Image editing system and image editing program

Abstract

An image editor is provided with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an LCD panel, an operating section, a memory card reader and an HDD. The HDD stores a landmark database and a contents database. Before writing data of an image in a memory card, position data indicating a camera location, at which the image is captured, is attached to the image data. When the image data and the attached position data are read through the memory card reader, the CPU searches the landmark database based on the position data, and sorts the image data into groups according to the retrieved landmark data. Then the CPU retrieves such contents data that relate to the landmark data from the contents database. Using the grouped image data and the retrieved contents data, the image editor produces a digital photo-album or a digital photo-movie.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in connection with the accompanied drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a digital camera and an image editor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an image sorting screen displayed on a display device of the image editor;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an image confirming screen displayed on the display device of the image editor;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of map data;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a map division data table;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a divisional area index table;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a landmark data table;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating 2-D area data of a theme park;

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating 2-D area data of a Ferris wheel;

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating 2-D area data of a roller coaster;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a folder structure of image files sorted by the image editor;

FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating an example of a top cover image of a digital photo-album edited by the image editor;

FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating an example of a page layout of the digital photo-album edited by the image editor;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a sequence of operation of the image editor for producing a digital photo-album;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a sequence of deciding page layout of the digital photo-album;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating of a sequence of operation of the image editor for producing a digital photo-movie; and

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating a sequence of producing data of moving images for the digital photo-movie.

Claims

1. An image editing system for editing image data, wherein position data is attached to the image data, indicating a camera location at which each image is captured, said system comprising: a landmark database storing data of a variety of landmarks, including locations and names of the landmarks;a contents database storing contents data that include data relating to the respective landmarks and data for giving some effect to the images;a device for obtaining the image data of a plural number of images along with the position data;a search device for searching said landmark database, to retrieve such landmark data based on the position data that relates to the camera location of each image;a sorting device for sorting the image data into groups according to the retrieved landmark data, while associating the retrieved landmark data with the corresponding image data; andan image editing device that obtains from said contents database such contents data that relates to the landmark data associated with the image data of one group, to edit the image data of this group by use of the obtained contents data.

2. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the landmark data include data of inclusive relation between the landmarks, and said image editing device reads the contents data sequentially from those relating to a larger place or landmark to those relating to a smaller place or landmark that is located in said larger place or landmark, to edit the corresponding image data by use of the contents data for the larger place or landmark, and the contents data for the smaller place or landmark in combination.

3. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a device for setting priority among a plural number of landmarks as retrieved based on the position data for one image, and a device for selecting a landmark from among the plural number of landmarks as displayed in a sequence according to the set priority.

4. An image editing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein among the landmarks retrieved for one image the nearer landmark to the camera location of said one image is given the higher priority.

5. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image editing device produces a digital photo-movie from the image data in combination with the contents data.

6. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image editing device produces a digital photo-album from the image data in combination with the contents data.

7. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said landmark database and said contents database are stored in a built-in storage device that is incorporated with other devices into a unit.

8. An image editing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said landmark database and said contents database are stored in an external data server, to which said search device and said image editing device are accessible through a communication device.

9. An image editing system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a storage device for storing the image data of each group in a folder having the name of the associated landmark, and the folders of the respective groups are tree-structured corresponding to the inclusive relation between the landmarks.

10. An image editing program for editing image data, wherein position data is attached to the image data, indicating a camera location at which each image is captured, said program makes a computer execute the following processes of: obtaining the image data of a plural number of images along with the position data;searching a landmark database based on the position data, said landmark database storing data including locations and names of a variety of landmarks, to retrieve data of at least a landmark that relates to the camera location of each image;sorting the image data into groups according to the retrieved landmark data, while associating the retrieved landmark data with the image data;obtaining from a contents data base such contents data that relates to the landmark data associated with the image data of one group, said contents database storing contents data that include data relating to the respective landmarks and data for giving some effect to the images; andediting the image data of said one group by use of the obtained contents data.

11. An image editing program as claimed in claim 10, wherein the landmark data include data of inclusive relation between the landmarks, and the contents data is obtained sequentially from those relating to a larger place or landmark to those relating to a smaller place or landmark that is located in said larger place or landmark, to edit the corresponding image data by use of the contents data for the larger place or landmark, and the contents data for the smaller place or landmark in combination.

12. An image editing program as claimed in claim 10, said program further makes the computer execute a process for setting priority among a plural number of landmarks as retrieved based on the position data for one image, and a process for selecting a landmark from among the plural number of landmarks as displayed in a sequence according to the set priority.

13. An image editing program as claimed in claim 12, wherein among the landmarks retrieved for one image the nearer landmark to the camera location of said one image is given the higher priority.

14. An image editing program as claimed in claim 10, wherein said image/editing process produces a digital photo-movie from the image data in combination with the contents data.

15. An image editing program as claimed in claim 10, wherein said image editing process produces a digital photo-album from the image data in combination with the contents data.