Abstract:
An image forming apparatus processes data described in a predetermined descriptive language. A module interprets a storage location of image data of an image described according to the predetermined descriptive language and a module obtains the image data based on the interpreted storage location. A reading module reads and obtains image forming information that includes image trimming information. Another module interprets the image forming information obtained by the reading module, including interpreting the image trimming information. A processing module renders an image forming processing, including a trimming processing, on the image data based on the interpreted image forming information, and the trimming processing is executed prior to execution of any of a flipping processing, a rotation processing, and an image aspect ratio maintaining processing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses, image forming methods, image forming programs, storage media for storing image forming programs, and more particularly, to image forming apparatuses, methods and programs in which placement information of images can be designated, as well as storage media that store image forming programs. 
   2. Related Background Art 
   In recent years, the technology that describes documents including texts and images with a descriptive language, which may be represented by HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), has been put into practical use, and widely used as a standard method to describe WWW (World Wide Web) pages on the Internet. The descriptive language is normally equipped with a function to dispose image files on documents through external reference. For example, in the case of the HTML, an image can be displayed through designating the storage location and image size of an image file by an IMG (image) element. 
   By using the function described above, some image forming applications and systems that have appeared use a descriptive language as a description format when creating electronic albums for browsing a plurality of images. One of such image forming systems automatically generates an image browsing function. More specifically, the system automatically generates an HTML file that provides a display function for browsing images that have been captured by a digital camera, such that the images can be readily browsed by a general internet browsing software without having to use a specialized application. 
   However, the above-described image forming system that uses a description format in a descriptive language can only designate a placement of an image that is limited to a position and size of each rectangular display region for displaying the image. Therefore, the conventional image forming system is substantially inferior in its power of expression compared to special applications for creating electronic albums that can designate a wide variety of image renderings such as image rotation, trimming and the like. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been made in view of the problems described above, and relates to image forming apparatuses, methods and programs with which images can be drawn with a rich power of expression, and storage media that store the programs. 
   To realize at least one of various features of the present invention, an image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a reading module that reads placement information of an image including a storage location of image data of the image, a size of the image and forming information of the image described in a predetermined descriptive language. Also included is an image storage location interpretation module that interprets a storage location of the image, an image size interpretation module that interprets a size of the image that is read, and an image data obtaining module that obtains the image data based on the storage location of the image data interpreted. In addition, included is an image region determining module that determines an image forming rectangular region based on the image size interpreted, an image modification processing module that performs an enlargement/reduction processing on the image data obtained such that the image obtained can be contained in the image forming rectangular region, and an image drawing module that draws the image with the enlargement/reduction processing being rendered in the image forming rectangular region. Also included an image forming information interpreting module that interprets the image forming information obtained, wherein the image modification processing module includes an image forming processing module that performs an image forming processing on the image data based on the image forming information interpreted. 
   Other features and advantage of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a summary structure of an image forming apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of an image display processing executed by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of an image placement information processing. 
       FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of image modification processing executed in step S 204  in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an image in its original size and an aspect ratio (i.e., length and breadth ratio) of the image indicated therein, which corresponds to image placement information described by the image forming apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 6(   a ) and  6 ( b ) are explanatory views for describing a first description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 6(   a ) shows a method of designating a storage location and a size of the image, and  FIG. 6(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 6(   a ). 
       FIGS. 7(   a ) and  7 ( b ) are explanatory views for describing a second description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 7(   a ) shows a method of designating a rotation angle of an image, and  FIG. 7(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 7(   a ). 
       FIGS. 8(   a ) and  8 ( b ) are explanatory views for describing a third description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 8(   a ) shows a method of designating an image trimming range, and  FIG. 8(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 8(   a ). 
       FIGS. 9(   a ),  9 ( b ) and  9 ( c ) are explanatory views for describing a fourth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIGS. 9(   a ) and  9 ( b ) show a method of designating an image flipping (i.e., inversion), and  FIG. 9(   c ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIGS. 9(   a ) and  9 ( b ). 
       FIGS. 10(   a ),  10 ( b ) and  10 ( c ) are explanatory views for describing a fifth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIGS. 10(   a ) and  10 ( b ) show a method of designating to maintain an aspect ratio of an image, and  FIG. 10(   c ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIGS. 10(   a ) and  10 ( b ). 
       FIGS. 11(   a ) and  11 ( b ) are explanatory views for describing a sixth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 11(   a ) shows a method of designating all options for image placement, and  FIG. 11(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 11(   a ). 
       FIG. 12  schematically shows a structure of a system including an image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  schematically shows a block diagram of a structure of a digital camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14  schematically shows a block diagram of a structure of a printer apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15  shows an example of SVG data that is stored in a file server. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   An image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   An image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes an image processing device. A preferred example of the image processing device includes a peripheral device that is capable of image processing, such as, for example, a digital camera, a scanner and a printer controller. Also, a preferred example of the image forming apparatus includes a printing apparatus, such as, for example, a printer, a copy machine, a scanner system, a facsimile, and a hybrid machine of the aforementioned devices. 
     FIG. 1  schematically shows a block diagram of a structure of an image forming apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment is equipped mainly with a CPU  101 , a ROM  102 , a RAM  103 , a keyboard  109 , a display  110  and a hard disk drive  111 . The keyboard  109 , the display  110  and the hard disk drive  111  are connected to an input device controller  105 , an output device controller  106  and a storage device controller  107 , respectively. The CPU  101 , the ROM  102 , the RAM  103 , the input device controller  105 , the output device controller  106  and the storage device controller  107  are mutually connected through a system bus  104 . The system bus  104  is connected to a network interface  112  through a network controller  108 . 
   The CPU  101  performs overall controls and operation processings for the image forming apparatus. The ROM  102  stores programs that are necessary for operating the image forming system. The RAM  103  temporarily stores an image display program that uses an image placing method to be described below and data relating thereto. 
   The input device controller  105  controls operations of the keyboard  109 , and transfers input data inputted by the keyboard  109  to the CPU  101  or the RAM  103 . The output device controller  106  controls operations of the display  110 , and displays screen drawing data stored in the RAM  103  on the display  110 . 
   The hard disk drive  111  stores image display programs that use the image placing method to be described below and image data. The storage device controller  107  controls operations of the hard disk drive  111 , and transfers data stored in the hard disk drive  111  to the CPU  101  or the RAM  103 . 
   The network controller  108  is structured to control operations of the network interface  112 , and to perform data communication with the network using TCP/IP protocol. 
   Next, an image display processing executed by the image forming apparatus indicated in  FIG. 1  is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   The following description will be made mainly for an image display processing, but it is also applicable to an image printing processing. 
     FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of an image display processing executed by the image forming apparatus indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
   In  FIG. 2 , first, an image placement information processing (to be described below with reference to  FIG. 3 ) is executed (step S 201 ), wherein image placement information described in a markup language, for example, an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), is interpreted, and image placement information for various attributes designated at a leading section of an image element interpreted is stored in the RAM  103 . The attributes may include xlink:href attribute, width attribute, height attribute, ximage:rotate attribute, ximage:crop attribute, ximage:flip attribute and ximage:fit attribute. 
   Then, image data for an image is obtained by an image data obtaining module from a storage location designated by the xlink:href attribute, and stored in the RAM  103  (step S 202 ). The storage location of the image data may be expressed by an URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which is a standard specification of an Internet resource identifier. Locations of files stored on a local file system or a network can be specified by URLs. If image data that is stored on a local file system (for example in the hard disk drive  111 ) is to be obtained, the storage device controller  107  is instructed to obtain the image data from the hard disk drive  111 . If image data that is stored on a network is to be obtained, the network controller  108  is instructed to obtain the image data through the network interface  112  using the TCP/IP protocol. 
   Then, in step S 203 , according to the width and height designated by the width attribute and the height attribute, an image display rectangular region is determined by an image region determining module in a manner the image display rectangular region is placed in parallel with a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the display  110 . In step S 204 , image modification processings (to be described later with reference to  FIG. 4 ) are executed on the image data obtained in step S 202  by the image data obtaining module. For example, in the rotation angle modification processings, one or more contents designated by the rotation angle attribute (ximage:rotate attribute), trimming attribute (xiamge:crop attribute), flipping attribute (ximage:flip attribute), and aspect ratio (i.e., length and breadth ratio) maintaining attribute (ximage:fit) are rendered on the image data obtained. The image data is finally enlarged or reduced in size to fit in the display rectangular region that is determined by the image region determining module in step S 203 . 
   In step S 205 , the output device controller  106  is instructed to draw the image data that has been modified in step S 204  on the display  110 , and the image display processing is completed (step S 205 ). 
   Based on the image placement information described in SVG, the image processing is conducted according to the processings in  FIG. 2 , and one of images indicated in  FIGS. 6-11  (to be described below) is formed. 
   According to the processings shown in  FIG. 2 , image placement information including rotation angle information, trimming information, flipping information, and aspect ratio maintaining information that are described in a markup language such as SVG are interpreted (in an image placement information processing in step S 201 , and in  FIG. 3 ), and modification processings are rendered on the image data according to the contents of the rotation angle information, trimming information, flipping information, and aspect ratio maintaining information interpreted (in an image modification processing in step S 204 , and in  FIG. 4 ). As a result, processings such as rotation, trimming and the like to be rendered on an image can be designated in the descriptions of image placement information described in the markup language, and therefore the image can be described with a rich power of expression. 
     FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of an image placement information processing executed in step S 201  indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , first, an attribute at a leading section of an image element is read (in step S 301 ) by a reading module. A determination as to whether the attribute read is xlink:href reference, width attribute, height attribute, ximage:rotate attribute, ximage:crop attribute, ximage:flip attribute or ximage:fit attribute can be made in each of determinations in steps S 302 -S 307  to be described below. 
   If the xlink:href attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 302 , an image storage location interpretation processing is conducted in step S 309  in which the attribute value is interpreted as a URL character string which is a standard specification of an Internet resource identifier, and a content thereof interpreted is stored in the RAM  103  as storage location designation information. 
   If the width attribute or the height attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 303 , an image size interpretation processing is conducted in step S 310 , and the attribute value is interpreted as a numerical value indicative of a width of the image or a numerical value indicative of a height of the image, and a content thereof is stored in the RAM  103  as size designation information. 
   If the ximage:rotate attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 304 , an image rotation interpretation processing is conducted in step S 311 , and the attribute value is interpreted as a numerical value indicative of a rotation angle of the image in the unit of degrees, and a content thereof is stored in the RAM  103  as rotation angle designation information. 
   If the ximage:crop attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 305 , an image range interpretation processing is conducted in step S 312 , and the attribute value is interpreted as a character string composed of a numerical value indicative of a coordinate of a left side, a numerical value indicative of a coordinate of an upper side, a numerical value indicative of a width, and a numerical value indicative of a height of an image trimming rectangle, and a content thereof is stored in the RAM  103  as trimming designation information. 
   If the ximage:flip attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 306 , an image flipping interpretation processing is conducted in step S 313 , and the attribute value is interpreted as a character string indicative of a flipping direction including a choice between a flipping in a horizontal direction and a flipping in the vertical direction, and a content thereof is stored in the RAM  103  as flipping designation information. 
   If the ximage:fit attribute is recognized as a result of the determination in step S 307 , an image aspect ratio maintaining interpretation processing is conducted in step S 314 , and the attribute value is interpreted as a character string indicative of an aspect ratio maintaining information including a choice as to where in a display region the image is to be arranged and disposed, and a choice as to whether a blank marginal portion is to be created in the display region, and a content thereof is stored in the RAM  103  as aspect ratio maintaining designation information. 
   In step S 308 , a determination is made as to whether or not all of the attributes of the image element have been processed. If there is any attribute remained unprocessed, the processings after step S 301  are repeated. If all of the attributes have been processed, the image placement information processing is completed. 
     FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of the image modification processing that is executed in step S 204  indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , in step S 401 , a determination is made as to whether or not the trimming designation information obtained in step S 312  of  FIG. 3  is stored. If the trimming designation information is stored, an image range processing is executed in step S 405 , in which a trimming processing is rendered on the image data according to the designated content, and the resultant image data is stored in the RAM  103 . 
   In step S 402 , a determination is made as to whether or not the flipping designation information obtained in step S 313  of  FIG. 3  is stored. If the invention designation information is stored, an image flipping processing is executed in step S 406 , in which a flipping processing is rendered on the image data according to the designated content, and the resultant image data is stored in the RAM  103 . 
   In step S 403 , a determination is made as to whether or not the rotation angle designation information obtained in step S 311  of  FIG. 3  is stored. If the rotation angle designation information is stored, an image rotation processing is executed in step S 407 , in which an image rotation processing is rendered on the image data according to the designated content, and the resultant image data is stored in the RAM  103 . 
   In step S 404 , a determination is made as to whether or not the aspect ratio maintaining designation information obtained in step S 314  of  FIG. 3  is stored. If the aspect ratio maintaining designation information is stored, a aspect ratio maintaining processing is executed in step S 408 , in which an aspect ratio maintaining processing is rendered on the image data according to the designated content and an aspect ratio maintaining limit to be used for executing an image enlargement/reduction processing according to the designated content. 
   In step S 409 , the image data obtained through the processings in steps S 405 -S 407  is enlarged or reduced in size to be contained in the display rectangular region that was determined in step S 203  in  FIG. 2 . At this moment, if the aspect ratio maintaining limit was set in step S 408 , the image data is enlarged or reduced according to the breadth ratio maintaining limit. 
   The processings in steps S 405 -S 409  are preferably executed in this order, such that, even if the order of descriptions of multiple attributes designated in an image element changes, the same image modification effects can be obtained. 
   The CPU 101  can read plural commands at once. These commands can be described without defining the order of inputting the commands. The CPU 101  preferably firstly selects a trimming command and lastly selects a rotating command from the commands read by the CPU 101 , regardless of the order of description by a user. 
   Next, a description is made as to image placement information that is described by the image forming apparatus indicated in  FIG. 1 . As an example, image placement information are described by the image forming apparatus of  FIG. 1 , using an image element according to the SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) standard specification.  FIG. 5  shows an image in its original size with an aspect ratio thereof indicated, which corresponds to image placement information described by the image forming apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     FIGS. 6(   a ) and  6 ( b ) are explanatory views in support of describing a first description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 6(   a ) shows a method of designating a storage location and a size of the image, and  FIG. 6(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 6(   a ). 
   In  FIG. 6(   a ), the storage location of the image data is designated by the xlink:href attribute having a value defined by a URL character string which is a standard specification of an Internet resource identifier, and the size of the image is designated by the width attribute having a numerical value indicating a width of the image and the height attribute having a numerical value indicating a height of the image.  FIG. 6(   b ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 6(   a ). Because the image is disposed in an enlarged or reduced state so that it is contained in the rectangular region that is determined by the designated width and height attributes, the original aspect ratio of the image may not be maintained, and the image may be deformed in a horizontal direction and/or a vertical direction and displayed like the display example shown in  FIG. 6(   b ). 
   The image placing method that designates a storage location and size of an image like the description example of  FIG. 6  is realized by using a markup language such as HTML. 
   In the following examples of description of image placement information, some of the effects obtained by the image placement designation options newly introduced by the present invention will be described. 
     FIGS. 7(   a ) and  7 ( b ) are explanatory views in support for describing a second description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 7(   a ) shows a method of designating a rotation angle of an image, and  FIG. 7(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 7(   a ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 7(   a ), the rotation angle of the image is designated by the ximage:rotate attribute in the unit of degrees.  FIG. 7(   b ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 7(   a ). The image is rotated clockwise by the designated degrees, and enlarged or reduced so that the rotated image displayed is contained in the rectangular region that is determined by the designated width and height. 
     FIGS. 8(   a ) and  8 ( b ) are explanatory views in support for describing a third description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 8(   a ) shows a method of designating an image trimming range, and  FIG. 8(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 8(   a ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 8(   a ), the trimming range of the image is designated by the ximage:crop attribute represented by a character string composed of a numerical value indicative of a coordinate of a left side, a numerical value indicative of a coordinate of an upper side, a numerical value indicative of a width, and a numerical value indicative of a height of an image trimming rectangle.  FIG. 8(   b ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 8(   a ). A region corresponding to a rectangular region designated against the entire image is defined as a trimming region, and the trimming region is enlarged or reduced so that the trimmed image displayed is contained in the rectangular region that is determined by the designated width and height. In this example, the trimmed rectangular shape of the image and the rectangular shape of the original image are both square, and therefore no distortion occurs. 
     FIGS. 9(   a ),  9 ( b ) and  9 ( c ) are explanatory views in support for describing a fourth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIGS. 9(   a ) and  9 ( b ) show a method of designating an image flipping, and  FIG. 9(   c ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIGS. 9(   a ) and  9 ( b ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 9(   a ), the rotation of the image is designated by the ximage:flip attribute represented by a character string indicative of a flipping direction including a choice between a flipping in a horizontal direction and a flipping in the vertical direction. Character strings that can be used as values of the ximage:flip attribute are indicated in  FIG. 9(   b ). In this example, a character string “horizontal” is used to indicate that the image is to be flipped (i.e., inverted) in a horizontal direction.  FIG. 9(   c ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 9(   a ). The image is flipped in the designated direction, and enlarged or reduced so that the flipped image displayed is contained in the rectangular region that is determined by the designated width and height. 
     FIGS. 10(   a ),  10 ( b ) and  10 ( c ) are explanatory views in support for describing a fifth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIGS. 10(   a ) and  10 ( b ) show a method of designating to maintain an aspect ratio of an image, and  FIG. 10(   c ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIGS. 10(   a ) and  10 ( b ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 10(   a ), the maintenance of the aspect ratio of the image is designated by the ximage:fit attribute represented by a character string that expresses an aspect ratio to be maintained including a choice as to where in a display region the image is to be arranged and disposed, and a choice as to whether a blank marginal portion is to be created in the display region. Character strings that can be used as values of the ximage:fit attribute are indicated in  FIG. 10(   b ). This example uses a character string “xMidYMid” indicating that a center of the image and a center of the display region be aligned and a character string “meet” indicating that a marginal blank region be displayed so that the entire image is displayed.  FIG. 10(   c ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 10(   a ). The image is enlarged or reduced while its aspect ratio being maintained when the image is enlarged or reduced so that it is contained in the rectangular region determined by the width and the height, and the image is processed with the marginal blank region according to the designation and displayed. 
     FIGS. 11(   a ) and  11 ( b ) are explanatory views in support for describing a sixth description example of image placement information to be described by the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 11(   a ) shows a method of designating all options for image placement, and  FIG. 11(   b ) shows an image that is displayed by the method shown in  FIG. 11(   a ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 11(   a ), seven attributes including xlink:href attribute, with attribute, height attribute, ximage:rotate attribute, ximage:crop attribute, ximage:flip attribute and ximage:fit attribute are designated.  FIG. 11(   b ) shows an example of a display image that is obtained as a result of the image placement processing according to the placement information indicated in  FIG. 11(   a ). The image modification processings according to the designation of rotation angle, the designation of trimming range, the designation of flipping and the designation of aspect ratio maintenance in this order are rendered on the image to form a modified image, and then the modified image is enlarged or reduced in size so that it is contained in the rectangular region that is determined by the width and the height designated by the width and height attributes. 
   Next, an image forming apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Operations of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention will be described, using a digital camera and a printer apparatus as an example of the image forming apparatus. 
     FIG. 12  schematically shows a structure of a system including an image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a file server  1201  that is connected to the Internet  1203  through a router  1202 . Also, a digital camera  1206  which is an image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and a printer  1207  which is also an image forming apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention are connected to a local area network (LAN)  1205 . The Internet  1203  and the LAN  1205  are mutually connected through a router  1204 . The file server  1201  stores files that describe SVG data that may be downloaded by the digital camera  1206 . 
     FIG. 13  schematically shows a block diagram of a structure of the digital camera  1206  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The digital camera  1206  includes a CPU  1301  that is a system control section to control the overall operations of the digital camera. A ROM  1302  stores control programs for controlling the CPU and a variety of fixed data. A RAM  1303  may be composed of an SRAM, DRAM or the like, and stores program control variables and the like. Also, a variety of setting parameters and a variety of work buffers are stored in the RAM  1303 . An input device controller  1304  controls an operation panel  1309 . The operation panel  1309  may be made up of a keyboard of the like, and an operator performs a variety of operations through the operation panel  1309 . An output device controller  1305  controls operations of a display  1310 , and displays screen drawing data that is stored in and read from the RAM  1303  on the display  1310 . A memory card  1311  stores SVG data that describes image placement information, digitally photographed image data and the like. A storage device controller  1306  controls writing and reading of data in and from the memory card  1311 . A network controller  1307  controls operations of a network interface  1312 , and is structured to perform data communications with the network using the TCP/IP protocol. An image input controller  1308  takes in images inputted from an image input section  1313 , which may be digitally photographed image data, and transfer the image data to the RAM  1303  or the storage device controller  1306 . The CPU  1301 , the ROM  1302 , the RAM  1303 , the input device controller  1304 , the output device controller  1305 , the storage device controller  1306 , the network controller  1307 , the image input controller  1308  are mutually connected through a system bus  1314 . 
     FIG. 14  schematically shows a block diagram of a structure of a printer apparatus  1207  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
   The printer apparatus  1207  includes a CPU  1401  that is a system control section to control the overall operations of the printer apparatus. A ROM  1402  stores control programs for controlling the CPU and a variety of fixed data. A RAM  1403  may be composed of an SRAM, DRAM or the like, and stores program control variables and the like. Also, a variety of setting parameters and a variety of work buffers are stored in the RAM  1403 . An input device controller  1404  controls an operation panel  1408 . The operation panel  1408  may be made up of a keyboard of the like, and an operator performs a variety of operations through the operation panel  1408 . A print device controller  1405  controls operations of a printing section  1409 , and prints image drawing data that is stored in and read from the RAM  1403  on paper sheets. A hard disk  1410  stores SVG data that describes image placement information, print data that may be transferred from other devices and the like. A storage device controller  1406  controls writing and reading of data in and from the hard disk  1410 . A network controller  1407  controls operations of a network interface  1411 , and is structured to perform data communications with the network using the TCP/IP protocol. The CPU  1401 , the ROM  1402 , the RAM  1403 , the input device controller  1404 , the print device controller  1405 , the storage device controller  1406 , and the network controller  1407  are mutually connected through a system bus  1412 . 
   The system in accordance with the present embodiment stores a plurality of SVG data in the file server  1201 . The SVG data describe processing information for processing image data.  FIG. 15  shows an example of SVG data that is stored in the file server  1201 . 
   A processing flow of the present system will be described below. 
   First, an operator operates the operation panel  1309  of the digital camera  1206  to download SVG data stored in the file server  1201  through the LAN  1205 . The SVG data downloaded is temporarily stored in the RAM  1303 . Next, in response to an operation of the operation panel  1309  by the operator, the downloaded SVG data and image data (e.g., photograph image data) are combined to create new SVG data within the digital camera  1206 , and the new SVG data is stored in the memory card  1311  of the digital camera  1206 . 
   For example, when the operator downloads SVG data indicated in  FIG. 15 , the SVG data is combined with a file name of the photograph image to create SVG data indicated in  FIG. 7(   a ), and stored together with the photograph image in the memory card  1311 . Based on the newly created SVG data and the photograph image, the CPU  1301  executes the processings indicated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , such that an image indicated in  FIG. 7(   b ) is displayed on the display  1310  of the digital camera  1206 . 
   In response to an operation by the operator of the operation panel  1309  of the digital camera  1206 , the newly created SVG data and the photograph image data are sent to the printer  1207  through the LAN  1205 . The printer  1207  temporarily stores the SVG data and the photograph image data in the hard disk  1410 . At the printer  1207 , the CPU  1401  executes the processings indicated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  based on the data stored in the hard disk  1410 . As a result, an image indicated in  FIG. 7(   b ) is printed by the print section  1409 . 
   The example of the SVG data indicated in  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 7  shows a case where rotation of an image is designated. However, when downloaded SVG data contains any of the trimming designation, flipping designation and designation of aspect ratio maintaining designation, similar processings are performed in the digital camera  1206  and the printer  1207 , and the image data is displayed on the display  1310  and printed by the print section  1409  according to the designations contained in the SVG data. 
   The processings performed by the digital camera  1206  and the printer  1207  may be essentially the same as those described above with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , and therefore their detailed description is omitted. The processings performed by the digital camera  1206  and the printer  1207  will be described below in conjunction with the structures thereof in accordance with the second embodiment. 
   At the digital camera  1206 , the CPU  1301  reads SVG data stored in the memory card  1311  via the storage device controller  1306 , and executes the image placement information processing (step S 201 ). Then, the CPU  1301  reads image data that is stored in the memory card  1311  via the storage device controller  1306  (step S 202 ), determines an image region (step S 203 ), and performs the image modification processing (step S 204 ), to thereby create image drawing data. The image drawing data thus created is stored in the RAM  1303 , and the CPU  1301  controls the output device controller  1305  to draw an image on the display  1310  (step S 205 ). The processings indicated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  at the digital camera  1206  are executed based on the programs stored in the ROM  1302  entirely by the CPU  1301 . 
   At the printer  1207 , the CPU  1401  reads SVG data stored in the hard disk  1410  via the storage device controller  1406 , and executes the image placement information processing (step S 201 ). Then, the CPU  1401  reads image data stored in the hard disk  1410  via the storage device controller  1406  (step S 202 ), determines an image region (step S 203 ), and performs the image modification processing (step S 204 ), to thereby create image drawing data. The created image drawing data is stored in the RAM  1403 , the CPU  1401  controls the print device controller  1405  such that the print section  1409  prints an image on a paper sheet (step S 205 ). The processings indicated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  at the printer  1207  are executed based on the programs stored in the ROM  1402  entirely by the CPU  1401 . 
   The description examples and display image examples indicated in  FIGS. 5 through 11  are also similarly applicable to the second embodiment. Since these examples are described in the first embodiment, their description is omitted. 
   In the system in accordance with the second embodiment described above, the digital camera  1206  downloads SVG data from the file server  1201 , and the processed SVG data is sent to the printer  1207 . However, SVG data may be stored in advance in any of the ROM  1302 , the RAM  1303  and the memory card  1311  of the digital camera  1206 . Similarly, in the printer  1207 , SVG data may be stored in advance in any of the ROM  1402 , the RAM  1403  and the hard disk  1410 . Also, the operation panel  1309  of the digital camera  1206  and/or the operation panel  1408  of the printer  1207  may be structured to allow an operator to create and edit SVG data. 
   In the embodiments described above, digital cameras and printer apparatuses are mainly described as examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and is also similarly applicable to other devices such as copiers, scanner systems, facsimile machines, camcorders, and hybrid apparatuses of the aforementioned devices, as well as to device controllers in information processing devices such as computers. 
   As described above, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, placement information for image rotation, trimming and the like that is described in a descriptive language is interpreted, and modification processings are rendered on image data based on contents of the interpreted placement information. As a result, the placement of an image can be designated in descriptions of placement information such as rotation of the image, trimming of the image and the like in a descriptive language, and therefore the image can be drawn with a rich power of expression. 
   Also, when an XML (Extensible Markup Language) standard specification is used for expressing image placement information, the image placement information can be edited by using a general-purpose tool or text editor that is compatible with the XML, and therefore the work load in creating image placement information can be alleviated. 
   Furthermore, when an XHTML (Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language) standard specification is used for expressing image placement information of an image, an ordinary internet browser can be used to display the image, and therefore the convenience in viewing the image can be improved. 
   Also, by processing an image in a predetermined processing order, for example, in the order of processings in steps S 301 -S 307  indicated in  FIG. 3  in which a size processing, a rotation processing and a trimming designation processing are rendered on the image in this order, appropriate image processing effects can be attained without a defect in the image such as a chipping in the image. 
   While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. 
   The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.