Image data reproducing apparatus, method of controlling same and control program therefor

Abstract

It is so arranged that the user of a device such as a digital still camera can ascertain the transfer history of an image file that has been transferred to the camera. An image file is obtained by “Mr. A” shooting a subject using a digital still camera, whereupon information concerning the owner of the camera is read and “Mr. A” is written to a photographer/transferor history table as the photographer of the image file. The table is placed in the header recording area of the image file. If the image file is transferred to a “Miss B”, the table is read out of the image file and “Miss B” is written to the table as the transferor of the image file. The table thus updated is placed in the header recording area of the image file. One can determine the photographer and transferor of the image file by referring to the table.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a back view of a digital still camera;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of the digital still camera;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of owner information;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the file structure of an image file;

FIG. 5 illustrates the manner in which owner's data is being recorded;

FIG. 6 illustrates the directory structure of a memory card;

FIG. 7 illustrates the manner in which an image file is transferred;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating processing for generating a transfer history;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating reproduction processing;

FIGS. 10 to 13 illustrate examples of images displayed on a display screen; and

FIG. 14 illustrates a transition of images displayed on a display screen.

Claims

1. An image reproducing apparatus comprising: a data input device for inputting image data, photographer data representing a photographer who has shot the image of a subject represented by the image data, and transfer history data representing a history of transferors indicative of owners of image reproducing apparatuses to which the image data has already been input;a display device for displaying on a display screen the image of the subject represented by the image data that has been input from said data input device;an owner's-data storage device for storing owner's data;a transfer history data updating device for executing update processing whereby owner's data that has been stored in said owner's-data storage device is added to the transfer history data; andan output device for outputting the image data and photographer data that has been input from said data input device and transferor history data that has been subjected to update processing by said transfer history data updating device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a classifying device for classifying, by the photographer or by the transferor, the image data that has been input from said data input device; anda display control device for controlling said display device in such a manner that the image of a subject represented by image data that has been classified by said classifying device is displayed on the display screen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display control device for controlling said display device in such a manner that the transferor history represented by the transfer history data that has been input from said data input device is displayed on the display screen.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an owner's-data input device for inputting owner's data; wherein said owner's-data storage device stores owner's data that has been input from said owner's-data input device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display control device for controlling said display device in such a manner that owner information represented by owner's data that has been stored in said owner's-data storage device is displayed on the display screen.

6. A method of controlling an image reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of: inputting image data, photographer data representing a photographer who has shot the image of a subject represented by the image data, and transfer history data representing a history of transferors indicative of owners of image reproducing apparatuses to which the image data has already been input;displaying on a display screen the image of the subject represented by the image data that has been input;storing owner's data in advance;executing update processing whereby owner's data that has been stored is added to the transfer history data; andoutputting the image data and photographer data that has been input and transferor history data that has been subjected to update processing.

7. A program for controlling an image reproducing apparatus by the following processing steps: a step of inputting image data, photographer data representing a photographer who has shot the image of a subject represented by the image data, and transfer history data representing a history of transferors indicative of owners of image reproducing apparatuses to which the image data has already been input;a step of displaying on a display screen the image of the subject represented by the image data that has been input;a step of storing owner's data in advance;a step of executing update processing whereby owner's data that has been stored is added to the transfer history data; anda step of outputting the image data and photographer data that has been input and transferor history data that has been subjected to update processing.