KR20080101599A - Apparatus of controlling digital image processing apparatus and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for controlling a digital image processing apparatus are provided to associate an original image with an edited or converted image with regard to the original image, thereby easily searching the original image and the related image. A display unit(201) displays an image of a selected image file. A converting unit(202) converts a selected original image file to generate a modified image file. A controlling unit controls the display unit. The display unit records link information of the modified image file in the original image file. And the display unit displays images of the modified image file and the original image file together.

Description

Apparatus of controlling digital image processing apparatus and method

1 is a diagram illustrating a rear surface of a digital camera as an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus to which a control device of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a control device of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a control device of a digital image processing device according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a step of converting an image file and recording link information thereof in a control method of a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a step of displaying thumbnails of images linked to the image on the selected image in the control method of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a storage order of an original image file and a modified image file.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating images of modified image files displayed as thumbnails on an image of an original image file.

8 is a view showing thumbnails of an image of an original image file on an image of a modified image file.

FIG. 9 is a view showing thumbnail images of original image files and other modified image files displayed on the image of one modified image file.

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

201: display unit, 202: conversion unit,

203: control unit, 204: storage unit,

205: control panel.

The present invention relates to a control device and a method of a digital image processing device, and more particularly, to convert or edit an original image to generate a related image, and to reproduce and display each original image and each related image on a display device. A control device of an image processing device and a method thereof.

In general, a digital image processing apparatus includes any apparatus that processes an image such as a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a phone camera, a PC camera, or uses a motion recognition sensor. Such a digital image processing apparatus receives a desired image through an image pickup device, displays the input image on the image display device, and stores the image as an image file according to a user's shooting selection.

In general, in a digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera, a basic image conversion function is embedded therein so that users can edit images captured by the camera. Also, in the conventional digital image processing apparatus, when reproducing a stored image file, only one picture immediately before and after the image file currently displayed may be searched.

Meanwhile, in the conventional digital image processing apparatus, the converted file is stored at the end of the image file. Therefore, the original image file and the converted image file are often far from each other in the playback order. Therefore, there is a difficulty in comparing the original image and the edited image. In addition, when the image file is played back, it is difficult to find the original image or the converted image immediately.

An object of the present invention is to provide a control apparatus and a method of a digital image processing apparatus that can easily search between an original image and a related image by interconnecting the original image and the related image edited or converted thereto.

The present invention provides a display unit for displaying an image of a selected image file; A converting unit converting the selected original image file to generate a modified image file; And a controller configured to record link information of the modified image file in the original image file, and to display the image of the modified image file as a thumbnail on the display unit together with the image of the original image file. It provides a control device of the device.

In the controller, the link information of the original image file is recorded in the modified image file, and the image of the original image file is displayed on the display unit as a thumbnail along with the image of the modified image file.

In addition, the control device of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit for storing the original image file and / or the correction image file including the link information; And an operation unit through which an external command is inputted so that an image of the original image file and / or the modified image file is displayed on the display unit, or a modified image file is generated from the original image file. .

Preferably, the image of the selected image file among the image files displayed as the thumbnail is displayed as a main image, and the images of the image file in which link information is recorded in the image file of the main image are displayed as thumbnails.

Another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: (a) generating a modified image file by converting the selected original image file; (b) recording link information of the modified image file in the original image file; (c) displaying an image of the selected image file; And (d) displaying an image of the modified image file as a thumbnail on the image of the original image file.

(e) recording link information of the original image file in the modified image file; And (f) displaying an image of the original image file as a thumbnail on the image of the modified image file.

Converting the modified image file to generate a modified image file; And displaying an image of the original image file and an image of the remodified image file as thumbnails on the image of the modified image file.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily search between the original image and the related image by interconnecting the original image and the related image edited or converted.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a rear surface of a digital camera 1 as an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus to which a control device of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

Referring to the drawings, the rear of the digital camera 1, the direction button 21, the menu-OK button 22, the playback button 23, the delete button 24, the wide angle (Zoom) button (W), a telephoto-zoom button T, a display panel 25, a speaker SP, and the like.

The direction button 21 may include four buttons, an up button 21a, a down button 21b, a left button 21c, and a right button 21d. The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 are keys for executing various menus relating to the operation of the digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera.

By selecting the play button 23, an image of the selected image file may be displayed on the display panel 25 corresponding to the display unit 201 of FIG. 2. Also, by selecting the left button 21c or the right button 21d, the image file displayed in the reproduction mode can be moved forward or backward in the storage order of the image file to be selected.

Meanwhile, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, images of related files in which link information is stored may be displayed as thumbnails on one selected main image displayed on the display panel 25. At this time, one of the images displayed as a thumbnail may be activated by the selection of the up button 21a.

In this case, by selecting the left button 21c or the right button 21d, the activated image may be moved forward or backward among the images displayed as thumbnails. In addition, by selecting the menu-OK button 22, the activated image is displayed as the main image among the images displayed as thumbnails, and the images of the original image file and / or other modified image files are displayed as thumbnails. thumbnails).

In this case, by selecting another button, for example, the playback button 23, the thumbnail display function of the related images can be turned off.

The wide-angle zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T has a wider angle of view or a narrower angle of view depending on its input. In particular, it may be used to change the size of the selected exposure area. In this case, when the wide-zoom button W is input, the size of the selected exposure area is reduced, and when the tele-zoom button T is input, the size of the selected exposure area may be increased. As the display panel 25, an image display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be used.

Meanwhile, a shutter release button, a flash, a power switch, and a lens unit may be provided on the front or the top of the digital image processing apparatus. In addition, the front and rear of the digital image processing apparatus may be provided with an objective lens and a eyepiece of a view finder.

The shutter release button opens and closes to expose the film or imager, such as a charge coupled device (CCD), to light for a set amount of time. In addition, the shutter release button records an image on the image pickup device by properly exposing a subject in association with an aperture (not shown).

When shooting in a dark place, the flash is used to instantly illuminate bright light, and flash modes include auto flash, forced flash, flash off, red-eye reduction, and slow synchro. The objective lens section of the viewfinder is a small window of the camera for viewing and composing a subject to be photographed.

As an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, a digital camera, a control apparatus, and a control method thereof are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0130650 (name: automatic using a secondary function of the camera). Method of automatically focusing using a quadratic function in camera.

Matters relating to the digital camera, the control apparatus, and the control method disclosed in the above-mentioned US application will be included in the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 shows a control device 2 of a digital image processing device as a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 6 shows an embodiment of the storage order of the original image file A and the modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''.

7 to 9, two or more modified image files A ', A' ', and A' '' are present with respect to the original image file A, and the modified image files (the image on the image of the original image file A) Images of A ', A' ', A' '') are displayed as thumbnails, or images (A) and / or other modified images of the original image file on images (A 'or A' ') of one modified image file Embodiments in which images A 'and A' '' of the file are displayed as thumbnails are shown.

Referring to the drawings, the control device 2 of the digital image processing apparatus includes a display unit 201; A conversion unit 202; Control unit 203; Storage unit 204; And an operation unit 205.

The display unit 201 displays an image of the selected image file. The converting unit 202 converts the selected original image file A to generate modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''. The control unit 203 records the link information of the correction image files A ', A' ', A' '' in the original image file A, and corrects the correction image files A ', A' ', A' ''. ) Is controlled to be displayed on the display unit 201 together with the image of the original image file (A).

The storage unit 204 stores an original image file A and / or a modified image file A ', A' ', A' '' including link information. The operation unit 205 causes the image of the original image file A and / or the correction image files A ', A' ', A' '' to be displayed on the display unit 201, or the conversion unit 202 displays the original image. The instruction from the outside which inputs the correction image files A ', A ", A'" from the file A is input.

The conversion unit 202 converts an image by performing image processing such as sharpness, white balance conversion, resolution conversion, etc. of the selected original image file A, or cutting a part of the selected original image file A by editing. To generate the modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''. In this case, the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' may be two or more.

At this time, each of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' may be stored at the end in the order in which the image files are stored, and reproduced according to the stored order at the time of reproduction. Thus, each of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' can be stored significantly apart from each other in the order in which the image files are stored as shown in FIG.

Thus, in the playback order of the image file, the original image file A and the respective modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' may be significantly separated from each other.

Therefore, in the control device 2 of the digital image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the original image file A is converted to generate modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''. At this time, the link information of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' can be recorded in the original image file A. In addition, the link information of the original image file A can be recorded in each of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''.

In the case where the image of the original image file A is displayed as the main image, as shown in FIG. 7, the image of each of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' is converted into the original image file ( A thumbnail is displayed on the display unit 201 together with the image of A).

Further, at the time of reproduction of each of the correction image files A ', A' ', A' '', as shown in Fig. 8, the original image file A is placed on the image of the correction image file A '. It can be displayed as a thumbnail.

Further, as another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 9, all other modified image files A ', A' '' recorded in the original image file at the time of reproduction of one modified image file A '' are deleted. It can be displayed as a thumbnail. For this purpose, the link information of the other modified image files A ', A' '' linked to the original image file A may be recorded in one modified image file A ''.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, only one link image of the original image file A is recorded in each of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', and one modified image file A ''. ), All other modified image files (A ', A' '') recorded in the original image file can be displayed as thumbnails.

Meanwhile, one image file may be selected from image files displayed as thumbnails by an input from the operation unit 205, and an image of the selected image file may be displayed as a main image. In this case, images of the image file in which the link information is recorded in the image file selected as the main image may be displayed as thumbnails.

Therefore, the images of the original image file A and the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', in which the link information is stored, can be continuously reproduced. That is, by interconnecting the original image and the modified image edited or converted thereof, it is possible to easily search between the original image and the modified image.

In another embodiment, the conversion unit 202 may generate a re-correction image file by converting the correction image file. In this case, cross-link information of each of the original image file, the modified image file, and the re-modified image file may be included. Accordingly, when one image file is displayed on the display unit 201 as a main image, all files including link information related thereto may be displayed as thumbnails.

In this case, one of the images displayed as thumbnails from the currently displayed image may be reproduced as the main image. In addition, image files related to an image file reproduced as the main image may be displayed as thumbnails on the main image. Accordingly, when reproducing one image, all related images can be displayed to be easily searched with each other.

3 shows an internal configuration of another embodiment 5 of the control device of the digital image processing apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, an optical system OPS including a lens unit and a 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. When the user presses the wide-angle zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T included in the user input unit INP, a signal corresponding thereto is input to the microcontroller 512.

Accordingly, as the microcontroller 512 controls the lens driver 510, the zoom motor M _Z is driven to move the zoom lens. That is, when the wide-zoom button W is pressed, the focal length of the zoom lens is shortened to widen the angle of view, and when the tele-zoom button T is pressed, the focal length of the zoom lens becomes long and the angle of view is narrowed.

Meanwhile, in the auto focus mode, the focus motor M _F is driven by the main controller embedded in the digital signal processor 507 controlling the lens driver 510 through the microcontroller 512. The compensation lens compensates for the overall refractive index and is not driven separately. Reference numeral M _A denotes a motor for driving an aperture (not shown).

In the filter section of the optical system OPS, an optical low pass filter removes optical noise of high frequency components. Infra-Red cut filter cuts the infrared component of the incident light.

The photoelectric conversion unit OEC may include an imaging device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). The photoelectric conversion unit OEC converts light from the optical system OPS into an electrical analog signal.

The analog-to-digital converter may include a correlation double sampler and analog-to-digital converter (CDS-ADC) device 501. The analog-to-digital converter processes the analog signal from the photoelectric converter (OEC), removes the high frequency noise, adjusts the amplitude, and converts the analog signal into a digital 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.

Here, the input unit in the control device 5 of the digital image processing apparatus receives an input image from the outside. In this case, the input unit may include an optical system OPS, a photoelectric converter OEC, and an analog-digital converter.

The real time clock 503 provides time information to the digital signal processor 507. 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 light emitting unit LAMP driven by the microcontroller 512 under the control of the main controller built in the digital signal processor 507 includes a self-timer lamp, an auto-focus lamp, a mode indicating lamp, a flash standby lamp, and the like. May be included. The user input unit INP may include a shutter release button, a direction button 21, a wide-angle zoom button W, a telephoto- zoom button T, and the like. The user input unit INP may be the operation unit 205 of FIG. 2.

An image of the selected image file may be displayed as a main image on the display unit 201 of FIG. 2, and an image of image files in which link information related thereto is recorded may be displayed as a thumbnail. In this case, the display unit 201 of FIG. 2 may include a display panel 25 in which an image display device such as an LCD is used.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 507 is temporarily stored in the DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 504.

 The EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) 505 stores algorithms and setting data such as a boot program and a key input program required for the operation of the digital signal processor 507. In the memory card interface 506, a user's memory card is detached.

The storage unit 204 of FIG. 2 may include a memory card through the DRAM 504 and / or the EEPROM 505 and / or the memory card interface 506.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 507 is input to the display panel driver 514, whereby the image is displayed on the display panel 25.

On the other hand, the digital image signal from the digital signal processor 507 can be transmitted by serial communication via the USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection 31a or the RS232C interface 508 and its connection 31b, and the video filter ( 509 and video output 31c may be transmitted as a video signal. Here, the digital signal processor 507 may have a microcontroller therein.

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.

In this case, the controller 203 of FIG. 2 and / or the converter 202 may be implemented in the digital signal processor 507 and / or the microcontroller 512.

According to the present invention, the control method of the digital image processing apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be performed in the control apparatus for the digital image processing apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 3. At this time, the main algorithm of the control method according to the embodiment may be performed inside the digital signal processor 507 and / or microcontroller 512 with the help of peripheral components in the control device.

4 and 5 are flow charts showing control methods S400 and S500 of a digital image processing apparatus as a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 6 shows an embodiment of the storage order of the original image file A and the modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''.

7 to 9, two or more modified image files A ', A' ', and A' '' are present with respect to the original image file A, and the modified image files (the image on the image of the original image file A) Images of A ', A' ', A' '') are displayed as thumbnails, or images (A) and / or other modified images of the original image file on images (A 'or A' ') of one modified image file Embodiments in which images A 'and A' '' of the file are displayed as thumbnails are shown.

Referring to the drawings, the control method (S400, S500) of the digital image processing apparatus converts the image file shown in FIG. 4, and the link information is recorded in the image file, and the image is placed on the selected image shown in FIG. Displaying the linked images as thumbnails. In this case, the control methods S400 and S500 of the digital image processing apparatus may be implemented by the control apparatus of the digital image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 or 3.

The control method (S400, S500) of the digital image processing apparatus includes an image file conversion step (S410), link information storage steps (S420, S430, and S440), a main image display step (S510), and a thumbnail image display step (S520 and S530). And related image retrieval steps (S540 to S590).

In the image file conversion step S410, the selected original image file A is converted to generate modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''. In the link information storing step (S420, S430, S440) is a storage step determining step (S420), recording the link information of the modified image files (A ', A' ', A' '') in the original image file (A) (S430) and recording the link information of the original image file A into the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '' (S440).

In the main image display step (S510), an image of the selected current image file is displayed as a main image. In this case, the selected current image file may be an original image file A or a modified image file A ', A' ', A' ''.

In the thumbnail image display steps S520 and S530, it is determined whether there is a link file related to the current image file (S520), and if there is a link file, images of the link files of the current image file are displayed as thumbnails (S530). At this time, if there is no link file, the steps below S530 are not performed in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, and the current image file is displayed in the normal playback mode.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, when the current image file is the original image file A, the link file is modified image files A ', A' ', A' ''.

Also, if the current image file is any one of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', the link file is the original image file A and / or other modified image files. In this case, in the case of Fig. 8, the current image file becomes one of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', and the link file becomes the original image file A.

In another embodiment, in the case of FIG. 9, the current image file is one of the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', and the link file is the original image file A. FIG. And other modified image files (A ', A' '').

In a related image search step (S540 to S590), it is determined whether the left / right button is input (S540), and if the left / right button is not input (S550). In this case, when the left button or the right button is input, the current image file is updated (S545), and an image of the new current image file is displayed.

It is determined whether the up button is input (S550), and when the up button is input, the user enters the search mode of the link file indicated by the thumbnail. To this end, one of the images of the link file indicated by the thumbnail is preferably activated (S560).

In the link file search mode, it is determined whether the left / right button is input (S570), and when the left button or the right button is input, activation is moved between images of the link file displayed as thumbnails to select a new image file ( S580). At this time, it is determined whether the OK button is input (S590), when the OK button is input, the newly selected image file is updated with the current image file (S595), and the current image file is reproduced (S510).

Therefore, the images of the original image file A and the modified image files A ', A' ', A' '', in which the link information is stored, can be continuously reproduced. That is, by interconnecting the original image and the modified image edited or converted thereof, it is possible to easily search between the original image and the modified image.

As another embodiment, in the step of converting the image file shown in FIG. 4 and the link information is recorded in the image file, the modified image file may be converted to generate a re-corrected image file. In this case, cross-link information of each of the original image file, the modified image file, and the re-modified image file may be included. Accordingly, when one image file is displayed as the main image, all the images of the link file including the link information related thereto may be displayed as thumbnails.

In this case, one of the images displayed as thumbnails from the currently displayed image may be reproduced as the main image. In addition, image files related to an image file reproduced as the main image may be displayed as thumbnails on the main image. Accordingly, when playing one image, all the related images can be displayed so that the images can be easily searched.

On the other hand, the control unit (205 of FIG. 2) to which a command is input from the outside to perform a specific function in the present specification may include a left / right button, an up button, an OK button, and the like, left / right button, up button, The functions performed by the input of the OK button are not limited to the respective buttons, but may be performed by operation of other buttons.

According to the control apparatus and method of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the original image and the related image can be easily searched by interconnecting the original image and the related image edited or converted.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is merely an example, and those skilled in the art may realize various modifications and equivalent other embodiments therefrom. I can understand. Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims (17)

A display unit displaying an image of the selected image file; A converting unit converting the selected original image file to generate a modified image file; And And a controller configured to record link information of the modified image file in the original image file, and to display the image of the modified image file on the display unit together with the image of the original image file. The method of claim 1, And an image of the modified image file is displayed as a thumbnail on the image of the original image file. The method of claim 1, And, in the controller, recording link information of the original image file in the modified image file, and displaying an image of the original image file on the display unit together with an image of the modified image file. The method of claim 3, And an image of the original image file is displayed as a thumbnail on the image of the modified image file. The method of claim 2, And two or more correction image files are generated, and each image corresponding to the correction image files is displayed as a thumbnail on the image of the original image file. The method of claim 2, Two or more correction image files are generated, an image of one of the correction image files is displayed on the display unit, and images corresponding to each of the image of the original image file and other correction image files of the correction image files are displayed. And a thumbnail displayed on the image of one of the modified image files. The method of claim 4, wherein A control device of the digital image processing apparatus in which the correction image file is converted by the conversion unit to generate a re-correction image file, and the image of the original image file and the image of the re-correction image file are displayed as thumbnails on the image of the correction image file . The method of claim 1, A storage unit for storing the original image file and / or the modified image file including the link information; And A digital image processing apparatus further comprising an operation unit to receive an external command to display the original image file and / or the image of the modified image file on the display unit or to generate a modified image file from the original image file. Control device. The method according to claim 2 or 4, And an image of the selected image file among the image files displayed as the thumbnail is displayed as a main image, and images of the image file in which link information is recorded in the image file of the main image are displayed as thumbnails. (a) converting the selected original image file to generate a modified image file; (b) recording link information of the modified image file in the original image file; (c) displaying an image of the selected image file; And and (d) displaying an image of the modified image file on the image of the original image file. The method of claim 10, (e) recording link information of the original image file in the modified image file; And (f) displaying the image of the original image file on the image of the modified image file. The method of claim 10, In the step (d), the image of the modified image file is displayed as a thumbnail on the image of the original image file. The method of claim 11, And in step (f), an image of the original image file is displayed as a thumbnail on the image of the modified image file. The method according to claim 12 or 13, And activating one of the images displayed as thumbnails by an input from the outside. The method of claim 14, And a video of an image file in which the link information is recorded in an image file of the image is displayed as a thumbnail on one of the images displayed as the thumbnail by selection from the outside. The method of claim 11, 2. The control method of the digital image processing apparatus in which at least two corrected image files are generated. The method of claim 11, Converting the modified image file to generate a modified image file; And And displaying an image of the original image file and an image of the remodified image file as thumbnails on the image of the modified image file.

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