Image reproducing apparatus, methods, and recording media for reproducing and displaying images while switching images

• US 8,930,816 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Matsushima, Mika, Ishii, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US12/749,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20100275140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/730
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

An image reproducing apparatus sets event information including date of an event and retrieves a related image from images stored in a storing device on the basis of the event information. The image reproducing apparatus calculates an event waiting period from present date to the date of the event, determines display ratio for inserting the retrieved related image into images to be reproduced on the basis of the event waiting period, and displays an event related image group obtained by inserting the related image into the images to be reproduced at the display ratio.

Claims

1. An image reproducing apparatus for reproducing and displaying images while switching the images, comprising:

an event information setting device configured to set event information including date of an event;

a retrieving device configured to retrieve a related image from images stored in a storing device on the basis of the event information set by the event information setting device;

a period calculating device configured to calculate an event waiting period for the related image from present date to date of the event;

a display ratio determining device configured to determine a display ratio for inserting the related image retrieved by the retrieving device into images to be reproduced on the basis of the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device; and

a display control device configured to display an event related image group obtained by inserting the related image into the images to be reproduced at the display ratio determined by the display ratio determining device,

wherein the display ratio determining device increases the number of related images displayed out of the number of images to be reproduced as the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device becomes shorter.

2. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display ratio determining device increases the display ratio of the related image as the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device becomes shorter.

3. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display ratio determining device increases display time of the related image out of display time of the images to be reproduced as the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device becomes shorter.

4. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the retrieving device retrieves the related image by collating the event information set by the event information setting device with image attachment information which is stored so as to be associated with an image.

5. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the retrieving device retrieves related information stored in the storing device on the basis of the event information, and

the display control device displays the related information simultaneously with display of the event related image group.

6. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the event is made of a plurality of events, and

the display ratio determining device compares event waiting periods of the plurality of events, and increases the display ratio of event related images in order from the shortest event waiting period.

7. An image reproducing method of reproducing images while switching the images, comprising:

an event information setting step of setting event information including date of an event;

a retrieving step of retrieving a related image from a stored image on the basis of the event information set in the event information setting step;

a period calculating step of calculating an event waiting period for the related image from present date to date of the event;

a display ratio determining step of determining a display ratio for inserting the retrieved related image into images to be reproduced on the basis of the event waiting period calculated in the period calculating step; and

a display control step of displaying an event related image group obtained by inserting the related image into the images to be reproduced at the display ratio,

wherein the display ratio determining step comprises increasing the number of related images displayed out of the number of images to be reproduced as the event waiting period calculated in the period calculating step becomes shorter.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a program to be performed, the program making a computer function as:

an image reproducing device configured to reproduce images while switching the images;

an event information setting device configured to set event information including date of an event;

a retrieving device configured to retrieve a related image from an image stored in a storing device on the basis of the event information set by the event information setting device;

a period calculating device configured to calculate an event waiting period for the related image from present date to date of the event;

a display ratio determining device configured to determine a display ratio for inserting the related image retrieved by the retrieving device into images to be reproduced on the basis of the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device; and

a display control device configured to display an event related image group obtained by inserting the related image into the images to be reproduced at the display ratio,

wherein the display ratio determining device increases the number of related images displayed out of the number of images to be reproduced as the event waiting period calculated by the period calculating device becomes shorter.