JPH11259630A - Processor and method for image processing, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm and print out an image photographed by a still camera by easy operation. SOLUTION: Plural images from the still camera 18 are stored in a memory 20. One specified image is displayed in a main image area of a liquid crystal display panel 10 and all the images stored in the memory 20 are thumbnailed in the thumbnail display area where the main image area is arranged. When lateral images are displayed in the main image area, the main image area is arranged at the upper part of the liquid crystal display panel and the thumbnail display area is arranged below it. When longitudinal images are displayed in the main image area, the main image area is arranged on the left side of the liquid crystal panel and the thumbnail display area is arranged on the right side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a storage medium, and more specifically, to a list of a plurality of images from an image source and a main display of an image selected from the list. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method and a storage medium that can easily select the image processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to reproduce and display a photographed image of a digital still camera, generally, display means (usually a liquid crystal display panel) attached to the camera is used, or the image is once taken into a computer device and reproduced. Use a display application to display on a monitor screen connected to a computer device.

[0003]

Once fetched into a computer device, image processing for superimposing various information such as explanatory texts can be freely performed, but only the computer device and image processing application software are required. It is not a convenient way for beginners who are not accustomed to computer equipment.

On the other hand, it is extremely easy to display a photographed image on an image display device integrated with a still camera. However, only a photographed image is displayed at the end, and the image quality and display size are also reduced. The performance of the display device is limited and cannot be said to be sufficient. Of course, there is a limit to the image processing that can be performed on a photographed image, and the inherent advantages of a digital still camera cannot be utilized.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and method and a storage medium which have solved such disadvantages.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: an image storage unit capable of storing a plurality of images from an image source; an image display unit; and a display screen of the image display unit. Display control means for setting a main image area for largely displaying a designated one of the images stored in the image storage means and a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means And characterized in that:

An image processing method according to the present invention comprises an image storing step of storing a plurality of images from an image source in an image storing means, and displaying the images stored in the image storing means on a display screen of the image displaying means. An area setting step of setting a main image area for displaying one designated image in the image in a large size and a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means; A list display step of displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the storage means; and a main image specifying step of specifying an image to be displayed in the main image area from among the images displayed in the list display step. It is characterized by.

[0008] The storage medium according to the present invention includes an image storage step of storing a plurality of images from an image source in an image storage means, and a display screen of the image display means for storing images stored in the image storage means. An area setting step of setting a main image area for displaying one designated image in the image in a large size and a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means; Software comprising: a list display step of displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the storage means; and a main image specifying step of specifying an image to be displayed in the main image area from the images displayed in the list display step. -The program is stored so that it can be read externally.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a liquid crystal display panel such as FLDC,
12 is a drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel 10, 14
Is a tablet operation detection circuit for detecting an operation of a tablet pen (not shown) on a transparent operation tablet integrated with the liquid crystal display panel 10, and 16 is a detection result of the tablet operation detection circuit 14 (user detection). CPU for controlling each part according to the operation result), 18 is a digital
A still camera, 20 is a memory for storing image data taken from the digital still camera 18, and 22 is
The printer prints out image data read from the memory 20.

Circuit blocks not directly necessary for understanding the present embodiment, such as a power supply and a backlight, are omitted for easy understanding.

The tablet operation detection circuit 14 is a circuit for detecting which position on the liquid crystal display panel 10 a dedicated tablet pen (not shown) is pointing. The detection result of the tablet operation detection circuit 14 is sent to the CPU 16. Can be The CPU 16 determines a user's intention from the detection result, determines an image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 10,
It controls image display, output to the printer 22, and the like.

The memory 20 can store a plurality of shot image data output from the still camera 18 at a time.
The CPU 16 outputs a predetermined value stored in the memory 20 according to the output (user operation) of the tablet operation detection circuit 14.
The image data of the sheet is read out, supplied to the drive circuit 12, and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 10.

An image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 10 is stored in the memory 20 according to a user operation.
2 is also supplied. That is, the image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 10 can be printed out by a simple operation.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams of an example of a display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 10. FIG. The liquid crystal display panel 10
The aspect ratio of the still camera 18 is 3: 4, and the aspect ratio of the still camera 18 is 3: 4. As shown in FIG. 2, an image of “horizontal photograph” taken long in the horizontal direction by the still camera 18 is a liquid crystal display panel 1.
0 is displayed in the main image area 30a arranged in the upper part of the screen. As shown in FIG. 3, an image of a “longitudinal photograph” taken vertically by the still camera 18 is a main image area 30b arranged on the left side of the screen of the liquid crystal display panel 10.
Will be displayed. Whether the image from the still camera 18 is a horizontal image or a vertical image is input to the CPU 16 using an operation tablet or other operation means.

In a surplus portion on the screen of the liquid crystal display panel 10, thumbnails for displaying thumbnail images obtained by reducing the images taken in the memory 20 from the still camera 18 are displayed.
Area 32a, 32b, thumbnail area 32a,
32b, a forward / backward key 34a for changing an image to be displayed.
34b is installed. Due to restrictions on the screen size of the liquid crystal display panel 10, all the images stored in the still camera 18 cannot be displayed in the areas 32a and 32b at one time. Then, when the forward / reverse keys 34a and 34b are selected with the above-mentioned tablet pen, the CPU 16
The next image not displayed in the areas 32a and 32b is fetched from the still camera 18 into the memory 20, and the display images in the thumbnail areas 32a and 32b are updated to thumbnail images including the fetched image.

When an arbitrary image displayed in the thumbnail areas 32a and 32b is selected with the tablet pen, the selected image is displayed large in the main image areas 30a and 30b. Then, the main image areas 30a, 30
When a predetermined operation is performed on b with a tablet pen, this becomes a print output instruction, and the CPU 16 causes the printer 22 to read the image data of the image displayed in the main image areas 30a and 30b from the memory 20. Thereby, the images displayed in the main image areas 30a and 30b are printed out.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention in which the above embodiment is modified. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the memory 20 includes two memories 24 and 26. Memory 24
Stores the image data at the resolution displayed in the main image areas 30a and 30b, and the memory 26 stores the image data at the resolution displayed in the thumbnail areas 32a and 32b. That is, the image data read from the still camera 18 is stored in the memory 24 at the resolution displayed in the main image areas 30a and 30b, and stored in the memory 26 at a low resolution by data thinning or resolution conversion. This speeds up the display of thumbnail images.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention in which simple image processing can be performed. 40 is a liquid crystal display panel such as FLDC, 42 is a drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel 40, and 44 is operation of a tablet pen (not shown) on a transparent operation tablet integrated with the liquid crystal display panel 40. A tablet operation detecting circuit 46 for detecting the CPU operation, a CPU controlling each unit in accordance with the detection result (user operation result) of the tablet operation detecting circuit 44, and a digital input / output terminal 48 for inputting image data to an image input terminal to a storage medium. A still camera 50 is a memory for storing image data taken from the digital still camera 48, a ROM 52 is for storing pattern data such as symbols and characters, and a 54 is an image read from the memory 50. This is a printer that prints out data.

In this embodiment, the digital still camera 48 can store the input image data in the image input terminal in the storage medium as described above, and the image input terminal is connected to the data output terminal of the memory 50. . That is, in the present embodiment, the character data and the like are combined with the image data on the memory 50, and the combined image data obtained therefrom is combined with the still camera 4
8 and stored in the storage medium of the still camera 48. In other words, simple character synthesis can be realized.

The characteristic operation of this embodiment will be described.
A plurality of image data output from the still camera 48 is stored in the memory 50, and one of the specified image data is read out to the drive circuit 42 and the image data is read out from the liquid crystal display panel 4.
0 indicates an image. Up to this point, the embodiment is the same as the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, in this embodiment, an image displayed in the main image area of the liquid crystal display panel 40 can be subjected to image editing such as superimposition of character strings, trimming, and adjustment of hue by tablet operation. The image data thus processed is stored in the still camera 4 from the memory 50.
8 and can be recorded on the storage medium of the still camera 48. Further, the processed image data can be read from the memory 50 to the printer 54 and printed out.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show examples of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 40. FIG. The aspect ratio of the liquid crystal display panel 40 is 1: 1. FIG. 6 shows a screen example in the thumbnail display mode, and FIG. 7 shows a screen example in the edit mode.

In the thumbnail display mode (FIG. 6), a main image area 60 for displaying one designated image is arranged at the upper part of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 40, and at the lower part of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 40. Are arranged, a thumbnail area 62 for displaying thumbnail images, a forward / reverse key 64 for sequentially / reversely forwarding images to be displayed as thumbnails, an edit mode key 66 for specifying an edit mode, and a print key 68 for instructing print output. .

In the editing mode (FIG. 7), a main image area 60 is arranged at the upper part of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 40, and a keyboard 70 comprising various operation keys is arranged at the lower part of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel 40. And a thumbnail mode key 72 for designating transition to the thumbnail display mode
And a print key 68 are arranged.

In the thumbnail display mode shown in FIG. 6, when the edit mode key 66 is selected by operating the tablet,
The display is switched to the display screen in the edit mode shown in FIG. By operating the operation keys of the keyboard 70 with a tablet pen, various symbols and characters can be superimposed on the image displayed in the main image area 60. Keyboard 70
Display contents and pattern data of overlapping characters are stored in ROM
52. When the thumbnail mode key 72 is selected in the editing mode shown in FIG. 7, the mode shifts to the thumbnail display mode shown in FIG.

6 and 7, when the print key 68 is selected, the image data of the image displayed in the main image area 60 is output to the printer 54. Thus, the image displayed in the main image area 60 can be printed out in either the thumbnail display mode or the edit mode.

In the same manner as in the case shown in FIG.
It goes without saying that the memory may be divided into two memories.

The printers 22 and 54 may be of a printer built-in type integrated with the above embodiments.

A software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment is installed in a computer in an apparatus or system connected to the various devices to operate the various devices so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiment. The present invention also includes those in which the code is supplied and a computer (CPU or MPU) of the apparatus or system is operated by operating the various devices according to stored programs.

In this case, the program code itself of the software realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to the computer, for example,
A storage medium storing such a program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM and the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) or other operating system running on the computer. Even when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with application software, etc.,
Needless to say, such a program code is included in the embodiment of the invention according to the present application.

Further, the supplied program code is:
After being stored in the memory provided in the function expansion board of the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs one of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that a case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by performing all or part of the processes and executing the processing is also included in the invention according to the present application.

[0033]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, a list of a plurality of images from an image source such as a digital still camera and an image selected from the list are displayed. The main display can be easily selected. In addition, an operation of confirming a desired image and printing out the image becomes easy. Thus, a computer device is not required, so that even a person unfamiliar with a computer or the like can obtain a print output of a desired captured image of a still camera by an easy operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a display screen of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is another example of the display screen of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a screen example of a thumbnail display mode according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a screen example of an edit mode according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Liquid crystal display panel 12: Drive circuit 14: Tablet operation detection circuit 16: CPU 18: Digital still camera 20: Memory 22: Printer 24, 26: Memory 30a, 30b: Main image area 32a, 32b: Thumbnail area 34a, 34b: forward / backward key 40: liquid crystal display panel 42: drive circuit 44: tablet operation detection circuit 46: CPU 48: digital still camera 50: memory 52: ROM 54: printer 60: main image area 62: thumbnail image Area 64: Forward / backward key 66: Edit mode key 68: Print key 70: Keyboard 72: Thumbnail mode key

Claims (25)

[Claims] An image storage unit capable of freely storing a plurality of images from an image source; an image display unit; and a display screen of the image display unit, the display screen of the image storage unit having a designated image among the images stored in the image storage unit. An image processing apparatus comprising: a main image area for displaying one image in a large size; and a display control means for setting a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the image to be displayed in the main image area is a horizontal image, the main image area is arranged at an upper part of a display screen of the image display means, and the list display area is arranged at a lower part. 2. The image processing device according to 1. 3. When the image to be displayed in the main image area is a vertical image, the main image area is arranged on one of the right and left sides of the display screen of the image display means, and the list display area is set on the right and left sides. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device is disposed on the other side on the left side. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control means displays, on the display screen of the image display means, an image of a forward / reverse key for sequentially specifying an image to be output for the image source. . 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an aspect ratio of a display screen of said image display means is 1: 1. 6. The image storage means comprises: a first memory for storing image data from the image source; and a second memory for storing image data corresponding to a small image displayed in the list display area. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 7. A list display mode for setting the main image area and the list display area, and an editing operation for editing and processing the main image area and the image displayed in the main image area. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an editing mode for displaying a member can be freely selected. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation member for selecting an operation element displayed on the image display means and inputting an operation. 9. The method according to claim 9, wherein the image source is a digital still
The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device is a camera. 10. An image storage step of storing a plurality of images from an image source in an image storage means, and a display screen of the image display means displays one image designated among the images stored in the image storage means. An area setting step of setting a main image area for displaying a large image and a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means, and a predetermined image stored in the image storage means in the list display area. An image processing method, comprising: a list display step of displaying a list of images, and a main image specifying step of specifying an image to be displayed in the main image area from the images displayed in the list display step. . 11. The area setting step comprises: when an image to be displayed in the main image area is a horizontal image, arranging the main image area on an upper part of a display screen of the image display means, and setting the list display area to The image processing method according to claim 10, wherein the image processing method is arranged at a lower part. 12. The area setting step, wherein, when an image to be displayed in the main image area is a vertical image, the main image area is arranged on one of a right side and a left side of a display screen of the image display means. The image processing method according to claim 10, wherein the list display area is arranged on the other of the right side and the left side. 13. A forward / reverse operation element displaying step of displaying an image of a forward / reverse key for sequentially designating an image to be output on the display screen of the image display means on the display screen of the image display means. The image processing method according to claim 10, comprising: 14. The image processing method according to claim 10, wherein an aspect ratio of a display screen of said image display means is 1: 1. 15. The image storage means includes a first memory for storing image data from the image source and a second memory for storing image data corresponding to a small image displayed in the list display area. The image processing method according to claim 10, further comprising: 16. A list display mode for setting the main image area and the list display area, and an edit mode for displaying an edit operation member for editing and processing the main image area and an image displayed in the main image area. 11. The image processing method according to claim 10, further comprising a mode selection step of selecting (a) and (b). 17. The image processing method according to claim 10, further comprising an operation member for selecting an operation element displayed on the image display means and inputting an operation. 18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the image source is a digital still camera. 19. An image storage step of storing a plurality of images from an image source in an image storage means, and a display screen of the image display means, wherein one of the images stored in the image storage means is designated. An area setting step of setting a main image area for displaying a large image and a list display area for displaying a list of predetermined images stored in the image storage means, and a predetermined image stored in the image storage means in the list display area. A software program consisting of a list display step of displaying a list of images and a main image designation step of designating an image to be displayed in the main image area from the images displayed in the list display step can be externally read freely. A storage medium characterized by storing. 20. The area setting step, wherein, when an image to be displayed in the main image area is a horizontal image, the main image area is arranged at an upper portion of a display screen of the image display means, and the list display area is displayed. 20. The storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the storage medium is arranged at a lower part. 21. The area setting step, wherein, when an image to be displayed in the main image area is a vertical image, the main image area is arranged on one of a right side and a left side of a display screen of the image display means. 20. The storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the list display area is arranged on the other of the right side and the left side. 22. A forward / reverse operation element displaying step of displaying an image of a forward / reverse key for sequentially designating an image to be output on the display screen of the image display means on the display screen of the image display means. 20. The storage medium according to claim 19, comprising: 23. The storage medium according to claim 19, wherein an aspect ratio of a display screen of said image display means is 1: 1. 24. A list display mode for setting the main image area and the list display area, and an edit mode for displaying an edit operation member for editing and processing the main image area and an image displayed in the main image area. 20. The storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising a mode selection step of selecting the following. 25. The storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising an operation member for selecting and inputting an operation element displayed on said image display means.