Abstract:
An electronic device comprises an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image files of images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, a specifying information forming device that forms image specifying information for specifying an image file in the recording medium separately from the image files, a communication device that transfers image files recorded in the recording medium to an external recording device, a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for the communication device to transfer the image file specified in the image specifying information and a processing device that processes the image files differently depending upon whether or not image specifying information has been formed in the recording medium with respect to the recorded image files.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
         [0001]    The disclosures of the following priority applications are herein incorporated by reference:  
           [0002]    Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-126497 filed Apr. 24, 2001  
           [0003]    Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-126500 filed Apr. 24, 2001  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    The present invention relates to an electronic device and an electronic system that includes an electronic device.  
           [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0007]    In an electronic camera such as a digital still camera, data of a photographed image are recorded in a memory internally provided in the camera or in a recording medium such as a memory card mounted at the camera. Following the photographing operation, the image data may be transferred to a recording device such as a personal computer or the like via a communication cable. There is a technology in the related art that allows specific images to be saved for later use by attaching a transfer marking to the images to be saved during the photographing operation or an image reproduction operation and transferring in a batch only the images having the transfer marking attached thereto to the PC side. After the transfer, the image data having been recorded in the recording medium are erased so that new image data can be recorded in the recording medium. In addition, since a recording medium mounted at an electronic camera has a limited recording capacity, unnecessary image data, i.e., image data with no transfer marking attached thereto, are normally erased from the recording medium to allow image data obtained through a subsequent photographing operation to be recorded into the recording medium.  
           [0008]    However, there is a possibility of the image data with the transfer marking attached thereto, i.e., the image data that the user wishes to save, being erased by mistake while erasing unnecessary image data in the electronic camera in the related art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and an electronic system capable of performing different processing depending upon whether or not image data are to be transferred so that, for instance, image data to be transferred are prevented from being deleted by mistake.  
           [0010]    An electronic device according to the present invention comprises an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image files corresponding to images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, a specifying information forming device that forms image specifying information for specifying an image file in the recording medium separately from the image files, a communication device used to transfer image files recorded in the recording medium to an external recording device, a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for the communication device to transfer the image file specified in the image specifying information and a processing device that processes the image files differently depending upon whether or not image specifying information is formed in the recording medium with respect to the recorded image file.  
           [0011]    In this electronic device, the processing executed by the processing device is deletion of image files recorded in the recording medium and the processing device deletes only image files that are not specified with the image specifying information.  
           [0012]    The electronic device according to the present invention may further comprise a specifying information deleting device that deletes the image specifying information from the recording medium after the communication device transfers image files specified with the image specifying information.  
           [0013]    Alternatively, an electronic device according to the present invention comprises an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image files of images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, a specifying information forming device that forms image specifying information for specifying an image file as tag information in the image file, a communication device that transfers image files recorded in the recording medium to an external recording device, a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for the communication device to transfer the image file specified in the image specifying information and a processing device that performs different processing on image files depending upon whether or not the image specifying information has been formed in the image files.  
           [0014]    In this electronic device, the processing executed by the processing device is deletion of image files recorded in the recording medium and the processing device deletes only image files that are not specified with the image specifying information.  
           [0015]    The electronic device according to the present invention may further comprise a specifying information deleting device that deletes the tag information from image files specified with the image specifying information after the communication device transfers the image files. It may further include an image reproducing device that reproduces photographic images based upon an image file recorded in the recording medium, and in this case, the specifying information forming device forms image specifying information for the image file corresponding to each photographic images reproduced by the image reproducing device. The specifying information forming device forms the image specifying information for the image file during a period of time elapsing between the image capturing operation executed by the image-capturing device and the completion of the recording of the image file into the recording medium.  
           [0016]    The electronic device according to the present invention may include a display device that displays a mark indicating a transfer end once an image data transfer is completed. It may include a display device that displays a mark indicating that the power to the electronic device can now be turned off once the image data transfer is completed, instead.  
           [0017]    An electronic system according to the present invention includes the electronic device described earlier and an external recording device to which the image files recorded in the recording medium of the electronic device are transferred, and in this electronic system, an image file transfer to the external recording device from the recording medium starts in response to an instruction issued through the transfer instruction operation unit.  
           [0018]    An electronic device according to the present invention may comprise an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image data constituting images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, a communication device that transfers the image data recorded in the recording medium to an external recording device, a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for the communication device to transfer the image data and a display device that displays a mark indicating a transfer end once the image data transfer is completed.  
           [0019]    An electronic device according to the present invention may comprise an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image data constituting images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, a communication device that transfers the image data recorded in the recording medium to an external recording device, a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for transferring the image data by engaging the communication device and a display device that displays a mark indicating that the power to the electronic device can now be turned off once the image data transfer is completed, instead.  
           [0020]    This electronic device is provided with an internal drive battery.  
           [0021]    In addition, the electronic device should include an external power connector terminal that can be connected with an external power source, a judging device that judges as to whether or not the external power source is connected to the external power connector terminal and a control device that allows the mark to be displayed at the display device if the judging device judges that the external power source is not connected and disallows a display of the mark at the display device if the judging device judges that the external power source is connected.  
           [0022]    The power to the electronic device may be turned off when a predetermined length of time elapses following the end of the image data transfer.  
           [0023]    In an electronic system according to the present invention that comprises; (a) an external recording device having an information input device, (b) an electronic device having an image-capturing device that captures an image of a subject, a recording device that records image data corresponding to images captured by the image-capturing device into a recording medium, an information output device capable of outputting to the outside the image data recorded in the recording medium and a transfer instruction operation unit that issues an instruction for transferring the image data via the information output device and is capable of assuming a low power consumption mode and (c) a transmission device that transmits the image data from the information output device to the information input device, the image data transfer from the electronic device to the external recording device via the transmission device is started in response to an instruction issued through the transfer instruction operation unit and the electronic device is set in the low power consumption mode in response to an instruction issued from the external recording device via the transmission device when the transfer is completed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an embodiment of the electronic device according to the present invention, with FIG. 1A presenting a plan view of the electronic camera and FIG. 1B presenting a rear view of the camera;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the electronic camera shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 illustrates the system configuration adopted to transfer image data to the hard disk in the PC  20 ;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 illustrates the qualitative file structure assumed inside the memory card  424 ;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 5A and 5B are provided to facilitate an explanation of the methods adopted to set the transfer marking during reproduction operations, with FIG. 5A showing a single frame reproduction operation and FIG. 5B showing a thumbnail reproduction operation;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 shows the transfer marking setting menu brought up on the display LCD  3 ;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 is provided to facilitate an explanation of the transfer marking setting operation executed while a freeze image is on display;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 8 presents a flowchart of the procedure of the processing starting with appending the transfer marking and ending with completing the image transfer;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 presents a display example of the warning mark  36 ;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 10 shows the folder structure adopted in an example of a variation;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 11 presents a flowchart of the procedure of the processing starting with appending the transfer marking and ending with completing the image transfer, which is achieved in the example of variation;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 12 presents a flowchart of the procedure of the processing starting with appending the transfer marking and ending with completing the image transfer, as implemented in a second embodiment;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 13 is a rear view of the electronic camera achieved in a third embodiment;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 14 is a circuit block diagram of the electronic camera achieved in the third embodiment;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 15 illustrates the system configuration adopted to transfer image data to the hard disk in the PC  20 ;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 16 presents a flowchart of the procedure of the processing executed on the camera side in the third embodiment;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 17 presents a flowchart of the procedure of the processing executed on the PC side in the third embodiment;  
         [0041]    FIGS.  18 A˜ 18 C present examples of display on the display LCD  3 , with FIG. 18A showing the display brought up during the preparation for a transfer operation, FIG. 18B showing the display brought up while the transfer operation is in progress and FIG. 18C showing the display brought up when the transfer operation is completed; and  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 19 presents a flowchart of the processing procedure achieved as a variation of the processing shown in FIG. 16. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     FIRST EMBODIMENT  
       [0043]    The following is an explanation of the first embodiment of the electronic device and the electronic system according to the present invention, given in reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the electronic device achieved in the first embodiment. FIG. 1A is a plan view of an electronic camera  1  and FIG. 1B is a rear view of the electronic camera  1 . As shown in FIG. 1A, at the upper surface of the electronic camera  1 , a main switch  4  through which the power is turned on/off, a shutter release button  5  through which a photographing operation is executed and a display panel  7  at which camera information is displayed are provided.  
         [0044]    The electronic camera  1  assumes a recording mode in which image data obtained by photographing a subject are recorded into a memory card  424  to be detailed later and a reproduction mode in which the image data recorded in the memory card  424  are read out and the image data thus read out are reproduced and displayed at a display LCD  3  (see FIG. 1B) provided at the rear surface of the camera. Either the recording mode or the reproduction mode is selected through a dial  6 . When the recording mode is selected, subject images captured by a CCD  214  which is to be detailed later are sequentially displayed at the display LCD  3 . When the reproduction mode is selected, on the other hand, thumbnail display of images recorded in the memory card  424  to be explained later or display of individual reproduced images is brought up on the display LCD  3 .  
         [0045]    As shown in FIG. 1B, a viewfinder eyepiece window  8 , zoom switching buttons  9  which are operated to engage a photographic optical system  2  in a zoom operation and various operating buttons are provided at the camera rear surface in addition to the display LCD  3  that is utilized for image display. If the W-side button of the zoom switching buttons  9  in FIG. 1B is pressed, the photographic optical system  2  is driven to the wide angle side, whereas if the T-side button is pressed, the photographic optical system  2  is driven to the telephoto side.  
         [0046]    A menu button  10  is operated to display a setting menu at the display LCD  3 . The operator brings up a setting menu at the display LCD  3  by pressing the menu button  10  in order to make various settings and then selects the items to be set through selector buttons  11   a ˜ 11   d . A transfer marking can be set and cleared in the recording mode, the transfer marking can be set and cleared in a batch in the reproduction mode and a re-transfer can be set, for instance, in the setting menu in the embodiment. Details of the individual settings are to be detailed later.  
         [0047]    A transfer marking button  12  is an operating push-button which is operated when individually appending the transfer marking to image files. A transfer button  13  is pushed to start an image file transfer. A delete button  14  is operated to delete image files recorded in the memory card  424  (see FIG. 2). It is to be noted that the transfer marking button  12  is also operated to clear the transfer marking as detailed later.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the electronic camera shown in FIG. 1A. Control program used in the electronic camera  1  is stored in a ROM  443 . When the main switch  4  is turned on, the power to the electronic camera  1  is turned on and the control program stored in the ROM  443  is started up by a CPU  439 . The electronic camera  1  enters a photographing enabled state when the recording mode is set through an operation of the dial  6  after the control program is started up. If, on the other hand, the reproduction mode is set through an operation of the dial  6 , an image is reproduced and displayed at the display LCD  3  based upon image data recorded in the memory card  424 , which is the recording medium. It is to be noted that image constituted of image capturing signals transmitted from the CCD  214  is displayed at the display LCD  3  in the recording mode.  
         [0049]    The photographic optical system  2  includes a plurality of lenses  201 ˜ 204 . A focal adjustment operation to adjust the focus of the lens  201  is executed by a lens drive circuit  430 . While the focal adjustment operation by the lens drive circuit  430  is normally executed in response to a command issued by the CPU  439 , a focal adjustment operation may be instead performed based upon an operation signal which is output when a zoom ring  462  is manually operated.  
         [0050]    A shutter plate  208  and an aperture  215  are provided between the lens  203  and the lens  204  in the photographic optical system  2 . Subject light having entered the photographic optical system  2  passes through the lenses  201 ˜ 204 , the shutter plate  208  and the aperture plate  215  and forms an image on the image capturing surface of the CCD  214 . The aperture plate  215  and the shutter plate  208 , which are each formed in a disk shape, are respectively driven by step motors  415  and  408  provided at the centers of rotation at the disks. At the aperture plate  215 , a plurality of aperture openings (not shown) with varying opening areas are provided. The step motor  415  rotates the aperture plate  215  to set a given aperture opening among the plurality of aperture openings on the optical axis.  
         [0051]    The shutter plate  208  includes a full light blocking portion (not shown) that blocks the entire light flux having passed through the lens  203  and an opening (not shown) that allows the entire light flux to pass through. During an exposure operation, the opening at the shutter plate  208  is set on the optical path, and the full light blocking portion is set on the optical path when the exposure operation ends. The drive of the step motor  415 , which rotates the aperture plate  215  is controlled by a drive circuit  453 . The drive of the step motor  408 , which rotates the shutter plate  208  is controlled by a shutter drive circuit  454 .  
         [0052]    During a photographing operation, the electrical charges stored at the CCD  214  are first cleared and a specific opening at the aperture plate  215  is set on the optical path. Then, electrical charges are stored at the CCD  214  again as an exposure operation is performed at the CCD  214  over a specific length of time. The length of time elapsing from the clearance of the electrical charges mentioned above until the optical path becomes shielded from light by the full light blocking portion of the shutter plate  208  again is equivalent to the exposure period.  
         [0053]    When a subject image is formed on the image capturing surface of the CCD  214  by the photographic optical system  2 , signal charges corresponding to the intensity of the light from the subject image are stored. A horizontal drive signal is provided to the CCD  214  from a digital signal processor (hereafter referred to as a DSP)  433  and also a vertical drive signal is provided to the CCD  214  from a CCD drive circuit  434  which is controlled by the DSP  433 . Namely, the operational timing of the CCD  214  is controlled by the DSP  433  and the CCD drive circuit  434 . Signals output from CCD  214  are input to an image processing unit  431 .  
         [0054]    The image processing unit  431 , which includes a noise removal circuit, a DC reproducing circuit and the like, implements analog processing such as noise removal and gain control on the image signals output from the CCD  214 . The analog image signals output from the image processing unit  431  are converted to digital signals at an analog/digital conversion circuit (hereafter referred to as an A/D conversion circuit)  432 . The digital image data resulting from the conversion are input to the DSP  433  mentioned earlier.  
         [0055]    The DSP  433  implements image processing such as outline compensation, gamma correction and white balance adjustment on the image data output from the A/D conversion circuit  432 . In addition, the DSP  433  first stores the image data having undergone the various types of image processing into a buffer memory  436 , reads out the image data from the buffer memory  436 , compresses the image data in a specific compression format (e.g., JPEG) and records the compressed data into the memory card  424 , by controlling a data bus connected with the buffer memory  436  and the memory card  424 .  
         [0056]    The DSP  433  stores the image data obtained by implementing the image processing described above on the data of the image captured by the CCD  214  and image data obtained by decompressing the image data read out from the memory card  424  into a frame memory  435  and displays images based upon these image data at the display LCD  3  provided in the electronic camera  1 . In addition, the DSP  433  controls the timing of the data input/output when recording the image data into the memory card  424 , recording decompressed photographic image data into the buffer memory  436  and the like.  
         [0057]    The buffer memory  436 , where the image data prepared based upon the output of the CCD  214  are temporarily stored, is utilized to lessen the extent of inconsistency in the speed with which the image data are input to/output from the memory card  424  and also to reduce the difference between the processing speed at the CPU  439  and the processing speed at the DSP  433 . A timer  445 , which is internally provided with a clock circuit, outputs time data indicating the current time point to the CPU  439  and is also utilized as a timer during monitor on/off control which is to be detailed later. The time data are recorded together with the image data into the memory card  424 .  
         [0058]    A colorimetering element  417  detects the color temperature of a main subject and the color temperature in the vicinity of the main subject, and outputs data indicating the detected color temperatures to a colorimetering circuit  452 . The colorimetering circuit  452  implements a specific type of processing on analog signals output from the colorimetering element  417  to convert them to digital values and outputs the digital signals resulting from the conversion to the CPU  439 . An interface  448  is provided to enable data exchange with a specific external device (not shown). The interface  448  is constituted of a USB interface in the embodiment. A USB communication cable can be connected to a USB connector terminal  23 . A display circuit  440  controls the display panel  7 .  
       Operation Performed in the Recording Mode  
       [0059]    Now, a brief explanation is given on the operation performed in the recording mode. In the recording mode, subject images captured by the CCD  214  are sequentially displayed as through images at the display LCD  3  even when the shutter release button  5  is not operated. Namely, image signals output from the CCD  214  first undergo analog processing such as noise removal and gain correction at the image processing unit  431  and then are converted to digital signals at the A/D conversion circuit  432 . The digitized signals are then provided to the DSP  433  where they undergo image preprocessing such as outline compensation and gamma correction before they are temporarily stored into the buffer memory  436 .  
         [0060]    Subsequently, the digital signals having undergone white balance adjustment are processed to prepare image data for display at the display LCD  3 . The processed image data are written into the frame memory  435  and are displayed at the display LCD  3  as a photographic monitor image which is also referred to as a through image. The through image is sequentially updated over predetermined time intervals based upon the subject light entering the photographic optical system  2  through repeated execution of the operation described above.  
         [0061]    When a halfway press switch (not shown) is turned on by pressing the shutter release button  5  halfway down, the focal adjustment state of the photographic optical system  2  is detected based upon the contrast in the image data and a focal adjustment operation is executed so as to form a focused subject image on the CCD  214 . This focal adjustment operation is executed by the lens drive circuit  430  as explained earlier. In addition, as the shutter release button  5  is pressed halfway down, the CPU  439  detects the brightness of the subject based upon the image data and performs an exposure calculation in conformance to the detected brightness level.  
         [0062]    When the shutter release button  5  is pressed all the way down after it is pressed halfway down, a full press switch (not shown) becomes turned on. As a result, the signal charges stored at the CCD  214  are first cleared and then the shutter plate  208  and the aperture plate  215  are driven based upon the results of the exposure calculation to allow the CCD  214  to engage in an image capturing operation.  
         [0063]    The image signals output from the CCD  214  through this image capturing operation first undergo the series of processing described earlier and then are stored in the buffer memory  436 . The image data stored in the buffer memory  436  are processed to obtain display image data to be displayed at the display LCD  3  by the DSP  433  and the display image data are then written into the frame memory  435 . A photographic image which is displayed at the display LCD  3  through this process is referred to as a freeze image. The DSP  433  then executes data compression on the image data having undergone such image preprocessing and the compressed image data are recorded into the memory card  424  which is a recording medium (a PC card, a CF card or the like) such as a flash memory. A specific data name is assigned to the image data by the CPU  439  when the image data are recorded into the memory card  424  with the time information provided by the timer  445  appended thereto.  
         [0064]    Next, an explanation is given on the transfer of the image data recorded in the memory card  424 . FIG. 3 shows the system configuration assumed to transfer the image data into a hard disk in a PC (personal computer)  20 . By connecting the USB connector terminal  23  of the electronic camera  1  to a USB connector  24  of the PC  20  with a USB cable  21 , the electronic camera  1  and the PC  20  become connected with each other. The image transferred to the PC  20  can be displayed at a monitor  22  connected to the PC  20 .  
         [0065]    A transfer processing software program is pre-installed in the PC  20 . After starting up the software program, the transfer button  12  of the electronic camera  1  is pushed to start an image transfer to the PC  20 . In the electronic camera in the embodiment, a transfer marking to be detailed later is appended to the image data to be transferred to the PC  20  among the image data recorded in the memory card  424 . In other words, only the image data appended with the transfer marking are transferred during the image transfer.  
         [0066]    It is to be noted that while the transfer processing software program is started up in advance in the PC  20  in the embodiment, the software program may instead be started up automatically after verifying that the electronic camera  1  has been connected via the USB cable  21 . Since the image file transfer can be executed simply by operating the transfer button  13  at the electronic camera  1  after connecting the electronic camera  1  to the PC  20  in the latter case, the transfer operation is greatly simplified.  
         [0067]    When the transfer button  13  at the electronic camera  1  is operated, an “order. job” file  25  is created within the memory card  424 . The “order. job” file  25  is a file which is referenced by the PC  20 , and as the PC  20  reads a “transfer” instruction  25   a  included in the “order. job” file  25 , the image file transfer by the PC  20  is started up. Upon detecting the “order. job” file  25  in the memory card  424 , the PC  20  creates a “reply. job” file  26  in the memory card  424 . The “reply. job” file  26  is referenced by the electronic camera  1 .  
         [0068]    When the image file transfer is completed, the PC  20  enters a “finish” instruction  26   a  in the “reply. job” file  26 . In response to the “finish” instruction  26   a  in the “reply. job” file  26 , the electronic camera  1  deletes the “order. job” file  25  from the memory card  424 . In addition, upon verifying that the “order. job” file  25  has been deleted from the memory card  424 , the PC  20  deletes the “reply. job” file  26  from the memory card  424 . Thus, by executing the processing on the camera side and the processing on the PC side in relation to each other via the memory card  424 , the transfer work is executed to transfer the image data to the PC  20 .  
       Transfer Marking  
       [0069]    A “DCIM” directory is created in the memory card  424 . FIG. 4 illustrates the qualitative file structure achieved in the directory. In the DCIM directory, an image folder  44  assigned with a name “100 NIKON” is created in advance. Image files  45  containing image data obtained through photographing operations are stored within the image folder  44 . The image files  45  are assigned with filenames such as “DSCN0001.jpeg”, “DSCN0002.jpeg” and “DSCN0003.jpeg” indicating the order in which they are obtained through photographing operations. In the example presented in FIG. 4, ten image files  45  “DSCN0001.jpeg”˜“DSCN0010.jpeg” are stored.  
         [0070]    For instance, if the transfer button  12  is pushed after reproducing and displaying a single frame image at the display LCD  3  as shown in FIG. 5A, a transfer mark  33  indicating that the transfer marking has been appended is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 . At this time, a list file  47  is created and the filename  48  assigned to the displayed image is recorded into the list file  47 . The contents recorded in the list file  47  are indicated in a list  46 . In the example presented in FIG. 4, filenames  48 , i.e., the filenames “DSCN0002.jpeg” and “DSCN0004.jpeg”, are recorded in the list  46 . The phrase “the transfer marking is appended to image data (an image file)” in this context means that the corresponding image filename  48  is recorded in the list file  47 , as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, once the transfer marking is cleared, the filename  48  of the image file  45  from which the transfer marking is cleared is deleted from the list file  
         [0071]    The transfer processing software program for the PC  20  controls the PC  20  so as to transfer only the image files  45  with their filenames recorded in the list file  47  to the PC  20  from the image folder  44  by referencing the list file  47 .  
         [0072]    In the reproduction mode, the image files  45  recorded in the memory card  424  can be deleted one frame at a time or all the image files  45  recorded in the memory card  424  can be deleted at once by operating the delete button  14  shown in FIG. 1. Such a delete operation to delete the image files  45  is performed by using a delete setting menu.  
         [0073]    In the embodiment, once the transfer marking is appended to an image file  45 , deletion of that particular image file  45  is disallowed. In other words, even if an instruction for deleting an image file  45  appended with the transfer marking is issued, the delete instruction is disregarded. When a batch delete is executed in the example presented in FIG. 4, all the image files  45  except for the image files  45  assigned with the filenames “DSCN0002.jpeg” and “DSCN0004.jpeg”, are deleted from the image folder  44 . It is to be noted that the image files  45  assigned with the filenames “DSCN0002.jpeg” and “DSCN0004.jpeg”, too, can be deleted once the transfer marking appended thereto is cleared. When the transfer marking is cleared from all image files, the list file  47  is deleted from the image folder  44 .  
       Timing With Which Transfer Marking Is Set  
       [0074]    It is necessary to set the transfer marking described above in advance prior to the execution of the transfer operation. The transfer marking can be set either in the recording mode or in the reproduction mode. In the recording mode, the transfer marking may be set; (a) in a batch through a setting menu or (b) while a freeze image is on display immediately after a photographing operation. In the reproduction mode, on the other hand, the transfer marking may be set; (c) by reproducing and displaying a single frame image at the display LCD  3 , (d) while displaying reproduced thumbnail images at the display LCD  3  or (e) in a batch setting/clearing procedure implemented through the setting menu as in the recording mode.  
         [0075]    (a) Setting the Transfer Marking in a Batch Through the Setting Menu  
         [0076]    When setting the transfer marking in a batch through the setting menu, the transfer marking setting menu shown in FIG. 6 is brought up on display at the display LCD  3  by pushing the menu button  10  and the selector buttons  11   a ˜ 11   d . In the transfer marking setting menu, items “SET” and “CLEAR” are displayed. A mark  32  in FIG. 6 indicates that the item “SET” is currently selected. This selection state can be changed by pushing the selector buttons  11   a  and  11   b.    
         [0077]    When the selector button lid is pushed, the selection state is confirmed. Namely, when the item “SET” is selected as shown in FIG. 6 and then the selector button lid is pushed, the electronic camera  1  enters a transfer marking setting state. In the transfer marking setting state, the transfer marking is automatically appended to all sets of image data obtained through photographing operation. If, on the other hand, the item “CLEAR” is selected and the selection is confirmed, the electronic camera  1  enters a transfer marking cleared state in which the transfer markings having been appended to the data of photographed images are deleted. It is to be noted that the batch setting/clearing operation is performed in the reproduction mode in a manner similar to that in which the batch setting/clearing operation is performed in the recording mode. Namely, the transfer marking is appended to all the image files  45  recorded in the memory card  424  through batch setting and when “CLEAR” is selected, the transfer marking having been appended to the image files  45  becomes cleared.  
         [0078]    (b) Setting the Transfer Marking While a Freeze Image is on Display  
         [0079]    As explained earlier, when a photographing operation is initiated by pressing the shutter release button  5  all the way down and the photographic image is recorded into the memory card  424  as a result, the photographed image is brought up on display at the display LCD  3  as a freeze image over a predetermined length of time as shown in FIG. 7. A mark  34  in FIG. 7 indicates that the image is being recorded. If the transfer button  12  is pushed while the mark  34  is on display, the transfer marking is appended to the image data and the transfer mark  33  is brought up on display.  
         [0080]    It is to be noted that when the batch setting mentioned earlier is selected prior to the photographing operation, the transfer mark  33  in FIG. 7 is brought up on display at the display LCD  3  even if the transfer button  12  is not pushed. In addition, a quick delete mark  35  is displayed at the display LCD  3  while an image is being recorded. If the delete button  14  is operated while the quick delete mark  35  is on display, the recording operation for recording the image into the memory card  424  is canceled. However, after the transfer marking has been appended, any delete instruction is disregarded as explained earlier to continuously record the image into the memory card  424 .  
         [0081]    (c) Setting the Transfer Marking While a Reproduced Single Frame Image is on Display  
         [0082]    [0082]FIG. 5A mentioned earlier shows the display LCD  3  at which a reproduced single frame image is on display. As shown in FIG. 5A, a photographing date  40 , a filename  41  assigned to the image data and the like are displayed together with the captured image. If the transfer button  12  shown in FIG. 1 is pushed while a reproduced single frame image is on display, the transfer marking is appended to the image data and the transfer mark  33  is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 . It is to be noted that when image data appended with the transfer marking in the recording mode are reproduced and displayed at the display LCD  3 , the transfer mark  33  is displayed together with the image as shown in FIG. 5A.  
         [0083]    (d) Setting the Transfer Marking While Displaying Reproduced Thumbnail Images  
         [0084]    [0084]FIG. 5B shows the display LCD  3  at which thumbnail images are on display. At the display LCD  3 , a total of nine thumbnail images, i.e., three thumbnail images (along the vertical direction)×three thumbnail images (along the horizontal direction), are displayed. In FIG. 5B, the fifth thumbnail image displayed at the center is enclosed by a selection frame  42 . The selection frame  42  can be moved up and down and to the left and right to enclose another thumbnail image by operating the selector switches  11   a ˜ 11   d  shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5B, if the transfer button  12  in FIG. 1 is pushed while the fifth image is enclosed by the selection frame  42 , i.e., while the fifth image is selected, the transfer marking is appended to the fifth image and the transfer mark  33  is displayed at the fifth image. While thumbnail images are on display, the transfer marking can be appended sequentially to a plurality of sets of image data.  
         [0085]    It is to be noted that if the transfer button  12  is pushed again while the transfer mark  33  is on display as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the transfer marking is cleared and the display of the transfer mark  33  is cleared as well.  
       Transfer Operation  
       [0086]    Now, an explanation is given on details of the transfer operation. FIG. 8 presents a flowchart of the procedure executed in conformance to the program during the processing starting with appending the transfer marking and ending with completion of the image transfer. It is to be noted that this program is stored in the ROM  443 . The following explanation is given by assuming that the transfer marking operation is performed through an operation of the transfer marking button  12  and that the image deletion is executed through the delete button  14 . In step S 101 , it is judged as to whether or not the transfer marking button  12  has been operated. If a negative judgement (NO) is made in step S 101 , the operation proceeds to step S 113  to engage in a normal routine which is executed when no transfer marking operation has been initiated. If, on the other hand, an affirmative judgement (YES) is made in step S 101 , the operation proceeds to step S 102  to judge as to whether the recording mode or the reduction mode has been set with the dial  6 . If it is judged in step S 102  that the recording mode has been selected, the operation proceeds to step S 103 , whereas if it is judged that the reproduction mode has been selected, the operation proceeds to step S 105 .  
         [0087]    In step S 103 , it is judged as to whether or not an image has been photographed. If it is judged that an image has been photographed, the operation proceeds to step S 104 , whereas if it is judged that no image has been photographed, the operation proceeds to step S 106 . In step S 104 , an image file  45  containing the photographed image is recorded into the image folder  44  in the memory card  424  and a filename  48  assigned to the image file  45  is recorded in the list file  47 . If, on the other hand, it is judged in step S 102  that the reproduction mode has been selected and the operation proceeds to step S 105  accordingly, the image filename on display at the display LCD  3 , as shown in FIG. 5A, or the filename of the image enclosed by the selection frame  42  in the thumbnail display as shown in FIG. 5B is recorded in the list file  47  and the transfer mark  33  is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 . In the following step S 106 , it is judged as to whether or not the delete button  14  has been operated. The operation proceeds to step S 107  if it is judged that the delete button  14  has been operated whereas the operation proceeds to step S 110  if it is judged that the delete button  14  has not been operated.  
         [0088]    In step S 107 , it is judged as to whether or not the filename  48  assigned to the image file  45  with regard to which the delete instruction has been issued is recorded in the list file  47 . If a negative judgement (NO) is made in step S 107 , the operation proceeds to step S 108 . In step S 108 , the image file  48  with regard to which the delete instruction has been issued is deleted from the image folder  44  before the operation proceeds to step S 110 . If, on the other hand, an affirmative judgement (YES) is made in step S 107 , the operation proceeds to step S 109 . In step S 109 , a warning mark  36  indicating that erasure is disabled, as shown in FIG. 9, is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 . In this case, the image file  45  assigned with the filename  48  that is recorded in the list file  47  is not deleted. Once the warning mark  36  is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 , the operation proceeds to step S 110 .  
         [0089]    In step S 110 , it is judged as to whether or not the transfer button  13  has been operated. If it is judged that the transfer button  13  has been operated, the operation proceeds to step S 111 , whereas if it is judged that the transfer button  13  has not been operated, the operation returns to step S 101 . In step S 111 , the image files  45  with the filenames  48  recorded in the list file  47  are transferred to the PC  20  via the USB cable  21 . In the example presented in FIG. 4, the image data corresponding to the filenames “0002.jpeg” and “0004.jpeg” are transferred to the PC  20 . In the following step S 112 , the list file  47  is deleted. After the list file  47  is deleted, the operation returns to step S 101 .  
       Example of Variation  
       [0090]    In the example of variation explained below, a transfer complete list file  49  is created in the image folder  44  as shown in FIG. 10 when the image data transfer is completed. A transfer complete list  50  indicates the contents recorded in the transfer complete list file  49 . The filenames  48  of image files  45  that have already been transferred are deleted from the list file  47  and are relocated to the transfer complete list file  49 . In the example presented in FIG. 10, the image files  45  assigned with the filenames “DSCN0002.jpeg” and “DSCN0004.jpeg” have been transferred while the image files  45  with the filenames “DSCN0005.jpeg” and “DSCN0007.jpeg” have not been transferred yet.  
         [0091]    For instance, if the image transfer is forcibly terminated in the state shown in FIG. 10, the image files  45  with the filenames “DSCN0005.jpeg” and “DSCN0007.jpeg” will not have been transferred to the PC  20  yet. If the transfer operation is restarted by pushing the transfer button  13  again in this state, the PC  20  references the list file  47  so as to transfer the image files  45  with the filenames “DSCN0005.jpeg” and “DSCN0007.jpeg” recorded in the list file  47  from the image folder  44  in the memory card  424  to the PC  20 .  
         [0092]    In addition, if an instruction for a re-transfer is issued through a setting menu, filenames  38  recorded in the transfer complete list file  49  are deleted and are relocated to the file list  47 . When the transfer button  13  is subsequently operated, the image files assigned with the filenames “DSCN0002.jpeg”, “DSCN0004.jpeg”, “DSCN0005.jpeg” and “DSCN0007.jpeg” recorded in the list file  47  are transferred from the image folder  44  to the PC  20 .  
         [0093]    [0093]FIG. 11 presents a flowchart of the procedure implemented in the example of variation. The same step numbers are assigned to steps in which processing similar to that in FIG. 8 is implemented to preclude the necessity for a repeated explanation thereof. The processing procedure in the flowchart presented in FIG. 11 is now explained by referring to FIG. 10. The procedure of the processing from step S 101  through step S 110  and in step S 113  in FIG. 11 is identical to that in the flowchart in FIG. 8.  
         [0094]    In step S 201 , an image file  45  corresponding to a single frame is transferred. Once the image file  45  corresponding to a single frame is transferred, the operation proceeds to step S 202 . Instep S 202 , the filename  48  assigned to the image file  45  which has been transferred is deleted from the list file  47 . For instance, if the image file  45  with the filename “DSCN0005.jpeg” is transferred in step S 201 , the filename “DSCN0005.jpeg” is deleted from the file list  47  in step S 202 . When the filename  48  of the transferred image file  45  has been deleted from the list file  47 , the operation proceeds to step S 203 .  
         [0095]    In step S 203 , the filename “DSCN0005.jpeg” deleted in step S 202  is recorded into the transfer complete list file  49 . In the following step S 204 , it is judged as to whether or not all the image files  45  with the filenames  38  recorded in the list file  47  have been transferred. If it is judged that the transfer has not been completed yet in step S 204 , the operation returns to step S 201  to transfer the next image file  45  with the filename recorded in the list file  47 . In the example presented in FIG. 10, the image file  45  assigned with the filename “DSCN0007.jpeg” which is the second listing recorded in the list file  47  is transferred. Then, the filename “DSCN0007.jpeg” is processed in steps S 202  and S 203  as described above and once the transfer of all the image files  45  assigned with the filenames  38  which are recorded in the list file  47  is completed, the operation returns from step S 204  to step S 101 .  
         [0096]    Under normal circumstances, an image file of an image obtained through a photographing operation in an electronic camera that the user wishes to save for later use is transferred from the recording medium (the memory card  424  in the embodiment explained above) in the camera and recorded into a hard disk device or the like of a PC. In the electronic camera  1  achieved in the first embodiment, the transfer marking is appended to image files  45  to be transferred to the PC  20  or the like and thus, the image files  45  appended with the transfer marking alone are transferred. Since deletion of any image file  45  appended with the transfer marking is disallowed, the warning mark  36  shown in FIG. 9 is brought up on display at the display LCD  3  if the delete button  14  is operated. As a result, the user, who is reminded that the image file  45  that he is attempting to delete is actually appended with the transfer marking, is prevented from deleting the image files  45  appended with the transfer marking by mistake.  
         [0097]    In addition, by creating the transfer complete list file  49 , the re-transfer operation that must be executed to re-transfer a given image file  45  can be simplified. For instance, the transfer complete list file  49  can prove particularly useful when a transfer operation is interrupted due to depletion of battery power in the electronic camera  1 .  
       SECOND EMBODIMENT  
       [0098]    While the transfer marking is set by recording a filename  49  in the list file  47  in the first embodiment, tag information related to transfer marking is recorded in an image file  45  as additional information in the second embodiment. It is to be noted that the term “tag information” in this context refers to information that can be made to correlate to the image data contained in the image file  45 . The PC  20  judges as to whether or not each image file  45  is appended with tag information and reads only image files  45  appended with the tag information into the PC  20 .  
         [0099]    [0099]FIG. 12 presents a flowchart similar to the flowchart in FIG. 8, showing the procedure of the processing starting with appending the transfer marking and ending with completing the image transfer. The same step numbers are assigned to steps in which processing identical to that in the flowchart in FIG. 8 is performed. The following explanation focuses on the procedure of processing that is different from that in the flowchart in FIG. 8. If it is judged in step S 103  that an image has been photographed, the operation proceeds to step S 301 . In step S 301 , tag information with regard to the transfer marking is recorded into the image file  45 . It is to be noted that no list file such as the list file  47  shown in FIG. 4 is created in the second embodiment.  
         [0100]    If it is judged in step S 102  that the reproduction mode has been selected, the operation proceeds to step S 302 . In step S 302 , the tag information related to the transfer marking is recorded in the image file  45  displayed at the display LCD  3 , as shown in FIG. 5A, or in the image file  45  enclosed by the selection frame  42  in the thumbnail display, as shown in FIG. 5B, and the transfer mark  33  is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 . Once the tag information is recorded, the operation proceeds to step S 106 .  
         [0101]    If it is judged in step S 106  that the delete button  14  has been operated, the operation proceeds to step S 303 . In step S 303 , it is judged as to whether or not the image file  45  contains tag information. If it is judged in step S 303  that no tag information is contained in the image file  45 , the operation proceeds to step S 108  to delete the image file  45  from the image folder  44 . If, on the other hand, it is judged in step S 303  that tag information is present in the image file  45 , the operation proceeds to step S 109  to display the warning mark  36  indicating that erasure is disabled at the display LCD  3  as shown in FIG. 9. Once the processing in step S 108  or step S 109  is executed, the operation proceeds to step S 110 . Following the image transfer executed in step S 111  after judging in step S 110  that the transfer button  13  has been operated, the operation proceeds to step S 304 . In step S 304 , the tag information is deleted from the image file  45  that has been transferred and then the operation returns to step S 101 .  
         [0102]    The subsequent processing following an interruption in the transfer is carried out by creating the transfer complete list file  49  in the first embodiment as explained earlier. In the second embodiment, image files can be processed in a manner similar to that in the first embodiment by recording tag information indicating transfer completion in the individual image files  45  in the second embodiment. As a result, advantages similar to those achieved in the first embodiment are realized in the electronic camera in the second embodiment, as well.  
         [0103]    In addition, the delete processing of image files  45  appended with the transfer marking is disallowed in the embodiments described above. There are following examples of control on the image files  45  appended with the transfer marking other than disallowing the delete processing.  
         [0104]    (1) Appending information indicating the number of prints into an image file  45   
         [0105]    Image files in the known art include image files  45  into which print number information can be appended. The default setting for the number of prints is normally 0. Accordingly, if the transfer marking is appended, the number of prints is set to 1. It is to be noted that in an image file  45  having the number of prints already set, the setting is not changed even if the transfer marking is later appended thereto.  
         [0106]    (2) Appending information indicating the number of transfers into an image file  45   
         [0107]    When the transfer marking is appended to an image file  45  for the first time, 1 is recorded as transfer number information in, for instance, the header of the image file  45 . Then, if the transfer marking is appended again after the initial transfer marking is cleared, the value “1” indicated by the transfer number information is incremented to 2. Subsequently, the value indicated by the transfer number information is incremented by 1 each time the transfer marking is appended. Since the camera ID, the user ID and the like are recorded in the header as well, the history management for the image file  45  can be facilitated in this manner. In addition, a secondary transmission of the image file  45  can be controlled by using the transfer number information.  
         [0108]    (3) Disallowing format processing of the memory card  424   
         [0109]    If the memory card  424  contains any image file  45  appended with the transfer marking, format processing of the memory card  424  is disallowed. As a result, an erroneous deletion of image files  45  caused by format processing is prevented.  
         [0110]    (4) Disallowing relocation of an image file  45  from one folder to another  
         [0111]    A plurality of image folders can be created within the memory card  424  and, if such is the case, a list file  47  is created in each image folder in the first embodiment. For this reason, if an image file  45  appended with the transfer marking is relocated to another image folder, the image file  45  is now stored in a folder other than the folder in which the list file  47  having the filename  48  of the image file  45  recorded therein is stored and, as a result, a normal transfer operation is disabled. Accordingly, relocation of any image file  45  appended with the transfer marking from one folder to another is disallowed in the first embodiment.  
         [0112]    (5) If relocation of an image file  45  from one folder to another is to be allowed, the filename of the image file  45 , too, should be relocated to the list file  47  of the new folder when the image file  45  is relocated.  
         [0113]    (6) Disallowing any change in the filename assigned to an image file  45   
         [0114]    (5) and (6) above are examples of control that may be implemented to ensure that the transfer operation is carried out in a normal manner, as through the control achieved by disallowing relocation between folders explained above. Either method may be adopted in the first embodiment in which the list files  47  are created. No problem arises even if the control (5) or (6) is not implemented in the second embodiment in which the tag information with regard to the transfer marking is recorded in individual image files  45 .  
       THIRD EMBODIMENT  
       [0115]    [0115]FIG. 13 is a rear view of an electronic camera  1  achieved in the third embodiment. The plan view of the electronic camera  1  is identical to the plan view of the first embodiment presented in FIG. 1A. The transfer button  12  in the electronic camera in the third embodiment achieves both a transfer function and a marking function. When the USB communication cable  21  (see FIG. 15) is connected to the USB connector terminal  23 , the transfer marking button  12 A functions as a transfer button, and it functions as a marking button once the USB cable  21  is disengaged. An external power connector terminal  15  is provided to allow an AC adapter (not shown) to be connected. A detection device  457  (see FIG. 14) detects whether or not the AC adapter is currently connected to the external power connector terminal  15 . The USB connector terminal  23  and the external power connector terminal  15  are provided inside a cover  16 . As the cover  16  is opened, the terminals  23  and  15  become exposed.  
         [0116]    [0116]FIG. 14 is a circuit block diagram of the electronic camera achieved in the third embodiment. The following is an explanation of components different from those in the circuit block diagram in FIG. 2. At a power supply unit  455 , a battery  456  utilized to drive the camera and the external power connector terminal  15  are provided. As explained above, the detection device  457  detects whether or not the AC adapter is currently connected to the external power connector terminal  15 .  
         [0117]    [0117]FIG. 15 illustrates the system configuration adopted to transfer image files  45  (see FIG. 4) to a PC  20 . The PC  20  is connected to the Internet via a modem  30  and a regular telephone line. For instance, image files  45  can be transferred to a photo service available on the Internet after transferring the image files  45  from the electronic camera  1  to the PC  20 .  
         [0118]    A transfer processing program is pre-installed in the PC  20 . This program is automatically started up as the PC verifies that a specific file structure such as that shown in FIG. 4, for instance, is present in the electronic camera  1  connected through the USB cable  21 . Once the USB cable  21  is connected to the electronic camera  1 , the transfer marking button  12 A of the electronic camera  1  functions as a transfer button through which a transfer start instruction is issued.  
         [0119]    [0119]FIGS. 16 and 17 present flowcharts of the procedures starting with an operation of the transfer marking button  12 A and ending with completing the image file transfer. The flowchart in FIG. 16 shows the procedure of the processing executed on the electronic camera  1 , whereas the flowchart in FIG. 17 shows the procedure of the processing executed at the PC  20 . The following is an explanation of the transfer operation given in reference to the example presented in FIG. 4.  
         [0120]    First, the processing executed at the camera as shown in FIG. 16 is explained. The processing in the flowchart in FIG. 16 starts in response to an operation of the transfer marking button  12 A at the electronic camera  1 . In step S 401 , an indicator  60  indicating that the preparation for transfer operation is in progress is brought up on display at the display LCD  3 , as shown in FIG. 18A. In the following step S 402 , an “order. job” file  25  shown in FIG. 15 is created in the memory card  424  and a “transfer” instruction  25   a  is written into the file  25 .  
         [0121]    In step S 403 , which follows step S 402 , it is judged as to whether or not a “reply. job” file  26  has been created in the memory card  424 . If it is judged that the “reply. job” file  26  has been created, the operation proceeds to step S 404  to reference the “reply. job” file  26 . As described earlier, the “reply. job” file  26  is created by the PC  20 . In the file  26 , the number of transfers  26   b  and a “finish” instruction  26   a  indicating that all image files  45  assigned with the filenames  48  recorded in the list file  47  have been transferred are recorded. It is to be noted that immediately after the “reply. job” file  26  is created, “1/2” indicating that one of the two image files to be transferred is being transferred is recorded as the transfer number  26   b.    
         [0122]    In step S 405  which follows step S 404 , it is judged as to whether or not the “finish” instruction  26   a  has been recorded in the “reply. job” file  26 . The operation proceeds to step S 406  if it is judged that the “finish” instruction  26   a  has been recorded, whereas the operation proceeds to step S 409  if it is judged that the “finish” instruction  26   a  has not been recorded yet. In step S 409 , the display at the display LCD  3  is updated in conformance to the contents recorded in the “reply. job” file  26 .  
         [0123]    A more detailed explanation is given in reference to FIG. 4. The transfer number  26   b  indicating the value “1/2” is recorded in the “reply. job” file  26  while the first image file  45  (with the filename “DSCN0002.jpeg”) is being transferred, whereas the transfer number  26   b  indicating the value “2/2” is recorded while the second image file  45  (with the filename “DSCN0004.jpeg”) is being transferred.  
         [0124]    While the transfer of the first image file  45  is in progress, indicators  61 ,  62  and  63  are brought up on display at the display LCD  3 , as shown in FIG. 18B. The indicator  61  indicates that an image file is being transferred and the indicator  62  indicates specifically which image file is being transferred. The indicator  63  is a bar graph of the transfer progress status. When the transfer of the second image file  45  is completed, the “finish” instruction  26   a  mentioned earlier is recorded.  
         [0125]    If, on the other hand, the operation proceeds from step S 405  to step S 406 , the “order. job” file  25  in the memory card  424  is deleted in step S 406 . Once the “order. job” file  25  is deleted, the operation proceeds to step S 407 . Instep S 407 , it is judged as to whether or not the PC  20  has deleted the “reply. job” file  26 . If it is judged that the “reply. job” file  26  has been deleted, the operation proceeds to step S 408 , whereas if it is judged that the “reply. job” file  26  has not been deleted yet, the operation remains in step S 407  in standby until the file is deleted.  
         [0126]    In step S 408 , indicators  64  and  65  are brought up on display at the display LCD  3  as shown in FIG. 18C. The indicator  64  indicates that all image files  45  assigned with the filenames  48  recorded in the list file  47  have been transferred. The indicator  65  indicates that the power to the electronic camera  1  can now be turned off.  
         [0127]    Next, the procedure of the processing executed on the PC side, as shown in FIG. 17, is explained. In step S 501 , it is judged as to whether or not the “order. job” file  25  has been created in the memory card  424 . If it is judged that the file  25  has been created, the operation proceeds to step S 502 , whereas if it is judged that the file  25  has not been created yet, the operation remains in step S 501  in standby until the file is created. In step S 502 , the “reply. job” file  26  is created in the memory card  424  in response to the “transfer” instruction  25   a  in the “order. job” file  25 . The contents recorded in the “reply. job” file  26  at varying time points during the transfer operation are as explained above.  
         [0128]    In step as  503 , which follows step S 502 , one of the image files  45  with their filenames  48  recorded in the list file  47  is transferred to the PC  20 . Once one of the image files  45  is transferred, the operation proceeds to step S 504 . In step S 504 , it is judged as to whether or not all the image files  45  assigned with filenames  48  recorded in the list file  47  have been transferred. If an affirmative judgement (YES) is made in step S 504 , the operation proceeds to step S 505 , whereas if a negative judgement (NO) is made, the operation proceeds to step S 508 . In step S 508 , the contents recorded in the “reply. job” file  26  are updated. For instance, if the transfer of the first image file  45  has been completed, the value “1/2” indicating the transfer number  26   b  is updated to “2/2”. When the contents recorded in the “reply. job” file  26  are updated, the operation returns to step S 503 .  
         [0129]    In step S 505 , the “finish” instruction  26   a  is written in the “reply. job” file  26 . In the following step S 506 , it is judged as to whether or not the “order. job” file  25  in the memory card  424  has been deleted. If it is judged that the “order. job” file  25  has been deleted, the operation proceeds to step S 507 , whereas if it is judged that the “order. job” file  25  has not been deleted yet, the operation remains in step S 506  in standby until the file is deleted. In step S 507 , the “reply. job” file  26  is deleted from the memory card  424 .  
         [0130]    In the processing in the flowcharts presented in FIGS. 16 and 17, the display shown in FIG. 18C is brought up at the display LCD  3  when the transfer has been completed to inform the user that the power to the electronic camera  1  may now be turned off. For this reason, even when processing other than the transfer processing is still in progress on the PC side, the user can be informed that the image transfer has been completed and at the same time, since the user is prompted to turn off the power to the electronic camera  1 , wasteful consumption of the battery  456  can be prevented. In addition, even when the user is an inexperienced novice in handling electronic cameras or personal computers and thus does not know the correct timing with which the power to the electronic camera  1  may be turned off, the user prompted by the display shown in FIG. 18C can turn off the power without worrying.  
         [0131]    It is to be noted that while the indicator  65  on display indicates that the power to the camera may be turned off in the example presented in FIG. 18C, the indicator  65  does not need to be displayed if an AC adapter is utilized since the power in the battery  465  is not wastefully consumed in such a case.  
         [0132]    [0132]FIG. 19 presents an example of variation of the processing in the flowchart in FIG. 16, in which processing in steps S 601 ˜S 603  is implemented after the processing in step S 408  in FIG. 16. When the display shown in FIG. 18C is brought up in step S 408 , the operation proceeds to step S 601 . In step S 601 , it is judged as to whether or not an AC adapter is connected to the external power connector terminal  15  (see FIGS. 13 and 14) of the electronic camera  1 . If a negative judgement (NO) is made in step S 601 , the operation proceeds to step S 602 , whereas if an affirmative judgement (YES) is made, the processing in the flowchart in FIG. 19 ends.  
         [0133]    If no AC adapter is connected, the operation proceeds from step S 601  to step S 602 . In step S 602 , it is judged as to whether or not a predetermined length of time has elapsed after bringing up the transfer end display. If it is judged in step S 602  that the predetermined length of time has elapsed, the operation proceeds to step S 603 . In step S 603 , the power to the electronic camera  1  is turned off. Thus, when the AC adapter is not utilized, wasteful consumption of the power in the battery  456  is prevented by turning off the power even if the user himself forgets to turn off the power to the electronic camera  1  after the transfer end display is brought up. It is to be noted that if the AC adapter is utilized, the processing in steps S 602  and S 603  is skipped and thus, the transfer end display is not brought up and the power is not automatically turned off.  
         [0134]    In addition, instead of turning off the power to the electronic camera  1  by sending a signal from the PC  20  to the electronic camera  1 , the electronic camera  1  may be set in a low power consumption mode referred to as a sleep mode. In this case, too, wasteful consumption of the power in the battery  456  is prevented. It is to be noted that since the PC  20  implements polling for the electronic camera  1  over predetermined time intervals as long as the USB cable  121  is connected with the PC  20 , a setting should be effected to ensure that no polling from the PC  20  is accepted after receiving a signal for setting the electronic camera in the sleep mode.  
         [0135]    The above described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, while image files  45  are transferred through USB communication in the embodiments described above, image files may instead be transferred wirelessly through the Bluetooth method or like. In addition, the present invention may be adopted in PDAs and mobile telephones having an image capturing element and capable of performing data-transfer as well as in electronic cameras.  
         [0136]    Furthermore, the electronic camera  1  may include a storage device in which image data obtained through photographing operation are recorded. In such a case, the image data are recorded into the storage device instead of in the memory card  424  and the list file explained earlier is created in the storage device.  
         [0137]    Moreover, the transfer end indicator and the indicator that indicates that the power can be turned off may be brought up at the LCD  3  of the electronic camera  1  in the first or the second embodiment after the image data transfer is completed.