Method and apparatus for storing images, method and apparatus for instructing image filing, image storing system, method and apparatus for image evaluation, and programs therefor

• US 20030074373A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiota, Kazuo, Kaburagi, Yuko
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Image data sets are filed efficiently in an image storing server. An image generation apparatus reads images from a film, and image data sets representing the images are sent to and registered with the image storing server. The image data sets are stored in a folder generated for each user. The user accesses the image storing server from a communication terminal and carries out filing on the image data sets in the folder, such as sorting according to the date and time of photography. In this manner, the image data sets can be stored in the image storing server in a well-organized manner.

Claims

1. An image storing method comprising the steps of:

importing a plurality of image data sets together with user information;

storing the image data sets in a classification according to a user, based on the user information;

receiving an instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by the user;

filing the image data sets based on the instruction; and

storing the image data sets that have been filed according to the instruction.

2. An image storing method as defined in claim 1, wherein

the step of storing the image data sets in the classification according to the user is the step of storing the image data sets in a classification according to each roll of developed photographic films in addition to the classification by the user, in the case where the plurality of image data sets have been obtained by reading the developed photographic films;

and

the step of receiving the instruction is the step of receiving the instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by each roll of the developed photographic films.

3. An image storing method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of storing the image data sets according to the user/or the step of storing the image data sets that have been filed are the steps of storing the image data sets and/or the filed image data sets in relation to image property information representing an image property.

4. An image storing method as defined in claim 3, wherein the image property information includes information on the date and time of photography regarding each of the image data sets and the image storing method further comprises the step of filing the image data sets according to the information representing the date and time of photography before storing the image data sets.

5. An image storing method as defined in claim 3, wherein the image property information includes information representing how each of the image data sets has been used.

6. An image storing method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction for using the filed image data sets; and

carrying out predetermined processing according to the instruction.

7. An image storing method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring today'"'"'s date;

analyzing an event regarding the user based on the user information; and

notifying the analyzed event to the user when today'"'"'s date becomes a predetermined number of days earlier than the date of the event.

8. An the image storing method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing use history information representing how each of the filed image data sets has been used.

9. An image storing method as defined in claim 1, wherein the image data sets have been obtained by an image reading apparatus installed in a laboratory for reading images from a roll of developed photographic film.

10. An image storing method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of storing laboratory information regarding the laboratory by relating the laboratory information to the image data sets.

11. An image storing method as defined in claim 1, wherein the user information is obtained by reading a user ID from a user ID card recorded with the user ID.

12. An image storing apparatus comprising:

image import means for importing a plurality of image data sets together with user information;

image storing means for storing the image data sets in a classification by a user, based on the user information;

reception means for receiving an instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by the user; and

filing means for filing the image data sets based on the instruction, wherein

the image storing means stores the image data sets that have been filed.

13. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein,

in the case where the image data sets have been obtained by reading rolls of developed photographic films, the image storing means stores the image data sets in a classification by each roll of the photographic films in addition to the classification by the user and

the reception means receives the instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by each roll of the photographic films.

14. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12 or 13, wherein the image storing means stores the image data sets and/or the filed image data sets in relation to image property information representing an image property.

15. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein, in the case where the image property information includes the date and time of photography regarding each of the image data sets, the filing means files the image data sets based on the information representing the date and time of photography.

16. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the image property information includes information representing how each of the image data sets has been used.

17. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the reception means receives an instruction for using the filed image data sets stored in the image storing means, and the image storing apparatus further comprises processing means for carrying out predetermined processing based on the instruction for using the filed image data sets.

18. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

date monitoring means for monitoring today'"'"'s date;

analysis means for analyzing an event regarding the user based on the user information; and

notification means for notifying the user of the analyzed event when today'"'"'s date becomes a predetermined number of days earlier than the date of the event.

19. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising use history storing means for storing use history information representing how each of the filed image data sets has been used.

20. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the image data sets have been obtained by an image reading apparatus installed in a laboratory for reading images from a roll of developed photographic film.

21. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the image storing means stores laboratory information regarding the laboratory by relating the laboratory information to the image data sets.

22. An image storing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the user information is obtained by reading a user ID from a user ID card recorded with the user ID.

23. An image filing instruction method comprising the steps of:

accessing an image storing server comprising the image storing apparatus defined in any one of claims 12 to 22; and

instructing the image storing server to file the image data sets.

24. An image filing instruction method as defined in claim 23, further comprising the step of instructing the image storing server to use the filed image data sets.

25. An image filing instruction apparatus comprising:

access means for accessing an image storing server comprising the image storing apparatus defined in any one of claims 12 to 22; and

instruction means for instructing the image storing server to file the image data sets.

26. An image filing instruction apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the instruction means instructs the image storing server to use the filed image data sets.

27. An image storing system comprising:

an image storing server comprising the image storing apparatus defined in any one of claims 12 to 22; and

a terminal having the image filing instruction apparatus defined in claim 25 or 26 and communicable with the image storing server via a network.

29. A program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

accessing an image storing server comprising the image storing apparatus defined in any one of claims 12 to 22; and

instructing the image storing server to file the image data sets.

49. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

accessing an image storing server comprising the image storing apparatus defined in any one of claims 12 to 22; and

instructing the image storing server to file the image data sets.

28. A program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

importing a plurality of image data sets together with user information;

storing the image data sets in a classification according to a user, based on the user information;

receiving an instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by the user;

filing the image data sets based on the instruction; and

storing the image data sets that have been filed.

30. An image evaluation method comprising the steps of:

carrying out image quality evaluation on a photograph image obtained by photography, based on an image data set representing the photograph image; and

outputting a result of the evaluation.

31. An image evaluation method as defined in claim 30, wherein the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on a plurality of image data sets each representing a photograph image obtained by photography.

32. An image evaluation method as defined in claim 31, wherein the image data sets are stored in image storing means on a network.

33. An image evaluation method as defined in claim 31 or 32, wherein the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, each of the selected image data sets representing the photograph image of a specific type.

34. An image evaluation method as defined in claim 31 or 32, wherein the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the step of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, the selected image data sets obtained by a digital camera of a specific model.

35. An image evaluation method as defined in any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein

the step of outputting is the step of outputting the image data set before image processing, the image data set after the image processing, and the content of the image processing, in the case where the image processing is carried out on the image data set.

36. An image evaluation apparatus comprising:

evaluation means for carrying out evaluation of an image quality on a photograph image obtained by photography, based on an image data set representing the photograph image; and

output means for outputting a result of the evaluation.

37. An image evaluation apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein the evaluation means carries out the evaluation of the image quality, based on a plurality of image data sets each representing a photograph image obtained by photography.

38. An image evaluation apparatus as defined in claim 37, wherein the image data sets are stored in image storing means on a network.

39. An image evaluation apparatus as defined in claim 37 or 38, wherein the evaluation means carries out evaluation of the image quality, based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, each of the selected image data sets representing the photograph image of a specific type.

40. An image evaluation apparatus as defined in claim 37 or 38, wherein the evaluation means carried out evaluation of the image quality, based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, the selected image data sets obtained by a digital camera of a specific model.

41. An image evaluation apparatus as defined in any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein the output means outputs the image data set before image processing, the image data set after the image processing, and the content of the image processing, in the case where the image processing is carried out on the image data set.

42. A program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

carrying out image quality evaluation on a photograph image obtained by photography, based on an image data set representing the photograph image; and

outputting a result of the evaluation.

43. A program as defined in claim 42, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on a plurality of image data sets each representing a photograph image obtained by photography.

44. A program as defined in claim 43, wherein the image data sets are stored in image storing means on a network.

45. A program as defined in claim 43 or 44, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, each of the selected image data sets representing the photograph image of a specific type.

46. A program as defined in claim 43 or 44, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, the selected image data sets obtained by a digital camera of a specific model.

47. A program as defined in any one of claims 42 to 44, wherein:

the procedure of outputting is the procedure of outputting the image data set before image processing, the image data set after the image processing, and the content of the image processing, in the case where the image processing is carried out on the image data set.

48. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

importing a plurality of image data sets together with user information;

storing the image data sets in a classification according to a user, based on the user information;

receiving an instruction for filing the image data sets stored in the classification by the user;

filing the image data sets based on the instruction; and

storing the image data sets that have been filed.

50. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the procedures of:

carrying out image quality evaluation on a photograph image obtained by photography, based on an image data set representing the photograph image; and

outputting a result of the evaluation.

51. A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 50, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on a plurality of image data sets each representing a photograph image obtained by photography.

52. A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 51, wherein the image data sets are stored in image storing means on a network.

53. A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 51 or 52, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, each of the selected image data sets representing the photograph image of a specific type.

54. A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 51 or 52, wherein the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation is the procedure of carrying out the image quality evaluation based on more than one of the image data sets selected from the image data sets, the selected image data sets obtained by a digital camera of a specific model.

55. A computer-readable recording medium as defined in any one of claims 50 to 52, wherein:

the procedure of outputting is the procedure of outputting the image data set before image processing, the image data set after the image processing, and the content of the image processing, in the case where the image processing is carried out on the image data set.