Display apparatus and methods, and recording medium for controlling same

• US 6,938,215 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Mayumi, Nakayama, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista, X. L.
• Application Number:
  US10/106,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500.1, 715/716, 715/727, 715/764, 715/781, 715/810, 715/835, 715/838, 715/839, 715/840, 715/846, 715/853, 715/854, 715/972, 715/977, 348/231, 348/232, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/341, 358/906, 358/909.1, 345/716, 345/727, 345/810, 345/835, 345/838, 345/839, 345/840, 345/846, 345/853, 345/854, 345/972, 345/977
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

In order to enable a user to obtain information about a large number of recorded images, a display apparatus includes a browser window that can be switched between two modes. In the first mode, a first screen, referred to as an Icon Browser Screen, displays a list of files (that contain image data and/or additional data such as sound data and overlay image data) that are recorded in a recording apparatus such as, e.g., an electronic camera. In the second mode, a second screen, referred to as a Thumbnail Image Browser Screen, displays a series of thumbnail images of the images recorded in the recording apparatus. A thumbnail check box can be selected to switch between the two screens.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

means for coupling the display apparatus to a recording device that stores a plurality of image files; and

image generation means for generating a display of information about the plurality of image files, the image generation means being selectively switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode, when in the first display mode the image generation means generating a display of thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the image files stored in the recording device, and when in the second display mode the image generation means generating a display of at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device, wherein the first and second display modes are not selected or displayed simultaneously.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files is simultaneously displayed within the generated thumbnail images when in the first display mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when in the second display mode, the image generation means also generates icons that indicate sound information associated with the plurality of image files.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generation means operates in the second display mode as an initial screen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generation means is initialized in the display mode in which the image generation means was previously used.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the thumbnail images generated in the first display mode corresponds to image information of a different image file, and the image generation means generates a list of at least one of file names and icons when in the second display mode, each file name and icon corresponding to a different one of the image files.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second display mode displays the file names.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second display mode also displays at least one icon representing each file.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second display mode displays at least one icon representing each image file.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second display mode displays the file names.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second display mode also displays at least one icon representing each image file.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second display mode displays an icon representing each image file.

13. A display apparatus comprising:

an interface that is couplable to a recording device that stores a plurality of image files; and

a controller that is selectively operable in first and second display modes to generate first and second display screens, respectively, the first display screen including a display of thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the image files stored in the recording device, the second display screen including a display of at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device, wherein the first and second display modes are not selected simultaneously and the first and second display screens are not displayed simultaneously.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller generates a thumbnail image for each of the image files stored in the recording device in the first display screen, and generates a list of at least one of the file names and icons, one for each of the image files stored in the recording device, in the second display screen.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second display screen displays a print-out of the file name for each of the image files.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second display screen also displays at least one icon representing each image file.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second display screen displays at least one icon representing each image file.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller also displays icons in the first display screen and in the second display screen, the icons representing data associated with the image files.

19. A method of using a display apparatus to display information about files stored in a recording device coupled to the display apparatus, comprising the steps of:

generating a first display that includes thumbnail images corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device when the display apparatus is in a first display mode; and

generating a second display when the display apparatus is in a second display mode, the second display including at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device, wherein the first and second display modes are not selected simultaneously and the first and second displays are not displayed simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the generated first display includes a plurality of the thumbnail images, each corresponding to a different image file stored in the recording device, and the generated second display includes a list of at least one of file names and icons, each corresponding to a different one of the image files stored in the recording device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second display includes a print-out of the corresponding file name.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second display includes at least one icon representing each image file.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the recording device is an electronic camera.

24. A recording medium that stores a control program for use by a display apparatus that is couplable to a recording device that stores a plurality of image files, the control program including instructions for:

generating a first display that includes thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the image files stored in the recording device; and

generating a second display that includes at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device, wherein the first and second displays are not displayed simultaneously.

25. The recording medium of claim 24, wherein the control program also includes instructions for displaying at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the image file in the first display.

26. The recording medium of claim 24, wherein the control program also includes instructions for displaying icons that indicate sound information associated with the image file.

27. The recording medium of claim 24, wherein the control program includes instructions for displaying the second display as an initial screen.

28. The recording medium of claim 24, wherein the control program includes instructions for displaying as an initial screen the last display among the first display and second display.

29. A display apparatus comprising:

means for coupling the display apparatus to a recording device that stores a plurality of image files; and

image generation means for generating a display of information about the plurality of image files, the image generation means being selectively switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode, when in the first display mode the image generation means generating a display of thumbnail images corresponding to a plurality of the image files stored in the recording device, and when in the second display mode the image generation means generating a display of at least one of file names and icons corresponding to the plurality of image files stored in the recording device, wherein the first and second display modes are not selected or displayed simultaneously; and

wherein when in at least one of the first display mode and the second display mode, the image generation means also generates an icon in connection with at least one image file among the plurality of image files, the icon indicating the existence of information associated with the at least one image file which has been recorded separately from the at least one image file.