Patent ID: 7212307

Claim:
An image data storage system, comprising: a plurality of storage units for storing image data, wherein each said plurality of storage units can temporarily store said image data or store said image data for a long-term preservation; a determination unit for determining intended use of the image data that is to be stored at said storage units; a selection unit for selecting an image storing mode for storing said image data into one of said plurality of storage units, wherein the selection is performed based on the determined intended use of the image data; and a data saving unit for saving said image data into at least one of said plurality of storage units in accordance with the image storing mode selected by said selection unit; and wherein said selection unit selects one of a first storage mode and a second storage mode, the first storage mode for storing image data divided into sets of data, each of said sets of image data being stored into a corresponding one of said plurality of storage units, the second storage mode for storing image data into at least two of said plurality of storage units, each of said at least two storage units storing an identical part of said image data; and wherein when said data part stored by said second storage mode is read out, each said data part is read out from each of said at least two of said plurality of storage units, and determination is made whether said data part read out from one of said plurality of storage units is abnormal data so as to select and output said data part read out from one of said plurality of storage units other than the abnormal data.