Image sorting method, device, and program

• US 20040135904A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiota, Kazuo, Kaneko, Kiyotaka
• Application Number:
  US10/743,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135904A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• 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: H04N 1/2183 the stored images being distributed among a plurality of different locations, e.g. among a plurality of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A database which is used for sorting image data S0 is selected as a selected database DBs from a plurality of databases DBi connected to a network 2. In the selected database DBs, an event corresponds to a date/time. By referring to the selected database DBs based on a date/time represented by date/time data attached to the image data S0, a corresponding event which corresponds to the date/time is selected. Then, by assigning the corresponding event to the image data S0, the corresponding event is associated with the image data S0.

Claims

1. An image sorting method comprising the steps of:

obtaining photography date/time information from image data to which the photography date/time information representing a date/time of photography has been attached;

selecting a single corresponding event which corresponds to the date/time of photography, represented by the photography date/time information from one or a plurality of selected databases selected from among a plurality of databases containing correspondent relationships between a plurality of events and a date/time of each of the events; and

associating the corresponding event with the image data.

2. The image sorting method as defined in claim 1, wherein photography place information representing a place of photography has been attached to the image data, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include an area database showing a correspondent relationship between a place and an area name, an area name corresponding to the place of photography, represented by the photography place information is selected from the area database, wherein the selected area name is associated with the image data.

3. The image sorting method as defined in claim 1, wherein a subject included in the image data is recognized, wherein the selected database is selected based on the subject recognized.

4. The image sorting method as defined in claim 1, wherein the selected database is selected based on obtainer information regarding a person who has obtained the image data.

5. The image sorting method as defined in claim 1, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include a personal database showing a correspondent relationship between one or a plurality of persons and life stages of the one or plurality of persons, the selected database is selected by referring to the personal database.

6. The image sorting method as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of databases include a public database which has been published by a third party in a network.

7. An image sorting device comprising:

an information obtaining means for obtaining photography date/time information from image data to which the photography date/time information representing a date/time of photography has been attached;

a selecting means for selecting a single corresponding event which corresponds to the date/time of photography, represented by the photography date/time information from one or a plurality of selected databases selected from among a plurality of databases containing correspondent relationships between a plurality of events and a date/time of each of the events; and

an associating means for associating the corresponding event with the image data.

8. The image sorting device as defined in claim 7, wherein photography place information representing a place of photography has been attached to the image data, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include an area database showing a correspondent relationship between a place and an area name, the selecting means is a means for selecting an area name corresponding to the place of photography, represented by the photography place information from the area database, wherein the associating means is a means for associating the area name selected with the image data.

9. The image sorting device as defined in claim 7, wherein the selecting means is a means for recognizing a subject included in the image data and selecting the selected database based on the subject recognized.

10. The image sorting device as defined in claim 7, wherein the selecting means is a means for selecting the selected database based on obtainer information regarding a person who has obtained the image data.

11. The image sorting device as defined in claim 7, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include a personal database showing correspondent relationships between one or a plurality of persons and life stages of the one or plurality of persons, the selecting means is a means for selecting the selected database by referring to the personal database.

12. The image sorting device as defined in claim 7, wherein the plurality of databases include a public database which has been published by a third party in a network.

13. A program for causing a computer to execute an image sorting method, the program comprising the procedures of:

obtaining photography date/time information from image data to which the photography date/time information representing a date/time of photography has been attached;

selecting a single corresponding event which corresponds to the date/time of photography, represented by the photography date/time information from one or a plurality of selected databases selected from among a plurality of databases containing correspondent relationships between a plurality of events and a date/time of each of the events; and

associating the corresponding event with the image data.

14. The program as defined in claim 13, wherein photography place information representing a place of photography has been attached to the image data, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include an area database showing a correspondent relationship between a place and an area name, the procedure of selecting is the procedure of selecting an area name corresponding to the place of photography, represented by the photography place information from the area database, wherein the procedure of associating is the procedure of associating the area name selected with the image data.

15. The program as defined in claim 13, wherein the procedure of selecting is the procedure of recognizing a subject included in the image data and selecting the selected database based on the subject recognized.

16. The program as defined in claim 13, wherein the procedure of selecting is the procedure of selecting the selected database based on obtainer information regarding a person who has obtained the image data.

17. The program as defined in claim 13, wherein in a case that the plurality of databases include a personal database showing correspondent relationships between one or a plurality of persons and life stages of the one or plurality of persons, the procedure of selecting is the procedure of selecting the selected database by referring to the personal database.