JPH0793520A - Filing system for picture data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the filing system of picture data easily operable and easily handlable even without special technical knowledge and skills. CONSTITUTION:This system is composed of a digital electronic still camera 1 for recording picture data in an external memory 2, a picture reader 3 and a picture data processing means 4 provided with a display part 4a and a storage device 4b. Then, at the display part 4a, the picture data of the external memory 2 are listed and displayed as negative pictures for which framing like the frames of a negative film is performed, the preservation area of the picture data of the storage device is displayed as an album and the picture data preserved in the preservation area are listed and displayed as photographic pictures. Thus, a filing operation made visually and sensually coincide with the usual classifying and arranging operations of photographs is realized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filing system for image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a video signal from an image sensor (CCD) such as a scanner (CCR) or a video camera is converted into digital image data for a personal computer, and the image data is stored in a magnetic recording device.
There is a filing system that displays, classifies, and organizes images by copying and deleting them. However, handling of image data in such a system requires complicated reading work, specialized knowledge such as resolution and image quality adjustment, and skill in computer operation, making it difficult to easily file image data. .

[0003]

In recent years, a static RA has been provided by dividing an analog video signal from a light receiving sensor such as a CCD into a digitized luminance signal and a color difference signal.
A so-called digital electronic still camera for recording on a memory card composed of a semiconductor memory such as M or a magnetic disk has been proposed and gradually spread. Although such a digital electronic still camera has an excellent advantage that an image of a subject can be easily recorded as digital image data, the conventional image data filing system cannot fully utilize the advantages of the digital electronic still camera and still has expertise. It was difficult to handle for users who did not have it. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filing system for image data which can be easily handled without special special knowledge or skill by taking advantage of the advantages of a digital electronic still camera.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a digital electronic still camera for recording a video signal as digitalized image data in an external memory, and an image recorded in the external memory. A filing system for image data, comprising: an image reading device for reading data; and an image data processing means having a display section for displaying image data from the image reading device on a screen and a storage device for storing the image data. A list of a plurality of image data recorded in the external memory is displayed on the display unit as a plurality of negative screens with a frame-like frame of a negative film.
The storage area of the image data of the storage device is displayed as an album, the image data stored in the storage area is displayed as a list on the display unit as a plurality of photo screens, and a negative screen or a photo screen is selected to select the storage device. It is configured to classify, organize, and display image data by saving, copying, and deleting in.

Further, the storage area of the image data of the storage device has a hierarchical structure, and the storage areas in the lower hierarchy than the image data displayed as the photo screen are displayed in a list with the photo screen in the form of a photo album, and the design is displayed. By selecting, the photo screen of the image data in the storage area of the lower layer and the design of the photo album showing the storage area of the lower layer are displayed in a list.

[0006] In addition, the negative screen and the photo screen displayed in a list can be selected and enlarged for each screen, and the character data stored in the storage device together with the image data of the photo screen can be displayed in the photo screen. It is displayed together with this photo screen when enlarged.

[0007]

The present invention is provided with a display unit for displaying image data on the screen so that it can be visually distinguished from a negative, a photograph, and an album, and the images are classified and organized based on these screens. Special expertise and skill are required to visually respond to the series of daily tasks of developing a film to make a negative, burning it into a photo, opening an album, pasting, organizing and saving photos You can easily handle image data without doing this.

Further, since the image data is selectively enlarged or displayed as character data, it can be viewed in detail only when necessary and a plurality of screens can be displayed as a list at the time of other operations. Many images can be viewed, and more efficient classification and organization can be performed.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an image data filing system of the present invention. The image data filing system of the present invention comprises a digital electronic still camera 1, an external memory 2, an image reading device 3, and an image data processing means 4 having a display unit 4a and a storage device 4b. The digital electronic still camera 1 converts an image of a subject converted as an analog image signal by the CCD into digitized image data. The external memory 2 records image data obtained by the digital electronic still camera 1. In this example, the digital electronic still camera 1 is used.
It is a rewritable card-type non-volatile memory that is removably attached to. The image reading device 3 reads the image data recorded in the external memory 2 and outputs it to the image data processing means 4. Image data processing means 4
Displays the image data acquired through the image reading device 3 on the display unit 4a, stores the image data in the storage device 4b as necessary, and further stores the image data in the storage device 4b as necessary.
The image data is displayed, copied, and deleted to classify, organize, and save the image data. In this example, a personal computer having a monitor and a hard disk is used.

2 to 3 are image data processing means 4 of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the outline of the operation flow in. When this system is activated, first, a dialog prompting the user to set a storage area for image data is displayed on the display unit 4a. In this dialog, the storage areas already set in the storage device 4b are displayed as a list of album names, and when the album name is selected, a screen for the storage area of the image data (hereinafter referred to as an album window) is displayed. Has become. If no storage area is set in the storage device 4b,
It prompts the user to enter the album name and sets the storage area for the image data. Since the storage area of the image data is displayed as the album name in this way, the operation can be performed in accordance with the daily feeling of opening a photo album.

Here, "album" and "memory card (the memory card means the external memory 2)" are displayed in the upper part of the screen of the display section 4a, and by selecting these, menu selection is made. You can When a menu is selected, an album window or a memory card window is displayed separately from the album window described above, and the operation for each menu can be performed, which will be described later.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the album window.
The album name is displayed in the upper frame of the album window, and the function buttons "Create album", "Rename", and "Delete" are displayed in the album window, and 10 rectangles are divided into two layers below the function buttons. A screen of image data (hereinafter referred to as a “photo screen”) is displayed in a list within this rectangle. In other words, the user of this system selects the album name and opens the window, and the image data screen is displayed in a list. Therefore, follow the operation that visually matches the daily work of opening the album and viewing photos. The image data can be browsed.

Further, the portion shown only by the rectangular frame line in the figure indicates that there are only 10 or less image data in this storage area, and the image data is not stored there. further,. Further, a design imitating a photo album in a rectangle (hereinafter referred to as an album mark) indicates a storage area of image data existing in a lower hierarchy in the hierarchical structure in the storage device 4b, and is further classified in this rectangle. It visually shows that there is an album.

Next, the operation when the album window is opened will be described. When you select "New album" from the function buttons, the album name input dialog that prompts you to enter the album name is displayed. By entering the album name, you can set a lower-level save area in the current save area. Has become. The newly provided storage area is indicated by the album mark described above. That is, the user of the system can perform classification / organization without being aware of the construction of the hierarchical structure in the storage device 4b.

When a photo screen or album mark displayed in the album window is selected by a predetermined mouse operation, the photo screen or album mark is surrounded by a red frame, and then "name change" and "delete" function buttons are selected. When you select, a dialog for executing each function is displayed, and if you perform a predetermined operation according to the display of the dialog, the photo screen or album mark surrounded by a red frame will be renamed or deleted. Has become.

When the photo screen or album mark displayed in the album window is selected by another predetermined mouse operation, detailed display of the photo screen or display of the album window can be performed. When the photo screen is selected, a photo detail dialog having an image and character data display area twice as large as the photo screen vertically and horizontally and function buttons of "enlarge" and "end" is displayed. Character data can be input to the character data display area, and the character data is stored in the storage device 4b together with the image data of the photo screen, and is always displayed when the photo details dialog of the photo screen is displayed. ing. Also, if you select the "Enlarge" function button, the image in this photo details dialog will be displayed vertically and horizontally.
Double, that is, four times the size of the photo screen vertically and horizontally (display unit 4
(Full display on the display screen of a))
When a predetermined mouse operation is performed on the enlarged image, the photo details dialog is returned. When "Exit" is selected, the photo details dialog is closed and the original album window display is restored. In this way, it is usually possible to display a list on a relatively small photo screen and to enlarge it when necessary, so you can see many images at once and efficiently sort and organize. Can be done well.

When the album mark is selected to display the album window, the photo screen of the image data in the storage area in the lower hierarchy and the album mark in the lower hierarchy are displayed. That is, the user of the system can move to the lower layer without being aware of the hierarchical structure by simply selecting the album mark in the album window with the mouse and opening the window. In addition,
The function and its operation in the newly opened album window are the same as those in the previous album window, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Further, in a state where a plurality of other album windows are displayed, the mouse is moved to the photo screen or the album mark and dragged (the mouse is moved while holding down the click button of the mouse), and the rectangle of the other album window is displayed. Dropping inside (releasing the mouse click button that was pressed) will move the photo screen or album mark into the rectangle of another album. That is, one or a plurality of image data can be moved between different storage areas, and the system user can easily classify and organize the image data.

A case where the menu is selected will be described with reference to FIG. If you select "Album" in the menu selection, the album menu will be displayed. If you select "Open" here, another new album window will be opened, and if you select "Close", the last opened album window (" The "front album window") is closed. The functions and operations in the newly opened album window are the same as those in the previous album window, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. When "End" is selected, the system ends.

When "Memory card" is specified, the memory card menu is displayed, and when "Open" is selected, the memory card window shown in FIG. 5 is opened.
Select "Close" to close the memory card window. In the memory card window, the "Delete" function button is displayed, and below that, a rectangle is displayed that is divided into upper and lower two stages and is framed to imitate the 10 frame feed holes for the negative film. Shows a list of screens of image data in the external memory 2 read by the image reading device 3 (hereinafter referred to as negative screens). In this way, since the image data before being recorded in the external memory 2 and being stored in the storage device 4b is shown as a negative screen, the system user has a visual sense that it is in a state before being pasted in the album. It is possible to recognize it. When the image data in the external memory 2 is 10 or less, only the frame is displayed.

Erasing the negative screen with the memory card window opened is the same as that for the photo screen in the album window. Also, operations such as displaying, enlarging, and ending the negative details dialog by mouse operation are the same as the operations on the photo screen. However, character data is not displayed when the negative details dialog is displayed.

Furthermore, when the mouse is moved to the negative screen displayed in the memory card window and dragged and dropped in the rectangle of another album window, the negative screen is automatically copied to another album as a photo screen. It has become. That is, the user can perform filing of image data with a feeling that after a negative is printed as a photograph, it is attached to an album for classification and organization.

In this embodiment, two items, "album" and "memory card" are selected in the menu selection, but here, for example, a menu "option" is provided so that the image can be displayed without terminating the program. Functions such as switching the data storage area, confirming the position of the currently displayed storage area in the hierarchical structure, and changing the item name of the character data when the photo details dialog is displayed may be added. In addition, a photo screen of image data displayed in the album window and memory card window,
The number of negative screens is not limited to 10 and may be more than
If it does not fit within one screen, function buttons such as "previous page" and "next page" may be set to switch the display. Furthermore, the photo screen and the negative screen are selected by operating the mouse, and the selected screen is deleted, renamed, detailed dialog is displayed, moved, copied, etc. The selection may be performed by inputting the screen number, and the function buttons may be provided separately, and various other changes are possible.

[0024]

As described above, the present invention directly receives image data from a digital electronic still camera, displays a list of negative screens, photo screens, and patterns imitating albums on a display device, and photographs negatives and photographs. It is structured so that it can be handled like a daily routine of organizing, classifying, and saving it in an album, so that the user can easily and efficiently file image data without special expertise or skill. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation flow in the image processing unit of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation flow in the image processing unit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an album window.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a memory card window.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Digital Electronic Still Camera 2 External Memory 3 Image Reader 4 Image Data Processing Means 4a Display 4b Storage

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H04N 5/907 B 7734-5C

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A digital electronic still camera for recording a video signal as digitalized image data in an external memory, an image reading device for reading the image data recorded in the external memory, and image data from the image reading device. Is a filing system for image data, which comprises a display unit for displaying the image on a screen and an image data processing unit having a storage device for storing the image data, wherein a plurality of image data recorded in the external memory is formed into a frame of a negative film. Listed on the display unit as a plurality of negative screens that have been framed,
The storage area of the image data of the storage device is displayed as an album, the image data stored in the storage area is displayed as a list on the display unit as a plurality of photo screens, and a negative screen or a photo screen is designated and the storage device is displayed. An image data filing system that classifies, organizes, and displays image data by storing, copying, and deleting in. 2. The storage area of the image data of the storage device has a hierarchical structure, and the storage areas in a lower hierarchy than the image data displayed as a photo screen are displayed in a list with the photo screen in the form of a photo album. 2. The filing system for image data according to claim 1, wherein a photo screen of image data in the storage area of the lower hierarchy and a pattern of a photo album showing the storage area of the lower hierarchy are displayed in a list by selection. 3. The negative screen and the photo screen displayed in a list can be selected one by one to be enlarged and displayed.
Alternatively, the filing system for image data described in 2. 4. The filing system for image data according to claim 3, wherein the character data stored in the storage device together with the image data of the photo screen is displayed together with the photo screen when the photo screen is enlarged and displayed.