Information processing apparatus and method as well as providing medium

• US 6,400,375 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okudaira, Koushin
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/384,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 345/127, 345/129, 345/130, 345/132, 345/339, 345/342, 345/668, 345/669, 345/667, 345/657
• US Class Current: 345/668
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method as well as a providing medium which allow thumbnail images to be displayed in an arbitrary size designated by a user thereby to allow efficient management of image data. A setting inputting section detects and outputs parameters set by a user to an arithmetic section. The arithmetic section calculates one of a horizontal number or a vertical number of thumbnail images to be displayed at a time in an image display region and outputs the calculated number to a decision section. The decision section rounds the value inputted from the arithmetic section into an integer based on a predetermined criterion to obtain an integral value. The decision section further determines a width and a height for a thumbnail image using the integral value and outputs the values to a display control section. The display control section reads out image data stored in a storage section, reduces images of the image data so that each of the images may remain in a thumbnail image having the width and the height inputted from the decision section and causes the images to be displayed in the image display region.

Claims

1. A plural image displaying method, comprising the steps of:

setting an aspect ratio for a plurality of images;

setting an aspect ratio of a region in which the plurality of images should be displayed;

detecting the number of the images to be displayed in the region;

determining, from the aspect ratio for the plurality of images, the aspect ratio of the region and the number of the images, a size of the images when the images should be displayed in the region; and

displaying the plurality of images with the determined size in the region.

2. A plural image displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio for the plurality of images is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of each of the plurality of images.

3. A plural image displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed.

4. A plural image displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the number of the images to be displayed in the region is the number of image files included in a predetermined folder.

5. A plural image displaying method according to claim 3, wherein the vertical length and the horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed are individually variable.

6. A plural image displaying apparatus, comprising:

a display screen;

means for providing information of a plurality of images to be displayed on said display screen;

means for setting an aspect ratio for the plurality of images;

means for setting an aspect ratio of a region of said display screen in which the plurality of images should be displayed;

means for detecting the number of the images to be displayed in the region;

means for determining, from the aspect ratio for the plurality of images, the aspect ratio of the region and the number of the images, a size of the images when the images should be displayed in the region; and

control means for controlling said display screen to display the plurality of images with the determined size in the region.

7. A plural image displaying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the aspect ratio for the plurality of images is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of each of the plurality of images.

8. A plural image displaying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the aspect ratio of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed.

9. A plural image displaying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the number of the images to be displayed in the region is the number of image files included in a predetermined folder.

10. A plural image displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vertical length and the horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed are individually variable.

11. A providing medium which provides a computer-readable program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute a process comprising the steps of:

setting an aspect ratio for a plurality of images;

setting an aspect ratio of a region in which the plurality of images should be displayed;

detecting the number of the images to be displayed in the region;

determining, from the aspect ratio for the plurality of images, the aspect ratio of the region and the number of the images, a size of the images when the images should be displayed in the region; and

displaying the plurality of images with the determined size in the region.

12. A providing medium according to claim 11, wherein the aspect ratio for the plurality of images is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of each of the plurality of images.

13. A providing medium according to claim 11, wherein the aspect ratio of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed is determined from a vertical length and a horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed.

14. A providing medium according to claim 11, wherein the number of the images to be displayed in the region is the number of image files included in a predetermined folder.

15. A providing medium according to claim 13, wherein the vertical length and the horizontal length of the region in which the plurality of images should be displayed are individually variable.