Patent Publication Number: US-2005134708-A1

Title: Control method of digital camera

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-92742, filed on Dec. 17, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a control method of a digital camera, and more particularly, to a control method of a digital camera in which data stored in a recording medium is displayed, and data selected by a user is processed.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Recently, the storage capacity of digital camera recording mediums, such as memory cards, has increased through tens to hundreds of megabytes. Accordingly, hundreds of images can be stored in digital cameras.  
      As the storage capacity increases, users often leave images from many photography sessions stored in the camera for long periods of time, rather than transferring them to a computer or other storage device. However, accessing the images stored in the camera is inconvenient.  
      A conventional digital camera (model: EXLIM) manufactured by Casio Computer Co., Ltd, displays still images photographed on each date as thumbnails on a calendar, when in a reproducing mode. Specifically, referring to  FIG. 1 , a photograph history is displayed on a calendar. The first still image photographed on each date is displayed under that date, in the thumb-nail method. For example, if nine photographs were taken on September 18, the first of these is displayed under that date, so that images stored in the recoding medium can be more easily retrieved.  
      However, in this disclosure, no information other than the still image first photographed on each date is provided. In addition, information regarding moving images or voice records is not provided. Thus, it is still inconvenient to search for desired data.  
      Since a calendar is used, dates when photographs were not taken are also displayed on the screen, wasting space and limiting the amount of information that can be provided on the screen. Moreover, since dates when photographs were not taken are displayed, the user has to press keys more times to move to a desired date, which significantly undermines the ease of searching. For example, referring to  FIG. 1 , a user must press control keys dozens of times to retrieve images taken on September 18 after viewing images taken on August 15, although no images were taken between the two dates.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides a control method of a digital camera which reduces the number of times that a user has to press keys, thereby enhancing the ease of searching.  
      The present invention also provides a control method of a digital camera in which more information regarding data stored in the digital camera can be provided.  
      The present invention also provides a control method of a digital camera in which a group of data can be processed at one time.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method of a digital camera in which information regarding data stored in a recording medium is displayed and the data selected by a user is processed. The method includes reading the data stored in the recording medium; sorting the data by date; and displaying information regarding the sorted data sequentially by date, without displaying dates when no data was stored.  
      The data may be sorted by date and file type, and the information regarding the sorted data may be displayed by file type.  
      The displayed information regarding the sorted data may include numbers of still images, moving images, and voice records stored on each date.  
      The method may further include selecting a date desired by a user, from the dates displayed. The method may further include displaying reduced images stored on the selected date.  
      The method may further include selecting a reduced image from the reduced images that are displayed; and enlarging the selected image to its original size and displaying the original image.  
      The method may further include displaying functions that can be performed on a group of data stored on the selected date; and processing the group of data at one time according to a function selected by the user from the displayed functions.  
      The displayed functions may include slide show, resize, delete all, and protect functions. 
    
    
     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 a screen of a conventional digital camera on which stored data is displayed;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the back of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of the digital camera of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a control algorithm performed by a digital signal processor (DSP) when the digital camera displays information regarding data stored in a recording medium and reproduces an original image based on image data selected by a user;  
       FIG. 5  is a screen obtained as a result of performing A 1  illustrated in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a screen obtained as a result of performing A 6  through A 9  illustrated in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates the transition from A 10  to A 11  illustrated in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating a control algorithm performed by the DSP when the digital camera displays the information regarding the data stored in the recording medium and processes a group of data selected by the user at one time; and  
       FIGS. 9, 10 , and  11  are screens obtained as a result of performing B 6 , B 9 , and B 12 , respectively, illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the back of a digital camera  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the digital camera  100  includes a mode dial  11 , a wide/9-division button  12 , a tele/digital zoom button  13 , a speaker  14 , a menu/OK button  15 , a control button  16 , a reproducing mode button  17 , an LCD panel  18 , an LCD/information button  19 , an MF/delete button  20 , a play/stop button  21 , a viewfinder  22 , a flash check lamp  23 , and an automatic focus check lamp  24 .  
      The mode dial  11  is used for selecting the operating mode of the digital camera  100 , such as a still image photographing mode, a moving image photographing mode, an audio recording mode, and a night view photographing mode.  
      The wide/9-division button  12  is used to enlarge images stored or display several images at the same time. The tele/digital zoom button  13  is for reducing enlarged images back to their original sizes.  
      The menu/OK button  15  is used to display a menu screen for each operating mode of the digital camera  100  on the LCD panel  18  or set a changed value. In an embodiment of the present invention, the menu/OK button  15  is used to display the menu screen on the LCD panel  18  in the reproducing mode or a function-setting mode.  
      The control button  16  includes an up button  16 up, a right button  16 ri, a down button  16 lo, and a left button  16 le. The control button  16  is used by a user to move a cursor between commands in a menu or to change a set value of a command.  
      The reproducing mode button  17  is for operating the digital camera  100  in the reproducing mode. In an embodiment of the present invention, if the set value of a “DATE SORT” command is set to On, information regarding data stored in a recording medium is displayed by date on the LCD panel  18 .  
      The LCD panel  18  displays an image of a subject being photographed. In an embodiment of the present invention, the LCD panel  18  displays reduced and original images using the data stored in the recording medium as well as various menu screens that a user can select.  
      The LCD/information button  19  is used by a user to control the operation of the LCD panel  18 . For example, if a user presses the LCD/information button  19  once, an image and associated information are displayed on the LCD panel  18 . If the user presses the LCD/information button  19  twice, only the image is displayed on the LCD panel  18 . If the user presses the LCD/information button  19  three times, the LCD panel  18  is turned off.  
      The play/stop button  21  is for reproducing images or voice using the stored data. The automatic focus check lamp  24  operates when automatic focusing has finished. The flash check lamp  23  operates when the flash is on standby.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of the digital camera  100  of  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the digital camera  100  includes a charged coupled device (CCD)  32 , which is an image pick-up device, a digital signal processor (DSP)  31 , which is a one-chip microcomputer, a correlation-double-sampler-and-analog-to-digital converter (CDS-ADC)  34  connected to the CCD  32 , and a timing circuit  33  controlling the CCD  32  and the CDS-ADC  34 .  
      The digital camera  100  further includes storage devices, i.e., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)  35 , an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM)  36 , and a recording medium  38  inserted into or removed from a memory card interface (MCI)  37 . The digital camera  100  also includes an LCD driver  40  and the LCD panel  18  as a display device, and a user input unit  39 .  
      The DSP  31  compresses or decompresses image data, processes various digital signals such as audio data, and controls each element of the digital camera  100 .  
      The CCD  32  converts an image of a subject into an analog signal. The DSP  31  controls the timing circuit  31  to control the operations of the CCD  32  and the CDS-ADC  34  connected to the CCD  32 .  
      The CDS-ADC  34  processes an output signal of the CCD  32 , eliminates high frequency noise, adjusts amplitude, and then converts the output signal into a digital signal.  
      The DSP  31  processes the digital signal from the CDS-ADC  34  and generates a digital image signal composed of luminance and chrominance signals.  
      The DRAM  35  temporarily stores a digital image signal from the DSP  31 . Images stored in the DRAM  35  are compressed by the DSP  31  and finally stored in the recording medium  38  in a still image file or a moving image file in a predetermined format.  
      The recording medium  38 , i.e., a memory card, is inserted into or removed from the MCI  37 . The recording medium  38  stores a still image file and a moving image file, in which information regarding images is recorded, and an audio file in which audio data is recorded. In the present invention, data stored in the recording medium  38  is read and sorted such that diverse information regarding the data can be provided.  
      The EEPROM  36  stores algorithms needed for the operation of the DSP  31  and setting data. The LCD driver  40  receives a digital image signal from the DSP  31  and displays the digital image signal on the LCD panel  18 . The LCD driver  40  and the LCD panel  18  display an image while photographing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the LCD driver  40  and the LCD panel  18  display information regarding data stored in the recording medium  38  and diverse menu screens that a user can select. In addition, the LCD driver  40  and the LCD panel  18  reproduce reduced and original images using the stored data.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a control algorithm performed by the DSP  31  when the digital camera  100  displays information regarding the data stored in the recording medium  38  and reproduces an original image based on image data selected by a user.  
       FIG. 5  is a screen obtained as a result of performing A 1  illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a screen obtained as a result of performing A 6  through A 9  illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 7  illustrates the transition from A 10  to A 11  illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
      A method of displaying information regarding data stored in the recording medium  38  and retrieving image data of original images which will be reproduced will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 through 7 .  
      If the reproducing mode button  17  is selected, the reproducing mode starts. Then, the menu/OK button  15  is manipulated, and a menu screen is displayed on the screen (A 1 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , “SLIDE SHOW,” “DATE SORT,” “DEL ALL,” and “PROTECT” commands are displayed on the menu screen.  
      The user selects a command (A 2 ). Using the control button  16 , the user moves the cursor to the “DATE SORT” command and selects On from an On/Off option. When the user presses the menu/OK button  15 , the “DATE SORT” command is selected (See  FIG. 5 ). If the “DATE SORT” command is set to On (A 3 ), the digital camera  100  reads data from the recording medium  38  (A 4 ).  
      Data is sorted sequentially by photographed date based on information regarding photographed dates that are recorded in the data (A 5 ). The data can be sorted by file type, for example, by still image, moving image, and audio file. Specifically, the recording medium  38  stores data in a still image file, a moving image file, and an audio file, according to the contents of the data. Therefore, the DSP  31  can sort the data by file type.  
      The information regarding photographed dates can be read from additional information recorded in the files. The additional information is given to the data by the digital camera  100  and is tag information of an exchangeable image file format (Exif).  
      Next, information is displayed (A 6 ). The information obtained from A 5  is displayed on the LCD panel  18 . Specifically, the LCD driver  40  receives a signal from the DSP  31  and displays an image on the LCD panel  18 .  
       FIG. 6  is a screen displayed on the LCD panel  18 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , information regarding data stored in the recording medium  38  is displayed vertically and sequentially by photographed date. In addition, information regarding data stored on the same date can be displayed horizontally by type. Specifically, the numbers of still images, moving images, and voice records stored are displayed in a text format next to the corresponding dates. By displaying such information in a text format, it is possible to provide diverse information on the same screen without restriction by space limitations.  
      Further, only photographed dates, i.e., dates when data was stored, are displayed. Dates when no data was stored are not displayed. Thus, dates are displayed non-consecutively, thereby reducing the number of times that a user has to manipulate keys in a subsequent date selection process, and improving the ease of searching. Since unnecessary dates are not displayed, the use of space on the screen is improved, and thus more information can be provided on the screen.  
      The user selects a date to reproduce images stored on that date (A 7 ). Using the control button  16 , the user selects a desired date. Since only the photographed dates are displayed in A 6 , a simple manipulation of keys will allow the user to move the cursor to the desired date.  
      The selected date is input to the digital camera  100 . If the user manipulates the right button  16 ri (A 8 ), the DSP  31  reproduces a reduced image stored on the selected date (A 9 ). The reduced image uses reduced image data stored in a file in addition to original image data. Hence, the reduced image can be quickly retrieved and reproduced. The reduced image data requires less memory capacity than the original image data.  
      After viewing the reduced image stored on the selected date, the user selects the reduced image to reproduce the original image (A 10 ). The user can easily view the contents of the original image through the reduced image and select image data of the original image. The user may select the reduced image using the control button  16 .  
      The reduced image selected by the user is enlarged to the original image as illustrated in  FIG. 7  (A 11 ). The DSP  31  enlarges compressed image data read from a selected image file, for example, data compressed in a joint photographic expert group (JPEG) structure, and transmits the enlarged image data to the LCD driver  40  such that the original image can be reproduced.  
      Finally, when a termination signal, for example, a mode-conversion command signal is received (A 12 ), the reproducing mode is terminated.  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating a control algorithm performed by the DSP  31  when the digital camera  100  displays information regarding data stored in the recording medium  38  and processes a group of data selected by a user at one time.  FIGS. 9, 10 , and  11  are screens obtained as a result of performing B 6 , B 9 , and B 12 , respectively, illustrated in  FIG. 8 .  
      The control algorithm performed by the DSP  31  when a user wishes to process data stored on a date at one time will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 8 through 11 .  
      If the reproducing mode button  17  is selected, the reproducing mode starts. Then, if the menu/OK button  15  is manipulated, a menu screen is displayed on the screen (B 1 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , “SLIDE SHOW,” “DATE SORT,” “DEL ALL,” and “PROTECT” commands are displayed on the menu screen.  
      A user selects a command (B 2 ). If the “DATE SORT” command is set to On (B 3 ), the digital camera  100  reads data from the recording medium  38  (B 4 ). The digital camera  100  sorts the data by file type and date (B 5 ) and displays information regarding the data by date (B 6 ) and by file type (See  FIG. 9 ).  
      After viewing the information displayed in B 6 , the user selects a date (B 7 ). By selecting a date, the user can designate a group of data to be processed at one time. Information regarding the selected date is input to the DSP  31 .  
      If the menu/OK button  15  is manipulated (B 8 ), a menu screen is displayed (B 9 ). Referring to  FIG. 10 , the menu screen includes “SLIDE SHOW,” “RESIZE,” “DEL ALL,” and “PROTECT” commands. If the user wishes to set the “SLIDE SHOW” command, the user moves the cursor to “SLIDE SHOW” and sets the value of the “SLIDE SHOW” command to On from an On/Off option using the control button  16 . Then, if the user presses the menu/OK button  15 , the “SLIDE SHOW” command is set (B 11 ).  
      If a command set in B 11  is input to the DSP  31 , a group of data is processed by the DSP  31  according to the set command (B 12 ). For example, if the “SLIDE SHOW” command is set, a group of data selected is consecutively reproduced (see  FIG. 11 ). If the “RESIZE” command is set, the sizes of all elements of a group of data are changed. If the “DEL ALL” command is set, all of a group of data photographed on a selected date is deleted. If the “PROTECT” command is set, a particular group of data is protected from deletion even when the MF/delete button  20  is pressed.  
      Finally, when a termination signal, for example, a mode-conversion command signal, is received (B 13 ), the reproducing mode is terminated.  
      As described above, a control method of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention can produce the following effects.  
      First, information regarding data stored in a recording medium is displayed in a text format, saving space on the screen. Thus, a lot of information can be provided on the same screen.  
      Second, the number of times that a user has to manipulate buttons to select a date is reduced, thereby improving the ease of key manipulation. In the present invention, only dates when data was stored are displayed, so that a user can easily select one with simple manipulation of keys.  
      Third, a group of data stored in the recording medium can be processed at one time. According to the present invention, a group of data stored on the same date can be consecutively reproduced or all deleted. Moreover, the sizes of the elements of the group of data can be changed.  
      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.