KR20060074287A - Image display method for image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The image display method of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the steps of selecting at least two of the image thumbnails displayed in the image window in the playback mode; And displaying the selected image thumbnails as one bundled image thumbnail.

According to the present invention, when a group of similar pictures are displayed in one bundle and other images are to be displayed more, when the entire batch of images are deleted or when a whole print is desired, the state set by an image processing apparatus such as a digital camera is kept as it is. Users can conveniently search for and manage the captured image files according to their needs, such as when they want to copy or move them to a computer.

Description

Image display method for image processing device

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplary digital camera to which the image display method of the present invention can be applied.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an image display method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a preferred embodiment of step S100 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a back side of a digital camera in which an image display method of the present invention may be implemented.

5 illustrates an example of an image window in which step S100 of FIG. 3 is executed.

6 shows an image window in which a bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together.

7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a method of displaying a bundled image thumbnail.

8 illustrates a new image window in which step S106 of FIG. 7 is executed.

9 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a method of displaying a bundled image thumbnail.

FIG. 10 is an exemplary screen on which step S114 of FIG. 9 is executed, in which all eight bundled images are overlaid.

11 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a method of displaying a packed image thumbnail.

12 shows an image thumbnail window including six bundled image thumbnails (bundled A to F).

FIG. 13 shows a file tree for storing files represented by a packed image thumbnail in a new folder.

FIG. 14 shows a file tree for storing files represented by a packed image thumbnail in a new folder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital camera, and more particularly, to a method of displaying an image thumbnail displayed in an image window at the time of reproduction in an image processing apparatus.

As an example of the image processing apparatus, the digital camera stores images in the order of shooting in the shooting mode, and sequentially searches for the image thumbnails displayed in the image window according to the user's operation in the playback mode to perform playback, deletion, and the like.                         

However, as the number of pictures that can be stored increases due to an increase in memory capacity, it is inconvenient to search by moving a large number of display windows in order to search for a desired image among numerous images stored in the photographing order.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image display method of an image processing apparatus capable of grouping and displaying and managing two or more images.

The image display method of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, (a) selecting at least two of the image thumbnails displayed in the image window in the playback mode; And (b) displaying the selected image thumbnails as one bundled image thumbnail.

The step (a) may include: continuously determining whether (a1) the direction movement instruction or the bundle instruction is input, and proceeding to the step (b) when the bundle instruction is input; (a2) when a direction movement instruction is input, moving a cursor according to the direction movement instruction; (a3) determining whether a selection or release instruction has been input to the image on which the cursor is positioned, and if the selection or release instruction is not input, proceeding to step (a1); And (a4) when the selection or release instruction is input, selecting or releasing the image where the cursor is located and proceeding to the step (a1).

In the step (b), only the first image thumbnail of the selected image thumbnails may be displayed, and the displayed image thumbnails may be displayed as bundled images.                     

The image display method may include: continuously determining whether the bundled image thumbnail is selected in an image window in which the bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together; And (d) if the bundled image thumbnail is selected, displaying only the bundled images of the bundled image thumbnail in a new image window.

The method of displaying an image may include: (e) continuously determining whether a cursor is positioned on the bundled image thumbnail in an image window in which the bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together; And (f) superimposing two or more image thumbnails of the bundled images when the cursor is located on the bundled image thumbnails.

In the step (f), after the overlap display is maintained for a predetermined period, the overlap display may be released.

The image display method may store files displayed as the bundled image thumbnail in a new folder.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of an image display method of an image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote components that perform the same function.

The basic concept of the present invention is to display the thumbnails of two or more selected images in the playback mode as one bundled image thumbnail, so that the user can conveniently manage the captured images.                     

Hereinafter, a digital camera will be described as an example of an image processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplary digital camera to which the image display method of the present invention can be applied.

The optical system OPS including the lens unit and the filter unit optically processes light from a subject. The lens unit in the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens.

A photoelectric conversion unit (OEC) of a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) converts light from an optical system (OPS) into an electrical analog signal. Here, the digital signal processor 507 controls the timing circuit 502 to control the operations of the photoelectric converter OEC and the analog-digital converter 501. The CDS-ADC (Correlation Double Sampler and Analog-to-Digital Converter) element 501 as an analog-to-digital converter processes the analog signal from the photoelectric converter (OEC) to remove the low frequency noise and adjust the amplitude. After that, it is converted into a digital signal. The digital signal processor 507 processes the digital signal from the CDS-ADC element 501 to generate a digital image signal classified into luminance and chroma signals.

The digital video signal from the digital signal processor 507 is temporarily stored in the DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 504. The EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) 505 stores algorithms and setting data necessary for the operation of the digital signal processor 507. The memory card of the user is detached from the memory card interface 506.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 507 is input to the LCD driver 514, whereby the image is displayed on the color LCD panel 35.

On the other hand, the digital video signal from the digital signal processor 507 can be transmitted by serial communication via the USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection 21a or the RS232C interface 508 and its connection 21b, and the video filter ( 509 and the video output unit 21c may be transmitted as a video signal.

The audio processor 513 outputs the audio signal from the microphone MIC to the digital signal processor 507 or the speaker SP, and outputs the audio signal from the digital signal processor 507 to the speaker SP.

The user input unit INP includes a shutter button (13 in FIG. 1), a mode dial (14 in FIG. 1), a function-selection button (15 in FIG. 1), a function-block button (18 in FIG. 1), a monitor button ( 32 in FIG. 2, OK / Delete button (36 in FIG. 2), Enter / Playback button (37 in FIG. 2), Menu button (38 in FIG. 2), Wide-Zoom button (39w in FIG. 2), Tele- Zoom button (39t in FIG. 2), up-move button (40up in FIG. 2), right-move button (40ri in FIG. 2), down-move button (40lo in FIG. 2), and left-move button (FIG. 2) 40le).

The microcontroller 512 controls the lens driver 510, so that the zoom motor M _Z , the focus motor M _F , and the aperture motor M _A are zoom lenses in the optical system OPS, The focus lens and the aperture are driven respectively. The light emitting unit LAMP driven by the microcontroller 512 includes a self-timer lamp 11, an auto-focus lamp (33 in FIG. 2) and a flash standby lamp (34 in FIG. 2). On the other hand, the microcontroller 512 drives the flash 12 by controlling the operation of the flash controller 511 according to the signal from the flash-light amount sensor 19.

The digital camera to which the image display method of the present invention can be applied does not have to include all the components of the digital camera illustrated in FIG. 1, and those skilled in the art can delete some of the components according to the specification, or another component. Will be added, or some components may be modified.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an image display method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The image display method according to the present invention implemented in the digital camera first selects two or more of the image thumbnails displayed in the image window in the playback mode (S100). The selection of two or more image thumbnails may be performed by manipulating the direction movement button provided in the user input unit.

The image thumbnails selected in step S100 are displayed as one bundled image thumbnail (S102).

The present invention may be implemented such that images captured in a certain photographing mode, for example, image thumbnails stored as a result of photographing in a continuous shooting mode, are automatically selected, and they are displayed as one bundled image thumbnail.

3 is a flowchart for explaining a preferred embodiment of the step S100 of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 3, step S100 continuously determines whether the cursor is moved in the playback mode (S200) or whether a bundle instruction is input (S206). At this time, if a bundle instruction is input, the step S100 ends and proceeds to step S102.

It is determined whether a selection or release instruction has been input to the image on which the cursor is located (S202).

At this time, if a selection or release instruction is input, the cursor selects or releases the image in which the cursor is placed as a bundled image (S204). If it was previously selected as the bundled image, the release is performed in step S204, and the other image is selected as the bundled image in step S204.

4 is a simplified illustration of the back side of a digital camera in which the image display method of the present invention can be implemented. The image window 100, the wide-angle / telephoto-zoom button 104, the directional button 102, and the selection / A release button 106, a tie button 108, and an escape button 110 are provided.

Referring to FIG. 4, 36 image thumbnails are displayed in the image window 100 in the playback mode. The cursor is moved by the direction movement button 102 (S200), the bundle instruction is input by the bundle button 108 (S206), and the selection or release of the image where the cursor is positioned by the select / release button 106 is performed. This is done (S202).

The escape button 110 is used to close the bundled image view window, which will be described with reference to FIG. 7.                     

FIG. 5 exemplarily illustrates an image window in which step S100 (image selection process) of FIG. 3 is executed. In FIG. 5, the user selects 8 images of 5, 6, 11, 12, 17, 18, 23, and 24 using the direction movement button 102. The selected image is tagged with a circle, and the cursor is currently 24 Is located in the image. When the bundle button (108 of FIG. 6) is pressed in the state of FIG. 5, the selected eight images become one bundled image thumbnail so that the image window is displayed as shown in FIG.

6 shows an image window in which a bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together. Eight images selected in FIG. 5 are displayed as bundled image thumbnails (image 5). Here, the bundled image thumbnail displays only the first image (image 5) of the eight image thumbnails belonging to it, and indicates that the bundled image is a shadow in the lower right direction.

7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a method of displaying a bundled image thumbnail.

In general, when a cursor is positioned on one image thumbnail and a confirmation button is input, the selected image is enlarged and displayed in a new window.

In the present invention, when the bundled image thumbnail is selected in the image window in which the bundled image thumbnail (image 5) and other image thumbnails are displayed as shown in FIG. 8 (S104), only the bundled images of the bundled image thumbnail in the new image window Is displayed (S106).

8 shows a new image window in which step S106 is executed in the playback mode.                     

When the escape instruction (110 of FIG. 4) is input from the image window of FIG. 8 (S108), the new image window of FIG. 8 is closed and the previous image window (FIG. 6) is displayed (S110). Even if the escape instruction is not input, it may be implemented to return to the previous image window when a predetermined time elapses after the image window of FIG. 8 is displayed.

9 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a method of displaying a packed image thumbnail.

First, the user moves the cursor by operating the direction movement button in the image window as shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 9, if the cursor is positioned on a bundled image thumbnail in an image window in which a bundled image thumbnail (image thumbnail 5) and other image thumbnails are displayed as shown in FIG. 6 (S112), two or more images of the bundled images The thumbnails are overlaid (S114).

FIG. 10 is an example screen in which step S114 is executed in a playback mode, in which all eight bundled images are overlaid. The superimposed display may be implemented such that a predetermined number of images are displayed by the basic setting or the user's setting.

The overlap display can be removed by input of a predetermined condition. For example, the overlap display may be removed by inputting an escape button (110 of FIG. 4), elapse of a predetermined period of time, movement of the cursor, and the like.

The flowchart of FIG. 9 is an example implemented such that the overlap display is removed (S118, S122) by a predetermined period of time S116 or by movement of the cursor S120.                     

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method of displaying a bundled image thumbnail, which is an embodiment in which FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 are combined.

First, the user moves the cursor by operating the direction movement button in the image window as shown in FIG. 6, and the digital camera continuously determines whether the cursor is located in the bundled image thumbnail (S112). At this time, when the cursor is located in the bundled image thumbnail, two or more image thumbnails of the bundled images are overlaid (S114).

At this time, the overlap display is removed (S118, S122) by the elapse of a predetermined period (S116) or by moving the cursor (S120).

If a predetermined period has elapsed since the superimposed display has been elapsed, the superimposed display is removed (S122), and it is determined whether the bundled image thumbnail is selected (S104). Step S104 may be performed by the user inputting a confirmation button (102 of FIG. 4) while the cursor is located in the bundled image thumbnail.

When the bundled image thumbnail is selected, a new window (FIG. 8) is opened to display only image thumbnails included in the bundled image (S106). At this time, when the escape instruction (110 of FIG. 4) is input (S108), the new image window of FIG. 8 is closed and the previous image window (FIG. 6) is displayed (S110). Even if the escape instruction is not input, it may be implemented to return to the previous image window when a predetermined time elapses after the image window of FIG. 8 is displayed.

The embodiment of FIG. 11 may be implemented to determine whether the cursor is located in the bundled image thumbnail when the user moves the cursor by operating the direction movement button in any step.                     

12 shows an image thumbnail window including six bundled image thumbnails (bundled A to F).

In general, image files of a digital camera are stored and managed in the order in which they are taken. In the image display method of the digital camera according to the present invention, the bundled image thumbnails are displayed in the image window, but the file management can be stored and managed in the photographed order as in the prior art. You can also manage the files belonging to the packed image in a new folder.

FIG. 13 shows a file tree for storing files represented by a packed image thumbnail in a new folder.

Bundle A contains images 005, 006, and 007. Bundle B contains images 100, 107, and 108. At this time, files in bundle A and bundle B are organized into separate folder A bundle folder and B bundle folder.

In the file management example of FIG. 13, files 001, 002, 003, ... which do not belong to the bundled image are not organized into separate folders.

FIG. 14 shows a file tree for storing files represented by a packed image thumbnail in a new folder. The difference from FIG. 13 is that files which do not belong to the bundled image are also organized into separate folders.

13 and 14, the file management for each folder of FIG. 13 may be performed simultaneously with the display of the bundled image thumbnail in step S102 of FIG. 2 in the digital camera. In addition, the file management for each folder of FIGS. 13 and 14 may be performed when a file is copied or moved from a digital camera to a computer.

The above-described embodiments have been described based on the image display method of the digital camera as an example of the image display method of the image processing apparatus, but is not limited thereto. The present invention can be applied not only to digital cameras but also to portable multimedia players (PMPs), which have recently been in the spotlight. PMP is a portable, next-generation multimedia player with complex functions such as music playback, broadcast reception, games, electronic dictionary, video playback, and digital camera such as MP3. In such a PMP, the image display method of the present invention may be applied when the stored image is reproduced.

The best embodiments have been disclosed in the drawings and specification above. Although specific terms have been used herein, they are used only for the purpose of describing the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention as defined in the meaning or claims. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible from this. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

As described above, according to the image display method of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when a group of similar pictures are displayed in a bundle and other images are to be displayed more, when the entire batch image is deleted or a whole print is desired, a digital camera It is possible to conveniently search and manage the captured image file according to the user's request such as copying and moving the state set in the image processing apparatus such as to an external personal computer.

The invention is not limited to the examples described above and represented in the drawings. Those skilled in the art taught by the above-described embodiments, many modifications to the above-described embodiments are possible by substitution, erasure, merging, etc. within the scope and object of the present invention described in the following claims.

Claims (7)

(a) selecting two or more of the image thumbnails displayed in the image window in the playback mode; And and (b) displaying the selected image thumbnails as one bundled image thumbnail. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) (a1) continuously determining whether a direction movement instruction or a bundle instruction is input, and proceeding to step (b) when a bundle instruction is input; (a2) when a direction movement instruction is input, moving a cursor according to the direction movement instruction; (a3) determining whether a selection or release instruction has been input to the image on which the cursor is positioned, and if the selection or release instruction is not input, proceeding to step (a1); And and (a4) selecting or releasing the image on which the cursor is located when the selection or release instruction is input, and proceeding to the step (a1). The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) And displaying only the first image thumbnail of the selected image thumbnails and indicating that the displayed image thumbnails are bundled images. The method of claim 1, (c) continuously determining whether the bundled image thumbnail is selected in an image window in which the bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together; And (d) if only the bundled image thumbnail is selected, displaying only the bundled images of the bundled image thumbnail in a new image window. The method of claim 1, (e) continuously determining whether a cursor is positioned on the bundled image thumbnail in an image window in which the bundled image thumbnail and other image thumbnails are displayed together; And and (f) superimposing two or more image thumbnails of the bundled images when the cursor is located on the bundled image thumbnails. The method of claim 5, wherein step (f) And dismissing the superimposed display after the superimposed display is maintained for a predetermined period of time. The method of claim 1, And storing the files represented by the bundled image thumbnails in a new folder.

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