Patent ID: 7620910

Claim:
An image display method for selecting one image from among a plurality of images displayed on an image display screen by using an operation device having numeric keys and cursor keys, the image display method comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of images overlapped with each other on the image display screen, in such a manner that each of the plurality of images is rotated in a plane parallel to the image display screen by a random angle θ (0°<θ<360°) with respect to a reference direction in the image display screen; checking how many numeric keys the operation device has; dividing a display area containing the plurality of images displayed on the image display screen into a plurality of divided areas, in such a manner that a number of the divided areas is the same as the number of the numeric keys of the operation device, and each of the divided areas contains some images; assigning the numeric keys of the operation device to the plurality of divided areas, respectively; allowing a user to select any divided area from among the plurality of divided areas through an operation of the numeric key corresponding to the divided area, and thereby limit a range of candidate images for selection, the candidate images being contained in the selected divided area; enlarging the candidate images contained in the selected divided area and displaying the enlarged candidate images arranged on the image display screen, without dividing the selected divided area into a plurality of divided areas in such a manner that a number of the divided areas is the same as the number of the numeric keys of the operation device; wherein, in a case of enlarging the candidate images contained in the selected divided area and displaying the enlarged candidate images arranged on the image display screen, the plurality of images rotated and overlapped with each other are displayed in reduced size on the image display screen; and allowing the user to select any image from among the candidate images through an operation of the cursor keys.