Reviewing and navigating among images on an image capture unit using a thumbnail position memory bar

• US 6,700,612 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2000
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Pavley, John F., Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US09/535,144
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 340/207.99, 340/231.99, 340/231.3, 340/333.01, 340/333.02, 340/333.05, 340/333.11, 340/333.12, 345/668, 345/667, 386/107, 386/117
• US Class Current: 348/333.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

A method for reviewing and navigating among stored images on an image capture unit having a display, wherein each of the stored images is represented by a thumbnail image is disclosed. The method begins by displaying a page of thumbnail images on a display in which when the page is full of thumbnails, the thumbnails are arranged in an N×M array. A memory bar is displayed adjacent to the page on the display, wherein the memory bar indicates a position of the displayed page in relation to the other pages of stored images. The user may navigate among the thumbnail images in the displayed page via the up, down, right and left buttons, where a highlight area indicates a location of a currently selected thumbnail. The user may also navigate from the displayed page to other pages via up, down, right and left buttons, wherein the displayed page is replaced with a second page. In response, the memory bar is updated to indicate a position of the second page in relation to the other pages.

Claims

1. A method for reviewing and navigating among stored images on an image capture unit having a display, wherein each of the stored images is represented by a thumbnail image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a page of thumbnail images on a display in which when the page is full of thumbnails, all the thumbnails are arranged in an N×

M array;

(b) displaying a memory bar adjacent to the page on the display, wherein the memory bar indicates a position of the displayed page in relation to the other pages of stored images;

(c) allowing the user to navigate among the thumbnail images in the displayed page via the up, down, right and left buttons, where a highlight area indicates a location of a currently selected thumbnail;

(d) allowing the user to navigate from the displayed page to other pages via up, down, right and left buttons, wherein the displayed page is replaced with a second page; and

(e) updating the memory bar to indicate a position of the second page in relation to the other pages.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

(i) on the memory bar, indicating the location of the currently selected thumbnail within the displayed page.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(i) providing the memory bar with a series of min-pages representing pages, where each mini-page includes an N×

M array of graphical elements representing thumbnail positions.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein step (e) further includes the step of:

(i) performing one or more operations on the selected thumbnail, including playing the image, deleting the image, editing the image, and displaying information about the image.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step (c) further includes the steps of:

(ii) allowing the user navigate one thumbnail at a time with one press of the buttons.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(ii) displaying the memory bar along a vertical edge of the display and displaying vertically aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with vertical navigation buttons.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (d) further includes the step of:

(i) allowing the user to navigate one page at a time with a double press of either the up or down buttons.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (d) further includes the step of:

(ii) allowing the user to navigate to first page from any other page with a triple press of the up button; and

(iii) allowing the user to navigate to a last page from any other page with a triple press of the down button.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

(ii) displaying the memory bar along a horizontal edge of the display and displaying horizontally aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with horizontal navigation buttons.

10. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for reviewing and navigating among stored images on an image capture unit having a display, wherein each of the stored images is represented by a thumbnail image, the program instructions for:

(a) displaying a page of thumbnail images on a display in which when the page is full of thumbnails, all the thumbnails are arranged in an N×

M array;

(b) displaying a memory bar adjacent to the page on the display, wherein the memory bar indicates a position of the displayed page in relation to the other pages of stored images;

(c) allowing the user to navigate among the thumbnail images in the displayed page via the up, down, right and left buttons, where a highlight area indicates a location of a currently selected thumbnail;

(d) allowing the user to navigate from the displayed page to other pages via up, down, right and left buttons, wherein the displayed page is replaced with a second page; and

(e) updating the memory bar to indicate a position of the second page in relation to the other pages.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein instruction (c) further includes the instruction of:

(i) on the memory bar, indicating the location of the currently selected thumbnail within the displayed page.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

(i) providing the memory bar with a series of min-pages representing pages, where each mini-page includes an N×

M array of graphical elements representing thumbnail positions.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein instruction (e) further includes the instruction of:

(i) performing one or more operations on the selected thumbnail, including playing the image, deleting the image, editing the image, and displaying information about the image.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein instruction (c) further includes the instruction of:

(ii) allowing the user navigate one thumbnail at a time with one press of the buttons.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

(ii) displaying the memory bar along a vertical edge of the display and displaying vertically aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with vertical navigation buttons.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein instruction (d) further includes the instruction of:

(i) allowing the user to navigate one page a time with a double press of either the up or down buttons.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein instruction (d) further includes the instruction of:

(ii) allowing the user to navigate to first page from any other page with a triple press of the up button; and

(iii) allowing the user to navigate to a last page from any other page with a triple press of the down button.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein instruction (b) further includes the instruction of:

(ii) displaying the memory bar along a horizontal edge of the display and displaying horizontally aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with horizontal navigation buttons.

19. A image capture unit comprising:

a memory for storing digital images, wherein each of the digital images is represented by a thumbnail;

a four-way navigation control having left, right, up, and down buttons;

a display; and

a processor for controlling operation of the image capture unit by;

displaying a page of thumbnail images on the display for review by a user, wherein when the page is full of thumbnails, all the thumbnails are arranged in an N×

M array,

displaying a memory bar adjacent to the page on the display, wherein the memory bar indicates a position of the displayed page in relation to the other pages of stored images,

highlighting a location of a currently selected thumbnail on the displayed page in response to the user pressing the up, down, right and left buttons to navigate among the thumbnail images,

on the memory bar, indicating the location of the currently selected thumbnail within the displayed page;

in response to the user navigating from the displayed page to other pages via up, down, right and left buttons, replacing the displayed page with a second page, and

updating the memory bar to indicate a position of the second page in relation to the other pages.

20. The image capture unit of claim 19 wherein the memory bar includes a series of min-pages representing pages, where each mini-page includes an N×

M array of graphical elements representing thumbnail positions.

21. The image capture unit of claim 20 wherein in response to input by the user, the processor performs one or more operations on the selected thumbnail, including playing the image, deleting the image, editing the image, and displaying information about the image.

22. The image capture unit of claim 20 wherein the user is allowed to navigate one thumbnail at a time with one press of the buttons.

23. The image capture unit of claim 22 wherein the memory bar is displayed along a vertical edge of the display and displaying vertically aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with vertical navigation buttons.

24. The image capture unit of claim 23 wherein the user is allowed to navigate one page at a time with a double press of either the up or down buttons.

25. The image capture unit of claim 24 wherein the user is allowed to navigate to first page from any other page with a triple press of the up button and to navigate to a last page from any other page with a triple press of the down button.

26. The image capture unit of claim 22 wherein the memory bar is displayed along a horizontal edge of the display and displaying horizontally aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with horizontal navigation buttons.

27. A method for reviewing and navigating among stored images on an image capture unit having a display, wherein each of the stored images is represented by a thumbnail image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a page of a sequence of pages, wherein each of the pages is capable of displaying an array of N×

M images;

(b) allowing a user to navigate among images within the displayed page and to navigate between pages;

(c) highlighting each image on the page as a user navigates among the images within the displayed page, wherein the highlighted image is a currently selected image;

(d) displaying a memory bar adjacent to an edge of the display, wherein the memory bar functions to indicate a position of the displayed page in relation to other pages, and to indicate the position of the currently selected image within the displayed page by,

(i) displaying a series of mini-pages representing the pages, where each mini-page includes an N×

M array of elements representing image positions within the corresponding page,

(ii) highlighting the mini-page in the memory bar corresponding to the displayed page as the user navigates from page to page, and

(iii) highlighting the element within the mini-page corresponding to the currently selected image within the displayed page.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

(i) displaying the images as thumbnail images.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

(ii) allowing the user to choose different display formats for the pages.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein step (b) further includes thee step of:

(i) providing an Navigation button having a left, right, up, and down buttons.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

(i) allowing the user navigate one thumbnail at a time with one press of the navigation buttons.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein step (d) further includes the step of:

(i) displaying the memory bar along a vertical edge of the display and displaying vertically aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with vertical navigation buttons.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

(ii) allowing the user to navigate one page at a time with a double press of either the up or down buttons.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

(iv) allowing the user to navigate to first page from any other page with a triple press of the up button; and

(v) allowing the user to navigate to a last page from any other page with a triple press of the down button.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein step (d) further includes the step of:

(ii) displaying the memory bar along a horizontal edge of the display and displaying horizontally aligned min-pages, whereby the user navigates between the pages with horizontal navigation buttons.