Image storage system, image storage method and storage medium

• US 6,871,009 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/559,857
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.5/91, 348/207.1, 348/333.11, 348/231.99, 348/231.2, 348/231.1, 386/46, 386/95, 386/124, 386/117, 386/121, 386/120
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention provides an image storage apparatus, which is capable of quickly and easily downloading images from an electronic film, and which is manufactured at low costs. When an instruction is given to copy the images stored in a CF card to an HDD, the image storage apparatus performs a control to receive the images from the CF card and copy them to the HDD without generating any thumbnail images for managing the images copied into the HDD.

Claims

1. An image storage apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving images and thumbnail images for managing the images stored in a storage medium;

storage means for storing the images and thumbnail images received through said receiving means from said storage medium;

thumbnail image generating means for generating thumbnail images of a predetermined size;

thumbnail image size detecting means for detecting a size of the thumbnail images stored in said storage medium;

copy instruction means for giving an instruction to copy the images stored in said storage medium into said storage means; and

control means for executing a control in such a manner as to receive the images from said storage medium through said receiving means and copy the images stored in said storage medium into said storage means when said copy instruction means gives the instruction to copy the images in said storage medium into said storage means;

wherein if the size of the thumbnail images in said storage medium corresponds to the predetermined size, said control means executes a control in such a manner as to receive the thumbnail images from said storage medium through said receiving means and copy the received thumbnail images into said storage means as management thumbnail images for the images copied into said storage means.

2. An image storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising erasing means for erasing images from said storage medium after the images in said storage medium are copied into said storage means.

3. An image storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying images stored in said storage means.

4. An image storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said copy instruction means has a switch that can be operated by a user, and when said switch is operated, said copy instruction means outputs a signal indicative of the copy instruction to said control means.

5. An image storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said copy instruction means comprises a remote control unit having a copy instruction button, and when said button is operated, said copy instruction means outputs a signal indicative of the copy instruction to said control means.

6. An image storage method comprising the steps of:

receiving images and thumbnail images stored in a storage medium from said storage medium;

detecting a size of the thumbnail images stored in said storage medium;

executing a control in such a manner as to receive the images from said storage medium and copy the received images into storage means; and

if the size of the thumbnail images in said storage medium corresponds to a predetermined size, executing a control in such a manner as to receive the thumbnail images from said storage medium and copy the received thumbnail images into said storage means as thumbnail images for managing the images copied into said storage means.

7. An image storage method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

erasing the images from said storage medium after receiving the images in said storage medium and copying the received images into said storage means.

8. An image storage method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

displaying the images copied into said storage means.