Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing content, such as pictures, with category information. In the method, when there is a picture to be stored, category information to be entered to the picture is identified. An application header including the category information is created. The picture including the application header is encoded and stored. Accordingly, easy and efficient picture management is achieved.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to an application entitled “Method For Storing A Picture With Category Information In A Mobile Communication Terminal” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 17, 2006 and assigned Serial No. 2006-4868, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for managing content, such as pictures, in a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for easy content management including classifying and storing content, with category information, and searching the picture stored in a mobile communication terminal.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Mobile communication terminals are widely used due to their ease of portability. Mobile communication terminal manufacturers are developing mobile communication terminals that have an increased amount of convenient functions, such as a phone book, a game, a scheduler, a short message, Internet access, e-mail, an alarm and wake up call.  
         [0006]     Also, peripheral devices attached to the mobile communication terminal are being developed. For example, an attachable or built-in digital camera module, a TV reception module for DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) reception and an MPEG-Layer 3 module for playing MPEG-Layer 3 files.  
         [0007]     Particularly, a built-in digital camera in a mobile communication terminal is widely used along with improving capacity of an embedded or external memory and performance of a digital camera module. Accordingly, the number of stored pictures taken by a digital camera, and attached in a mobile communication terminal has increased enormously. However, there is presently no way to manage the pictures effectively and store them collectively in a designated directory.  
         [0008]     Therefore, there exists the need for an apparatus and a method for easily managing content, such as pictures, and searching the content stored in a mobile communication terminal.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for classifying and storing content such as pictures using category information in a mobile communication terminal.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for searching content such as pictures having category information in a mobile communication terminal.  
         [0011]     According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for achieving the above objects, the apparatus including a controller for identifying category information for content, creating an application header including the category information and encoding the content including the created application header, and a memory for storing encoded content including the created application header.  
         [0012]     According to the present invention, there is provided a method of storing content in a portable terminal including identifying category information for content, creating an application header including the category information, and encoding the content including the created application header.  
         [0013]     According to the present invention, there is provided a method for searching stored content in a portable terminal, including searching category information included in the stored content, and selecting content including the category information.  
         [0014]     According to the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium, including a first code segment for identifying category information for content, a second code segment for creating an application header including the category information, a third code segment for encoding the content including the created application header, and a fourth code segment for storing encoded content including the created application header. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart showing a procedure of assigning category information to a picture taken by a digital camera and storing the picture having the category information in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  3 C illustrate screens for storing a picture with category information according to the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a structure of a frame header for inputting category information to a picture according to the present invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart showing a procedure of searching a picture using category information according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of well-known functions or constructions incorporated herein has been omitted for the sake of clarity and conciseness.  
         [0022]     Hereinafter, an apparatus and a method for easy content management including classifying and storing content, such as pictures, with category information, and searching the picture stored in a mobile communication terminal will be described. Assigning category information to a picture for easily classifying, storing and searching the picture in a mobile communication will also be described.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.  
         [0024]     The mobile communication terminal has a camera module and includes, but is not limited to, a cellular phone, a Personal Communication System (PCS), a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) and International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT2000). Also, the present invention may apply to a portable terminal that does not have a communication function.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the MPU, acting as a controller,  100  controls the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal. The MPU  100  is responsible for processing and controlling voice and data communication. In addition, the MPU  100  processes a function for identifying category information for content, creating an application header including the category information and encoding the content including the created application header. A detailed description of the typical processing and controlling operation of the MPU  100  will not be described herein.  
         [0026]     A communication module  102  transmits and receives a wireless signal of communication data through an antenna. A communication module  102  processes data transmission/reception of radio signals, which are transmitted/received through an antenna. For example, when transmitting data, the communication module  102  performs channel coding and spreading of data to be transmitted, and then Radio Frequency (RF) processes and transmits the data. When receiving data, the communication module  102  converts an RF signal received to a baseband signal, and performs de-spreading and channel decoding of the baseband signal.  
         [0027]     A camera module  104  converts image data into digital data, and stills the digital data, thereby acquiring still pictures. A display unit  106  displays status information, limited number of characters, moving pictures and still pictures and the like. The display unit  202  may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).  
         [0028]     A data memory  108  includes Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM) and flash ROM. The ROM stores software of a program for processing and controlling the MPU  100  and all reference data. In particular, the ROM stores software for setting category information for classifying content, such as pictures, stored in the mobile communication terminal. The RAM is a working memory of the MPU and stores temporary data being generated while performing all programs. The flash ROM stores various updatable data, such as a phone book, an outgoing message and an incoming message, and content such as pictures including category information.  
         [0029]     A keypad  110  can include numeric keys of digits 0-9 and a plurality of function keys, such as a MENU key, a CANCEL (REMOVE) key, an ENTER key, a TALK key, an END key, an internet connection key and navigation keys (▴/▾/         ). The key input data corresponding to a key pressed by the user is transmitted to the MPU  100 .  
         [0030]     A voice processor  112 , which is a Coder-Decoder (CODEC), connected to the MPU  100 , a microphone  114  and a speaker  116  connected to the CODEC  112  are audio input/output units for use in voice communication. The MPU  100  produces Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) data and the CODEC  112  converts the PCM data into analog audio signals. The analog audio signals are outputted through the speaker  116 . Also, the CODEC  112  converts analog audio signals received through the microphone  114  into PCM data and provides the MPU  100  with the PCM data.  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart showing a procedure of assigning category information to a picture taken by a digital camera and storing the picture having the category information in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the MPU  100  determines whether a picture is taken by a user&#39;s key manipulation with the camera module  104  attached or embedded in a mobile communication terminal in step  201 . If the picture has not been taken, the MPU  100  proceeds to step  211  to perform the present mode, e.g., a waiting mode. The MPU  100  displays the taken picture on the display unit  106  in step  203 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3B .  
         [0033]     In step  205 , the MPU  100  identifies category information preset prior to taking the picture. Here, the category information may include a number of categories as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . A picture may be assigned to multiple categories. Selection of category information assigned to the taken picture is illustrated as in  FIG. 3C . After identifying the category information, the MPU  100  creates an application header including the category information in step  207 .  
         [0034]     The MPU  100  proceeds to step  209  to store the taken picture including the application header in the data memory  108 . When encoding the taken picture to JPEG (Joint Picture Experts Group) format, the MPU  100  inserts the application header including the category information to the frame header of JPEG format and ends the process. Herein, the application header is included in the frame header of the picture as illustrated in  FIG. 4  below.  
         [0035]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  3 C illustrate screens for storing a picture with category information according to the present invention.  
         [0036]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a number of categories, such as family, friends and sightseeing, for classifying the pictures.  
         [0037]      FIG. 3B  illustrates the taken picture on the display unit  106 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 3C  illustrates a selected category information assigned to the taken picture.  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  illustrates a structure of a frame header for inputting category information to a picture according to the present invention. In  FIG. 4 , the frame header includes a Start Of Header (SOH) field  401 , an application field  403 , a header length field  405  and a character string field  407 . The SOH field  401  indicates a start of the frame header.  
         [0040]     The application header field  403  can include a total of 16 application headers of FFE 0  to FFEF. The application header indicates status information of the picture. Further, category information can be input in the taken picture using the 16 application headers, in which FFE 0  is JFIF header and indicates that the frame header is JPEG format, and FFE 1  is EXIF header and indicates camera information. Thus, category information of the taken picture is input using 14 application headers of FFE 2  to FFEF. Here, FFE 2  indicates that the application headers include category information.  
         [0041]     The header length field  405  indicates a length of the frame header including 2 bytes. The character string field  407  indicates a character string such as a category name, included in the frame header. For example, if the category information is “1. friends, 2. family”, the application header for each category can be shown as Table 1 below.  
                           TABLE 1                                   name   header data                           friends   FF E3 00 09 66 72 69 65 6E 64 73           family   FF E4 00 08 66 61 6D 69 6C 79                      
 
         [0042]     As noted in Table 1, in the header data, a number is represented as hexadecimal and a character is represented as American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) code.  
         [0043]     Thus, FFE 3  in header data of “friends” indicates an application header and 00 09 indicates a length of the application header represented as hexadecimal. 66 72 69 65 6E 64 73 indicates ASCII code of “friends”. Also, FFE 4  in header data of “family” indicates the application header and 00 08 indicates a length of the application header represented as hexadecimal. 66 61 6D 69 6C 79 indicates ASCII code of “family”.  
         [0044]     A picture can be included in a plurality of categories.  
         [0045]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart showing a procedure of searching a picture using category information according to the present invention.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the MPU  100  determines whether a picture searching mode is selected by a user&#39;s key manipulation in step  501 . If the picture searching mode is not selected, the MPU  100  proceeds to step  511  to perform the present mode, such as a waiting mode. The MPU  100  displays a category list of pictures stored in the mobile communication terminal on the display unit  106  in step  503 . After displaying the category list, the MPU  100  determines whether the category to be searched is selected from the category list in step  505 .  
         [0047]     If the category to be searched has been selected, the MPU  100  proceeds to step  507  to search an application header of the stored pictures and identify pictures including the selected category information. For example, if the stored pictures have the same category information as Table 2 below, the MPU  100  identifies pictures including the selected category information.  
                                   TABLE 2                                   directory   category 1   category 2   category 3                           picture 1   family   food   anniversary           picture 2   anniversary   family   July           picture 3   family   food   March           picture 4   anniversary   friends   June           picture 5   anniversary   food           picture 6   food   family                      
 
         [0048]     Here, if category “food” is selected, the MPU  100  searches category information included in the application header of the pictures and identifies picture  1 , picture  3 , picture  5  and picture  6  including “food” category information.  
         [0049]     Next, the MPU  100  displays a list of the identified pictures including the selected category information on the display unit  106  in step  509 .  
         [0050]     According to the present invention, an apparatus and a method for classifying and storing content such as pictures using category information in a mobile communication terminal are provided for easy and efficient content management. Preferred embodiments of the present invention can also include computer readable codes on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium can include any data storage device that can store data that can be read by a computer system. Examples of a computer readable medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., Read-Only Memory (ROM), floppy disks and hard disks), optical recording media (e.g., Compact Disc (CD)-ROMs, or Digital Video Discs (DVDs)), and storage mechanisms such as carrier waves (e.g., transmission through the Internet). The computer readable medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. Also, functional programs, codes and code segments for accomplishing preferred embodiments of the present invention can be understood by programmers of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.  
         [0051]     While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.