Electronic image display device and printing system therefor

• US 6,766,332 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsubota, Keiji, Miyazaki, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/978,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 725/105, 386/52, 345/519, 348/64, 361/816, 707/102, 707/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00198 Creation of a soft photo presentation, e.g. digital slide-show
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0051 Card-type connector, e.g. PCMCIA card interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

There is disclosed an album type image display device. The image display device reads out album data, including image data and album manager data for arranging images in a style of an album, from a memory card and displays an electronic album page by page on the basis of the album data. When a second set of electronic images are read out from a second memory card while successive two pages of the electronic album are displayed, additional pages having the second set of electronic images pasted thereon are interposed between the displayed two pages. Upon pressing an automatic play button, the image display device starts displaying respective pages of the electronic album turn by turn in a predetermined sequence. A respective page is displayed for a time that is determined based on a data volume of that page.

Claims

1. An electronic image display device for displaying images in a style of an album, said image display device comprising:

an image input device for reading out first electronic images from a first external memory;

an image processing device for pasting said first electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album;

a display section for displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time;

an internal memory for storing said electronic album containing said electronic images; and

a mode selection device for setting said image display device to a data holding mode, said internal memory holding previously stored first electronic images while second electronic images are read out from a second external memory and written on said internal memory, such that said second electronic images are insertable into said electronic album in said data holding mode.

2. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 1, wherein said image processing device pastes said first and second electronic images on the respective pages in accordance with album manager data, and a combination of said first and second electronic images and said album manager data constitute said electronic album.

3. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 2, wherein if electronic images are read out from an external memory without album manager data, said image processing device pastes said first and second electronic images on said respective pages in accordance with a predetermined format for an electronic album, and produces album manager data according to said predetermined format.

4. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 2, wherein said image display device revises said album manager data on said internal memory each time said electronic album is modified.

5. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 4, wherein if said second electronic images are accompanied by second album manager data when being read out from said second external memory, said album manager data of said previously stored electronic album is revised on the basis of said second album manager data.

6. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

at least one memory slot,

wherein said data input device automatically reads out data from an external memory when said external memory is put in said memory slot.

7. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a data output device for writing data on an external memory as set in said memory slot,

wherein when said revised album manager data is being written on an external memory through said data output device, if said external memory stores album manager data having the same title as said revised album manager data, a warning is given to notify that said stored album manager data will be replaced by said revised album manager data.

8. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 1, wherein said display section is able to display two successive pages of said electronic album at a time.

9. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 8, wherein said image display device comprises a left-hand body and a right-hand body hinged to each other, and said display section comprises left and right display panels formed on said left-hand and right-hand bodies.

10. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 8, wherein said second electronic images are interposed as additional pages between two successive pages which are displayed on said display section when said second electronic images are read out from said second external memory in said data holding mode.

11. An electronic image display device for displaying images in a style of an album, said image display device comprising:

an image processing device for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album;

a display section for displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time; and

a manually operated mode selection device for setting said image display device at an automatic play mode wherein the pages displayed on said display section are automatically turned over in a predetermined sequence, a display time for said respective pages being based on an amount of data on said respective pages.

12. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a device for calculating an individual page display time for a respective page of said electronic album on the basis of a data volume of the respective page, and making the respective page displayed for a time determined based on said individual page display time in said automatic play mode.

13. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 12, wherein said data volume is calculated based on the number of images contained in the respective page.

14. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second electronic images include still images and movies, and a respective one of said movies is automatically played while the page containing said movie is displayed in said automatic play mode, and

wherein play times for those movies contained in the respective page are taken into account as said data volume.

15. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 13, wherein additional data are assigned to selected ones of said first and second electronic images, and said additional data are automatically reproduced while said selected electronic images are displayed in said automatic play mode, and wherein a time for reproducing said additional data on said respective page is taken into account as said data volume.

16. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 11, wherein said display section is able to display two successive pages of said electronic album at a time.

17. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 16, wherein said image display device comprises a left-hand body and a right-hand body which are hinged to each other, and said display section comprises left and right display panels formed on said left-hand and right-hand bodies.

18. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 16, wherein said respective page of said electronic album is displayed for a total display time in said automatic play mode, said total display time is a sum of a page display time for said respective page and a second page display time for a next page or a preceding page.

19. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 11, wherein said image display device includes a computer installed with a program for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album and displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time.

20. An electronic image display device for displaying images in a style of an album, said image display device comprising:

an image processing device for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album;

a display section for displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time;

a device for causing said display section to display characters in addition to selected ones of said electronic images, said characters being previously assigned to said selected electronic images;

a reproduction device for reproducing sounds that are previously recorded in association with selected ones of said electronic images; and

a discrimination device for discriminating one electronic image from others among those displayed concurrently on said display section, such that one of said characters and said sounds relating to said one electronic image are displayed or reproduced.

21. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 20, wherein said display section serves as a touch panel for permitting designating an appropriate electronic image among those displayed on said display section by touching said appropriate electronic image, and

wherein characters or sounds relating to the designated electronic image are displayed or reproduced while the designated electronic image is discriminated by said discrimination device.

22. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 21, wherein said first and second electronic images include movies, and when one of the movies is designated, the designated movie is discriminated by said discrimination device and starts being played.

23. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

a mode selection device for setting said image display device at an automatic play mode wherein the pages are displayed automatically turn by turn in a predetermined sequence, and at least one of said characters, said sounds and said movies are automatically sequentially reproduced when the displayed page includes said movies or those electronic images to which said characters or sounds are assigned.

24. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 20, wherein data representing said characters or sounds is written in association with said electronic images on an external memory, and is read out from said external memory into said image display device along with said electronic images.

25. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

a device for entering characters or sounds in association with an appropriate one of said electronic images while designating said appropriate electronic image on said display section.

26. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 20, wherein said image display device includes a computer installed with a program for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album, displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time, causing said display section to display said characters in addition to said selected electronic images, reproducing said sounds in association with said selected electronic images, and discriminating one electronic image from others among those displayed concurrently on said display section, while said characters or sounds relating to said one electronic image are being displayed or reproduced.

27. An electronic image display device for displaying images in a style of an album, said image display device comprising:

an image processing device for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album;

a display section for displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time;

a manual operation device for designating printing conditions for said electronic images, said printing conditions including at least a page serial number of a designated page, a print area to print from the designated page, and the requisite number of copies to make from the print area; and

a print data setup device that automatically sets up margin conditions for the designated page when an entire area of the designated page is selected as the print area, such that a binding margin is located on an appropriate side of the designated page, and produces print data representative of said printing conditions and said margin conditions.

28. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 27, wherein both-side printing to print two successive pages on opposite sides of a respective recording sheet may be designated as one of said printing conditions through said manual operation device, and if the both-side printing is designated, said print data setup device produces print data, and sets up said margin conditions such that a binding margin of a first page is located back to back with a binding margin of a second page that is to be printed on the opposite side to said first page.

29. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 28, wherein said display section displays two successive pages of said electronic album at a time.

30. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 29, wherein if a page displayed on the left hand of said display section is designated for the both-side printing, a binding margin is located on the right of the designated page on a recording sheet, and a preceding page to said designated page is automatically printed on the opposite side from the designated page, and

wherein if a page displayed on the right hand of said display section is designated for the both-side printing, a binding margin is located on the left of the designated page on a recording sheet, and a next page to said designated page is automatically printed on the opposite side from the designated page.

31. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 28, wherein a binding margin location may be designated as one of said printing conditions through said manually operable device, and if the binding margin location is designated for a selected page concurrently with the both-side printing, said print data setup device selects the preceding page or the next page to said selected page as a page to be printed on the opposite side, depending upon whether the binding margin is located left or right of said selected page.

32. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 27, wherein if a character caption is previously assigned to a selected one of said electronic images, said printing conditions include whether to print said character caption, and a location to print said character caption on the same recording sheet as said selected electronic image.

33. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 27, wherein said display section serves as a touch panel that constitutes a member of said manual operation device, and displays setup menus for setting up said printing conditions.

34. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

at least one output terminal for outputting said print data and album data of said electronic album to a printer or a communication line.

35. An electronic image display device as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

at least one memory slot and a data output device for writing said print data and album data of said electronic album on an external memory as put in said memory slot.

36. A printing system comprising:

an electronic image display device for displaying images in a style of an album; and

a printer for making hard copies of images as displayed on said image display device,

wherein said image display device comprises;

an image processing device for pasting electronic images on respective pages of an electronic album;

a display section for displaying said electronic album at least one page at a time;

a manual operation device for designating printing conditions for said electronic images, said printing conditions including at least a page serial number of a designated page, a print area to print from the designated page, and the requisite number of copies to make from the print area;

a print data setup device that automatically sets up margin conditions for the designated page when an entire area of the designated page is selected as the print area, such that a binding margin is located on an appropriate side of the designated page, and produces print data representative of said printing conditions and said margin conditions; and

a data output device for outputting said print data and album data of said electronic album,

wherein said printer prints an individual image frame or the entire area of the designated page on a recording sheet in accordance with said print data, while providing a binding margin in the case where the entire area of the designated page is printed.

37. A printing system as recited in claim 36, wherein both-side printing to print two successive pages on opposite sides of a respective recording sheet may be designated as one of said printing conditions through said manual operation device, and if the both-side printing is designated, said print data setup device sets up said margin conditions such that a binding margin of a first page is located back to back with a binding margin of a second page that is to be printed on the opposite side to said first page, and wherein said printer prints the respective pages on the opposite sides of respective recording sheets in accordance with said print data.

38. A printing system as recited in claim 36, further comprising:

a data distribution device for selecting a said printer from among a plurality of printers with reference to said print data, and distributing said print data and said album data to said selected printer.

39. A printing system as recited in claim 38, wherein said image display device is connectable to said printer or said data distribution device through a communication line, to output said print data and said album data through said communication line.

40. A printing system as recited in claim 39, further comprising:

at least one memory slot and a data output device for writing said print data and said album data on an external memory as put in said memory slot.

41. A printing system as recited in claim 40, wherein said image display device further comprises a device for designating an output location to output said print data and said album data.

42. A printing system as recited in claim 38, wherein said plurality of printers includes at least a first printer and a second printer that can make a print in a larger size than said first printer, and said data distribution device distributes said print data and said album data to said first printer when an individual image frame of the designated page is designated as said print area, or to said second printer when the entire area of the designated page is designated as said print area.