Image display controlling apparatus and method for superimposing images based on attention area and data time information

• US 7,522,195 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohno, Tomoyuki, Yamamoto, Takashi, Yoshikawa, Tomoyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannett; James M
• Application Number:
  US11/734,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.2, 715/838, 715/790, 715/794
• US Class Current: 348/231.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object

Abstract

An image display controlling apparatus includes a memory for storing attention area information and date and time information for each set of image data of a plurality of images to be displayed on an image display. The attention area information is evaluated based on standard date and time information and the stored date and time information, and protection area information is produced for a protection area set within the attention area. Also an adjustment is made for listing and displaying the plurality of the images with a superimpostion controlled based on the protection area information.

Claims

1. An image display controlling apparatus comprising:

a memory means for storing attention area information which indicates an attention area within a part of image data for each of a plurality of image data areas, and date and time information for each image data area,

an evaluation means for evaluating the attention area information of each image data area based on a standard date and time information and the date and time information of each image data area, and setting a protection area within a part of the attention area of each image data area, and

an adjusting means for adjusting a display position of the plurality of the image data areas and an upper and lower relationship of a superimposition without superimposing the protection areas, based on the evaluated result of the attention area information of each image data area, and the protection area of each image data,

wherein the plurality of the image data areas are listed and displayed on a screen in accordance with the adjusted display position and the upper and lower relationship of the superimposition.

2. The image display controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the standard date and time information is the newest date and time information among the date and time information of the plurality of the image data areas.

3. The image display controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the standard date and time information is one of selected date and time information from among the date and time information of the plurality of the image data areas.

4. The image display controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting means is provided for adjusting the upper and lower relationship of the superimposition of the plurality of the image data areas such that a said image data area with the date and time information at a prior time is disposed on the rear side, in accordance with the evaluated result of the attention area information of each image data area evaluated by the evaluating means.

5. The image display controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attention area information is obtained based on a focus position information or a photographing information.

6. The image display controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attention area information is a face area information.

7. An image display controlling method comprising:

a step of storing an attention area information which indicates an attention area within a part of image data for each of a plurality of image data areas, and a date and time information for each image data area,

a step of evaluating the attention area information of each image data area based on a standard date and time information and the date and time information of each image data area,

a step of producing setting a protection area within a part of the attention area of each image data area, and

a step of adjusting a display position of the plurality of the images data areas and an upper and lower relationship of a superimposition without superimposing the protection area, based on the evaluated result of the attention area information of each image data area, and the protection area of each image data area,

wherein the plurality of image data areas are listed and displayed on a screen in accordance with the adjusted display position and the upper and lower relationship of the superimposition.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for implementing a method according to claim 7.