by the classification means, and designation means for designating information displayed by the classification information display means, The folder specifying unit matches the information specified by the specifying unit with the information associated with the folder. Identify folder, the classification means, from said identified folder with the hierarchical structure, characterized by classifying the information attached corresponding to a selectable folder as a search condition again.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily search for an image file by visually displaying the search conditions for the image file according to the hierarchical structure of the folder that manages the image file.

Functional block diagram of information processing device Hardware configuration diagram of information processing device Flow chart of image file search processing Search word display processing flowchart Thumbnail display process flowchart Diagram showing an example of data managed in the database Image diagram with hierarchical structure of folder information table Image diagram showing an example of the image file search screen Image diagram showing an example of an image file search screen when conditions are entered in the initial input area Image diagram showing an example of the image file search screen when conditions are entered in the refinement search area Image diagram showing an example of the image file search screen when conditions are entered in the refinement search area

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In the present embodiment, an image file is stored in the information processing apparatus, and the image file stored in the information processing apparatus is searched. Although not shown, the information processing apparatus is connected to the server via the network, stores the image file in the server, and searches the image file stored in the server with the information processing apparatus that is the client terminal. It is also possible to make it.

  Hereinafter, a functional block diagram of the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks in the embodiment of the present invention.

  B-001 is a search word input unit that receives input information such as a search word from the user. B-002 is a folder name extraction function unit that searches the DB based on the information received in B-001 and extracts a corresponding folder name.

  B-003 is a search word display unit that displays the folder name extracted in B-002 in the search word display area (I-002 in FIG. 8).

  B-004 is a refinement search function unit that performs refinement search when a search word is dragged and dropped into the refinement search area (I-003 in FIG. 8).

  B-005 is a thumbnail display area (I-004 in FIG. 8) based on the information received in B-001 and the search word dragged and dropped into the B-004 narrowing search area (I-003 in FIG. 8). This is a thumbnail display section for displaying thumbnails.

  Next, a hardware configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The CPU 201 comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204.

  Further, the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 is necessary to realize a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) or an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as an OS), which is a control program of the CPU 201, or a function executed by each server or each PC. Various programs to be described later are stored. The RAM 203 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201.

  The CPU 201 implements various operations by loading a program necessary for execution of processing into the RAM 203 and executing the program.

  An input controller (input C) 205 controls input from a pointing device such as a keyboard 209 or a mouse (not shown).

  A video controller (VC) 206 controls display on a display device such as a CRT display (CRT) 210. The display device may be a liquid crystal display as well as a CRT. These are used by the administrator as needed. The present invention is not directly related.

  A memory controller (MC) 207 is a hard disk (HD), floppy disk (registered trademark FD) or PCMCIA card slot for storing boot programs, browser software, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, various data, and the like. Controls access to an external memory 211 such as a CompactFlash (registered trademark) memory connected via an adapter.

  A communication I / F controller (communication I / FC) 208 is connected to and communicates with an external device via a network, and executes communication control processing in the network. For example, Internet communication using TCP / IP is possible.

  Note that the CPU 201 enables display on the CRT 210 by executing outline font rasterization processing on a display information area in the RAM 203, for example. In addition, the CPU 201 enables a user instruction with a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 210.

  An image file search program 212 for realizing the present invention is recorded in the external memory 211 and is executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 202 as necessary. Furthermore, the definition file 213 and various information tables 214 used by the program 212 according to the present invention are stored in the external memory 211, and detailed description thereof will be described later.

  Further, the external memory 211 includes a database (DB), and stores and manages metadata including image files of the present embodiment, and various types of data relating to image files such as photographer information and titles associated with the image files. . This metadata is searched when searching for image files.

  Next, image file search processing using metadata in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

  First, metadata used in the present embodiment will be described.

  Metadata is used to identify the type of digital camera that took the picture and store the image file when taking the picture taken with the digital camera into the information processing device. The file storage location is determined by a method such as storing the file in the location, or dividing and storing the file according to the composition of the image (color, human face, etc.). Thereafter, it is added to the image file as metadata and stored in the external memory 211.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the entire image file search process using metadata in this embodiment.

  First, the CPU 201 activates an application (step F-001). When the application is activated, the image file search screen of FIG. 8 is displayed on the display unit.

  In step F-002, when the CPU 201 determines that a search target file has been found (for example, there is a search end instruction), the CPU 201 ends the repetition process and ends the application.

  Next, the CPU 201 receives information input from the user in the initial input area (I-001 in FIG. 8) (step F-003). The received information is stored in the RAM 203.

  Thereafter, in step F-004, the CPU 201 searches the folder information table (6-1 in FIG. 6) in the DB based on the information received in step F-003 (key).

  Next, the CPU 201 determines whether there is a folder that matches the key (step F-005).

  Thereafter, when the CPU 201 determines in step F-005 that there is a folder for managing the corresponding image file in the DB, the information input in the initial input area is set as an intermediate value, and a folder information table (6-1 in FIG. 6) is obtained. ) Folder names (upper and lower layers) are extracted and sorted according to the folder path (hierarchy information) (step F-006).

  In step F-007, the CPU 201 performs a search word display process. Details of the search word display processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Thereafter, the CPU 201 performs thumbnail display processing (step F-008). Details of the thumbnail display processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  On the other hand, when the CPU 201 determines in step F-005 that there is no folder for managing the corresponding metadata image file in the DB, data (keywords) common to the data in the metadata in the DB are the same. Folder names corresponding to the top five most frequently and other folder names are extracted and sorted into the upper and lower levels (step F-009).

  Thereafter, the CPU 201 performs a search word display process (step F-010). The search word display process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step F-011, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the search word is dragged and dropped from the search word display area (I-003 in FIG. 8) to the narrowing search area (I-003 in FIG. 8).

  Thereafter, when the CPU 201 determines in step F-011 that the search word has been dragged and dropped in the narrow search area, the CPU 201 continues the process until it determines that the search target file has been found. On the other hand, if it is determined that the search word has not been dragged and dropped into the narrow search area, the application is terminated (step F-012).

  In step F-013, the CPU 201 acquires initial input information from the user and information of the search word dragged and dropped in the narrow search area.

  Next, the CPU 201 updates the folder name displayed in the search word display area (I-002 in FIG. 8) based on the acquired information (step F-014). Details of the folder name update processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11.

  First, a folder information table is stored in the DB as shown in 6-1 of FIG. An image of this folder information table having a hierarchical structure is shown in FIG. Also, the image file is stored and managed in the DB as in 6-2.

  If the initial input from the user is “flower” according to the hierarchical structure of FIG. 7, the initial input from the user corresponds to the folder name “flower” in the first search. Therefore, “Flower” is set as an intermediate value, and “Camera, XXX, YYY” in the upper layer and “Hydrangea, Violet, Blue, Purple, Red, Yellow” in the lower layer are displayed at the upper and lower positions of the search word display area, respectively. (FIG. 9). Next, when “XXX” in the upper hierarchy is dragged and dropped in the refinement search area in the second search, “YYY” in the upper hierarchy cannot be selected by the refinement search with “flower, XXX” (FIG. 10). In the third search, if you drag and drop “blue” in the lower hierarchy to the search area, you will not be able to select “purple, red, yellow” in the lower hierarchy as a result of the refine search for “flower, XXX, blue”. (FIG. 11). In this way, the folder names are sequentially updated and displayed.

Thereafter, in step F-015, the CPU 201 performs a search word display process described later. Then, the CPU 201 performs a thumbnail display process to be described later (step F-016).
Next, the search word display process will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing search word display processing in the present embodiment.

  In this flowchart, the folder name extracted from the DB is displayed in the search word display area by the initial input from the user.

  The CPU 201 calculates the maximum display number of folder names from the window size of the search word display area (I-002) (step F-101).

  Next, the CPU 201 displays the folder names distributed in advance in the upper and lower layers in the search word display area. (Step F-102)

  Thereafter, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the detail button in the search word display area has been pressed. In this process, it is possible to select the number of folder names to be displayed according to the user's need, and there is no need to display the maximum number of folders on the screen unless the detailed button is pressed. There is an effect of reducing the load on the screen display. If it is determined that the detail button in the search word display area has not been pressed, the search word display process is terminated (step F-103).

If it is determined in step F-103 that the detail button in the search word display area has been pressed, the maximum number of folder names is displayed according to the numerical value calculated in step F-101. (Step F-104)
Next, the thumbnail display process will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of thumbnail display processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The CPU 201 searches the metadata based on the initial input information from the user and the search word input in the refinement search area, and displays the thumbnail image of the image file that matches the search condition in the thumbnail display area (I-- in FIG. 8). 004) (step F-201).

  Next, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the mouse pointer is on the thumbnail image (whether or not the file has been moused over). If it is determined that there is no mouse pointer on the thumbnail image, the thumbnail display process is terminated (step F-202).

  If it is determined in step F-202 that the mouse pointer is on the thumbnail image, the metadata (attribute information) assigned to the file is displayed (step F-203).

  Thereafter, in step F-204, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the corresponding search target file has been found. Here, when it is determined that the corresponding search target file has been found (when a thumbnail image is selected and an image file is displayed), the thumbnail display process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the corresponding search target file has not been found, the process proceeds to step F-202.

  With the configuration described above, in this embodiment, the information processing apparatus that stores the image file stores the hierarchical information of the folder that manages the image file, accepts the input of the search condition, and corresponds to the input search condition and folder A folder that matches the attached information is identified, information associated with a folder that can be selected as a search condition is classified from the identified folder and hierarchical structure, the classified information is displayed, and the displayed information is designated. In the folder specification, a folder in which the specified information matches the information corresponding to the folder is specified, and the information classification is information corresponding to a folder that can be selected again as a search condition from the specified folder and hierarchical structure. Classify.

  The search condition is input by using the specified information as a search condition, searching for an image file according to the received information, and displaying the searched image file.

  Further, the information is classified into an upper hierarchy folder and a lower hierarchy folder based on the identified folder, and is classified into information associated with the upper hierarchy folder and information associated with the lower hierarchy folder.

  Further, the classified information is displayed by separately displaying information associated with the classified upper layer folder and information associated with the lower layer folder.

  The display of classified information makes it impossible to select information other than information associated with the classified selectable folder as a search condition.

  Furthermore, information associated with a folder is a folder name, and the folder name is stored as attribute information (metadata) of the image file by storing the image file in the folder.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily search for an image file by visually displaying the search conditions for the image file according to the hierarchical structure of the folder that manages the image file.

  It should be noted that the configuration and contents of the various data described above are not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the various data and configurations are configured according to the application and purpose.

  Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention can take an embodiment as, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, or recording medium, and specifically includes a plurality of devices. The present invention may be applied to a system including a single device.

  The program according to the present invention is a program that allows a computer to execute the processing methods of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and the storage medium according to the present invention is a program that allows the computer to execute the processing method according to FIGS. Is remembered. The program in the present invention may be a program for each processing method of each apparatus in FIGS.

  As described above, a recording medium that records a program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the program stored in the recording medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by executing the reading.

  In this case, the program itself read from the recording medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the recording medium storing the program constitutes the present invention.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, silicon A disk, solid state drive, or the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on an instruction of the program is actually It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the processing and the processing is included.

  Furthermore, after the program read from the recording medium is written to the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board is based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Further, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or apparatus. In this case, by reading a recording medium storing a program for achieving the present invention into the system or apparatus, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

  Furthermore, by downloading and reading a program for achieving the present invention from a server, database, etc. on a network using a communication program, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

  In addition, all the structures which combined each embodiment mentioned above and its modification are also included in this invention.

200 Information processing apparatus 201 CPU
202 RAM
203 ROM
204 System bus 205 Input controller 206 Display controller 207 External memory controller 208 Communication I / F controller 209 Input unit 210 CRT
211 External memory

Claims (8)

An information processing apparatus for storing an image file,
Hierarchical information storage means for storing hierarchical information of folders for managing the image files;
Search condition input means for receiving input of search conditions;
Folder specifying means for specifying a folder in which the search condition input by the search condition input means matches information corresponding to the folder;
Classifying means for classifying information associated with folders that can be selected as search conditions from the folder specified by the folder specifying means and the hierarchical structure;
Classification information display means for displaying information classified by the classification means;
Specifying means for specifying the information displayed by the classification information display means,
The folder specifying unit specifies a folder in which the information specified by the specifying unit and the information associated with the folder match,
The classification device classifies information associated with a folder that can be selected as a search condition again from the identified folder and the hierarchical structure. The search condition input means accepts input using the information specified by the specifying means as a search condition,
Image file search means for searching for the image file according to the information received by the search condition input means;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image file display unit that displays the image file searched by the image file search unit.   The classifying unit divides the folder identified by the folder identifying unit into an upper level folder and a lower level folder, and classifies the information into information corresponding to the upper level folder and information corresponding to the lower level folder. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the classification information display unit separately displays information associated with an upper level folder classified by the classification unit and information associated with a lower level folder. .   5. The classification information display means makes information other than information associated with a selectable folder classified by the classification means not selectable as a search condition. The information processing apparatus described in 1. The information associated with the folder is a folder name,
6. The information processing according to claim 1, further comprising holding means for storing the folder name as attribute information of the image file by storing the image file in the folder. apparatus. A processing method of an information processing apparatus for storing an image file,
A hierarchical information storage step for storing hierarchical information of a folder for managing the image file in a storage means;
A search condition input step for accepting input of search conditions;
A folder specifying step for specifying a folder in which the search condition input in the search condition input step matches the information associated with the folder;
A classification step for classifying information associated with folders that can be selected as search conditions from the folder identified by the folder identification step and the hierarchical structure;
A classification information display step for displaying the information classified by the classification step;
A designation step for designating the information displayed in the classification information display step,
The folder specifying step specifies a folder in which the information specified in the specifying step matches the information associated with the folder;
The classifying step classifies information associated with a folder that can be selected as a search condition again from the identified folder and the hierarchical structure. A program that can be executed by an information processing apparatus that stores an image file,
The information processing apparatus;
Hierarchical information storage means for storing hierarchical information of folders for managing the image files;
Search condition input means for receiving input of search conditions;
Folder specifying means for specifying a folder in which the search condition input by the search condition input means matches information corresponding to the folder;
Classifying means for classifying information associated with folders that can be selected as search conditions from the folder specified by the folder specifying means and the hierarchical structure;
Classification information display means for displaying information classified by the classification means;
Function as designation means for designating information displayed by the classification information display means,
The folder specifying unit specifies a folder in which the information specified by the specifying unit and the information associated with the folder match,
The classification means classifies information associated with a folder that can be selected as a search condition again from the identified folder and the hierarchical structure.

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