IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD, IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS

• US 20090167783A1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujinaga, Seiya
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

Data elements are extracted from data elements stored in a storage medium in accordance with two conditions and grouped into first and second groups. The data elements in the first group and those in the second group are displayed in regions distinguished from each other on a screen. In response to user manipulation, the screen is switched to a screen that allows searching data elements in the first or second group displayed in a region corresponding to the manipulation. In searching many diverse data elements stored in a data storage, the user can select a group from groups of data elements extracted by different conditions and search the data elements in the selected group. Accordingly, the user can search data elements more readily even when many diverse data elements are stored in the storage medium.

Claims

1. An image display method of displaying a plurality of images stored in a storage medium on a display screen, the image display method comprising:

extracting one or more images from the plurality of images stored in the storage medium;

displaying an extracted image grouped in a first group and an extracted image grouped in a second group in regions distinguished from each other, wherein the displaying further includes continuously arranging the image in the first group and the image in the second group and displaying the arranged images; and

displaying at least one of the images on the display screen, the at least one of the images belonging to one of the first and second groups, the one of the first and second groups being displayed in a region specified by manipulation by a user.

2. The image display method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the image in the first group and the image in the second group in regions having different background colors; and

displaying the at least one of the images in the one of the first and second groups being displayed in the region specified by the manipulation by the user with a background color corresponding to the one of the first and second groups.

3. The image display method according to claim 1, further comprising:

arranging continuously the image in the first group and the image in the second group in a circular shape and displaying the arranged images; and

displaying at least one of the images, the at least one of the images belonging to one of the first and second groups, the one of the first and second groups being displayed in a region corresponding to a direction of manipulation of a circular manipulating portion by the user.

4. The image display method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a condition for the first and second groups in response to manipulation by the user,

wherein the extracting includes extracting the images according to the set condition.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable process, the computer-executable process causing a computer to implement the method of claim 1.

6. An image display apparatus for displaying a plurality of images stored in a storage medium on a display screen, the image display apparatus comprising:

a manipulating portion capable of being manipulated by a user;

an extracting unit configured to extract one or more images from the plurality of images stored in the storage medium;

a first display controlling unit configured to continuously arrange an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a first group and an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a second group in regions distinguished from each other and to display the arranged images; and

a second display controlling unit configured to display at least one of the images on the display screen, the at least one of the images belonging to one of the first and second groups, the one of the first and second groups being displayed in a region specified by manipulation of the manipulating portion.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

an attachment portion on which an external storage medium is attachable,

wherein the extracting unit is configured to read an image from the external storage medium attached on the attachment portion.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the external storage medium is a memory card.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the manipulating portion is a touch panel.

10. An image recording apparatus for displaying a plurality of images stored in a storage medium on a display screen, the image recording apparatus comprising:

a recording portion configured to record an image on a recording sheet;

a manipulating portion capable of being manipulated by a user;

a displaying portion configured to display an image;

an extracting unit configured to extract one or more images from the plurality of images stored in the storage medium;

a first display controlling unit configured to continuously arrange an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a first group and an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a second group in regions distinguished from each other and to display the arranged images; and

a second display controlling unit configured to display at least one of the images on the display screen, the at least one of the images belonging to one of the first and second groups, the one of the first and second groups being displayed in a region specified by manipulation of the manipulating portion.

11. An image pickup apparatus for displaying a plurality of images stored in a storage medium on a display screen, the image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup portion configured to obtain an image;

a manipulating portion capable of being manipulated by a user;

a displaying portion configured to display an image;

an extracting unit configured to extract one or more images from the plurality of images stored in the storage medium;

a first display controlling unit configured to continuously arrange an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a first group and an image extracted by the extracting unit and grouped in a second group in regions distinguished from each other and to display the arranged images; and

a second display controlling unit configured to display at least one of the images on the display screen, the at least one of the images belonging to one of the first and second groups, the one of the first and second groups being displayed in a region specified by manipulation of the manipulating portion.