Patent Application
20190096368
The present invention relates to an image display device, an image list display method, and an image list display program, which are preferable to display a list of image files.
Most of images shot with digital cameras and image devices of camera-embedded mobile phones which have been spread recently are produced in formats based on an image file format standard for digital still cameras (hereinafter, referred to as Exif (a registered trademark) (EXchangeable Image File format)) (for example, disclosed in Patent Literature 1).
Image files in the Exif format include camera information and thumbnail image data as well as main image data. Compared to main image data in a high density of pixels, thumbnail image data with a small data size can be processed at high speed. Thus, it is possible to speedily display a list of images by use of thumbnail mages included in image files in the Exif format.
However, thumbnail images are defined in an aspect ratio “4:3” and defined by an image size “160×120” in comparison with main images which may include vertical images and horizontal images as well as images having various aspect ratios (aspect ratios) in image files in the Exif format. Thumbnail images store main images which are reduced in size but with maintaining their aspect ratios. Thus, blanks may be formed in displayed parts when an image list is produced using thumbnail images included in image files in the Exif format.
This drawback will be described in detail with reference to
Considering an image list which is produced using thumbnail images described in image files in the Exif format, it is possible to display a list using thumbnail images precluding blanks. However, as shown in
In particular, mobile phones using images in various applications, such as applications for displaying standby screens or icons, may suffer from a large number of images having different sizes and different aspect ratios in comparison with generally-available digital cameras. Therefore, an image list using thumbnail images may describe mixture of images having different sizes so as to undergo degradation of visibility.
Additionally, Patent Literatures 2 and 3 disclose display devices which are designed to display square-shaped images in an image list, thus improving visibility of images. Thus, it is possible to improve visibility by displaying square-shaped images in an image list.
As described above, thumbnail images are defined in size and in aspect ratios according to standards while main images are produced with various sizes and various aspect ratios in image files in the Exif format. Thus, an image list using thumbnail images, included in image files in the Exif format, additionally includes blanks around images, which in turn degrades visibility.
The display devices disclosed in Patent Literatures 2 and 3 are designed to produce square-shaped images, which are displayed in a list form, by use of main images instead of thumbnail images in the Exif format. Every time displaying a list, the display devices extract images from main images about a focus position in shooting and subsequently resize them in a list-displayed size. Thus, the display devices of Patent Literatures 2 and 3, which handle main images with a large data size, should bear a high processing load, thus causing a reduction of processing speed. Additionally, the display devices need a large capacity of memory to expand main images, which in turn causes problems such as a delay of processing and difficulty in editing due to a shortage of memory.
Considering the foregoing problems, the present invention realizes an object to provide an image display device, an image list display method, and an image list display program, implementing a function to display an image list stored therein with good visibility and to display an image list at high speed.
To solve the above problem, an image display device of the present invention includes a memory which stores an image file including a main image and a thumbnail image; an image file extraction part which reads the image file from the memory so as to extract the thumbnail image included in the read image file; a square-shaped image generation part which generates a square-shaped displayed image having a predetermined size based on the thumbnail image included in the image file; and a display part which displays the square-shaped displayed image in an image list.
An image list display method of the present invention is an image list display method which generates an image list using an image file including a main image and a thumbnail image, wherein it extracts the thumbnail image included in the image file, generates a square-shaped displayed image having a predetermined size based on the thumbnail image included in the image file, and displays the square-shaped displayed image in the image list.
An image list display program of the present invention is an image list display program which generates an image list using an image file including a main image and a thumbnail image, wherein it includes a step of extracting the thumbnail image included in the image file, a step of generating a square-shaped displayed image having a predetermined size based on the thumbnail image included in the image file, and a step of displaying the square-shaped displayed image in the image list.
The present invention is designed to display an image list in which square-shaped images, precluding blanks, with the same size are aligned in a displayed area, thus improving visibility. Additionally, the present invention can perform high-speed processing because displayed images are produced using thumbnail image data, having the predetermined size and the predetermined aspect ratio, with a small data size.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.
As the image device 21, it is possible to use a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor. A subject image shot with the image device 21 is digitized, subjected to compressive coding according to the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) scheme under control of the controller 22, and then stored in the memory 30 as an image file in the Exif format.
The controller 22 is configured of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to control the entirety of a device. The controller 22 is associated with the memory 30 and the display 31. As described above, the memory 30 stores image data shot with the image device 21 as well as various types of data such as telephone directory data and mail data. As the memory 30, it is possible to use a card-type flash memory other than a built-in memory.
For example, the display 31 is a liquid crystal display. The display 31 shows various types of characters and images. Additionally, the display 31 may serve as a view finder to shoot an image with the image device 21. The display 31 may show a screen reproducing image data stored in the memory 30. Moreover, the first embodiment of the present invention allows the display 31 to show a list of images stored in the memory 30. At this time, the first embodiment of the present invention shows an image list aligning square-shaped images with the same size.
In order to display an image list aligning square-shaped images having the same size stored in the memory 30, as described above, the first embodiment of the present invention includes an image file extraction part 51 and a square-image generation part 52 which are implemented in the controller 22 executing predetermined programs. The image file extraction part 51 reads an image file in the Exif format from the memory 30, thus extracting thumbnail images included in the read image file. The square-shaped image generation part 52 generates square-shaped images based on thumbnail images extracted from the image file extraction part 51.
The functionality of a mobile phone is implemented using the built-in antenna 23, the wireless communication part 24, the signal processor 25, the speaker 27, the microphone 28, and the audio processor 29. As the communication scheme for a mobile phone, it is possible to name various schemes such as PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), CDMA-2000, and WCDMA (Wideband CDMA). The present invention may adopt any type of schemes.
The built-in antenna 23 receives radio waves from neighboring base stations or transmits radio waves to neighboring base stations. The wireless communication part 24 performs wireless communication with neighboring base stations. The signal processor 25 processes received/transmitting signals. The speaker 27 produces sound while the microphone 28 receives sound. The audio processor 29 processes various audio signals, such as receiver sound, in order to supply them to the speaker 27. Additionally, it processes audio signals transmitted from the microphone 28.
According to the first embodiment as described above, when the mobile phone 1 with a camera is operated to shoot a subject image with the image device 21, an image signal from the image device 21 is compressed in the JPEG format, for example, under control of the controller 22 and then stored in the memory 30 as an image file in the Exif format.
The mobile phone 1 with a camera produces square-shaped images with the same size based on thumbnail images included in image files in the Exif format, thus displaying an image list. That is, it displays an image list aligning square-shaped images with the same size, thus improving visibility.
In
As described above, thumbnail images described in files in the Exif format are each standardized into the aspect ratio “4:3” and the image size “160×120”. In contrast, main images may have various aspect ratios. Therefore, thumbnail images may cause blanks as shown in
In
In
As shown in
When the thumbnail image 101 shown in
When the thumbnail image 201 shown in
As shown in
A center P1 is detected from the resized image 102 in step 103; then, a square-shaped portion with the size (M×M) is extracted from the center P1 in step 104. Thus, it is possible to generate a square-shaped image 103 with the one-side length M shown in
A center P2 is detected from the resized image 202 in step 103; then, a square-sized portion with the size (M×M) is extracted from the center P2 in step 104. Thus, it is possible to generate a square-shaped image 203 with the one-side length M as shown in
Upon generating square-shaped images, square-shaped images are displayed in an image list as shown in
According to the first embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the mobile phone 1 with a camera generates square-shaped images with the same size based on thumbnail images included in image files in the Exif format, thus displaying an image list. Herein, it deals with image data which is thumbnail image data with a small data size, a predetermined image size, and a predetermined aspect ratio. Additionally, it does not need complex calculating processes but it needs a resizing process and an image extracting process. Thus, it is possible to achieve high-speed processing without using a large-capacity memory.
Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image display device of the first embodiment is designed to extract a thumbnail image included in an image file in the Exif format, resize the thumbnail image such that a short side of an effective image area will match with one side of a display image, detect the center of the resized image, extract a square-shaped image from the center of the resized image, and produce a square-shaped image having a predetermined size.
In contrast, the second embodiment is designed to extract a thumbnail image included in an image file in the Exif format, detect the center of the thumbnail image, extract a square-shaped image from the center of the thumbnail image in conformity with an effective image area, resize the extracted square-shaped image, and produce a square-shaped image having a predetermined size. Other parts are identical to those of the first embodiment; hence, duplicate descriptions thereof are precluded herein.
In
Specifically, the controller 22 extracts a square-shaped image which may include all the pixels on a short side of an effective image area passing through a center of an effective image area included in the thumbnail image. Additionally, the controller 22 resizes the extracted image such that the size of one side of the extracted square-shaped image will match with the size of one side of a square-shaped image (step 204). Thus, it is possible to generate a square-shaped image having a predetermined size, which may include all the pixels on a short side of an effective image area of a thumbnail image. Then, the controller 22 displays an image list including square-shaped images which are generated as described above (step 205).
In
When the thumbnail image 301 of
When the thumbnail image 401 of
In step 204, the one-side sizes of the extracted square-shaped images 302, 402 are each resized in conformity with the one-side size of a square-shaped image.
In
In
The second embodiment of the present invention is designed to display an image list aligning square-shaped images having the same size and precluding blanks, thus improving visibility. Additionally, it deals with image data which is thumbnail image data with a small data size, a predetermined image size, and a predetermined aspect ratio. Additionally, it does not need complex calculating processes but carries out an image extracting process and a resizing process. Thus, it is possible to realize high-speed processing without using a large capacity memory.
The present invention is not necessarily limited to the foregoing embodiments and therefore adapted to various modifications and applications within the scope not deviating from the subject matter of the present invention.
The foregoing embodiments are described with respect an image list using square-shaped images having the predetermined size; but this is not a restriction; hence, it is possible to use rectangular images having the predetermined size.
When the first embodiment employs rectangular images as displayed images, the controller 22 performs the following processing in step 102. That is, the controller 22 performs a resizing process of changing the size of each thumbnail image while maintaining its aspect ratio such that the short-side size of an effective image area will agree with the short-side size of the counterpart image.
When a rectangular image with the size “160×120” is used as a displayed image, for example, the controller 22 determines whether the short side of an effective image area lies in a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction. When the short side of an effective image area lies in the horizontal direction, the controller 22 resizes a thumbnail image to change its size while maintaining its aspect ratio such that the short-side size of an effective image area will agree with the one-side size of a displayed image, i.e. 160, in the horizontal direction. On the other hand, when the short side of an effective image area lies in the vertical direction, the controller 22 resizes a thumbnail image to change its size while maintaining its aspect ratio such that the short-side size of an effective image area will agree with the one-side size of a displayed image, i.e. 120, in the vertical direction.
Due to the above processing, the first embodiment is redesigned to employ rectangular images as displayed images.
When the second embodiment employs rectangular images as displayed images, the controller 22 performs the following processing in step 203. That is, the controller 22 performs a process for extracting a rectangular image, with the same aspect ratio as a displayed image, which may include all the pixels on a short side of an effective image area of a thumbnail image.
When a rectangular image with the size “160×120 (aspect ratio 4:3)” is used as a displayed image while a thumbnail image includes an effective image area with the size “160×90”, for example, the controller 22 extracts a rectangular image with the size “120×90 (aspect ratio 4:3)”.
On the other hand, when a rectangular image with the size “160×120 (aspect ratio 4:3)” is used as a displayed image while a thumbnail image includes an effective image area with the size “100×120”, the controller 22 extracts a rectangular image with the size “100×75 (aspect ratio 4:3)”.
Due to the above processing, the second embodiment is redesigned to use rectangular images as displayed images.
The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-224652 filed Oct. 4, 2010, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention is applicable to an image display device displaying a list of image files, thus improving visibility in displaying an image list.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-224652 | Oct 2010 | JP | national |
This application is a Continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/822,773 filed Apr. 3, 2013, which is a National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/JP2011/070470 filed Sep. 8, 2011, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-224652 filed Oct. 4, 2010, the contents of all of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13822773 | Apr 2013 | US |
| Child | 16204379 | US |
