Patent ID: 8341555

Claim:
An image managing apparatus, comprising: a storage part for storing an image; an input part for inputting a user's instruction; and a central processing unit that operates as: a grouping-processing part for classifying images displayed on an image-listing screen in an edit mode into a plurality of groups for display on the basis of the instruction from the input part; a representative image extraction part for extracting at least two images among images in each of the plurality of groups in accordance with the instruction from the input part to be at least two representative images of each group; a folding-button preparing part for preparing a folding button for displaying the at least two representative images of each group on the image-listing screen; a folding-screen preparing part for preparing the image-listing screen to be a folding screen on which the at least two representative images of each group and at least one ungrouped image are displayed when the folding button displayed on the image-listing screen is operated; an output part for outputting the image-listing screen to the outside; an unfolding button preparing part for preparing an unfolding button for displaying on the folding screen another image of each group represented by the at least two representative images displayed on the folding screen; and an unfolding-image preparing part for preparing the image-listing screen to be an unfolding screen including said another image of each group and the at least one ungrouped image, when the unfolding button displayed on the folding screen is operated wherein the input part is configured to allow a user to select more than the at least two representative images of each group, and wherein the total number of images in each group is greater than the number of images corresponding to the selected representative images of each group, wherein the plurality of groups are hierarchically organized by one of date, place, or occasion into a parent group, and wherein an image of one of the plurality of groups is selected to be displayed as a representative image of the parent group, and wherein a screen transition between the folding screen and the unfolding screen is represented using animation, wherein during a transition from the unfolding screen to the folding screen, the images not selected as representative images appear to move behind the representative images so that only the representative images and the at least one ungrouped image are visible on the folding screen.