KR20070113786A - Recording medium and method of replaying image file formed in the recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A recording medium and a method for reproducing an image file of the recording medium are provided to increase reproducing speed in a reproducing mode of a digital image processing device. In a recording medium, a data storage area, a first applied area, a second applied area, a compression table area, a compressed data area, and the other data storage areas are formed orderly. The data storage area alarms start of an image file. The first applied area stores tag information(M2). The second applied area stores contents list data and stream data. The compression table area stores information on a compressing process. The compressed data area stores the data formed by compressing main image data. The other data storage areas alarm end of the image file. Screen nail image data(IFD0) with resolution of a display panel is stored in the first applied area.

Description

Recording medium and method of replaying image file formed in the recording medium}

1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a digital camera as a conventional digital image processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating image files formed on a memory card by performing a shooting mode of the digital camera of FIG. 1.

3 is a view showing the structure of a conventional video file formed in the memory card of FIG.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm of reproducing each of the conventional image files having the structure of FIG. 3 by the digital camera processor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an image file according to the present invention formed in the memory card of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of tag information data of FIG. 5.

7 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm of reproducing each of the image files according to the present invention having the structures of FIGS. 5 and 6 by the digital camera processor of FIG. 1.

 <Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1 ... digital camera, 35 ... color LCD panel,

OPS ... optical system, OEC ... photoelectric conversion unit,

M _Z ... zoom motor, M _F ... focus motor,

M _A ... aperture motor, 501 ... CDS-ADC element,

502 timing circuit, 503 real time clock,

504 ... DRAM, 505 ... EEPROM,

506 memory card interface, 507 digital camera processor,

508 ... RS232C interface, 509 ... video filter,

21a ... USB connection, 21b ... RS232C connection,

21c ... video output, 510 ... drive,

511 ... flash controller, 512 ... microcontroller,

INP ... user input, LAMP ... light emitter,

513 audio processor, 514 LCD driver,

M2 ... first application area.

The present invention relates to a recording medium and a method for reproducing an image file formed on the recording medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording medium on which image files are formed by a digital image processing apparatus, and a recording medium formed on the recording medium. The present invention relates to a method of playing a video file.

A conventional digital image processing apparatus, for example, a digital camera of 2004 United States Publication No. 119,876 (name of the invention: Method of notification of inadequate picture quality), filed by the applicant, captures images in a shooting mode. It is sequentially stored in the recording medium, and the images stored in the recording medium are sequentially displayed in accordance with the direction signals from the user in the reproduction mode.

Referring to Figure 1, the overall configuration and operation of the digital camera 1 as a conventional digital image processing apparatus will be described.

The optical system OPS including the lens unit and the filter unit optically processes light from a subject.

The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens.

Zoom button (39w) or telephoto (telephoto) - - the user and the wide angle (wide angle) in the user input (INP) by pressing the zoom button (39 _T), a corresponding signal is input to the microcontroller 512. The Accordingly, as the microcontroller 512 controls the driving unit 510, the zoom motor M _Z is driven to move the zoom lens.

Meanwhile, in the auto focus mode, the focus motor M _F is driven by the main controller embedded in the digital camera processor 507 controlling the driving unit 510 through the microcontroller 512. As a result, the focus lens is moved, and in this process, the position of the focus lens where the high frequency component of the image signal is the largest, for example, the number of driving steps of the focus motor M _F is set.

Reference symbol M _A denotes a motor for driving an aperture.

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 camera processor 507 controls the timing circuit 502 to control the operation of the photoelectric converter OEC and the Correlation Double Sampler and Analog-to-Digital Converter (CDS-ADC) element 501. The CDS-ADC element 501 processes the analog signal from the photoelectric conversion unit OEC, removes the high frequency noise, adjusts the amplitude, and converts it into a digital signal.

The real time clock 503 provides time information to the digital camera processor 507. The digital camera processor 507 processes the digital signal from the CDS-ADC element 501 to generate a digital video signal classified into luminance and chroma signals.

Indicator lamps are included in the light emitting unit LAMP driven by the microcontroller 512 according to control signals from the digital camera processor 507 having the main controller. The user input unit INP includes shutter release button 13, mode dial 14, wide-zoom button 39 _W , telephoto-zoom button 39 _T , function buttons 15, and playback mode button 42 ), And the like.

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

The digital image signal from the digital camera 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 camera 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 camera processor 507 or the speaker SP, and outputs the audio signal from the digital camera processor 507 to the speaker SP.

On the other hand, the microcontroller 512 drives the flash 12 by controlling the operation of the flash controller 511 according to a signal from a flash-light amount sensor (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows image files formed on a memory card by performing a shooting mode of the digital camera 1 of FIG. 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, a folder " DCIM " for storing user's data files is formed under the top-level folder " ROOT &quot; created by formatting of the memory card.

Under this folder "DCIM", first and second folders "100SSCAM" and "101SSCAM" for storing files generated by the user's shooting operation are formed. Here, the name "100SSCAM" of the first folder includes the folder index "100" and the unique code "SSCAM". Similarly, the name "101SSCAM" of the second folder includes the folder index "101" and the unique code "SSCAM".

The unique code "SSCAM" is arbitrarily set in the manufacturing process of a digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera. 900 image files are stored in the first folder "100SSCAM" in the order of creation, and 100 image files are stored in the second folder "101SSCAM" in the order of generation.

Here, the file index according to the file creation order is used together with the unique code "ABCD" to generate the file name. For example, the first file "ABCD0001.JPG" in the first folder "100SSCAM" is the file which was created first, and the 100th file "ABCD0100.JPG" in the second folder "101SSCAM" is the file which was created recently.

3 shows the structure of a conventional video file formed in the memory card of FIG. The structure of the image file of FIG. 3 uses the format of EXIF (EXchangeable Image File) conforming to the recommended image format of the digital camera of No. 12,234-1 of ISO (International Standardization Organization).

Referring to FIG. 3, in each of the conventional image files formed in the memory card of FIG. 2, a storage area M1, a first application area M2, and a second application area that indicate the start of the image file. (APP2), compression table areas M11 to M15, compressed data area M16, screen thumbnail image-data area M17, and a storage area M18 for indicating the end of the image file are formed in this order.

Tag information data, which is referred to as basic information of an image file, is stored in the first application area M2. The tag information data includes the positional information of the screen thumbnail image data M17, that is, the address of the screen thumbnail image data M17.

The content list data M3 and the stream data M4 to M10 are stored in the second application area APP2.

The JPEG table areas M11 to M15 in which the information of the compression process are stored are defined as a fine-quantization-tables (DQT) area (M11), a fine-Huffman-Tables (DHT) area (M12), and a fine-restart-interval (DRI) area. (M13), a discrete cosine transform frame (SOF) region M14, and a start-of-scan region M15.

The compressed data area M16 stores data of a result of compressing the main image data according to the information of the compression process.

Screen thumbnail image data having the resolution of the color LCD panel (35 in FIG. 1) is stored in the screen nail area M17.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an algorithm for reproducing each of the conventional image files having the structure of FIG. 3 by the digital camera processor 507 of FIG. 1 will be described.

When an image file is selected by the user's operation, the digital camera processor 507 loads the tag information data stored in the first application area M2 of the image file (step S401).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 analyzes the tag information data to retrieve the screen thumbnail image data M17 (step S402).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 determines whether or not the screen thumbnail image data M17 is included in the image file according to the analysis result in step S402 (step S403).

If screen thumbnail image data is included in step S403, the digital camera processor 507 retrieves the screen thumbnail image data from the image file according to the address stored in the tag information data (step S404).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 loads the retrieved screen thumbnail image data (step S405). Then, the digital camera processor 507 displays the screen thumbnail image on the color LCD panel 35 (FIG. 1) (step S405).

On the other hand, when the screen thumbnail image data is not included in step S403, the digital camera processor 507 analyzes the tag information data to retrieve the main image data M16 or the thumbnail image data (step S407).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 searches for main image data M16 or thumbnail image data in the image file according to the address stored in the tag information data (step S408).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 loads the retrieved main image data M16 or thumbnail image data (step S409). Then, the digital camera processor 507 displays the main image or the thumbnail image on the color LCD panel (35 in FIG. 1) (step S410).

Steps S401 to S410 are performed in the same manner when the next image is selected by the user (step S411).

According to the conventional recording medium and the reproduction method as described above, there is a problem in that the reproduction speed decreases as a considerable time is required to retrieve the screen nail image data in the reproduction mode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium and a reproducing method which enable to increase the reproducing speed in a reproducing mode of a digital image processing apparatus.

In the recording medium of the present invention for achieving the above object, image files are formed by a digital image processing apparatus. In each of the image files, a storage area of data for notifying the start of the image file, a first application area, a second application area, a compression table area, a compressed data area, and a storage area for data for notifying the end of the image file are in order. Is formed.

Tag information data is stored in the first application area. The content list data and the stream data are stored in the second application area. The compression table area stores information of a compression process. The compressed data area stores data of a result of compressing main image data.

Here, screen thumbnail image data having a resolution of a display panel included in the digital image processing apparatus is stored in the first application area.

A reproduction method of the present invention for achieving the above object is a method for reproducing an image file formed on a recording medium of a digital image processing apparatus, comprising steps (a) to (c).

In step (a), tag information data stored in the first application area of the image file is loaded. In step (b), it is determined whether the screen tag image data is included in the loaded tag information data. In the step (c), if the screen tag image data is included in the loaded tag information data, the screen thumbnail image data is displayed.

According to the recording medium and the reproduction method of the present invention, as the screen nail image data is stored in the first application area, the screen thumbnail image is displayed even if only tag information data stored in the first application area of the image file is loaded. Can be displayed. Accordingly, the playback speed may be increased in the playback mode of the digital image processing apparatus.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail. Here, since the contents of FIGS. 1 and 2 are applied in the same manner, description thereof is omitted.

5 shows the structure of an image file according to the present invention formed on the memory card of FIG. The structure of the image file of FIG. 5 uses a format of an EXIF (EXchangeable Image File) conforming to the recommended image format of the digital camera of ISO 12,234-1 of the International Standardization Organization (ISO).

Referring to FIG. 5, in each of the conventional image files formed in the memory card of FIG. 2, a storage area M1, a first application area M2, and a second application area ( APP2), compression table areas M11 to M15, compressed data area M16, and a storage area M17 for indicating the end of the image file are formed in this order.

Tag information data, which is referred to as basic information of an image file, is stored in the first application area M2. This tag information data includes screen thumbnail image data having a resolution of a color LCD panel (35 in FIG. 1).

The content list data M3 and the stream data M4 to M10 are stored in the second application area APP2.

The JPEG table areas M11 to M15 in which the information of the compression process are stored are defined as a fine-quantization-tables (DQT) area (M11), a fine-Huffman-Tables (DHT) area (M12), and a fine-restart-interval (DRI) area. (M13), a discrete cosine transform frame (SOF) region M14, and a start-of-scan region M15.

The compressed data area M16 stores data of a result of compressing the main image data according to the information of the compression process.

5 and 6, the tag information data stored in the first application region M2 includes a marker of the first application region M2, a data size of the first application region M2, and an image file. (Exif) identification code, TIFF (Tag Image File Format) header, shooting condition data (IFD0), and thumbnail image data (IFD1) having a resolution lower than that of screen thumbnail image data.

Here, the screen thumbnail image data is stored in the image IFD0 of the shooting condition. More specifically, screen thumbnail image data is stored in place of the maker-note included in the data IFD0 of the shooting condition.

Accordingly, even if only tag information data stored in the first application area M2 of the image file is loaded, the screen thumbnail image may be displayed. Accordingly, the playback speed may be increased in the playback mode of the digital image processing apparatus.

5 to 7, an algorithm for reproducing each of the image files according to the present invention having the structures of FIGS. 5 and 6 by the digital camera processor 507 of FIG. 1 will be described.

When an image file is selected by the user's operation, the digital camera processor 507 loads the tag information data stored in the first application area M2 of the image file (step S701).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 determines whether the screen thumbnail image data is included in the area of the maker-note included in the data IFD0 of the shooting condition (step S702).

When the screen thumbnail image data is included in step S702, since the screen thumbnail image data is already loaded in the maker-note area, the digital camera processor 507 displays the color image of the screen thumbnail image. The display is immediately displayed on the panel (35 in FIG. 1) (step S703).

On the other hand, when the screen thumbnail image data is not included in step S702, the digital camera processor 507 analyzes the tag information data for searching for the main image data M16 or the thumbnail image data IFD1 (step S704). .

Next, the digital camera processor 507 retrieves the main image data M16 or the thumbnail image data IDF1 from the image file according to the address stored in the tag information data (step S705).

Next, the digital camera processor 507 loads the retrieved main image data M16 or thumbnail image data IDF1 (step S706). Then, the digital camera processor 507 displays the main image or the thumbnail image on the color LCD panel (35 in FIG. 1) (step S707).

Steps S701 to S707 are performed in the same manner when the next image is selected by the user (step S708).

As described above, according to the recording medium and the reproducing method according to the present invention, as the screen thumbnail image data is stored in the first application area, even if only tag information data stored in the first application area of the image file is loaded, The nail image may be displayed. Accordingly, the playback speed may be increased in the playback mode of the digital image processing apparatus.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but may be modified and improved by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (7)

A recording medium in which image files are formed by a digital image processing apparatus, In each of the image files, A storage area for data indicating the start of an image file, A first application area in which tag information data is stored; A second application area in which content list data and stream data are stored; Compression table area, which stores information about the compression process, A compressed data area storing data of a result obtained by compressing main image data, and The storage area of the data indicating the end of the image file is formed in order, And recording screen image data having a resolution of a display panel provided in the digital image processing apparatus in the first application area. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag information data stored in the first application area is A marker of the first application area, A data size of the first application area, Identification code of the video file, Tag Image File Format (TIFF) header, Data of shooting conditions, and And a thumbnail image data having a resolution lower than that of the screen thumbnail image data in order. The method of claim 2, And the screen thumbnail image data is stored in the data of the shooting condition. The method of claim 3, A recording medium in which the screen thumbnail image data is stored in place of a maker-note included in the data of the shooting condition. A method for reproducing an image file formed on a recording medium of a digital image processing apparatus, (a) loading tag information data stored in a first application area of the image file; determining whether the loaded tag information data includes screen nail image data; And and (c) if the loaded tag information data includes screen thumbnail image data, displaying the screen thumbnail image data. The method of claim 5, wherein the screen tag image data is not included in the loaded tag information data. (d) analyzing the loaded tag information data; (e) retrieving a main image stored in the compressed data area of the image file; (f) loading the retrieved main image; And and (g) displaying the loaded main image. The method of claim 5, wherein the screen tag image data is not included in the loaded tag information data. (d) analyzing the loaded tag information data; (e) searching for a thumbnail image stored in the loaded tag information data; (f) loading the retrieved thumbnail image; And and (g) displaying the loaded thumbnail image.

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