Patent Abstract:
An apparatus to automatically tag an image and a method thereof conveniently classifies images by acquiring information of a tag image when an image is photographed and stored, automatically adding tag information to the photographed image based on the information of a tag image, generating an image file, and storing the image file. The apparatus and method acquire an image and record a photographed image based on classification information of an image which is automatically tagged when the image is acquired and stored.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) from Korean Patent Application No. 2008-129406, filed on Dec. 18, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present general inventive concept relates to an apparatus to automatically tag an image and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an image apparatus such as a digital camera or a digital camcorder which captures an image and stores the image in a file format and a controlling method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the development of image photographing techniques and digital image signal processing techniques, digital photographing apparatuses have become more common and many people widely use such digital photographing apparatuses. As digital photographing apparatuses employing mass storage devices are less restrictive than analogue photographing apparatuses in the capacity of storage media, the amount of images photographed by the digital photographing apparatuses has significantly increased. Users store photographed images classified according to each event, or output some images online or offline. 
     Since the amount of images generated are so numerous that it is difficult for a user to classify the images or to manage the images according to each event, a technique to automatically classify images is suggested. When a user personally classifies images, he or she desires to classify the images in a chronological order or according to an event. Accordingly, it is not easy to clearly classify images for which a user desires to search using the above manner. 
     The method to classify images in a chronological order according to the time when an image is photographed has been suggested. For example, images are classified for each date using information regarding the time added to the images, and the images are shown in a calendar format. However, as such a conventional method simply classifies images for each date, there is a problem that it is impossible to classify the images photographed on the same date into different groups according to events, for example, a group of the images photographed at an office and a group of the images photographed at home. 
     Moreover, if a user desires to search for a specific image among a lot of images, he or she must personally check all of the images and thus very long time is wasted. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present general inventive concept provides an image apparatus to acquire information regarding a tag image when photographing an image and storing the image, to automatically add tag information to the photographed image based on the information, to generate a file of images, and to store the file, and accordingly to easily classify a lot of images, and a controlling method thereof. 
     Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a photographing apparatus, including a photographing unit to photograph an object and to generate an image, a storage unit to store the image generated by the photographing unit as a tag image, a display unit to display the photographed image, and a controlling unit to add the stored tag image to another photographed image as tag information. 
     The display unit may display the tag information together with the other photographed image. 
     The storage unit may include at least one of an internal memory and an external memory. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing an image photographing method, including registering an image as a tag image, and if an image is photographed using the registered image as tag information, automatically tagging the tag image to the photographed image. 
     The image photographing method may further include displaying the tag image on an area of a photographed image while the image is photographed. 
     If the image registered as a tag image is a new image, automatically tagging the photographed image with the tag image. 
     The registering a tag image further includes the process of selecting a pre-stored image to register as a tag image. 
     The registering a tag image may further include determining whether it is possible to recognize a shape of an image to be registered as a tag image, and if the shape is recognized as a pre-stored image, registering the pre-stored image as the tag image, and if the shape is not recognized as a pre-stored image, registering the image as a new tag image. 
     If the shape is not recognized as a pre-stored image, the image may be recognized using at least one of layout information and color information, and the image may be registered as a tag image. 
     The registering a tag image may further include registering the pre-stored image as a tag image or a new tag image. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a method to previously register a tag image, including the processes of executing a menu selection to previously register a tag image; recognizing an input image through a user input; and registering the recognized image as a tag image. 
     The registering a tag image may include the registering the recognized image as a tag image, when at least one of the input image does not move for a predetermined period, a shutter button is depressed for a predetermined period, and a photographing button and a shutter button are concurrently pressed. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a photographing method, including the processes of acquiring a tag image of a photographed image; and if a photographed image is stored, tagging and storing the photographed image with the tag image. 
     The acquiring a tag image may include the process of acquiring one of a pre-stored image and a currently photographed image as the tag image. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a photographing apparatus, including a photographing unit; a storage unit to store an image photographed by the photographing unit; and a controlling unit to designate a tag image for the image to be photographed by the photographing unit, and to cause the tag image to be tagged to the image to be photographed and stored when the image to be photographed by the photographing unit is stored in the storage unit. 
     The controlling unit may designate one of a pre-stored image stored in the storage unit and the image currently photographed by the photographing unit as the tag image. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a method of forming an image in a photographing apparatus, the method including photographing a first image as a first tag image, and photographing a second image to store the second image with the first tag image. 
     The method may further include photographing a third image as a second tag image, and photographing a fourth image to store the fourth image with the second tag image. 
     The second image may comprise a plurality of images, and the plurality of images may be stored with the same first tag image. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a photographing apparatus, including a photographing unit to photograph a first image as a first tag image and a second image, and a controlling unit to store the second image with the first tag image. 
     The photographing unit may photograph a third image as a second tag image and a fourth image, and the controlling unit may store the fourth image with the second tag image. 
     The second image may comprise a plurality of images, and the plurality of images may be stored with the same first tag image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a digital camcorder according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIGS. 2A to 2C  are views illustrating a user interface to register a tag image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIGS. 3A to 3C  are views illustrating a user interface to register a tag image according to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a user interface through which moving image files are shown classifiedly according to image quality; 
         FIG. 5  is a view illustrating a user interface which is used to sort high-definition (HD) moving image files; 
         FIG. 6  is a view illustrating a user interface in which image sorting is selected; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams provided to illustrate a method to store tag information to relate to moving image files; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart provided to illustrate the process of registering a tag image and photographing an image using the registered tag image; and 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart provided to illustrate the process of previously registering a tag image. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The exemplary embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a digital photographing apparatus  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The digital photographing apparatus  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept includes a photographing unit  101 , a recognizing unit  102 , a user input unit  103 , a storage unit  104 , a display unit  105 , and a controlling unit  106 . The digital photographing apparatus  100  can be, for example, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a mobile phone with a photographing function, a personal computing device with a photographing function, or any other device capable of performing a photographing function. 
     The photographing unit  101  can photograph an optical image projected through a lens (not illustrated), can convert an optical signal into an electrical signal, and can generate an image signal. 
     The recognizing unit  102  can perform signal processing to recognize the image signal generated by the photographing unit  101 . The recognizing unit  102  can read layout information, color information, and so on in order to recognize a form of the optical image, and can perform signal processing according to the read information. 
     The user input unit  103  can include various buttons, sliders, and/or dials through which a user can input a command. The user input unit  103  can also be implemented as a touch screen capable of receiving a command as a user input. 
     The storage unit  104  is a recording medium which can record a photographed image. The storage unit  104  may be implemented as an optical recording medium such as, for example, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a high-definition DVD (HD-DVD), and a Blue Ray disk (BD), a magnetic recording media such as, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), and a semiconductor recording medium such as, for example, a memory card and a flash memory. The storage unit  104  can also be implemented as an external memory device, which can be mounted on or connected to the digital photographing apparatus  100 . The storage unit  104  can be connected by a physical connection, such as cables or a connector, or it may be communicated with wirelessly, using a wireless communication protocol such as, for example, WiFi or Bluetooth. The storage unit  104  may also be implemented as two or more recording media. 
     However, the storage unit  104  is not limited to the exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept described above, and any medium to record an image signal other than the above recording media may be applied to the present general inventive concept. In addition, a tag image such as a compressed image signal may be stored in each separate recording medium. 
     The display unit  105  can display an image photographed by the photographing unit  101  and an image played back by the storage unit  104  so as to enable a user to view the images. 
     The controlling unit  106  can control the storage unit  104  to record an image photographed by the photographing unit  101 . File copying, image comparing, and image editing between recording media mounted in the storage unit  104  can be controlled by the controlling unit  160 . Specifically, the controlling unit  106  can control the operations to select one of tag images recognized and registered by the recognizing unit  102 , automatically add tag information to the photographed image, and store the tag information together with the photographed image in the storage unit  104 . 
     The images photographed in exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept can include moving images, still images of the photographed moving images, and images having tag information. 
       FIGS. 2A to 2C  are views illustrating a user interface to register a tag image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concepts.  FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate an interface provided to a user while operations S 805 , S 810 -Y, S 825 -Y, S 830 , S 835 -N, and S 840  are sequentially performed, which will be described below with reference to  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates the case of photographing an independent object serving as an obvious shape. The display  210  of the photographing apparatus  200  can display a standby screen to photograph, for example, two fingers  220  which can be clearly recognized by the recognizing unit  102 . 
     The display  210  includes a screen to display an image  210   a  of the two fingers  220  and a background image  210   b . The image  210   a  of the two fingers  220  can be extracted from the background image  210   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , the recognizing unit  102  completes recognizing the shape of two fingers  220  and thus the words “recognizing complete” can be displayed on the display  210 , but the display shows the display state prior to recording an image. An indicator  230 , such as “STBY,” can be displayed to indicate that the photographing apparatus  200  is in a standby state and is not recording an image. 
     A tag can be registered when a screen is displayed as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , that is 1) when the object does not move for a predetermined period (which can be, for example, one second), 2) when a shutter button to photograph an image is depressed for a predetermined period (such as, for example, one second), or 3) when a shutter button to photograph an image and a recording button are concurrently pressed. In this situation, the controlling unit  160  can register the photographed image  215  as a tag image of images to be photographed later. 
     It is possible that the image  210   a  of the two fingers  220  can be treated as the tag image and it is also possible that a combination of the image  210   a  and at least a portion of the background image  210   b  can be treated as the tag image. 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates a display state when a user inputs a command to start recording an image by pressing a recording button after the registration of a tag is completed. Referring to  FIG. 2C , a tag image can be displayed on a predetermined area of the display  250  while an image is recorded. An indicator  240 , such as an icon, can be displayed to indicate that the photographing apparatus  200  is in a recording state to record an image. 
       FIGS. 3A to 3C  are views illustrating a user interface to register a tag image according to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.  FIGS. 3A-3C  correspond to an interface provided to a user while operations S 805 ,  5810 -Y, S 825 -N, S 860 , S 865 -N, and S 840  are sequentially performed, which will be described below with reference to  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates the case of photographing an unclear object serving as an uncertain shape. The display  310  of the photographing apparatus displays a standby screen to photograph an image which the recognizing unit  102  cannot recognize. The recognizing unit  102  can analyze an image of the unclear object using, for example, layout information, color information, and other information regarding the image. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , the recognizing unit  102  completes an analysis of the shape of the image as illustrated in  FIG. 2B  and thus the words “recognizing complete” can be displayed on the display, but the display shows the display state prior to recording an image. That is, although the recognizing unit  102  does not recognize the shape of the image, such as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the image can be recorded and stored. An indicator  330 , such as “STBY,” can be displayed to indicate that the photographing apparatus  200  is in a standby state and is not recording an image. 
     A tag can be registered when a screen is displayed as illustrated in  FIG. 3B , that is 1) when the object does not move for a predetermined period (such as, for example, one second), 2) when a shutter button to photograph an image is depressed for a predetermined period (such as, for example, one second), or 3) when a shutter button to photograph an image and a recording button are concurrently pressed. In this situation, the controlling unit  160  can register the photographed image as a tag image of images to be photographed later. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates a display state when a user inputs a command to start recording an image by pressing a recording button, such as described above with respect to  FIG. 2C . Referring to  FIG. 3C , a tag image can be displayed on a predetermined area  350  of the display  310  while an image is recorded. An indicator  340 , such as an icon, can be displayed to indicate that the photographing apparatus  200  is in a recording state to record an image. 
       FIGS. 4 to 6  illustrate an exemplary user interface which can be provided during the operation to search for recorded moving image files using a registered tag image. 
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a user interface  400  through which moving image files  410  can be displayed classified according to image quality. If, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the moving image files  410  are classified according to image quality, a user can selectively recognize the image files. In  FIG. 4 , high-definition (HD)  420  moving image files are displayed, but this is not a limitation, and the user interface  400  can also display standard definition (SD) files under tab  422 , and still image files under tab  424 . An indicator  440  may be displayed in user interface  400 , such as an icon, to indicate the type of file being displayed, such as the movie camera icon illustrated in  FIG. 4  to indicate that moving image files are currently displayed. The user interface  400  exemplarily illustrates six HD image files, but greater or fewer pictures may be displayed on the user interface  400 . In addition, a user may scroll to see additional image files  410  by use of the scroll buttons  430 . In addition, a user may call up menu options through the menu button  450 . 
       FIG. 5  is a view illustrating a user interface  500  which can be used to sort image files, such as HD or SD moving image files or still image files. If a user presses a menu button  450  while the user interface  400  of  FIG. 4  is displayed, a user interface  500  such as that illustrated in  FIG. 5  may be displayed. 
     The user interface  500  of  FIG. 5  displays buttons to select from among various types of sorting functions such as image sorting  510 , face sorting  520 , date sorting  530 , and event sorting  540 . A user may scroll among additional options using the scroll buttons  550 , and a user may return to a previous menu by use of the return button  560 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a user interface  600  which can be provided to a user when the image sorting function  510  is selected as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . User interface  600  illustrates moving image files  620  for which a tag image  610  is registered. Specifically,  FIG. 6  illustrates moving image files  620  for which an image  610  among HD moving image files selected in  FIG. 4  is registered as a tag image. That is, moving image files  620  to which the image  610  is tagged are displayed. A user may scroll among additional moving image files by use of the scroll buttons  630 . An indicator  640 , such as the camera icon illustrated in  FIG. 6 , may be displayed to indicate the type of image files displayed, for example, moving image files. A user may call up menu options through the menu button  650 . 
       FIG. 7A  illustrates a hierarchy  700 A in which photographed image files can be stored in accordance with the present general inventive concept. A root folder  710 A can include super-ordinate folders  720 A and  750 A. The super-ordinate folders  720 A and  750 A can include registered tag image files  730 A,  760 A, and photographed image files  740 A,  770 A. In an exemplary embodiment, in order to search for photographed images  740 A,  770 A on the photographing apparatus  200 , each of super-ordinate folders  720 A,  750 A may include sub folders  720 A,  750 A in which registered tag images are classified, and each of the sub folders may include corresponding moving image files  740 A,  770 A, to which the registered tag image is tagged, as illustrated in  FIG. 7A . 
     Alternatively, moving image files may contain tag information separately from photographed image and file information as illustrated in  FIG. 7B .  FIG. 7B  illustrates a photographed image file  700 B including a photographed image  710 B. The photographed image file  700 B can also include tag information  720 B and file information  730 B. The tag information  720 B may be the registered tag image, or it may be a file name or an address or a tag image. The file information  730 B may information about the photographed image  710 B, such as a date, a time, photographic conditions under which the image was recorded, aperture, shutter speed, and recording quality. 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart  800  provided to illustrate the process to register a tag image for images to be photographed.  FIG. 8  will be described in association with  FIG. 1 . If an image photographing apparatus  100  is turned on, the image photographing apparatus  100  can start up in the standby state to photograph an image in operation S 805 , and can receive a selection of whether or not to register a new tag image from a user in operation S 810 . 
     If a user desires to use a previously stored image as a tag image instead of registering a new tag image in operation S 810 -N, the images previously stored in the storage unit  104  are displayed on the display unit  105  under the control of the controlling unit  106 . If a user selects an image from among the previously stored images on the display unit  105  in operation S 815 , the selected image is registered as a tag image in operation S 820 . If a user starts photographing an image in operation S 855 , the selected tag image is automatically tagged to the photographed image. 
     Alternatively, if a user desires to register a new tag image in operation S 810 -Y, the recognizing unit  102  determines whether or not the image input through the photographing unit  101  is recognized, for example, as an independent object or human face in operation S 825 . If it is possible to recognize the shape of object in operation S 825 -Y, the display state prior to recording an image is displayed on the display  150  as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . If an object does not move for a predetermined second, if a shutter button to photograph an image is depressed for a predetermined second, or if a shutter button to photograph an image and a recording button are concurrently pressed, the recognizing unit  102  completes recognizing the image in operation S 830 , and determines whether or not the tag image similar to the recognized image exists in operation S 835 . 
     If there is no image similar to the recognized image in operation S 835 -N, the recognized image is registered as a new tag image in operation S 840 . If a user starts photographing an image in operation S 855 , the recognized image is automatically tagged to the photographed image. 
     Alternatively, if there is an image similar to the recognized image in operation S 835 -Y, the images previously stored in the storage unit  104  are displayed on the display unit  105  under the control of the controlling unit  106  in operation S 845 . If a user selects an image from the previously stored images on the display unit  105 , the selected image is registered as a tag image in operation S 850 . If a user starts photographing an image in operation S 855 , the selected tag image is automatically tagged to the photographed image. 
     If a user desires to register a newly photographed image as a tag image, and if there is a need to register an unclear image which is impossible to be recognized as illustrated in  FIG. 3A  as a tag image in operation S 825 -N, the unclear image is displayed on the display unit  105  which displays a display state prior to recording an image as illustrated in  FIG. 3B . If the unclear image does not move for a predetermined second, if a shutter button to photograph an image is depressed for a predetermined second, or if a shutter button to photograph an image and a recording button are concurrently pressed, the recognizing unit  102  completes recognizing the unclear image in operation S 860 , and determines whether or not the tag image similar to the recognized image exists in operation S 865 . 
     If there is no image similar to the recognized image in operation S 865 -N, the recognized image is registered as a new tag image in operation S 840 . If a user starts photographing an image in operation S 855 , the recognized image is automatically tagged for the photographed image. 
     Alternatively, if there is an image similar to the recognized image in operation S 865 -Y, the images previously stored in the storage unit  104  are displayed on the display unit  105  under the control of the controlling unit  106  in operation S 845 . If a user selects an image from the previously stored images on the display unit  105 , the selected image is registered as a tag image in operation S 850 . If a user starts photographing an image in operation S 855 , the selected tag image is automatically tagged for the photographed image. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart provided to illustrate the process of registering a tag image in advance. 
     The method to previously register a tag image will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 9 . If a user enters a command to previously register a tag image in operation S 910 , tag images pre-stored in the storage unit  104  are displayed on the display unit  105  in operation S 920 . A user enters a command (for example, makes a menu selection) to add a tag image in order to add a new tag image to the displayed tag images in operation S 930 . If a user presses a button to recognize an object, the image photographing apparatus photographs an image in operation S 940 . The image photographing apparatus stores the photographed image and registers the image as a tag image in advance in operation S 950 . 
     Accordingly, information of a tag image is acquired when an image is photographed and stored, the information can be automatically added to the photographed image based on the acquired information, and an image file having the information of a tag image can be generated. Therefore, a lot of images are conveniently classified. 
     The present general inventive concept can also be embodied as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can include a computer-readable recording medium and a computer-readable transmission medium. The computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in distributed fashion. The computer-readable transmission medium can transmit carrier waves and signals (e.g., wired or wireless data transmission through the Internet). Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments to accomplish the present general inventive concept can be easily construed by programmers skilled in the art to which the present general inventive concept pertains. 
     Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7