Patent Publication Number: US-7714925-B2

Title: Method of marking desired images in a digital image processing apparatus using a go to function

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0051260, filed on Jun. 15, 2005 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for marking captured images to facilitate retrieval thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional image forming apparatus, for example, the digital camera disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004119876 entitled “Method of Notification of Inadequate Picture Quality” sequentially stores images in a recording medium after capturing the images in a photographing mode, and sequentially displays the images stored in the recording medium according to direction signals received from a user interface in a play mode. 
     Images captured during the photographing mode are stored in the recording medium in the capturing order. When the play mode starts, the image of the most recently stored file is displayed. Thereafter, the images are displayed in the reverse order to the order in which they were stored as left direction signals are input by a user, and the images are displayed in the order in which they are stored as right direction signals are input by the user. 
     According to a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus as the one described above, a user needs to generate numerous direction signals to find a desired image in the play mode. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus that can conveniently and quickly search an image that a user desires in a play mode. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus in which a setting or mode for marking captured images (hereinafter referred to as a go to function, setting or mode) facilitates retrieval and display of images thereby marked. In the play mode, list of images (e.g., thumbnail-sized images), each of which being previously marked via the go to setting, is displayed according to a selection of the user in the play mode and the image selected by the user from the list is displayed. 
     According to the method, an image selected by the user among the images that are set with the go to setting can be immediately displayed. Accordingly, the user can quickly and easily find a desired image using the images that are set in the go to setting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exterior view of an exemplary digital camera, which is an example of a digital image processing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of the digital camera illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm performed in a photographing mode of a digital camera processor (DCP) illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating organization of stored files in a memory card when performing the photographing mode mentioned in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm performed in a play mode of a DCP illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm performed in a go to mode described in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary view of a standard size image being displayed on a color liquid crystal display (LCD) panel of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows the view of  FIG. 7 , further showing a go to list superimposed on the standard size image; 
         FIG. 9  shows an exemplary view of another standard size image being displayed on the LCD panel of  FIG. 1  after setting the standard size image of  FIGS. 7 and 8  in the superimposed go to list; 
         FIG. 10  is an exemplary view of yet another standard size image being displayed on the LCD panel of  FIG. 1  after displaying an image of a recently stored file; 
         FIG. 11  shows the view of  FIG. 10 , further showing a go to list superimposed on the standard size image with the go to list including reduced size images of the full size images of  FIGS. 7 and 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a structure for image files that are stored in the memory card; and 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating the structure of a tag information data segment in the image file illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a digital camera  1 , which is an example of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes a shutter release button  13 , a mode dial  14 , a wide-angle zoom button  39   W , a telephoto zoom button  39   T , an electronic view-finder  17 , a color liquid crystal display (LCD) panel  35 , function buttons  15 , and a play mode button  42 . 
     The mode dial  14  is used by a user to select various operating modes, for example, a simple image photographing mode, a program photographing mode, a portrait photographing mode, a night scene photographing mode, a manual photographing mode, and a moving picture photographing mode. 
     The function buttons  15  are used to perform specific functions of the digital camera  1  as well as direction-movement buttons to move an activated cursor on a menu screen of the color LCD panel  35 . For example, the function buttons  15  may include a self-timer/right button, a flash/left button, a macro/down button, an audio-memo/up button, and a menu/select-confirm button. 
     The play mode button  42  is used to convert to or from a preview mode. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a structure of the exemplary digital camera  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the structure and operations of the digital camera  1  will be described. 
     An optical system OPS, which includes a lens unit (not shown) and a filter unit (not shown), optically processes light reflected from a subject. 
     The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens (not shown), a focus lens (not shown), and a compensation lens (not shown). 
     When a user presses the wide-angle zoom button  39   W  or the telephoto zoom button  39   T  included in a user input unit INP, a signal corresponding to the wide-angle zoom button  39   W  or the telephoto zoom button  39   T  is input to a micro-controller  512 . Accordingly, as the micro-controller  512  controls a driving unit  510 , a zoom motor M Z  operates, thereby moving the zoom lens. 
     In the automatic focusing mode, a main controller (not shown) embedded in a digital camera processor (DCP)  507  controls the driving unit  510  via the micro-controller  512 , thereby driving a focus motor M F . Accordingly, the focus lens moves from a minimum position to a maximum position, and in this process, a number of steps for locating the focus lens (e.g., a number of location steps of the focus motor M F ) are set at which an amount of high frequency in an image signal is increased the most. 
     A motor M A  drives an aperture (not shown). 
     A photoelectric converter OEC of a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) (not shown) converts light from the optical system OPS into an electrical analog signal. Here, the DCP  507  controls a timing circuit  502  and controls the operation of the photoelectric converter OEC and a correlation double sampler and analog-to-digital converter (CDS-ADC)  501 . The CDS-ADC  501  processes the analog signal output from the photoelectric converter OEC, and converts it into a digital signal after removing high frequency noise from the analog signal and altering the bandwidth of the analog signal. 
     A real-time clock (RTC)  503  provides time information to the DCP  507 . The DCP  507  processes the digital signal output from the CDS-ADC device  501 , and generates a digital image signal divided into a chrominance signal and a luminance signal. 
     A light emitting unit LAMP that is operated by the micro-controller  512  according to control signals output from the DCP  507  includes indicating lamps. The user input unit INP includes the shutter button  13 , the mode dial  14 , the wide-angle zoom button  39   W , the telephoto zoom button  39   T , the function buttons  15 , and the play mode button  42 . 
     The digital image signal output from the DCP  507  is temporarily stored in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)  504 . Algorithms needed for the operation of the DCP  507  as the controller and for setting data are stored in an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)  505 . A memory card, which is a user&#39;s a recording medium, is detachably inserted into a memory card interface (MCI)  506 . 
     The digital image signal output from the DCP  507  is input to an LCD driving unit  514 . As a result, an image is displayed on the color LCD panel  35 . 
     The digital image signal output from the DCP  507  can be transmitted in a series communication via a universal serial bus (USB) connector  21   a  or an RS232C interface  508  and its connector  21   b , or can be transmitted as a video signal via a video filter  509  and a video output unit  21   c.    
     An audio processor  513  outputs an audio signal from a microphone MIC to the DCP  507  or a speaker SP, and outputs an audio signal from the DCP  507  to the speaker SP. 
     The micro-controller  512  controls the operation of a flash controller  511  according to a signal output by a flash sensor (FS)  19 , and thus operates the flash  12 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm performed in a photographing mode of the DCP  507  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the operation performed in the photographing mode when the user presses the shutter release button  13  will be described. 
     First, the DCP  507  generates and stores an image file in the memory card (S 302 ). Thereafter, the DCP  507  captures an image (S 304 ). That is, the DCP  507  receives image data from the CDS-ADC  501 . 
     Next, the DCP  507  displays an image of the received image data on the color LCD panel  35  for few seconds (S 306 ) (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     Then, when a go to signal is input via user input unit INP by the user, for example, by pressing the menu/select-confirm button located at the center of the function buttons  15  for a set time (S 308 ), the DCP  507  performs the following operations: 
     First, in step S 310 , the DCP  507  displays a go to list, for example, as shown in  FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  11 , composed of a plurality of blocks or frames that are configured to display a thumbnail-sized image. In the case of the go to list shown in  FIG. 8 , none of the go to blocks are set with an image and a number set by a go to setting. In the case of the go to list shown in  FIG. 9 , a go to block # 1 ″ is set by the go to setting, and includes a thumbnail image of an image file corresponding to standard size image  21  of  FIG. 7 . 
     Next, when a direction button signal is input to the DCP  507  by the user, for example, by pressing the self-timer/right button, the flash/left button, the macro/down button, or the audio-memo/up button, the DCP  507  moves an activated cursor CS (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) on the go to list blocks according to the input direction button signal (S 312  and S 314 ). The operations S 312  and S 314  are repeated until a confirm signal is input by the user, for example, by pressing the menu/select-confirm button located at the center among the function buttons  15  (S 316 ). 
     Then, when the confirm signal is input to the DCP  507 , the DCP  507  performs the go to function relative to the currently displayed image (S 318 ). As will be described hereafter in more detail, the DCP  507  stores a go to number of the selected block in an image file EXIF header D 3  (see  FIG. 13 ) in a tag information data segment M 2  (see  FIG. 12 ) of the image file generated in operation S 302 . Therefore, in the displaying of the go to list (S 310 ), the DCP  507  searches only the image file EXIF header D 3  of each of the images and quickly obtains go to setting information. 
     Next, in step S 320 , the DCP  507  compresses the received image data, and then in step S 322  stores the compressed image data in an image file generated in step S 302 . 
     When the go to signal is not input to the DCP  507  in operation S 308 , the DCP  507  performs only operations S 320  and S 322 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an example organization of files stored in the memory card by performing the photographing mode mentioned in  FIG. 3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a folder DCIM in which user&#39;s data files are to be stored is formed under a top-level folder ROOT generated by formatting the memory card. 
     First and second folders 100SSCAM and 101SSCAM are generated under the folder DCIM to store files generated by the user&#39;s photographing operations. The name of the first folder 100SSCAM is composed of a folder index 100 and a code SSCAM. Similarly, the name of the second folder 101SSCAM is composed of a next folder index 101 and the same code SSCAM. 
     The code SSCAM is arbitrarily set during a manufacturing process of the digital image processing apparatus such as the digital camera  1 . 900 image files are stored in the order in which they are generated in the first folder 100SSCAM, and 100 image files are stored in the order in which they are generated in the second folder 101SSCAM, but each folder may include fewer or additional files. 
     A code ABCD and a file index number that is incremented in the order in which the files are generated make up a file name. For example, a first file ABCD0001.JPG in the first folder 100SSCAM is the first file to be generated, and ABCD0900.JPG in the first folder 100SSCAM is the last file to be generated in the first folder 100SSCAM. Similarly, ABCD0001.JPG is the first file in the second folder 101SSCAM, and a 100 th  file ABCD0100.JPG in the second folder 101SSCAM is the most recently generated file. Thus, image files may have the same file name such that they are distinguishable as being located in different folders. One can appreciate that the go to setting can help users distinguish between files having the same name. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the algorithm performed in the play mode of the DCP  507  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The play mode is performed when the play mode button  42  is pressed during the preview or photographing mode. Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  5 , the algorithm performed in the play mode will be described. 
     First, in the play mode the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and displays an image of the file most recently stored in the memory card on the color LCD panel  35  in a standard size (S 502 ) (see  FIG. 7  or  10 ). The standard size denotes a size of an image displayed over an entire display region of the color LCD panel  35  as opposed to a thumbnail or reduced size image that is used in the go to list. 
     Then, in step S 504  when a direction signal is generated, for example, by the user pressing the self-timer/right button, the flash/left button, the macro/down button, or the audio-memo/top button included in the function buttons  15 , the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and displays an image from image data in a file corresponding to the generated direction signal in the standard size on the color LCD panel  35  (S 506 ). 
     Next, in step S 508  when a telephoto zoom button signal is generated by the user by pressing the telephoto zoom button  39   T , the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and enlarges an image of the currently displayed file (in standard size) and displays the same file as an enlarged image on the color LCD panel  35  (S 510 ). 
     When a direction signal is generated, for example, by the user by pressing the self-timer/right button, the flash/left button, the macro/down button, or the audio-memo/top button included in the function buttons  15  while the enlarged image is displayed (S 512 ), the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and moves a display region of the enlarged image according to the generated direction signal (S 514 ). 
     When a wide-angle zoom button signal is generated by the user by pressing the wide-angle zoom button  39   W  while the enlarged image is displayed (S 516 ), the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and displays the image of the currently displayed file in the standard size on the color LCD panel  35  (S 518 ) (see  FIG. 7  or  10 ). 
     When the user generates a wide-angle zoom button signal while the image is being displayed in the standard size (S 521 ), the DCP  507  performs an index-play mode (S 525 ). In the index-play mode, a plurality of thumbnail images are displayed on the screen so that when a user selects a thumbnail image, it is displayed in the standard size. 
     Thereafter in step S 526 , when a go to signal is generated by the user, for example by pressing the menu/select-confirm button located at the center of the function buttons  15  for a few seconds, the DCP  507  performs a go to mode (S 527 ). The performing of the go to mode (S 527 ) will be described in more detail hereafter with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 11 . 
     Operations S 504  through S 527  are repeatedly performed until the user presses the play mode button  42 . When the play mode button  42  is pressed, the play mode ends and the digital camera  1  switches to the preview or photographing mode (S 528 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm performed in the go to mode (S 527 ) described in  FIG. 5 . Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 11 , the algorithm performed in the go to mode (S 527 ) described in  FIG. 5  is as follows. 
     First, the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and displays a go to list, for example, including a plurality of blocks (S 602 ) (see  FIG. 11 ). In the case of the go to list illustrated in  FIG. 11 , go to blocks numbered  1  and  2  are used so that thumbnail images of image files corresponding to the go to numbers  1  and  2  are displayed in the blocks. 
     Then, when a direction button signal is input to the DCP  507  by the user, for example, by pressing the function buttons  15  (e.g., the self-timer/right button, the flash/left button, the macro/down button, or the audio-memo/top button) (S 604 ), the DCP  507  moves an activated cursor CS ( FIGS. 8 ,  9 ,  11 ) of the go to list according to the input direction button signal (S 606 ). Operations S 604  and S 606  are repeated until the confirm signal is input, for example, when the user presses the menu/select-confirm button (S 608 ). 
     Thereafter, the DCP  507  determines whether a thumbnail image is already included in or assigned to the currently activated block (S 610 ). That is, the DCP  507  determines whether an image has been marked by a user via the go to setting to have a go to number assigned thereto. 
     When a thumbnail image is not included in the currently activated block in operation S 610 , the DCP  507  performs a go to setting for the currently displayed image (S 612 ). In more detail, the DCP  507  writes or stores a go to number of the selected block in an image file EXIF header D 3  (see  FIG. 13 ) of a tag information data segment M 2  (see  FIG. 12 ). Therefore, in the displaying of the go to list (S 602 ), the DCP  507  searches only the image file EXIF header D 3  of each of the images to quickly retrieve and display images that were identified, marked, flagged, bookmarked or the like via the go to setting. 
     When the thumbnail image is included in the currently activated block in operation S 610 , the DCP  507  controls the LCD driving unit  514  and displays an image that is set with a go to setting that corresponds to the go to number (#1 in the case illustrated  FIG. 11 ) of the currently activated block in the standard size (S 614 ). For example, when a “go to #1” block is selected as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the screen illustrated in  FIG. 7  is displayed. 
     As such, an image selected by the user among the images that are set with the go to setting can be immediately displayed. Accordingly, the user can quickly and easily find a desired image using the images that are set in the go to setting. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an example data structure of the image files stored in the memory card as the photographing mode described in  FIG. 3  is performed. The structure of the image file in  FIG. 12  uses an EXIF (Exchangeable Image File) format, which follows a standard image format of a digital camera described in ISO 12,234-1. Referring now to  FIG. 12 , the structure of the image file stored in the memory card by performing the photographing mode will be described. 
     First, there exists a segment M 1  which stores data notifying the start of an image (SOI). Below segment M 1  are application segments M 2  through M 10 . 
     Tag information data, which is basic information of the image file, is stored in the first application segment M 2 . The go to number of the selected block in the go to setting operations (S 318  of  FIG. 3  and S 612  of  FIG. 6 ) is stored in the image file EXIF header D 3  (see  FIG. 13 ) of the tag information data M 2 . 
     Contents list data M 3 , first stream data M 4  through n th  stream data M 10  are stored in the second application segment APP 2 . A JPEG table that is segmented as M 11  through M 15  below the second application segment APP 2  includes a define quantization tables (DQT) segment M 11 , a define Huffman tables (DHT) segment M 12 , a define restart interval (DRI) segment, a discrete cosine transform frame (SOF) segment M 14 , and a start of scan (SOS) segment M 15 . JPEG compression data segment M 16  exists below the JPEG table segment. Lastly, a data storage segment M 17  that notifies the end of image (EOI) exists. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the structure of the tag information data segment M 2  (APP 1 ) of the image file will be described. 
     First, there exists a marker D 1  of the first application segment APP 1 , a data size D 2  of the first application segment APP 1 , the header D 3  of the image file EXIF, and a tag image file format (TIFF) header D 4 . Then, there exists an image file directory (IFD)  0  segment D 5  through D 16 , an IFD 1  segment D 17  through D 20 , and an IFD 2  segment D 21  through  24 . 
     In the image file EXIF header D 3  of the tag information data segment M 2 , the final one byte denotes a go to number of the block selected in the go to setting operations (S 318  of  FIG. 3  and S 612  of  FIG. 6 ). For example, when the final byte of the image file EXIF header D 3  is  2  as illustrated in  FIG. 13 , a “go to #2” is set by a go to setting for an image of the corresponding file. When the final byte of the image file EXIF header D 3  is “F,” a “go to #15” is set as a go to setting for an image of the corresponding file. When the final byte of the image file EXIF header D 3  is “0 (zero),” a go to setting is not set to an image of the corresponding file. 
     Therefore, the setting information can be quickly obtained by the DCP  507  searching only the final byte of the image file EXIF header D 3  for each of the images. If the final two bytes are used to denote a go to number, more images can be set with a go to setting. 
     The IFD 0  segment includes a directory D 5  of a main image, link data D 6  of the main image, location data D 7  of the main data, a directory D 8  of a sub-image, link data D 9  of the sub-image, location data D 10  of the sub-image, directory D 11  of interoperability information, link data D 12  of the interoperability, data D 13  of the interoperability information, a directory D 14  of a manufacturing company information, link data D 15  of the manufacturing company information, and data D 16  of the manufacturing company information. 
     The IFD 1  segment includes a directory D 17  of a thumbnail image regarding the main image, link data D 18  of the thumbnail image, information data D 19  of the thumbnail image, and data D 20  of the thumbnail image. 
     Information of an image of a time and date stamp that is compressed and stored in the JPEG compression data segment M 16  is stored in the IFD 2  segment. That is, the IFD 2  segment includes a directory D 21  of a time and date stamp image, link data D 22  of the time and date stamp image, information data D 23  of the time and date stamp image, and data D 24  of the time and date stamp image. 
     As described above, an image selected by a user among images in which a go to setting is set can be immediately displayed according to the method of controlling the digital processing apparatus. As a result, the user can quickly and conveniently search a desired image using the images that are set in the go to setting. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill 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 following claims.