Data retrieval device with function for modifying retrieval condition classes

• US 20080148176A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Mita, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• 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: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

When a digital camera is set to retrieval mode, a map-style retrieval screen having a matrix structure is displayed on a display device. The digital camera searches for images photographed in the regions corresponding to each cell in the matrix structure, based on shooting location information appended to the images. The number of found images is displayed within each cell. When the user inputs a zoom in or zoom out command, the regions corresponding to each cell are made smaller or larger, according to the command. At the same time, a new retrieval is performed for images photographed in the regions corresponding to each of the modified cells. The number displayed within each cell is updated according to the number of images found in the new retrieval. When a single cell is selected, a list view of the images photographed in the region corresponding to the selected cell is displayed.

Claims

1. A data retrieval device, comprising:

a storage part that stores data;

a retrieval item divider that divides retrieval conditions related to a predetermined retrieval item into a plurality of retrieval condition classes;

a retrieval part that respectively sorts the data stored in the storage part into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed by the retrieval item divider by searching for data that respectively satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to each retrieval condition class;

an output part that respectively associates the plurality of retrieval condition classes with information related to the data sorted into the retrieval condition classes by the retrieval part, and outputs the same;

an input part that receives commands input from a user;

a class unit modifier that further divides a selected retrieval condition class into a plurality of retrieval condition classes when a command selecting one of the retrieval condition classes from among the plurality of retrieval condition classes output by the output part is input into the input part; and

a retrieval controller that controls the retrieval part to respectively sort the data that was sorted into the retrieval condition class selected by the input part into the retrieval condition classes formed by the class unit modifier.

2. The data retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein the output part includes a display part that partitions a screen into a plurality of regions, respectively associates the partitioned regions with the plurality of retrieval condition classes, and displays information related to the data sorted into each retrieval condition class in the region corresponding to that retrieval condition class.

3. The data retrieval device according to claim 2, wherein the display part partitions a screen into a matrix structure, and respectively associates the regions of the matrix positions in the matrix structure with the plurality of retrieval condition classes.

4. The data retrieval device according to claim 3, wherein:

the retrieval item divider generates retrieval condition classes corresponding to retrieval conditions, the retrieval conditions being combinations of a plurality of first retrieval conditions, which are formed by dividing a row retrieval item belonging to the predetermined retrieval item into predetermined class units, and a plurality of second retrieval conditions, which are formed by dividing a column retrieval item belonging to the predetermined retrieval item into predetermined class units;

the retrieval part respectively associates the retrieval condition classes generated by the retrieval item divider with matrix positions, and respectively sorts data that satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to a particular matrix position into that matrix position, the data being the data stored in the storage part;

the display part displays a retrieval screen on which retrieval results information, which indicates the retrieval results of the retrieval part, is respectively arranged into matrix positions of a matrix structure, the retrieval screen having a matrix structure wherein the plurality of first retrieval conditions is set as the rows, and the plurality of second retrieval conditions is set as the columns;

when a command to modify the class units and a command selecting a single matrix-position from among the matrix positions displayed by the display part is input into the input part, the class unit modifier modifies the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item for the selected matrix position; and

wherein

the retrieval controller respectively associates retrieval conditions with matrix positions and causes the retrieval part to sort data, the retrieval conditions being combinations of the plurality of first retrieval conditions and the plurality of second retrieval conditions divided by the unit that were modified by the class unit modifier, and the data being the data that was sorted into the matrix position selected via the input part.

5. The data retrieval device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a list view output controller that causes a list view of the data sorted into a selected retrieval conditions class to be output when a command to display a list view and a command selecting a single retrieval condition class from among the plurality of retrieval condition classes output by the output part are input into the input part.

6. The data retrieval device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a retrieval item modifier that changes the predetermined retrieval item to another retrieval item when a command to modify the retrieval item is input into the input part;

wherein

the retrieval item divider divides retrieval conditions related to the retrieval item modified by the retrieval item modifier into a plurality of retrieval condition classes; and

wherein

the retrieval part respectively re-sorts data into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed by the retrieval item divider, the data being the data found by retrieval using the predetermined retrieval item.

7. The data retrieval device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a class unit modification controller that causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item when a command to modify the class units is input a predetermined number of times into the input part, and additionally, enlarges the retrieval screen displayed by the display part every time the command to modify the class units is input until the command is input the predetermined number of times into the input part.

8. The data retrieval device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a class unit modification controller that causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item, while at the same time enlarging the retrieval screen displayed by the display part, when a command to modify the class units is input into the input part.

9. The data retrieval device according to claim 8, wherein:

when a command to modify the class units is input into the input part while the class unit modification controller is enlarging the retrieval screen displayed by the display part, the class unit modification controller aborts enlargement processing and causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item.

10. The data retrieval device according to claim 8, wherein:

when a command to modify the class units is continuously input into the input part for a time greater than or equal to a predetermined time, the class unit modification controller curtails processing to enlarge the retrieval screen being displayed by the display part and causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item.

11. The data retrieval device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a class unit modification controller that causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item by one gradation when a command to modify the class units is input into the input part, and additionally, causes the class unit modifier to modify the units dividing the row retrieval item and the units dividing the column retrieval item by a plurality of gradations when a command to modify the class units is continuously input into the input part for a time greater than or equal to a predetermined time.

12. The data retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein:

the information related to data sorted into the retrieval condition classes output by the output part includes numbers indicating the amount of data sorted into the retrieval condition classes by the retrieval part.

13. The data retrieval device according to claim 4, wherein:

the retrieval part, taking image data as the data to be searched, sorts image data.

14. The data retrieval device according to claim 13, wherein:

the predetermined retrieval item is the location where an image was photographed, and the row retrieval item and the column retrieval item are latitude and longitude.

15. The data retrieval device according to claim 14, wherein:

the display part displays retrieval results information respectively arranged in matrix positions overlaid with a map having regions corresponding to a matrix structure wherein a plurality of first retrieval conditions divided according to predetermined units of latitude is set as the rows, and a plurality of second retrieval conditions divided according to predetermined units of longitude is set as the columns.

16. The data retrieval device according to claim 13, wherein:

the predetermined retrieval item is the date/time when an image was photographed;

the row retrieval item and the column retrieval item are both date/time; and

wherein

the units dividing the row retrieval item into a plurality of first retrieval conditions differ from the units dividing the column retrieval item into a plurality of second retrieval conditions.

17. The data retrieval device according to claim 13, wherein:

the retrieval results information respectively arranged into matrix positions by the display part includes image data respectively sorted into matrix positions by the retrieval part.

18. The data retrieval device according to claim 13, wherein:

the retrieval results information respectively arranged into matrix positions by the display part includes information related to the number of discrete image data respectively sorted into matrix positions by the retrieval part.

19. The data retrieval device according to claim 17, wherein:

the display part displays, in a matrix position where retrieval results information is displayed, a single image representative of a plurality of images corresponding to image data respectively sorted into that matrix position by the retrieval part.

20. The data retrieval device according to claim 17, wherein:

the display part displays, in a matrix position where retrieval results information is displayed, all of the images corresponding to image data sorted into that matrix position by the retrieval part.

21. The data retrieval device according to claim 20, wherein:

the display part displays all images corresponding to image data sorted into a matrix position, wherein the image display size is reduced as the number of images corresponding to the image data sorted by the retrieval part increases.

22. The data retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined retrieval item is a parameter related to information appended to the data to be searched.

23. A data retrieval method, comprising:

a retrieval item dividing step of dividing retrieval conditions related to a predetermined retrieval item into a plurality of retrieval condition classes;

a first retrieval step of sorting data stored in a storage part into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step by searching for data that respectively satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to each retrieval condition class formed in the retrieval item dividing step;

a first outputting step of outputting the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step along with information related to the data sorted into the retrieval condition classes in the first retrieval step, the information being respectively associated with the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step;

a class unit modifying step of further dividing a selected retrieval condition class into a plurality of retrieval condition classes when a command is input into an input part, the command selecting one of the retrieval condition classes from among the plurality of retrieval condition classes output in the first outputting step;

a second retrieval step of sorting the data that was sorted into the retrieval condition class selected via the input part into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step by searching for data that respectively satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to each retrieval condition class formed in the class unit modifying step; and

a second outputting step of outputting the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step along with information related to the data sorted into the retrieval condition classes in the second retrieval step, the information being respectively associated with the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step.

24. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program that executes, on a computer:

a retrieval item dividing step of dividing retrieval conditions related to a predetermined retrieval item into a plurality of retrieval condition classes;

a first retrieval step of sorting data stored in a storage part into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step by searching for data that respectively satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to each retrieval condition class formed in the retrieval item dividing step;

a first outputting step of outputting the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step along with information related to the data sorted into the retrieval condition classes in the first retrieval step, the information being respectively associated with the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the retrieval item dividing step;

a class unit modifying step of further dividing a selected retrieval condition class into a plurality of retrieval condition classes when a command is input into an input part, the command selecting one of the retrieval condition classes from among the plurality of retrieval condition classes output in the first outputting step;

a second retrieval step of sorting the data that was sorted into the retrieval condition class selected via the input part into the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step by searching for data that respectively satisfies the retrieval conditions corresponding to each retrieval condition class formed in the class unit modifying step; and

a second outputting step of outputting the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step along with information related to the data sorted into the retrieval condition classes in the second retrieval step, the information being respectively associated with the plurality of retrieval condition classes formed in the class unit modifying step.