JP2009163558A - Image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display images as many as possible at intervals, which conform to real time nature, while keeping the continuity of time to enable users to easily retrieve images which they desire. <P>SOLUTION: In case that a blank time zone, in which no image exist, continues over a prescribed period of time, when images are sequentially arranged along a time axis set in a display area on the basis of date-and-time information on the images, the scale of the time axis is locally expanded for the time zone. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for displaying accumulated images on a screen in time series.

  In recent years, a large amount of images taken with a digital camera has been accumulated in a storage medium such as a memory card or a hard disk.

  Some images display such an image at a position corresponding to the shooting date and time on the screen on which the time axis is set (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, Patent Document 1 discloses that the display of an image is switched by changing the entire time scale of the time axis.

In addition, there is a display in which a mark corresponding to an image is displayed at a position corresponding to the shooting date and time on the time axis on the screen, and an image corresponding to a mark in the time range specified by the user is displayed in another area (for example, Patent Literature 2). Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that if an image is taken for a long time, an omission mark is displayed on the time axis and the display of the time zone is uniformly omitted.
JP 2004-328265 A JP 2005-293313 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, when an image is taken for a long time, a time zone in which no image is displayed occurs, and the user scrolls to move the time zone displayed on the screen. The operation has to be repeated, which takes time. Further, in such a case, it is difficult to compare images taken at distant times.

  In Patent Document 2, a time zone in which an image is not taken is omitted, and is replaced with an omission mark uniformly regardless of the length of the time zone. Therefore, the continuity of time is lost, and the image is spaced in real time. Is not displayed. Therefore, the user loses a sense of time and cannot browse or search for images smoothly. Further, since the time is discontinuous, it is not possible to switch the display of the image by changing the time scale of the time axis.

  As described above, in the conventional technology, it is difficult for the user to efficiently find a desired image file from a large number of images.

  Accordingly, the present invention aims to make it easier for a user to search for a desired image by displaying as many images as possible on the screen at intervals along real time while maintaining continuity of time. To do.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, one of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that draws an image in a display area having a time axis, and the position of the image corresponds to date and time information of the image on the time axis. When the blank time when the image is not drawn is longer than a predetermined value, the scale of the time axis corresponding to the blank time is changed to be larger than the scale of the time axis corresponding to another time. And a changing means.

  According to the present invention, a user can easily search for a desired image by displaying as many images as possible on the screen at intervals along real time while maintaining continuity of time.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the constituent elements described in this embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image file management system in the present embodiment.

  The information processing apparatus 101 of this embodiment is realized by a personal computer. The information processing apparatus 101 holds image files, and image file management software is installed.

  The image input device 102 of this embodiment is realized by a digital camera. The image input device 102 converts an optical image, which is image information, into an electrical signal, and performs predetermined image processing on the electrical signal to create an image file. Also, the image input device 102 obtains the date and time from the built-in clock at the time of shooting, adds the date and time information to the image file, and saves it in a storage medium. Furthermore, the image input device 102 can also display the image file it has on the display. The image input device 102 can also be realized by a digital video camera or a scanner.

  In the following, it is assumed that date and time information indicating the date and time when the image file was taken is added to the image file of this embodiment. When the image file is obtained by a scanner, date information indicating the date and time when the original is read and the image file is created is added.

  The image input device 102 transfers the image file to the information processing apparatus 101. Examples of the interface 103 for connecting the image input device 102 and the information processing apparatus 101 include a wired interface represented by USB (Universal Serial Bus) and IEEE1394. Or there are wireless interfaces such as IrDA (Infrared Data Association) and Bluetooth (registered trademark). The information processing apparatus 101 can also acquire an image file from an external resource such as a Web server apparatus that exists on the network 104. For example, the photo site 105 is a site that shares an image file with many information devices connected to the network 104, and the information processing apparatus 101 downloads the image file from the photo site 105. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus 101 can also acquire an image file attached to an e-mail from a friend's communication device 107. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus 101 can capture an image file by connecting a removable storage medium such as a flash memory.

  The network 104 of the present embodiment is realized by the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a computer apparatus that implements the information processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment.

  Reference numeral 201 denotes a CRT (display device), and a graphical user interface (GUI) such as an image file, an icon, a message, or a menu is displayed on the display screen. Reference numeral 202 denotes a VRAM on which a bitmap for display on the display screen of the CRT 201 is drawn. The bitmap data generated in the VRAM 202 is transferred to the CRT 201 according to a predetermined rule, whereby the bitmap is displayed on the CRT 201. 203 is a bit move unit (BMU), for example, for transferring data between memories (for example, VRAM 202 and other memories) and transferring data between the memory and each I / O device (for example, network interface 211). Control. A keyboard 204 has various keys for inputting documents and the like. Reference numeral 205 denotes a pointing device such as a mouse, which is used for designating icons, menus, and other objects displayed on the display screen of the CRT 201, for example.

  A CPU 206 controls each device connected to the CPU 206 based on a control program stored in a ROM 207, a hard disk, or a floppy (registered trademark) disk. A ROM 207 holds various control programs and data. A RAM 208 has a work area for the CPU 206, a data save area for error processing, a control program load area, and the like. Reference numeral 209 denotes a hard disk drive (HDD). The hard disk 209 can store each control program and content executed in the information processing apparatus. For example, an image file, image file management software, and the like are stored in the hard disk of the information processing apparatus 101.

  Note that the image processing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment realizes the operation described below when the CPU 206 reads and executes the OS and image file management software program codes stored in the hard disk 209. The image file management software may be supplied to the CPU 206 from a removable storage medium. Therefore, the program code itself realizes the functions of the following embodiments, and a storage medium storing the program code also constitutes the present invention.

  A network interface 211 communicates with other information processing apparatuses, printer apparatuses, and the like via the network 104. The control program can be provided to the CPU 206 from the ROM 207, a hard disk, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, or from another information processing apparatus via the network 104.

  When the information processing apparatus 101 activates the image file management software, a main screen 300 as shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 301 denotes an area where thumbnail images of image files are displayed in time series, and the size thereof is fixed. Reference numeral 302 denotes a time axis. A scale line is drawn at every predetermined time interval, and date and time such as year, month, day, and time are displayed based on a set unit.

  A thumbnail image 305 is displayed at a position on the time axis corresponding to the date / time information of the image file. Since the height of the display area 301 is finite, all the corresponding thumbnail images cannot be displayed when there are many image files belonging to a certain time zone. Reference numeral 306 denotes a mark indicating that there is a thumbnail image that is not displayed.

  Reference numeral 304 denotes a slider bar for changing the start point date and time on the time axis of the display area 301. The user can use the pointing device 205 to drag the rectangular portion on the slider bar to the right or click the triangular portion on the right to bring the start point date and time closer to the latest date and time. Conversely, the start point date and time can be brought closer to the oldest date and time by dragging the rectangular portion to the left or clicking the left triangle. The user can also change the start date and time by dragging the pointing device 205 left and right on the display area 301. The start point date and time specified by the slider bar 304 is the origin of the time axis of the display area 301.

  Reference numeral 303 denotes a slider bar for changing the unit time on the time axis. The user can use the pointing device 205 to drag the circular portion on the slider bar to the right with the pointing device 205 or click the right triangular portion to instruct to decrease the unit of the time axis. Conversely, by dragging the circular part to the left or clicking the left triangular part, it can be instructed to increase the unit of the time axis. By changing the unit of the time axis by such an operation, the entire time range displayed in the display area 301 can be narrowed or widened.

  In FIG. 3, the unit of the time axis (unit time) is set to one day, but FIG. 4 shows an example of the screen when the slider bar 303 is changed to 0.5 days. Since the unit time has become smaller, the entire time range displayed in the display area 301 has become narrower, but since the number of image files belonging to each time zone has decreased, it was not displayed when the unit time was one day. Thumbnail images are displayed.

  In this way, by reducing the unit time, it becomes possible to display the image file in more detail, but on the other hand, there are often no image files belonging to each time zone, and a blank image where thumbnail images are not displayed. A large amount of time will also occur.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the information processing apparatus 101 performs the following drawing process as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 in order to prevent the display area 301 from being blank and display as many thumbnail images as possible. Do.

  FIG. 5 shows a main screen 500 displayed on the display device as a result of the drawing process. FIG. 5 is an example of a screen when the scale of the time axis range corresponding to the blank time zone is greatly changed when there are consecutive time zones in which there are no image files having corresponding date and time information. In the example of FIG. 5, since the image file exists in the time zone from 1:00 to 12:00 on July 1 on the time axis, the graduation line divided every 0.5 days is the start point and end point of the time zone. Drawn. On the other hand, the time zone from 4:00 on July 4 to 0:00 on July 7 is a blank time zone, which is reduced to half of the other time zones. In addition, text information indicating the date and time is also drawn near the scale. In the example of FIG. 5, the date is displayed, but it may be displayed up to the time.

  This drawing process starts when the information processing apparatus 101 activates the image file management software or operates the slider bars 303 and 304.

  In step S601, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the unit time to the value tu specified by the slider bar 303. In the example of FIG. 5, tu is 0.5 days (12 hours). In addition, the drawing interval ul of unit time on the time axis 302 is set to the standard drawing interval sul. The sul is determined according to the number of horizontal pixels of the thumbnail image, and is slightly larger than the number of horizontal pixels. Further, a scale line is drawn on the time axis 302 at every drawing interval ul.

  In step S <b> 602, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the start point date and time Ts corresponding to the left end of the time axis 302 to the value specified by the slider bar 304. In the example of FIG. 5, Ts is 0:00 on July 1, 2006. Further, an initial value of the end point date / time Te corresponding to the right end of the time axis 302 is calculated from the start point date / time Ts, the unit time tu, the drawing interval ul, and the horizontal width of the display area 301. In step S603, the start point date and time Ts is set as the initial value of the date and time variable T.

  In step S604, the information processing apparatus 101 calculates the display number nx of thumbnail images to be drawn in the vertical direction of the display area 301 from the height of the display area 301 and the number of vertical pixels of the thumbnail image. In the example of FIG. 5, nx is four.

  In step S605, the information processing apparatus 101 sets a threshold value bct. When the continuous blank time zone is larger than the unit time threshold bct, the information processing apparatus 101 makes the scale of the time axis of the blank time zone larger than the scale of the time zone where the image file exists. In the example of FIG. 5, when a blank time zone exists for 2.5 days (= tu × bct = 0.5 × 5) or more, a blank time zone drawing process described later is performed. Also, the drawing interval bul for the blank time zone is set. Here, bul <sul. As a result, the blank time zone is drawn in a denser state on the time axis than the time zone in which the image file exists. In the example of FIG. 5, bul is set to ½ of sul.

  In step S606, 0 is set as an initial value to the blank time zone variable bc for counting the time zone without an image file.

  In subsequent steps, while increasing the date / time variable T by the unit time tu, the drawing of the thumbnail image of the image file having the date / time information of the time zone and the scale of the time axis is repeated. For blank time zones, the processing changes depending on the length of the continuous time, so the actual drawing of the time scale is executed when the blank time zone ends and the image file exists. To do.

  In step S607, the information processing apparatus 101 searches for an image file having date / time information in a time zone from T to T + tu. In the example of FIG. 5, first, an image file having date / time information in a time zone from midnight on July 1, 2006 to midnight on July 1, 2006 is searched. As a result of the search, the number of image files extracted is set to n.

  In step S608, the information processing apparatus 101 determines whether an image file exists, that is, whether n is greater than 0.

  If it is determined in step S608 that there is no image file, that is, n is “0”, the time zone from T to T + tu is determined to be a blank time zone, and in step S609, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the blank time zone variable. Increment bc by one. And it progresses to step S616 mentioned later.

  If it is determined in step S608 that there is an image file, that is, n> 0, the information processing apparatus 101 determines in step S610 whether or not the time zone immediately before the time zone from T to T + tu was a blank time zone variable. Check by referring to the value of bc. If it is determined that it is a blank time zone, that is, it is determined that bc> 0, the information processing apparatus 101 executes a blank time zone rendering process to be described later in step S611.

  In step S612, the information processing apparatus 101 checks whether the number n of image files extracted in step S607 is equal to or less than the display number nx. If it is determined that n> nx, all the thumbnail images of the image file searched in step S607 cannot be displayed in the display area 301. Accordingly, in step S613, the information processing apparatus 101 selects nx image files from the n image files extracted in step S607.

  In step S614, the information processing apparatus 101 vertically displays thumbnail images of nx or less image files among the extracted n image files in a region corresponding to a range from T to T + tu on the time axis of the display region 301. Draw in order. In the example of FIG. 5, four thumbnail images are displayed in a time axis area corresponding to 7:00 to 12:00 on July 1, 2006. In the example of FIG. 5, there are more than nx image files extracted in step S607, and a mark 306 indicating that there are thumbnail images of image files that are not displayed is also displayed.

  In step S615, the information processing apparatus 101 draws scales at the start point and the end point in the range from T to T + tu on the time axis. The interval between these scales is the drawing interval sul.

  In step S616, the information processing apparatus 101 increments the date / time variable T by the unit time tu.

  In step S617, the information processing apparatus 101 determines whether the date / time variable T is smaller than the end point date / time Te. If it is determined that T is smaller than Te, the information processing apparatus 101 returns to step S607 and executes the same processing as described above for a new time zone from T to T + tu.

  If it is determined that T is equal to or greater than Te, in step S618, the information processing apparatus 101 checks whether the immediately preceding time is a blank time zone, that is, whether bc> 0. When it is determined that it is not the blank time zone, the information processing apparatus 101 ends the series of processes. If it is determined that it is a blank time zone, in step S619, the information processing apparatus 101 performs the same processing as the blank time zone rendering process described above, and then returns to the determination processing in step S617.

  A procedure of processing in which the information processing apparatus 101 draws the blank time zone in the display area of the main screen will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S701, the information processing apparatus 101 checks whether the blank time period exists continuously for a predetermined length or more. It is determined by comparing whether the length tu × bc of continuous blank time zones is longer than the length tu × bct of unit time thresholds, that is, whether bc is larger than bct.

  If it is determined in step S701 that the blank time zones are continuously present for a predetermined length or longer, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the drawing interval bul for the blank time zone in the drawing interval ul in step S702. If it is determined in step S701 that the blank time period is not continuous for a predetermined length or longer, the information processing apparatus 101 skips step S702 and keeps the drawing interval ul as the standard drawing interval sul.

  In step S <b> 703, the information processing apparatus 101 draws the scale of the time zone from the blank time zone T-tu × bc to T existing immediately before the date / time variable T on the time axis 302 at the drawing interval ul. Here, when the drawing interval ul is set to bul in step S702, the time axis of the blank time zone becomes larger and the scale is drawn at a narrower interval than the time zone in which the image file exists. In the example of FIG. 5, when the date / time variable T is July 3, 2006, 0:00, the last 0.5 days (one unit time, bc = 1) is the blank time zone. A scale is drawn with sul. On the other hand, when the date / time variable T is 7:00 on July 7, 2006, since the last three days (bc = 6) are blank time zones, the scale is drawn at the drawing interval bul for the blank time zone. As described above, the drawing interval of the unit time is shortened for the blank time period continuous for a predetermined value or more.

  In step S704, the information processing apparatus 101 recalculates the end point date and time Te, and updates Te by adding a value of tu × bc × (sul-ul) to Te. When bul is set in step S702, that is, when the drawing interval of the blank time period is shortened, the drawing is performed in the display area 301 up to the time before the preset end point date and time Te. It is because it becomes possible to do. If ul is still set, that is, if the drawing interval in the blank time period is not shortened, the end point date and time Te is also set to a preset value and is not changed.

  In step S705, the information processing apparatus 101 updates the drawing interval ul of unit time to the standard drawing interval sul. This is because when the drawing interval ul of the unit time is set to the value bul for the blank time zone in step S702, the unit time is returned to the standard value.

  In step S706, the information processing apparatus 101 resets the unit variable bc in the blank time zone to “0”.

  Note that the information processing apparatus 101 may further perform the above-described processing after checking whether the unit time tu is equal to or less than a predetermined value before step S701. For example, when the unit time is a large value such as one year, an image file belonging to a wide time range is displayed in the display area 301. Therefore, when the unit time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the user can already browse a sufficiently large number of image files, and thus it is not necessary to execute the drawing process in the blank time period as described above. is there.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the interval for drawing the scale of unit time is changed by locally changing the scale of the time axis in the blank time zone has been described, but the interval for drawing the scale is added to the scale without changing. The unit time may be changed locally. In the example of FIG. 5, the time corresponding to the scale is given and displayed every 12 hours. However, in the blank time zone, the time every other day that is twice that time may be given and displayed.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when there is a blank time zone in which there is no image file having corresponding date and time information on the time axis, the scale of the time axis corresponding to the blank time zone is locally increased. did. As a result, it is possible for the user to easily display a larger number of images at intervals along the real time, while preventing waste of white space in a display area having a limited area and maintaining continuity of time. A desired image file can be searched.

(Example 2)
In this embodiment, image files are grouped on the basis of date and time information, and rendering is performed by changing the scale of the time axis between a blank time zone that occurs between groups and a blank time zone that occurs within the group. explain. Hereinafter, description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment will be omitted, and a configuration unique to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

  FIG. 8 is an example of a main screen 800 displayed on the display device in the present embodiment. The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5. A dotted line rectangle 801 represents a group of image files. However, the dotted rectangle 801 may or may not be displayed on the main screen 800. In FIG. 8, the unit time is set to 6 hours, but the scale of the time axis from July 2 12:00 to July 3 6:00, which is the blank time zone in the group, is the space between groups. It is smaller than the scale of the time axis from 18:00 on July 3, which is the time zone, to 7:00 on July 7.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the information processing apparatus 101 draws a thumbnail image in the display area 301 of the main screen 800 in this embodiment. The same reference numerals are given to the same processes as those in the flowchart of FIG.

In step S905, the information processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment determines whether or not to increase the scale of the time axis of the blank time zone when blank unit times continuously exist, that is, draws a scale line for each unit time. A threshold for determining whether to shorten the interval is set. In this embodiment, two values of bct ₁ and bct ₂ are set. Here, bct ₁ > bct ₂ is set.

The group of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of image files that are continuous in time series, and creates a group with the date and time information of adjacent image files separated in time series as a boundary. And In this embodiment, when there is a blank time zone of tu × bct ₁ or more between image files, grouping is performed and processing for changing the scale of the time axis between groups is executed.

Also, there is a blank time zone between image files existing in the group. Therefore, in this embodiment, when there is a blank time zone of tu × bct ₂ or more in the group, processing for changing the scale of the time axis between image files is executed.

Further, in step S905, the information processing apparatus 101 sets two values, bul ₁ and bul ₂ , as the scale line drawing interval for each unit time in the blank time zone. Here, bul ₁ <bul _{2 is} assumed. The drawing interval bul ₁ is used in the blank time zone between groups, and the drawing interval bul ₂ is used in the blank time zone within the group.

In the example of FIG. 8, bct ₁ is set to 6, bct ₂ is set to 3, bul ₁ is set to 1/4 of the standard drawing interval sul, and bul ₂ is set to 1/2 of the standard drawing interval sul. Therefore, when the image files are separated from each other by 36 hours (= tu × bct ₁ = 6 × 6) or more, grouping is performed with these image files as a boundary. And the drawing interval of the unit time of the blank time zone existing between the groups becomes 1/4. When the image files in the group are separated from each other by 18 hours (= tu × bct ₂ = 6 × 3) or more, the drawing interval of the unit time in the blank time zone existing between the image files is halved. Become.

  In addition, as a method of grouping, for example, grouping may be performed hierarchically using the center-of-gravity distance of the date / time information of the image file, or may be grouped by a user's selection operation.

  A procedure of processing in which the information processing apparatus 101 draws a blank time zone in the display area of the main screen will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S <b> 1001, the information processing apparatus 101 checks whether the blank time zone exists continuously for the first value or more. That is, it is compared whether or not the variable bc indicating the number of consecutive blank time zones is greater than or equal to bct ₁ .

  If it is determined in step S1001 that the blank time zones exist continuously for the first value or more, the information processing apparatus 101 sets each of the image files immediately before and immediately after the blank time zone as a group boundary in step S1002. . Further, when the setting is made to display a dotted rectangle 801 indicating a group, a dotted rectangle is drawn with a group up to (T-tu × bc) immediately before the blank time zone.

The information processing apparatus 101 in step S1003 sets the drawing interval bul ₁ for idle time period between the groups in the drawing interval ul unit time.

If it is determined in step S1001 that the blank time zone is not continuous for the first value or more, the information processing apparatus 101 checks in step S1004 whether the blank time zone is continuous for the second value or more. That variable bc indicating the number of time zones blank is present continuously checks by comparing whether a bct ₂ or more.

If it is determined in step S1004 that the blank time period has continued for the second value or more, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the rendering interval bul ₂ for the blank time period between image files to the rendering interval ul of unit time in step S1005. Set.

  If it is determined in step S1004 that the blank time period is not continuous for the second value or more, the information processing apparatus 101 does not change the setting, so that the unit time drawing interval ul remains set to the standard drawing interval sul. is there.

In step S1006, the scale in the range from the blank time zone T-tu × bc to T existing immediately before the date / time variable T is drawn on the time axis of the display area 301 at the drawing interval ul. When the drawing interval ul is set to bul ₂ in S1005, the scale of the time axis of the blank time zone is increased, and the scale is drawn at an interval shorter than the time zone in which the image file exists. In the example of FIG. 8, when the date / time variable T is July 2, 2006, 6:00, the last six hours (one unit time, bc = 1) are blank time zones, so the standard drawing interval sul The scale is drawn with. On the other hand, when the date / time variable T is July 3, 2006, 6:00, the previous 18 hours (three unit times, bc = 3) is a blank time zone, so 1/2 of the standard drawing interval sul. A scale is drawn at (= bul ₂ ). Therefore, the time axis is locally shortened.

On the other hand, when the date / time variable T is 7:00 on July 7, 2006, since the previous 78 hours (13 unit times, bc = 13) are blank time zones, the standard drawing is performed at the boundary between groups. A scale is drawn with a width of 1/4 (= bul ₁ ) of the interval. Therefore, the time axis is further shortened locally.

In step S1007, the information processing apparatus 101 recalculates the end point date and time Te, and updates Te by adding a value of tu × bc × (sul-ul) to Te. When bul ₁ or bul ₂ is set in ul, that is, when the time axis corresponding to the blank time zone is shortened, the display area 301 is displayed up to the time before the preset end point date and time Te. This is because it becomes possible to draw. When ul is still set, that is, when the width of the portion corresponding to the blank time zone on the time axis is not shortened, the end point date and time Te is also kept at a preset value and is not changed. .

  In step S1008, the information processing apparatus 101 sets the drawing interval ul of unit time to the standard drawing interval sul. This is because the drawing interval of the unit time changed in step S1003 or step S1005 is returned to the standard value.

  In step S1009, the information processing apparatus 101 resets the variable bc to “0”.

  In the present embodiment, the case has been described in which the scale is changed only in the blank time zone when there is a blank time zone continuously in the group for a predetermined value or more. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the time axis scale of the entire group may be changed if there are blank time zones continuously within a predetermined value or more in the group.

  As described above, in this embodiment, grouping is performed with image files having a large time gap as a boundary so that the time interval between groups is larger than the time interval within the group. . As a result, a lot of images are drawn in the display area by drawing while shortening the blank time zone between groups, and a group of images is drawn while maintaining a sense of time. Makes it easier to search for images.

  A user often browses images taken at a certain event and searches for a desired image. For example, when a user browses a group of images taken during a certain trip, a blank time of about 12 hours from an image taken in the evening during the trip to an image taken in the morning of the next day There may be bands. Then, if there is an image group taken at the birthday party held in the following week following the image group of the trip, there is a blank time zone of one week between the last day of the trip and the birthday party. Exists. According to the present embodiment, the scale of the time axis is not so large that the blank time zone during the travel period does not impair the user's sense of time. On the other hand, the blank time zone between the image group of the trip and the birthday party makes the scale of the time axis larger than the former, thereby realizing that more images are displayed in the display area.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image file of the still image has been described. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a moving image file. In the case of a moving image file, the representative frame image is displayed in the display area.

(Other examples)
In addition, the objective of this invention is achieved by performing the following processes. That is, a storage medium storing a program code for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and a program code (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus is stored in the storage medium. Is a process of reading.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  Moreover, the following can be used as a storage medium for supplying the program code. For example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM or the like. Alternatively, the program code may be downloaded via a network.

  Further, the present invention includes a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by executing the program code read by the computer. In addition, an OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Cases are also included.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by the following processing. That is, the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing.

It is a block diagram of the information processing system which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the main screen which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the main screen which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the main screen which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention draws a main screen. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention draws the blank time zone of a main screen. It is a figure which shows the main screen which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention draws a main screen. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention draws the blank time zone of a main screen.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Information processing apparatus 102 Image input apparatus 103 Interface 104 Network 105 Photo site 106 Database 107 Communication apparatus

Claims (6)

An image processing apparatus for drawing an image in a display area having a time axis,
Drawing means for drawing the image at a position corresponding to date and time information of the image on the time axis;
Changing means for changing the scale of the time axis corresponding to the blank time to be larger than the scale of the time axis corresponding to the other time when the blank time during which the image is not drawn is longer than a predetermined value. An image processing apparatus. The drawing means draws a scale on the display area every unit time,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change by the changing unit is not performed when the unit time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the scale to a different scale depending on whether the blank time is longer than the first value or longer than the second value.   4. The image according to claim 3, wherein when the blank time is longer than a first value, the images are grouped on the border between an image immediately before the blank time and an image immediately after the blank time. Processing equipment. A control method of an image processing apparatus for drawing an image in a display area having a time axis,
Drawing the image at a position corresponding to date and time information of the image on the time axis;
A step of changing the scale of the time axis corresponding to the blank time to be larger than the scale of the time axis corresponding to the other time when the blank time during which the image is not drawn is longer than a predetermined value. A control method characterized by the above. In a computer that realizes an image processing apparatus that draws an image in a display area having a time axis,
Drawing the image at a position corresponding to date and time information of the image on the time axis;
When the blank time during which the image is not drawn is longer than a predetermined value, the step of changing the scale of the time axis corresponding to the blank time to be larger than the scale of the time axis corresponding to another time is executed. A program characterized by

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