Method and system for sorting images in an image capture unit to ease browsing access

• US 6,538,698 B1
• Filed: 08/28/1998
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VILLECCO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/143,492
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.05, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/14.07, 348/169, 348/231.2, 348/231.5, 348/231.6, 348/252, 358/909.1, 345/778, 345/786, 345/830, 345/831
• US Class Current: 348/333.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Method and system aspects for locating a desired image from a plurality of images stored in an image capture unit are described. In an exemplary method aspect, the method includes sorting the plurality of images in the image capture unit according to a sort criteria. The method further includes displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups on a display interface of the image capture unit. Additionally included is providing browsing access of the displayed, sorted images by group, wherein locating of a desired image occurs.

Claims

1. A method for locating a desired image from a plurality of images stored in an image capture unit, the method comprising:

sorting the plurality of images in the image capture unit according to a sort criteria;

displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups on a display interface of the image capture unit as a stream of single, sorted images with a separation indicator between images of different groups of the one or more image groups;

providing browsing access of the displayed, sorted images by group, wherein locating of a desired image occurs by supporting movement from one image to a next image in response to a single selection of a movement control and from one group to a next group in response to a double select,ion of the movement control.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups further comprises displaying the sorted images as composite images.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing browsing access further comprises supporting movement from one group to a next group by moving from one composite image to a next composite image.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing expansion of a composite image to display a linked set of sorted images for the group represented by the composite image.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sort criteria further comprises category designations.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the category designations further comprise automatic category tags.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the category designations further comprise capture tags.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the category designations further comprise user tags.

9. The method of claim.7 wherein sorting further arranges the images in a chosen order according to the category designations.

10. A system for sorting images to ease browsing access to the images in an image capture unit, the system comprising:

a memory means for storing image data including associated image tags for a plurality of captured images, the associated image tags comprising automatic category tags, capture tags, and user tags;

processing means coupled to the memory means for sorting the image data into category groups according to a chosen sort criteria based on the associated image tags;

a selector means coupled to the processing means for selecting forward/backward movement among the category groups, wherein a single selection of the selector means selects a different image, and a double selection of the selector means selects a different group; and

display means coupled to the processing means and memory means for displaying the sorted image data, wherein browsing of the sorted image data by category groups is achieved.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the display means displays the category groups as separate composite images.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the display means displays the category groups as a single stream of images visually separated into category groups by a group separation indicator.