JP4479566B2 - Image processing apparatus and image copying method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image copying method suitable for use in, for example, a digital camera.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium, there is a digital camera that records a photographed subject image as image data on a recording medium such as a built-in memory or a card memory. The copy function in a digital camera is a function for copying image data recorded in a recording medium such as a built-in memory or a card memory to the same recording medium or a different recording medium. In addition to the normal copy, the copy function includes a resize copy with resizing that changes the image size and a trimming copy with trimming to cut out a part from the original image.

Further, in the copy function in a digital camera or the like, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, after a copy start instruction by a button operation or the like is performed by the user in a state where an image to be copied is selected, Generally, the free capacity of the recording medium at the copy destination is confirmed, and when the free capacity is less than the copyable capacity, it is generally notified to the user by displaying a warning message to that effect.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-331702

  However, in the case of a conventional digital camera or the like, when copying cannot be performed due to a lack of free space in the copy destination recording medium as described above, this is performed after the user gives a copy start instruction. There was a serious problem. That is, the user cannot know whether or not the desired image can be copied until the user finally selects the desired image and then instructs the start of copying. For this reason, the user may perform a useless copying operation such as instructing the start of copying in a state where an image of an image size that cannot be copied is selected, and as the free space of the copy destination recording medium decreases. There was a problem that the frequency of occurrence of the above-mentioned situation increased.

  In addition to the above problems, even if there is a free space that can be copied to a recording medium and an image can be copied, it has not been possible to know how much image can be copied to the recording medium. For this reason, for example, when copying multiple images to the same removable recording medium for the purpose of carrying image data, etc., if there is insufficient space before all the images are copied, the result is In fact, there was a problem that the previous copy work was wasted.

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image copying method that can eliminate a user's useless copying work when using a copy function. .

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the invention of claim 1, in an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium, execution of copying by the copy function is responsive to a user's manual operation. A copy execution instruction means for instructing, a copy execution means for copying image data stored in a storage medium to the same or another storage medium when the copy execution instruction is instructed by the copy execution instruction means, and the execution instruction At the time before the execution of copying is instructed by the means, the size of image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying is instructed by the execution instructing means and copying is executed by the copy executing means is set. First acquisition means for acquiring, and second acquisition means for acquiring a writable free space for image data in the copy destination storage medium; A determination unit that determines whether or not the copy execution unit can execute a copy based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition unit and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit; Notification means for informing the determination result by the determination means at a time point before execution of copying is instructed by the execution instruction means, and the determination means can copy to the storage medium based on the image size and the free space And calculating means for calculating the number of copies that can be made, and the notification means includes display control means for displaying on the display means the number of copies that can be calculated by the calculation means .

In such a configuration, before copying of the image data stored in the storage medium is started, it is possible to notify the user whether or not this is possible and to copy the image data stored in the storage medium. The user can be notified by the number of copies that can be made.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first acquisition unit includes a unit that acquires a plurality of types of image sizes, and the calculation unit includes a plurality of types of images acquired by the first acquisition unit. Based on the image size and the free space acquired by the second acquisition means, the number of copyable sheets is calculated individually for the plurality of types of image sizes, and the display control means is calculated individually by the calculation means. The number of copies that can be made for each of the plurality of types of image sizes is displayed on the display means.

  In such a configuration, the user can be informed of whether or not the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied by the number of copies that can be made for each image size.

The invention according to claim 3 further comprises image selection means for selecting desired image data from among the plurality of image data stored in the storage medium, wherein the copy execution means is the copy execution instruction means. When the execution of copying is instructed by the above, the image data selected by the image selecting unit is copied to the same or another storage medium, and the display control unit is configured to store the image size of the image data selected by the image selecting unit. Is displayed on the display means so as to be distinguishable from the number of copyable sheets corresponding to other image sizes.

  In such a configuration, it is easy to confirm the image size of the image data selected as the copy target and the number of copyable sheets corresponding to the image size.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided operation means for turning on and off the display of the copyable number on the display means by the display control means.

  In such a configuration, the user can switch between display and non-display of the copyable number as required.

In the invention of claim 5 , the copy is a resize copy.

  In such a configuration, it is possible to inform the user whether or not this is possible before the resize copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is started.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the first acquisition unit includes a unit that acquires a plurality of types of resized image sizes, and the determination unit includes the plurality of types of resized image sizes, and the second type. Calculation means for calculating the number of copyable sheets for each of the plurality of types of resized image sizes based on the free space acquired by the acquisition means, and the display control means for each of the resized image sizes calculated by the calculation means. The number of copies that can be copied is displayed on the display means.

  In such a configuration, the user can be notified of whether or not the resized copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is possible by the number of copies that can be made for each of the plurality of types of resized image sizes.

In the invention of claim 7 , the copy is a trimming copy.

  In such a configuration, it is possible to notify the user whether or not this is possible before the trimming copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is started.

The invention according to claim 8 further comprises storage medium selection means for selecting a desired storage medium as a copy destination storage medium from among a plurality of storage media, wherein the second acquisition means is configured to select the storage medium. It is assumed that the free space where image data can be written in the storage medium selected by the means is acquired.

  In such a configuration, before copying of the image data stored in the storage medium is executed, the user can be notified for each selectable storage medium whether or not this is possible.

In the invention of claim 9 , the second acquisition means individually acquires free writable capacity of image data in a plurality of storage media that are copy destination candidates selectable by the user, The determination means determines the number of copyable sheets based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition means and the free capacity of the plurality of storage media individually acquired by the second acquisition means. The display control means causes the display means to display the copyable number for each of the plurality of storage media calculated by the calculation means.

  In such a configuration, the user is notified of whether or not the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied to a plurality of storage media that are selectable copy destination candidates by the number of copies that can be made for each storage medium. be able to.

Further, in the invention of claim 1 0, an image copying method in an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image on a storage medium, the copying by the copy function by a manual operation of a user run When instructed, the step of copying the image data stored in the storage medium to the same or another storage medium, and before the execution of copying by the copy function by the user's manual operation, A step of acquiring a size of image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying by a copy function, a step of acquiring a writable free space of the image data in the storage medium, the size of the image data, And whether the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied to the same or another storage medium based on the free space A step of determining whether or not, a step of calculating the number of copies that can be copied to the storage medium based on the size of the image data and the free space, a determination result based on the determination, and a calculation result based on the calculation Is a method including a step of informing at a time before the execution of copying by the copy function is instructed by a manual operation of the user .

  According to such a method, it is possible to notify the user whether or not this is possible before the copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is started.

Further, in the invention of claim 1 1, a computer image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image on the storage medium has, in response to manual operation of the user to execute copy by the copy function A copy execution instruction means for instructing, a copy execution means for copying image data stored in a storage medium to the same or another storage medium when the copy execution instruction is instructed by the copy execution instruction means, and the execution instruction At the time before the execution of copying is instructed by the means, the size of image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying is instructed by the execution instructing means and copying is executed by the copy executing means is set. First acquisition means for acquiring, second acquisition means for acquiring a writable free space of image data in the storage medium, and the first A determination unit that determines whether or not the copy execution unit can execute copying based on the image size acquired by the acquisition unit and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the image size and A calculation unit that calculates the number of copies that can be copied to the storage medium based on the free space, a determination result by the determination unit, and a copy execution instruction by the execution instruction unit The program was made to function as a control means for informing the notifying means at a time before being performed .

Copying Further, in the invention of claim 1 2, for copying the image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image on a storage medium, the image data stored in the storage medium in the same or other storage medium Execution means, first acquisition means for acquiring the size of image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying is executed by the copy execution means, and writing of image data in the copy destination storage medium The number of images that can be copied to the storage medium based on the second acquisition unit that acquires the free space, the image size acquired by the first acquisition unit, and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit And a display control means for displaying on the display means the copy possible number of sheets calculated by the calculation means. It was.

  In such a configuration, the number of images that can be copied to the storage medium can be notified to the user before or after the copy is executed.

As described above, according to the first, tenth and eleventh aspects of the present invention, the user is informed whether or not this is possible before copying of the image data stored in the storage medium is started. In addition , the user can be notified of whether or not the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied by the number of copies that can be made. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate a user's useless copy work when using the copy function.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the user can be notified of whether or not the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied by the number of copies that can be made for each image size.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is easy to confirm the image size of the image data selected as the copy target and the number of copies that can be made corresponding to the image size.

According to the invention of claim 4 , the user can switch between display and non-display of the copyable number as required.

In the invention of claim 5 , before the resize copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is started, it can be notified to the user whether or not this is possible.

According to the invention of claim 6 , it is possible to notify the user whether or not the resized copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is possible by the number of copies that can be made for each of the plurality of types of resized image sizes. .

According to the invention of claim 7 , before the trimming copy of the image data stored in the storage medium is started, it can be notified to the user whether or not this is possible.

According to the invention of claim 8 , before copying of the image data stored in the storage medium is executed, the user is notified for each selectable storage medium whether or not it is possible. it can.

In the invention of claim 9 , whether or not image data stored in the selected storage medium can be copied to a plurality of storage media that are selectable copy destination candidates is determined for each storage medium. The user can be notified of the number of copies that can be made.

According to the twelfth aspect of the invention, the number of images that can be copied to the storage medium can be notified to the user before or after execution of copying. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate a user's useless copy work when using the copy function.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera 1 that is an image processing apparatus according to the present invention as viewed from the upper rear side. As shown in the figure, a power key 3 and a shutter key 4 are arranged on the upper surface of the camera body 2, and an optical finder 5, a playback mode setting switch 6, a recording mode setting switch 7, and a zoom operation are arranged on the rear surface of the camera body 2. Each switch of a key 8, a menu key 9, a four-way key 10 in which left and right keys and an up / down key are integrated, an execution (set) key 11 provided at the center thereof, and various display switching display (DPS) keys 12 A liquid crystal monitor 13 is provided.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital camera 1. The digital camera 1 includes a CPU 21 that controls the entire system, and a CCD 22 that outputs an analog imaging signal corresponding to an optical image of a subject formed on the photosensitive portion by the imaging lens 20. The CCD 22 is scanned and driven by a TG (Timing Generator) 23 at a predetermined period, photoelectrically converts the optical image of the imaged subject for each pixel, and an analog imaging signal composed of a pixel signal corresponding to the intensity of light. The data is output to the analog processing unit 24. The CCD 22 functions as an electronic shutter by changing the charge accumulation time according to the shutter pulse sent from the CPU 21.

  The analog processing unit 24 is a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) that removes noise included in the imaging signal input from the CCD 22, and an AGC (gain adjustment amplifier) that is an analog amplifier that amplifies the imaging signal that has passed the CDS. ) And an AD (A / D converter) that converts the analog imaging signal amplified and adjusted by the AGC into a digital signal, and outputs the imaging signal converted into digital data to the CPU 21.

  The CPU 21 has various digital signal processing functions including compression / decompression of image data. The image pickup signal output from the analog processing unit 24 is sequentially sent to the DRAM 26 via the address / data bus 25 and stored as pixel data. To do. Further, the pixels stored in the DRAM 26 are read out in units of predetermined image processing blocks, digital image data for each of R, G, and B is generated, and image data of luminance (Y) signal / color difference (Cb, Cr) signal is generated. Further, a video signal is generated based on the converted image data and sent to the liquid crystal monitor 13.

  When the recording mode is set, the liquid crystal monitor 13 displays a subject image that is updated at a predetermined frame period, that is, a through image. In addition, various menu screens for operation assistance, various setting screens for setting the recording image size, messages, and the like are displayed and function as display means (notification means) of the present invention.

  The CPU 21 compresses and encodes Y, Cb, and Cr image data in units of image processing blocks by a predetermined method during image recording, and decompresses and decodes the recorded still image during reproduction. Image data compression-encoded at the time of shooting is recorded as still image data on the built-in flash memory 28 or various removable memory cards 30 (recording media) via the card interface 29. Note that there are six types of still image sizes that can be recorded by the digital camera 1, with the total number of pixels being approximately 7M, 5M, 3M, 2M, and 1M, and VGA (640 × 480).

  The key input unit 31 includes the above-described switches (see FIG. 1), and sends an operation signal corresponding to a key operation by the user to the CPU 21. For example, when a shooting operation is performed in which the shutter key 4 is pressed in the recording mode, a trigger signal indicating that is output to the CPU 21.

  In the built-in flash memory 28, a program area is secured separately from the image storage area for storing the compressed image data. In the program area, various programs for causing the CPU 21 to perform various image signal processing including image data compression / decompression, color adjustment processing, and AE control, and various data necessary for operations based on those programs. Is remembered. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the playback mode is set, the CPU 21 is made to perform an operation described later as necessary, thereby allowing the CPU 21 to perform selection control means, copy means, first acquisition means, A program for functioning as second acquisition means, determination means (calculation means), display control means, second selection control means, and control means is stored.

  Next, an operation according to the present invention of the digital camera 1 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the CPU 21 when a copy mode prepared as a lower mode of the reproduction mode is set by the user. In the copy mode of the present embodiment, as will be described later, image data recorded in one of the built-in flash memory 28 or the memory card 30 is simply stored in a different storage area of the same recording medium or the other recording medium. In the following description, “copy” means a mode that does not include “moving copy” that erases image data of the copy source. This also applies to the second and third embodiments described later.

  When the playback mode is set, the CPU 21 immediately displays the last recorded image (still image) recorded in the built-in flash memory 28 or the memory card 30 by a normal playback operation (step SA1). In such processing, each time the user presses the left / right key (direction key 10), the displayed images are sequentially switched, and the user is allowed to select a desired image, that is, a copy source image. Subsequently, when the user selects a copy mode from a menu screen (not shown), a copy function selection screen 201 in which an operation selection menu 101 and a content description 102 as shown in FIG. The user can either copy from the built-in flash memory 28 to the memory card 30 (in the figure, “built-in → card”) or copy from the memory card 30 to the built-in flash memory 28 (in the figure, “card → built-in”). The copy function is selected (step SA2). Here, when the copy function from a recording medium different from the recording medium on which the currently displayed image is recorded to another recording medium (including the recording medium on which the currently displayed image is recorded) is selected. In this case, the last recorded image recorded on a recording medium different from the recording medium on which the currently displayed image is recorded is newly read and displayed. In the present embodiment, only copying between different recording media can be selected as the copy function, but copying within the same recording medium may be possible.

  Then, after waiting for selection of one of the copy functions and turning on the number display flag (step SA3), the size of the displayed image (original image) is acquired from the header information of the image data (step SA4). ). Next, the remaining capacity (free capacity) of the copy destination (the image storage area of the built-in flash memory 28 or the memory card 30) is acquired, and the number of copies that can be copied to the copy destination is set to all the image sizes of the recordable still images. The calculation is made individually for (six types described above) (step SA5). Thereafter, since the number display flag is initially on (YES in step SA6), the number of copies that can be made for each image size is displayed on the screen so as to emphasize only the number of copies that can be made with the display image size acquired in step SA4. 4 (b), including the operation selection menu 104 with “Copy” and “Cancel” as options along with the copyable number information 103 for each image size. The operation screen 202 is displayed (step SA8).

  FIG. 4B shows a copy function selection screen 201 shown in FIG. 4A in which copying from the built-in flash memory 28 to the memory card 30 (“built-in → card”) is selected and displayed as a copy target. This is an example in which the still image is a 3M size image. As shown in the figure, when the copy operation screen 202 is displayed, the display portion of the size of the displayed image (in this example, the display portion of 3M size) is highlighted (highlighted), so that the still image being selected is displayed. It is possible to identify the size and the number of copies that can be made.

  Thereafter, the state waits for a key operation by the user, and the following processing is executed according to the key operation by the user. First, when the left / right key (direction key 10) is operated (YES in step SA9), the display image on the copy operation screen 202, that is, the image to be copied is switched to another image (step SA10), and the image size is changed. After the acquisition (step SA11), when the acquired image size is different from the image size of the display image before switching, the portion to be highlighted is changed to the display portion of the size of the currently displayed image, and the copy is performed. When the display of the possible number information 103 (copy operation screen 202) is updated and the acquired image size is the same as the image size of the display image before switching, the display of the copyable number information 103 (copy operation screen 202) is displayed. No update is performed (steps SA6 to SA8).

  When the up / down key (direction key 10) is operated (YES in step SA12), the cursor of the operation selection menu 104 is moved to switch the selection state of “copy” or “cancel” (step SA13). When the execution (SET) key 11 is operated, “copy” is selected (both steps SA14 and SA15 are YES), and if copying is possible, that is, the number of copyable sheets is one or more. If this is the case (YES in step SA16), copy processing is executed (step SA17). Thereafter, the process returns to step SA5, the remaining capacity of the copy destination is acquired and the number of copyable sheets is recalculated, and the copyable sheet number information 103 is updated, and a new copy as shown in FIG. The operation screen 202 is displayed (steps SA6 to SA8). If the determination result in step SA16 is NO and copying is not possible, that is, the number of copies that can be made is 0, an error message (not shown) indicating that fact is displayed on the screen (step SA18), the process returns to step SA6.

  Further, when the execution (SET) key 11 is operated in a state where “cancel” in the operation selection menu 104 is selected (YES in step SA14, NO in step SA15), the copy mode is exited at that time and step SA1 is executed. Return to. Further, if the DSP key 12 (the operating means of the present invention) is pressed during the display of the copy operation screen 202 as shown in FIG. 4B or FIG. 5A (YES in step SA19), the number of sheets After changing the display flag (step SA20), the process returns to step SA6. As a result, the display of the copyable number information 103 is stopped, and the copy operation screen 202 as shown in FIG. 5B is displayed, in which only the operation selection menu 104 is displayed on the display screen. Thereafter, each time the DSP key 12 is pressed (YES in step SA19), display / non-display of the copyable sheet number information 103 is switched.

  As described above, in the digital camera 1 according to the present embodiment, the copyable number information 103 corresponding to the image size of the currently selected image is displayed on the copy operation screen 202 when operating in the copy mode. From the copyable number information 103, the user can know whether or not the currently selected image can be copied before the actual start of copying. Therefore, the user does not have to perform a wasteful copying operation such as instructing the start of copying in a state where an image having an image size that cannot be copied is selected.

  Further, it is possible to know how much an image having the same image size or a different image size can be copied to the copy destination before the copy of the selected image is executed and after the copy is executed by the copyable number information 103. . Therefore, for example, when copying a plurality of images to the memory card 30, the remaining capacity is insufficient before the copying of all the images is completed, and the required number of images cannot be copied. There will be no waste. That is, it is not necessary to perform useless copying work.

  In this embodiment, since all the image sizes (six types) of recordable still images can be known at a time whether or not copying is possible, it is easy to use. In particular, as described above, it is convenient when copying a plurality of images to the same recording medium such as the memory card 30. In addition, when displaying the copy operation screen 202, the display portion for the size of the image being displayed in the copyable number information 103 is differentiated by highlighting, so that the image size of the currently selected image and its image size are differentiated. It is easy to check the number of copies that can be made.

  Further, during the display of the copy operation screen 202, the display of the copyable number information 103 can be stopped or restarted as necessary. For example, when checking the content of the selected image, the number of copies that can be copied When the display of the information 103 is in the way, as shown in FIG. 5B, the visibility of the currently selected image can be ensured by turning it off, which is convenient.

  In this embodiment, the copyable number information 103 for each image size is displayed on the copy operation screen 202 displayed in the copy mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the current display image, that is, the copy target is displayed. Only the copyable number corresponding to the image size of the still image may be displayed. FIG. 6A shows an example of another copy operation screen 211 displayed in that case, and shows an example in which the copyable number of sheets is displayed in the operation selection menu 104 as shown. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the number of copies that can be made is zero, an error message 105 that informs that copying cannot be performed may be displayed on the copy operation screen 211 together with the number of copies that can be made.

  In the present embodiment, at the beginning when the copy mode is selected, the copy function selection screen 201 shown in FIG. 4A allows the user to select the copy source recording medium and the copy destination recording medium in advance, In the copy operation screen 202 thereafter, the description has been given of displaying the copyable number information 103 for each image size in the copy destination recording medium. However, the following may be performed. For example, in a state where a copy target still image is displayed (selected) without selecting a copy destination recording medium in advance, the size of the image and the free capacity of all the recording media (or one case may be used). Based on the above, the number of copyable sheets for each recording medium is calculated. Then, the number of copies that can be made for each recording medium may be displayed, and the user may be allowed to select a copy destination recording medium at that time. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of another copy function selection screen 221 displayed in the copy mode in this case. This example is different from the present embodiment, and a configuration in which a plurality of types of memory cards can be used simultaneously. This is an example in which the number of copies that can be made for each recording medium is displayed in the operation selection menu 101 for selecting a copy destination recording medium. Note that the copyable number information 103 for each image size as shown in FIG. 4B may be displayed for each recording medium.

  In addition, when the still image to be copied is switched and displayed according to the operation of the left / right key (direction key 10) as described above during the copy mode, only the image of a size that can be copied is selectively displayed. Also good.

  The copy operation screen 202 displays the number of copies that can be made, but displays only whether or not copying of the displayed image is possible (if it is possible, nothing is displayed and only when it is not possible, it is displayed. May also be displayed). In addition to displaying a message or the like, whether or not an image being displayed can be copied may be determined (notified) by sound (sound or alarm sound).

  In addition, the number of copyable sheets is displayed before the user instructs to start copying, but the number of copyable sheets may be displayed after the user instructs to start copying. That is, the copyable number may not be displayed before the user instructs the start of copying, but may be displayed for a certain period of time after the start of copying is instructed.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, in the digital camera 1 having the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the CPU 21 is added to the program area of the built-in flash memory 28 in addition to each means of the present invention described in the first embodiment. A program for functioning also as a resizing means is stored, and when the resizing mode prepared as a lower mode of the playback mode is set by the user, the CPU 21 performs processing described later.

  The resize mode of this embodiment is a mode for resizing and copying a still image recorded in the image recording area of the built-in flash memory 28 or the memory card 30. Further, here, the resizing function is only downsizing, and the minimum size that can be resized is the VGA size. In the following description, a still image recorded on the memory card 30 is copied to the memory card 30. To do.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the CPU 21 when the resize mode prepared as the lower mode is selected after the reproduction mode is set by the user. That is, when the playback mode is set, the CPU 21 immediately displays the last recorded image (still image in the present embodiment) recorded on the memory card 30 by the normal playback operation (step SB1). In such a process, each time the user presses the left / right key (direction key 10), the display image is sequentially switched, and the user is allowed to select a desired image, that is, a resized original image (original image).

  Subsequently, when the resize mode is selected from the menu screen (not shown) by the user (step SB2), the size of the currently displayed image is immediately acquired from the header information of the image data (step SB3). Here, if the size of the image being displayed is a VGA size that cannot be resized any more (NO in step SB4), an error message 300 such as “image cannot be resized” shown in FIG. 9 is being displayed. The image is displayed above (step SB5), and at that time, the resize mode is exited and the process returns to step SB1.

  If the image being displayed is a size that can be resized (YES in step SB4), the remaining capacity of the memory card 30 that is the copy destination is acquired, and all the image sizes that can be resized for the image being displayed are: The number of sheets that can be copied to the copy destination is calculated individually (step SB6). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of resized image sizes (image sizes that can be resized) and “cancel” are selected as options, and an operation selection menu 301 that indicates the number of copies that can be made for each resized image size. Is displayed (step SB7). FIG. 10A shows an example in which the size of the display image to be resized is 3M.

  Thereafter, the state waits for a key operation by the user, and the following processing is executed according to the key operation by the user. First, when the left / right key (direction key 10) is operated (YES in step SB8), the display image on the resize operation screen 302, that is, the image to be resized is switched to another image (step SB9), and then to step SB3. Return. Here, after newly acquiring the image size, if it is a size that can be resized, if the acquired image size is larger than the image size of the display image before switching, the newly increased resized image size The resize operation screen 302 is updated and displayed by calculating the number of copies that can be copied and adding it to the operation selection menu 301 (YES in step SB4, SB6, SB7). Here, if the image size acquired in step SB3 is smaller than the image size of the display image before switching, the size of the reduced resized image size can be obtained without executing the processing in step SB6. Is deleted from the operation selection menu 301, and the resize operation screen 302 is updated and displayed. If the image size acquired in step SB3 is the same as the image size of the display image before switching, the process of step SB6 is executed. In addition, the operation selection menu 301, that is, the resize operation screen 302 is not updated.

  When the up / down key (direction key 10) is operated (YES in step SB10), the cursor of the operation selection menu 301 is moved (the highlighted display portion is moved), and a plurality of (single) resized image sizes are displayed. Alternatively, the selection state of “cancel” is switched (step SB11). Then, when the execution (SET) key 11 is operated, if one of the resized image sizes is selected (both YES in steps SB12 and SB13) and resizing to that size is possible, that is, currently selected. If the number of resizable images with the resized image size is one or more (YES in step SB14), resizing processing (reduction and copying) is executed (step SB15). Thereafter, the process returns to step SB6, the remaining capacity is newly acquired and the resizeable number of sheets for each resized image size is recalculated, and then the copyable number of sheets for each resized image size in the operation selection menu 301 is updated. A new resize operation screen 302 as shown in (b) is displayed (step SB7).

  If the determination result in step SB14 is NO and resizing is not possible, that is, if the number of resizable images at the selected resized image size is 0, as shown in FIG. Then, after displaying an error message 303 informing that on the resize operation screen 302 (step SB16), the resize mode is exited at that time, and the process returns to step SB1. As a result of the calculation of the resizeable number in step SB6, when the resizeable number is 0 for all the resized image sizes, the resize operation screen 302 is displayed in step SB7 as shown in FIG. 11B. A warning message 304 is displayed informing that it is impossible to use the resize function. Also, when the execution (SET) key 11 is operated in a state where “Cancel” is selected on the resize operation screen 302 (YES in step SB12, NO in step SB13), the resize mode is exited at that time. Return to step SB1.

  As described above, in the digital camera according to the present embodiment, during the operation in the resize mode, the number of copies that can be made for each resized image size (operation selection menu 301) is displayed on the resize operation screen 302. Depending on the number of copies that can be made, the user can know whether or not copying can be performed with the desired resized image size that is currently selected at the stage prior to the actual start of the resized copy. Therefore, the user does not have to perform a useless copying operation such as instructing the start of resize copying in a state where a resized image size that cannot be copied is selected.

  Further, in the present embodiment, it is easy to use because it is possible to know at a time whether or not copying is possible for all of a plurality of resize image sizes that can be selected in the image that is currently selected.

  In the present embodiment, the number of copies that can be made for each resized image size is always displayed in the operation selection menu 301 displayed on the resize operation screen 302. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Similarly to the form, each time the DSP key 12 is operated, display / non-display of the copyable number in the operation selection menu 301 may be switched.

  In this embodiment, when the resize mode is selected in step SB2, the number of copies that can be copied to the copy destination is calculated individually for all the image sizes that can be resized with respect to the currently displayed image. Every time the image to be resized is switched to another image in step SB9, the number of resizable images is calculated as necessary. However, when the resize mode is selected in step SB2, all the resized image sizes are copied to the copy destination. The possible number of copies is calculated separately, and after that, until the resize copy is executed, select the number of resize copies that can be displayed as appropriate according to the size of the image currently selected as the copy target image. May be displayed.

  In this embodiment, the case where resize copying is executed for the same recording medium has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to the case where resize copying is executed for different recording media.

  In this embodiment, the number of resizable images is displayed on the resizing operation screen 302. However, only whether resizing, that is, copying (recording) of the resized image is possible is displayed (if possible). May display nothing and display a message indicating that only when it is not possible). In addition to displaying a message or the like, whether or not an image being displayed can be copied may be determined (notified) by sound (sound or alarm sound).

  In addition, the number of resizable sheets is displayed before the user instructs to start resizing, but the number of sheets that can be resized may be displayed after the user instructs to start resizing. That is, before the user instructs the start of resizing, the number of resizable sheets may not be displayed, but the number of resizable sheets may be displayed for a certain period of time after instructing the start of resizing.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, in the digital camera 1 having the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the CPU 21 is added to the program area of the built-in flash memory 28 in addition to each means of the present invention described in the first embodiment. A program for functioning also as a trimming means is stored, and when the trimming mode prepared as a lower mode of the reproduction mode is set by the user, the CPU 21 performs processing described later.

  Note that the trimming mode is a mode in which a part of a still image recorded in the image recording area of the built-in flash memory 28 or the memory card 30 is cut out and an image of the cut out part is copied. In this embodiment, the trimming size (cutout area size) is limited to the recordable still image size (six types described above), and the still image that can be trimmed excludes the VGA size. In the following description, a still image recorded on the memory card 30 is copied to the memory card 30.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the CPU 21 when a trimming mode prepared as a lower mode is selected after the reproduction mode is set by the user. That is, when the playback mode is set, the CPU 21 immediately displays the last recorded image (still image) recorded on the memory card 30 by the normal playback operation (step SC1). In such a process, each time the user presses the left / right key (direction key 10), the display image is sequentially switched to allow the user to select a desired image, that is, a trimming source image.

  Subsequently, when the trimming mode is selected from the menu screen (not shown) by the user (step SC2), the size of the currently displayed image is immediately acquired from the header information of the image data (step SC3). If the size of the displayed image is a VGA size that cannot be trimmed (NO in step SC4), an error message to that effect is displayed on the displayed image (step SC5), and the trimming mode at that time is displayed. Exit from step SC1.

  If the displayed image is a size that can be trimmed (YES in step SC4), a specified trimmed image size (for example, an image size one level lower than the original image) is acquired (step SC6), and further copied. After obtaining the remaining capacity of the memory card 30 that is the destination (step SC7), based on the remaining capacity and the trimmed image size at the copy destination, the number of copies that can be made with the trimming size (the number of trimable sheets) is calculated. (Step SC8). After that, as shown in FIG. 13A, the image display is switched to the full screen display of the partial image within the trimming range corresponding to the trimmed image size, and the operation selection using the trimming size and “cancel” as options. A trimming operation screen 402 displaying the trimming size and the trimming possible number is displayed in the menu 401 (step SC9). FIG. 13A shows an example in which the size of the display image to be trimmed is 7M and the trimming size is 5M. In the trimming operation screen 402, a trimming frame (double frame) indicating a trimming range in the original image, and an enlargement ratio (“× 1.1” in FIG. ) Is also displayed.

  Thereafter, the state waits for a key operation by the user, and the following processing is executed according to the key operation by the user. First, when the zoom operation key 8 is operated (YES in step SC10), the trimming range is enlarged or reduced according to the operation (step SC11), a new trimming size is acquired (step SC12), and then trimming is performed. The number of possible images is recalculated to update the number of crops that can be trimmed in the operation selection menu 401, a new trimming operation screen 402 as shown in FIG. 13B is displayed, and the new trimming operation screen 402 acquired in step SC12 is displayed. Switching to the full screen display of the partial image within the trimming range corresponding to the trimming size (steps SC8 and SC9).

  When the up / down key (direction key 10) is operated (YES in step SC13), the cursor of the operation selection menu 401 is moved to switch the trimming size or “cancel” selection state (step SC14). When the execute (SET) key 11 is operated, the trimming size is selected (both YES in steps SC15 and SC16), and if trimming is possible, that is, if the trimming possible number is one or more ( Trimming processing (cutout and copying) is executed (YES in step SC17) (step SC18). Thereafter, the process returns to step SC7 to acquire the remaining copy destination capacity and recalculate the possible trimming number, then update the trimming possible number in the operation selection menu 401, and perform a new trimming operation as shown in FIG. A screen 402 is displayed (steps SC8 and SC9). The figure shows an example in which trimming is performed from the trimming operation screen 402 shown in FIG.

  If the determination result in step SC17 is NO and trimming is not possible, that is, if the number of trimable images is 0, an error message (not shown) indicating that fact is displayed on the screen (step SC19), the process returns to step SC9. This allows the user to specify a new trimming range. If the number of trimable sheets is zero as a result of the calculation of the number of trimable sheets in step SC8, the trimming operation screen 402 is informed in step SC9 that trimming cannot be performed in the current trimming range. A warning message may be displayed. Further, when the execute (SET) key 11 is operated in a state where “cancel” in the operation selection menu 401 is selected (YES in step SC15, NO in step SC16), the trimming mode is exited at that time and the process proceeds to step SC1. Return.

  As described above, in the digital camera according to the present embodiment, the trimming mode and the trimming possible number (operation selection menu 401) are displayed on the trimming operation screen 402 when the operation is performed in the trimming mode. The user can know whether or not copying is possible with the desired trimming size currently selected before the actual start of trimming copy is instructed according to the number of possible copies. Therefore, the user does not have to perform a useless copying operation such as instructing the start of copying in a state where a trimming size that cannot be copied is selected.

  In the present embodiment, the trimming size and the trimming possible number are always displayed in the operation selection menu 401 displayed on the trimming operation screen 402 described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Similarly to the above, every time the DSP key 12 is operated, the display / non-display of the trimming possible number in the operation selection menu 401 may be switched.

  Further, the display / non-display state of the operation selection menu 401 may be switched every time the DSP key 12 is operated. Further, when the operation selection menu 401 is in the non-display state, the four-way key 10 is switched. The trimming range may be moved vertically and horizontally by operation.

  In this embodiment, the trimming size (cutout area size) is limited to the recordable still image size (six types described above), but may be unlimited. In this case, the calculation of the trimming possible number is performed based on the trimming size arbitrarily set by the user.

  Unlike the present embodiment, a trimming frame is displayed on the display image, and the trimming frame is enlarged or reduced (multistage or steplessly) according to the operation of the zoom operation key 8 on the image. The trimming range may be determined by moving in the vertical and horizontal directions according to the operation of the four-way key 10. Even in such a case, the calculation of the trimming possible number is performed based on the trimming size arbitrarily set by the user.

  Further, when the trimming size is unlimited (arbitrary) as described above, the trimming possible number may be displayed together with the trimming size, or only the trimming possible number may be displayed without displaying the trimming size. Good.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the description has been given of the one having the trimming mode in which a part of the still image is cut out and the cut out part of the image is copied as it is. The present invention can also be applied to a device having a different trimming mode. For example, the trimming size (cutout area size) is unlimited (arbitrary), and the cutout portion is defined as a specified image size (for example, the nearest image size or the nearest and smaller image) according to the cutout area size. The present invention can also be applied to an apparatus having a trimming mode in which data is automatically resized and then copied. In that case, in this case, the calculation of the number of trimable sheets is performed based on a prescribed image size that is automatically resized.

  In this embodiment, the case where trimming copy is executed on the same recording medium has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to the case where trimming copy is executed on different recording media.

  Also, the trimming operation screen 402 displays the number of crops that can be trimmed, but displays only whether or not trimming, that is, copying (recording) of the trimmed image is possible (if possible, nothing is displayed). It is also possible to include a message indicating that only when this is not possible. In addition to displaying a message or the like, whether or not an image being displayed can be copied may be determined (notified) by sound (sound or alarm sound).

  In addition, the trimming possible number is displayed before the user instructs the start of trimming, but the trimming possible number may be displayed after the user instructs the start of trimming. That is, the trimming possible number may not be displayed before the user instructs the start of trimming, but may be displayed for a certain time after the start of trimming is instructed.

  Here, in the first to third embodiments described above, the case where the present invention is applied to a digital camera is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium. Can be applied to other image processing apparatuses.

1 is an external perspective view of a digital camera common to each embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital camera. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of CPU in the copy mode which shows 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen displayed in copy mode, Comprising: (a) is a copy function selection screen, (b) is a figure which shows the example of a copy operation screen. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an example of a copy operation screen after copy execution corresponding to FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the copy operation screen when copyable sheet number information is in a non-display state. It is a figure which shows the example of another copy operation screen. It is a figure which shows the example of the other copy function selection screen which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of CPU in the resizing mode which shows 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the resize operation screen displayed when the resizing object cannot be resized. It is a figure which shows the example of the resizing operation screen displayed before and after resizing execution. (A) shows the resize operation screen when the resizeable number of sheets at the selected resize image size is 0, and (b) shows the resize operation screen when the resizeable number of sheets is 0 for all the resized image sizes. It is a figure which shows an example. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of CPU in the trimming mode which shows 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the trimming operation screen displayed before and after the change of the trimming range. It is a figure which shows the example of the trimming operation screen after the trimming execution corresponding to Fig.13 (a).

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital camera 21 CPU
22 CCD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 LCD monitor 28 Built-in flash memory 29 Card interface 30 Memory card 31 Key input part 103 Copy possible number of sheets 202 Copy operation screen 301 Operation selection menu 302 Resize operation screen 401 Operation selection menu 402 Trimming operation screen

Claims (12)

In an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium,
Copy execution instruction means for instructing execution of copying by the copy function in response to a user's manual operation;
Copy execution means for copying image data stored in a storage medium to the same or another storage medium when execution of copying is instructed by the copy execution instruction means;
Image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying is instructed by the execution instructing means and copying is executed by the copying instructing means before the execution instructing by the execution instructing means First acquisition means for acquiring the size of
Second acquisition means for acquiring writable free space of image data in the storage medium;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the copy execution unit can execute a copy based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition unit and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit;
A notifying means for notifying the determination result by the determining means at a time before the execution instruction means is instructed to execute copying;
With
The determination means includes calculation means for calculating a copyable number of images that can be copied to the storage medium based on the image size and the free space,
The image processing apparatus characterized in that the notification means includes a display control means for causing the display means to display the number of copyable sheets calculated by the calculation means . The first acquisition means includes means for acquiring a plurality of types of image sizes,
The calculating means calculates the copyable number for the plurality of types of image sizes based on the plurality of types of image sizes acquired by the first acquisition unit and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit. Calculated separately,
The display control means causes the display means to display the number of copies that can be made for each of the plurality of types of image sizes calculated individually by the calculation means.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Image selection means for selecting desired image data from among a plurality of image data stored in the storage medium;
The copy executing means, when the copy execution instructing means is instructed to execute copying, copying the image data selected by the image selecting means to the same or another storage medium;
The display control means causes the display means to display the copyable number corresponding to the image size of the image data selected by the image selection means so as to be distinguishable from the copyable number corresponding to another image size. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit configured to turn on and off the display of the number of copyable sheets on the display unit by the display control unit. 5. The copy is a resize copy
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The first acquisition means includes means for acquiring a plurality of types of resized image sizes,
The determination unit includes a calculation unit that calculates a copyable number for each of the plurality of types of resized image sizes based on the plurality of types of resized image sizes and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit.
6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the number of copies that can be made for each resized image size calculated by the calculation unit. The copy is a trimming copy
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. A storage medium selecting means for selecting a desired storage medium from among a plurality of storage media as a copy destination storage medium;
The second acquisition unit acquires a writable free space for image data in the storage medium selected by the storage medium selection unit.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. The second acquisition means individually acquires the writable free space of image data in a plurality of storage media that are copy destination candidates that can be selected by the user,
The determination means determines the number of copyable sheets based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition means and the free capacity of the plurality of storage media individually acquired by the second acquisition means. Including calculation means for individually calculating the storage medium of
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the number of copyable sheets for each of the plurality of storage media calculated by the calculation unit. An image copy method in an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium,
A step of copying image data stored in a storage medium to the same or another storage medium when execution of copying by the copy function is instructed by a user's manual operation;
Obtaining a size of image data to be copied to the storage medium when copying by the copy function is executed at a time point before execution of copying by the copy function is instructed by a user's manual operation;
Obtaining a writable free space for image data in the storage medium;
Based on the size of the image data and the free space,
Determining whether the image data stored in the storage medium can be copied to the same or another storage medium; and
Calculating the number of copies that can be copied to the storage medium based on the size of the image data and the free space;
Informing the determination result by the determination and the calculation result by the calculation at a time before the execution of copying by the copy function is instructed by a user's manual operation;
An image copy method comprising: A computer having an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium;
Copy execution instruction means for instructing execution of copying by the copy function in response to a user's manual operation;
Copy execution means for copying image data stored in a storage medium to the same or another storage medium when execution of copying is instructed by the copy execution instruction means;
Image data to be copied to the storage medium when execution of copying is instructed by the execution instructing means and copying is executed by the copying instructing means at a time before execution of copying is instructed by the execution instructing means First acquisition means for acquiring the size of
Second acquisition means for acquiring writable free space of image data in the storage medium;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the copy execution unit can execute a copy based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition unit and the free space acquired by the second acquisition unit;
Calculating means for calculating the number of copies that can be copied to the storage medium based on the image size and the free space;
Control means for informing the notifying means of the judgment result by the judging means and the calculation result by the calculating means at a time before the execution instructing means instructs copying;
Program to make it function. In an image processing apparatus having a copy function for copying an image to a storage medium,
Copy execution means for copying image data stored in the storage medium to the same or another storage medium, and the size of image data copied to the storage medium when copying is executed by the copy execution means A first acquisition means;
Second acquisition means for acquiring a writable free space for image data in the copy destination storage medium;
Calculating means for calculating the number of copies that can be copied to the storage medium based on the image size acquired by the first acquisition means and the free space acquired by the second acquisition means;
Display control means for displaying on the display means the number of copies that can be calculated by the calculation means;
An image processing apparatus comprising:

Images