Abstract:
An electronic still camera includes a memory, a determination processor and an image processor. The memory stores a discrete image obtained in a still photographing operation and, for each such image sequentially obtained in a continual still image photographing operation in which discrete images are taken at an interval time set by an operator, stores a unique indicator indicating whether the discrete image was sequentially recorded in the continual still image photographing operation. The determination processor determines whether the discrete images were obtained in the continual still image photographing operation. The image processor continually reproduces the discrete images at the interval of the continual still image photographing operation, when the discrete images were obtained in the continual still image photographing operation. The determination processor determines whether the discrete images were obtained in the continual still image photographing operation by reading image recording information recorded for each of the discrete images.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This continuation application is continuation application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/824,248, which was filed on Apr. 3, 2001, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-106074, filed on Apr. 7, 2000, the contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an electronic still camera able to perform a continual photographing operation, and more particularly to a device provided in the electronic still camera to perform an image processing of a plurality of images obtained in the continual photographing operation.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     An electronic still camera is usually provided with a monitor device, such as a liquid crystal display, which can display an image obtained as a photograph. Conventionally, there is known an electronic still camera able to perform a continual photographing operation. Images, obtained in the continual photographing operation, can be displayed by the monitor device in a way similar to those obtained in a normal photographing operation or by a single shot.  
         [0006]     The monitor device provided in the conventional electronic still camera is configured in such a manner that a single image is displayed at every operation of a control switch, regardless of whether the displayed image has been obtained in a continual photographing operation or by a single shot. Accordingly, an effect of the continual photographing operation is not easily recognized by the operator. Further, when an image obtained by the continual photographing operation is deleted, the control switch must be operated for each and every image, which is cumbersome.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an continual-image processing device in which, when an image obtained in a continual photographing operation is reproduced or deleted, the reproducing or deleting operation is simplified.  
         [0008]     According to the present invention, there is provided a continual-image processing device comprising a continual-image determination processor and an image processor. The continual-image determination processor determines whether a plurality of images are obtained in a continual photographing operation. The image processor continually performs a common operation on the plurality of images when it is determined by the continual-image determination processor that the plurality of images are obtained in the continual photographing operation.  
         [0009]     Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a continual-image processing device comprising a continually recording processor that continually records a plurality of images at a predetermined interval, and an image processor that continually performs a common operation on the plurality of images.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic still camera viewed from the back, the camera being provided with a continual-image processing device of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the electronic still camera, which shows mainly an electrical construction;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  3 C show a flow chart of a photographing operation control routine;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a view showing examples of a continual-image flag;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a reproducing process control routine of a second embodiment; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a reproducing operation control routine of a third embodiment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic still camera viewed from the back, the camera having a continual-image processing device of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]     The electronic still camera is a single-lens reflex camera, and an interchangeable lens  11 , which is the photographing optical system, is detachably connected to the camera body  90 . An optical viewfinder  91  is provided on the center of the upper surface of the camera body  90 . A liquid crystal display panel  46  is provided at the center of the rear surface of the camera body  90 . Thus, a moving image obtained by the interchangeable lens  11 , and a still image corresponding to image data stored in a memory (not shown) by a photographing operation, can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel  46 . A mode switch  95  is disposed beside the liquid crystal display panel  46 . The mode switch  95  is provided for setting various kinds of operation modes, and is a jog dial in the embodiment.  
         [0020]     When viewing the camera body  90  from the upper side of the rear surface  92 , a shutter button  93 , a condition indicating device  55  and a reproduction start/stop switch  97  are provided on an upper-right portion of the camera body  90 . The condition indicating device  55  includes a liquid crystal display panel, by which various kinds of setting conditions of the electronic still camera are indicated by characters or symbols. The reproduction start/stop switch  97  is operated for starting and stopping the reproducing of an image on the liquid crystal display panel  46 . For example, when the reproduction start/stop switch  97  is set to a mode of the reproduction start switch, the mode is changed to the reproduction stop switch by depressing the reproduction start/stop switch  97  for a time longer than a predetermined period, and vice versa.  
         [0021]     A card slot  96  is formed in a side surface of the camera body  90 . The card slot  96  is provided for inserting a PC or memory card into the camera body  90 , and a card connector (not shown), to which the PC card is attached, is provided within the card slot  96 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the electronic still camera, showing mainly an electrical construction.  
         [0023]     The interchangeable lens  11  is electrically connected to an electric circuit provided in the camera body  90  (see  FIG. 1 ) through mount pins  12  and  13 . A front lens group  14  and a rear lens group  15  are mounted in a lens barrel of the interchangeable lens  11 , and an aperture  16  is provided between the lens groups  14  and  15 . Each of the lens-groups  14  and  15  is displaced in the optical axis direction under the control of a lens control circuit  17 , so that a focusing operation can be carried out. The lens control circuit  17  is operated in accordance with a control signal transmitted through the mount pin  12  from the system controller  31  provided in the camera body. The aperture  16  is operated in accordance with a control signal transmitted through the mount pin  13  from an aperture drive circuit  32  provided in the camera body, so that the degree of opening of the aperture  16  can be adjusted. The operation of the aperture drive circuit  32  is controlled by the system controller  31 .  
         [0024]     In the camera body  90 , a half-mirror  21  is disposed on the optical axis of the lens groups  14  and  15 . The half-mirror  21  is fixed at a position inclined by approximately 45 degrees relative to the optical axis of the lens groups  14  and  15 . A focusing glass  22  is provided above the half-mirror  21  and a pentagonal prism  23  is arranged above the focusing glass  22 . An eyepiece lens  24  of a viewfinder is disposed behind the pentagonal prism  23 . Therefore, light passing through the lens groups  14  and  15  is reflected by the half-mirror  21  and lead onto the pentagonal prism  23 , and thus the object image can be observed through the eyepiece  24 .  
         [0025]     An infrared cut filter  26  and an optical low-pass filter  27  are arranged behind the half-mirror  21 . A CCD (i.e., an imaging device)  33  is provided behind the optical low-pass filter  27 . Therefore, light passing through the lens groups  14  and  15  is transmitted through the half-mirror  21  and the filters  26  and  27 , and is radiated onto a light receiving surface of the CCD  33 . Namely, the image obtained through the lens groups  14  and  15  is formed on the light receiving surface, and thus, an image signal corresponding to the object image is generated in the CCD  33 .  
         [0026]     A pulse pattern generator (PPG)  36  is connected to the system controller  31  and generates various kinds of pulse signals under control of the system controller  31 . Based on these pulse signals, the CCD drive circuit  37 , an A/D converter  38  and an image signal processing circuit  39  are driven. The operation of the CCD  33  is controlled by the CCD drive circuit  37 . Namely, the image signal read from the CCD  33  is converted to digital image data by the A/D converter  38 , and is then subjected to a predetermined process by the image signal processing circuit  39 . An image memory  40 , having a capacity large enough to store frames of digital image data, is connected to the image signal processing circuit  39 .  
         [0027]     A monitor interface  41  and a card interface  42  are connected to the image signal processing circuit  39 . These interfaces  41  and  42  are controlled by the system controller  31 . Aback light  45  and the liquid crystal display panel (LCD)  46  are connected to the monitor interface  41  through a liquid crystal display drive circuit  44 . Control of the liquid crystal display drive circuit  44  is based on the image signal read from the CCD  33 , so that a moving image obtained by the interchangeable lens  11  is displayed on the liquid crystal panel  46 , as described above. Alternatively, based on the image data transmitted to a buffer memory (not shown) from the PC card  43 , the liquid crystal display drive circuit  44  is controlled so that a still image is displayed by the liquid crystal display panel  46 . A card connector  47  is connected to the card interface  42 , and a PC card  43  is attached to the card connector  47 .  
         [0028]     An AF sensor  51  and a photometry sensor  52  are connected to the system controller  31 . The AF sensor  51  has a known construction, by which the focusing condition of the lens groups  14  and  15  is sensed. A photometry is performed using the photometry sensor  52 , so that the degree of opening of the aperture  16  for the exposure and an electric charge accumulation period (i.e., an exposure period) of the CCD  33  are determined.  
         [0029]     The photometry switch  53 , the release switch  54  and the condition indicating device  55  are connected to the system controller  31 . The photometry switch  53  is turned ON by partly depressing the shutter button  93  so that a photometric operation is carried out by the photometry sensor  52 . The release switch  54  is turned ON by fully depressing the shutter button  93 , so that the CCD  33  is exposed, and thus an image signal corresponding to the object image is generated in the CCD  33 .  
         [0030]     The mode switch  95  is connected to the system controller  31 . The mode switch  95  is a jog dial as described above, which is rotated and set to a position corresponding to an operation mode, and is depressed while maintaining the set position, so that the operation mode is determined. The operation mode includes a continual photographing mode, in which a plurality of images are recorded at a predetermined interval.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  3 C show a flow chart of a photographing operation control routine, which is a program for carrying out a photographing operation. The recording operation control routine is executed in the system controller  31 .  
         [0032]     In Step  101 , it is determined whether the release switch  54  is turned ON. When the release switch  54  is turned OFF, Step  101  is repeatedly executed, and when the release switch  54  is turned ON, the process goes to Step  102 , in which a counter N indicating the number of photographed images is set to an initial value “1”. In Step  103 , a photographing operation is performed. Namely, an electronic shutter is performed in the CCD  33  to generate an image signal, which is read from the CCD  33 , converted to digital data, and stored in the memory  40 . 
        In Step  104 , it is determined whether a continual photographing mode is set. The continual photographing mode is set by operating the mode switch  95 . When the continual photographing mode is set, the process goes to Step  105 , and when the continual photographing mode is not set, the process goes to Step  111 .        
 
         [0034]     In Step  105 , a continual-image flag is stored in a header area of the memory  40 , which corresponds to an image record area in which the image data is stored. In Step  106 , a timer for checking an interval time, which is a period between each of the photographing operations in the continual photographing operation, is set. The interval time is 0.2 sec, for example, and is set by operating the mode switch  95 . In Step  107 , the timer is initiated to start a clock operation.  
         [0035]     In Step  108 , it is determined whether the release switch is in the OFF state. When the release switch is not in the OFF state, Step  109  is executed, in which it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started in Step  107 , i.e., it is determined whether the interval time, set in Step  106 , has elapsed. When the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process goes back to Step  108 . Namely, while the release switch is in the ON state and the predetermined time has not elapsed, Steps  108  and  109  are repeatedly executed. Conversely, when the predetermined time has elapsed, Step  110  is executed in which 1 is added to the counter N, and the process goes back to Step  103 , so that the operations described above are again performed. For example, when the interval time is 0.2 sec, Step  103  is executed every 0.2 sec to carry out a photographing operation for as long as the release switch is in the ON state.  
         [0036]     When it is determined in Step  104  that the continual photographing mode is not set, or when it is determined in Step  108  that the release switch is changed to the OFF state, Step  111  is executed in which it is determined whether a photographing confirmation mode is set. In the photographing confirmation mode, an image is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46  based on the image data obtained in the photographing operation performed in Step  103 . The photographing confirmation mode is set by operating the mode switch  95 . When the photographing confirmation mode is not set, the program ends. Conversely, when the photographing confirmation mode is set, the process goes to Step  112 .  
         [0037]     In Step  112 , a value of the counter N indicating the number of photographed images is set as the initial value to a counter M, which corresponds to an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel  46 . In Step  113 , image data of a first recorded image, which is separated by (M−1) frames from the last image corresponding to the counter N set at that time, and the continual-image flag, are read from the memory  40 , and stored in a buffer memory  34  provided in the system controller  31 . For example, when a continual photographing operation is performed to obtain 10 frames of images, the counter N is 10 and the counter M is set to 10 by the execution of Step  112 , and therefore, image data of the image recorded nine frames previously, i.e., the first frame image, and the continual-image flag, are stored in the buffer memory  34 .  
         [0038]     In Step  114 , it is determined whether the counter M is 1. In Step  115 , 1 is subtracted from the counter M, and Step  113  again executed. Namely, image data of the image, which is one frame next to the image stored in the buffer memory  34  by the previous execution of Step  113 , and the continual-image flag, are stored in an area of the buffer memory  34  adjacent to an area stored by the previous execution of Step  113 . Due to the execution of the loop composed of Steps  113 ,  114  and  115 , when a storing operation to the buffer memory  34  is completed for the last frame image included in a plurality of images obtained by the continual photographing operation, it is determined in Step  114  that the counter M is 1, and the process goes to Step  121 .  
         [0039]     In Step  121 , a value of the counter N indicating the number of photographed images is set as the initial value to the counter M. In Step  122 , an image, which is positioned (M−1) frames before an image of the last frame corresponding to the counter N, which is set at that time, is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46 . For example, when 10 frames of images are obtained by a continual photographing operation, the first frame image is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46  when Step  122  is executed for the first time.  
         [0040]     In Step  123 , it is determined whether the counter M is 1. When the counter M has not reached 1, the process goes to Step  124 , in which a timer for checking an interval time of a continual displaying operation corresponding to the interval time of the continual photographing operation is set. The interval time is recognized by reading the continual-image flag, as described later. In Step  125 , the timer is initiated to start a clock operation.  
         [0041]     In Step  126 , it is determined whether the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the ON state. When the reproduction stop switch  97  is not in the ON state, Step  127  is executed, in which it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started in Step  125 . When the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process goes back to Step  126 . Namely, while the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the OFF state and the predetermined time has not elapsed, Steps  126  and  127  are repeatedly executed. Conversely, when the predetermined time has elapsed, Step  128  is executed, in which 1 is subtracted from the counter M, and the process goes back to Step  122 , so that the operations described above are again performed. For example, when the interval time is 0.2 sec, Step  122  is executed every 0.2 sec so that the images, obtained by the continual photographing operation, are displayed one frame by one frame for as long as the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the OFF state. Thus, due to the execution of the loop composed of Steps  122  through  128 , the images are displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46  at the same interval time and in the same order as in the continual photographing operation.  
         [0042]     When it is determined in Step  123  that the counter M is 1, or when it is determined in Step  126  that the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the ON state, Step  131  is executed in which a message or icon meaning “Should the images obtained by the continual photographing operation be displayed again ?” is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46 . When the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state, the process goes back to Step  121 , so that the operations described above are executed to display again the images obtained by the continual photographing operation. Conversely, when the reproduction start switch  97  is not in the ON state, the process goes from Step  131  to Step  132 .  
         [0043]     In Step  132 , a message or icon meaning “Should all the images obtained by the continual photographing operation be deleted ?” is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46 . The deleting operation is carried out by setting and depressing the mode switch  95 , for example. When all the images obtained by the continual photographing operation are to be deleted, Step  133  is executed in which image data of an image recorded by (N−1) frames before the last image corresponding to the counter N set at that time, and the continual-image flag, are deleted from the memory  40 . In Step  134 , it is determined whether the counter N is 1. When the counter has not reached 1, 1 is subtracted from the counter N in Step  135 , and Step  133  is then executed. When it is determined in Step  132  that the deletion is not performed, or when it is confirmed in Step  134  that the counter N has reached 1, the program ends.  
         [0044]     As the continual-image flag, various forms can be adopted.  FIG. 4  shows examples of the continual-image flag. Reference A1 depicts an example of a continual photographing operation and reference A2 depicts an example of a single shot.  
         [0045]     In each example, data “C” of the most significant bit means the continual photographing operation, and data “S” of the most significant bit means the single shot. “00” of the second and third significant bits mean that the photography was carried out in the year 2000. The fourth through seventh significant bits mean that the date of photography was February 4 (i.e., 02/04), and the eighth through thirteenth significant bits mean that the time of photography was 8:45:33. Note that the time of photography in the example A1 is that of the first frame. Namely, “084533” is a time at which the first image is taken or photographed in a continual photographing operation. The fourteenth through seventeenth significant bits mean that the interval time of the continual photographing operation is 250 msec in the first example A1. These are set to “0000” in the second example A2, since there is no interval time. The two least significant bits indicate the fifth frame of the continual photographing operation in the first example A1, and are set to “01” in the second example A2.  
         [0046]     According to the embodiment as described above, when the continual photographing operation is performed, Steps  122  through  128  are executed, so that the images are displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46  at the same interval time and in the same order as in the continual photographing operation. Therefore, the movement or change of the object in the continual photographing operation can be observed at the liquid crystal display panel  46 . Further, according to the embodiment, since the image data obtained by the continual photographing operation are continuously and smoothly deleted, the deleting operation can be carried out easily and quickly, in comparison with an operation of a conventional device in which image data is deleted one frame by one frame while confirming the image.  
         [0047]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a reproducing process control routine of a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the mechanical and electrical configurations of the electronic still camera are the same as those shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Although the photographing operation executed ahead of the reproducing process in the second embodiment is the same as shown in Steps  101  through  110  ( FIG. 3A ) of the first embodiment, image data and continual-image flag are recorded in the PC card  43  in the second embodiment.  
         [0048]     In Step  201 , it is determined whether the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state. When it is confirmed that the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state, Step  202  is executed in which image data, which was recorded first, and the continual-image flag corresponding to the image data, are read from the PC card  43 . In Step  203 , the content of the continual-image flag is decoded, and it is determined whether the corresponding image data was obtained by a continual photographing operation. The continual-image flag is the same as that shown in  FIG. 4 , and based on the data of the most significant bit, it is determined whether the image data was obtained by a continual photographing operation. When it is determined that the image data was obtained by the continual photographing operation, Step  204  is executed, and when the image data was obtained by a single shot, Step  214  is executed.  
         [0049]     In Step  204 , image data, having a continual-image flag common to the image data read in Step  202 , is stored in a predetermined area of the buffer memory  34  in an order in which the photographing operations were performed. The term common continual-image flag means a continual-image flag in which data from the most significant bit through the thirteenth bit in  FIG. 4 , i.e., the date and time of photography, are identical. In Step  205 , based on data of the six least significant bits of the continual-image flag, the number of continual photographing frames N and the interval time are decoded. In Step  206 , the initial value 1 is set to the counter M.  
         [0050]     In Step  207 , an image of the M-th frame stored in the buffer memory  34  is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46 . In step  208 , it is determined whether the counter M is equal to the number of continual photographing frames N. When the counter M is not equal to the number of continual photographing frames N, i.e., when a series of images obtained by the continual photographing operation have not been displayed yet, the process goes to Step  209 . Namely, a timer for checking the interval time in the continual displaying operation corresponding to the interval time of the continual photographing operation is set. In Step  210 , the timer is initiated to start a clock operation.  
         [0051]     In Step  211 , it is determined whether the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the ON state. When the reproduction stop switch  97  is not in the ON state, Step  212  is executed, in which it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started in Step  210 . When the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process goes back to Step  211 . Namely, while the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the OFF state and the predetermined time has not elapsed, Steps  211  and  212  are repeatedly executed. Conversely, when the predetermined time has elapsed, Step  213  is executed in which 1 is added to the counter M, and the process goes back to Step  207 , so that the operations described above are again performed. For example, when the interval time is 0.2 sec, Step  207  is executed every 0.2 sec so that the images, obtained by the continual photographing operation, are displayed one frame by one frame (at an interval of 0.2 sec), as long as the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the OFF state. Thus, due to the execution of the loop composed of Steps  207  through  213 , the images are displayed on the liquid crystal display panel  46  at the same interval time and in the same order as in the continual photographing operation.  
         [0052]     When it is determined in Step  208  that the counter M is equal to the number of continual photographing frames N, the process goes to Step  215 , the contents of which will be described later. When it is determined in Step  211  that the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state, the program ends.  
         [0053]     When it is determined in Step  203  that the image data was not obtained by a continual photographing operation, the process goes to Step  214 , in which an image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit  46  based on the image data read from the PC card  43 . In Step  215 , it is determined whether the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the ON state. When the reproduction stop switch  97  is in the ON state, the program ends.  
         [0054]     When it is determined in Step  215  that the reproduction stop switch  97  is not in the ON state, the process goes to Step  216 , in which the next image data is read from the PC card  43 , and the process then goes back to Step  203 . Thus, Step  204  is executed regarding the next image data, and Steps  204  through  213  or Steps  214  through  216  are executed in accordance with the continual-image flag.  
         [0055]     As described above, in the second embodiment, when the PC card  43  is mounted in the electronic still camera and the reproduction start switch  97  is then depressed, the contents of the PC card  43  are automatically read. Then, when image data obtained by a continual photographing operation area read, the images are displayed at the same interval for example, 0.2 sec, as in the continual photographing operation. Therefore, according to the embodiment, any change of movement of the object of the continual photographing operation can be observed.  
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a reproducing process control routine of a third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the mechanical and electrical configurations of the electronic still camera are the same as those shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Similar to the second embodiment, the photographing operation executed ahead of the reproducing process in the third embodiment is the same as shown in Steps  101  through  110  ( FIG. 3A ) of the first embodiment, and image data and the continual-image flag are recorded in the PC card  43 .  
         [0057]     In Step  301 , it is determined whether the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state. When it is confirmed that the reproduction start switch  97  is in the ON state, Step  302  is executed in which, using a selection button, an image or a frame number is selected. The mode switch (or the jog dial)  95  functions as the selection button when set at a predetermined rotation position. In Step  303 , the image data, corresponding to the image selected in Step  302 , and the continual-image flag, are read from the PC card  43 . In Step  304 , the content of the continual-image flag is decoded in a similar way to Step  203  shown in  FIG. 5 , so that it is determined whether the corresponding image data was obtained by a continual photographing operation. When it is determined that the corresponding image data was obtained by the continual photographing operation, Step  305  is executed, and when the image data was obtained by a single shot, Step  315  is executed.  
         [0058]     The contents of Steps  305  through  314  are the same as those of Steps  204  through  213  shown in  FIG. 5 , and an explanation thereof is omitted.  
         [0059]     The contents of Steps  315  and  316  are the same as those of Steps  214  and  215  shown in  FIG. 5 , but, after the execution of Step  316 , the process goes back to Step  302 .  
         [0060]     As described above, in the third embodiment, it is determined whether the selected image was obtained by a continual photographing operation or by a single shot, and thus the reproducing operation is performed in accordance with the continual-image flag. Accordingly, in the third embodiment, the operation of reproducing the desired image is carried out first, and a series of images obtained by a continual photographing operation can be continually displayed.  
         [0061]     Note that, although the present invention is applied to an electronic still camera in each of the above embodiments, the present invention can be applied to an image processing device such as a computer.  
         [0062]     Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, obviously many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in this art without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0063]     The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-106074 (filed on Apr. 7, 2000) which is expressly incorporated herein, by reference, in its entirety.