IMAGE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20100226594A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikawa, Chiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/309
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

A RAW image, a parameter set used in a development process for the RAW image data, and attribute information of the parameter set are obtained, and a development processing apparatus (or development processing software) to be used for development of the RAW image is determined. The attribute information of the parameter set includes information which identifies a development processing apparatus (or development processing software) that performed development. Based on this information, an apparatus or software which is to perform a development process is searched for. The RAW image and development process parameters are transmitted to the detected development processing apparatus or software.

Claims

1. An image management apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain RAW image data and attribute information on a development process for the RAW image data, the attribute information including a parameter set used in the development process performed for the RAW image data, and information capable of identifying a developing unit which performed the development process using the parameter set of the development process;

a search unit configured to search, based on the information which is contained in the attribute information and can identify a developing unit, for a developing unit which is to perform a development process for the RAW image data; and

a notifying unit configured to notify the developing unit detected by said search unit of the parameter set and the RAW image data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine, based on the attribute information obtained by said obtaining unit, a parameter set to be used in a development process for the RAW image data among a plurality of parameter sets associated with the RAW image data,

wherein said search unit searches, based on the information capable of identifying a developing unit corresponding to the parameter set determined by said determination unit, for a developing unit which is to perform a development process for the RAW image data obtained by said obtaining unit, and

said notifying unit notifies the parameter set determined by said determination unit and the RAW image data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a table which holds identification information for identifying the developing unit and a method of access to the developing unit in association with each other,

wherein the information capable of identifying a developing unit is the identification information,

said search unit searches for a developing unit which is to perform a development process by looking up the table using the identification information included in the attribute information, and

said notifying unit makes the notification according to the access method associated with the detected developing unit in the table.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a table which holds identification information for identifying the developing unit and a method of access to the developing unit in association with each other,

wherein the information capable of identifying a developing unit is the access method,

said search unit searches for developing unit which is to perform a development process by looking up the table based on the access method included in the attribute information, and

said notifying unit makes the notification according to the access method.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the RAW image data is associated with at least one parameter set and at least one attribute information,

the image management apparatus further comprises a selection unit configured to select one parameter set from said at least one parameter set obtained by said obtaining unit, and

said search unit searches a table for developing unit based on the information which is included in the attribute information corresponding to the parameter set selected by said selection unit and can identify developing unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the attribute information includes, as information on the development process, date and/or time information indicating a date and/or time when the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information was created or updated, and

said selection unit selects the parameter set based on the date and/or time information included in the attribute information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the attribute information includes, as information on the development process, author information indicating an author who created or updated the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information, and

said selection unit selects the parameter set based on the author information included in the attribute information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an input unit configured to input the author information,

wherein said selection unit selects the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information including author information which matches the author information input to said input unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the attribute information includes, as information on the development process, intended viewer information indicating an intended viewer as a result of performing a development process using the parameter set for the RAW image data associated with the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information, and

said selection unit selects the parameter set based on the intended viewer information included in the attribute information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an input unit configured to input the intended viewer information,

wherein said selection unit selects the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information including intended viewer information which matches the intended viewer information input to said input unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the attribute information includes, as information on the development process, information indicating a level of preference by an author as a result of performing a development process by the author using the parameter set for the RAW image data associated with the parameter set corresponding to the attribute information, and

said selection unit selects the parameter set based on information which is included in the attribute information and indicates a level of preference.

12. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a setting unit configured to set a priority order for pieces of information included in the attribute information,

wherein said selection unit selects said one parameter set based on the priority order of the pieces of information.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said search unit searches for developing unit matching the identification information by looking up the table based on the identification information included in the attribute information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, by further comprising a developing unit selection unit configured to select one developing unit from a plurality of developing unit when said search unit detects the plurality of developing units,

wherein said developing unit selection unit selects said one developing unit based on a property of said developing unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the property includes at least one of a version of the developing unit, whether an external device has the developing unit, and an estimated output time estimated to be necessary to obtain an output image by performing a development process by the developing unit for RAW image data using a parameter set.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as an image management apparatus defined in claim 1 when the computer executes the program.

16. An image management method for causing a computer to execute

an obtaining step of obtaining RAW image data and attribute information on a development process for the RAW image data, the attribute information including a parameter set used in a development process performed for the RAW image data, and information capable of identifying a developing unit which performed the development process using the parameter set,

a search step of searching, based on the information which is contained in the attribute information and can identify developing unit, for developing unit which is to perform a development process for the RAW image data, and

a notifying step of notifying the developing unit detected in the search step of the parameter set and the RAW image data.