Image-taking apparatus capable of saving image data files in folder on recording medium

• US 7,358,990 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Morino, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Villecco; John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/287,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.2, 348/231.99, 348/207.1, 348/231.7, 348/231.8, 396/321, 711/117
• US Class Current: 348/231.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• 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 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

An image-taking apparatus preferable for saving image data in folders as desired by a user for each scene or date of image-taking is disclosed. The image-taking apparatus of the present invention comprises an image processing circuit which creates image data files based on output from an image-pickup device, and a filing system which saves created image data files in a folder created on a recording medium with a different file number assigned to each image data file and performs a numbering process in which it assigns file numbers sequentially from an initial number. The filing system creates a new folder on the recording medium in accordance with operation of an operating member by a user and starts the numbering process on image data files to be saved in the new folder from the initial number.

Claims

1. An image-taking apparatus comprising:

an image-pickup device which photoelectrically converts an object image;

an image processing circuit which creates image data files based on output from the image-pickup device;

a filing system which creates a plurality of folders on a recording medium, selectively saves the image data files created by the image processing circuit in one of the plurality of folders with a different file number assigned to each image data file, and performs a numbering process in which it assigns file numbers sequentially from an initial number; and

an operating member which is operated by a user,

wherein the filing system changes a folder for saving image data files to other folder in accordance with operation of the operating member, and starts the numbering process on image data files to be saved in the other folder from the initial number or a number which does not coincide with any file number of the image data file already saved in the other folder, and

wherein the other folder is a folder which has the smallest folder number among the folders having no image data file stored therein and the folders having image data files stored therein fewer than a final number.

2. An image-taking method comprising:

an image-taking step of creating image data files based on output from an image-pickup device which photoelectrically converts an object image; and

a filing step of creating a plurality of folders on a recording medium, selectively saving the image data files created at the image-taking step in one of the plurality of folders with a different file number assigned to each image data file, and performing a numbering process in which it assigns file numbers sequentially from an initial number,

wherein the filing step includes changing a folder for saving image data files to other folder in accordance with operation of a specific operating member and starting the numbering process on image data files to be saved in the other folder from the initial number or a number which does not coincide with any file number of the image data file already saved in the other folder, and

wherein the other folder is a folder which has the smallest folder number among the folders having no image data file stored therein and the folders having image data files stored therein fewer than a final number.