Abstract: A digital camera comprises an internal memory, an insertion port into which a storage medium is inserted; an imaging device; a storage control device that stores an image taken by the imaging device in one of the internal memory and the storage medium inserted into the insertion port; and a residual capacity display device that displays information on residual capacity to store the image by the storage control device.

Abstract: An image capture device has a first image transfer method for storing a captured digital image on a storage medium and transferring the digital image to a communication device, and a second image transfer method for storing the digital image on the storage medium, reading the digital image from the storage medium and then transferring the digital image to the communication device. The first image transfer method or the second image transfer method is manually or automatically set.

Abstract: A timer module is arranged to be mechanically and electronically coupled to a digital image capture camera module and one or more memory modules. A method of operating the timer module includes initially querying the one or more memory modules to determine available memory storage locations. Once the available memory locations are determined the timer module instructs the image capture module to capture images and transfer them to the memory modules a number of times on the basis of the available digital image storage locations. The elapsed time between the image captures may be set as desired by a user of the module.

Abstract: A method for dynamically optimizing the memory use in a digital recording device. The disclosed method includes recording a plurality of digital files collected by said digital recording device on a recording medium and assigning each file of said plurality of recorded digital files a priority ranking of high, medium or low based on at least one predetermined criteria. The method also includes recording additional digital files on the recording medium and compressing the files assigned a low priority ranking when the recording medium reaches a first predetermined threshold of the recording medium's total storage capacity. The method further includes compressing the files assigned a medium priority ranking when the recording medium reaches a predetermined threshold in the recording medium's total storage capacity and deleting files designated as low priority files when the recording medium reaches a predetermined threshold in the recording medium's total storage capacity.

Abstract: Before a moving image is picked up, a data write speed of set recording media 20 is measured or acquired (steps S2-S5, S6). The speed performance of the recording media (represented by “high”, “medium” and “low”) is determined based on the measured or acquired data write speed (step S7). In the moving-image pickup, when the determined write speed performances are low, medium and high, respectively, control passes to a buffer data lump recording mode, a ring buffer recording mode and a stream recording mode, respectively, and then the moving-image data is recorded on recording media 20 in different moving-image recording methods (steps S11, S12 and S13), respectively. Thus, the settable upper limit of recording quality need not be set to that of recording media having low write speed performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing categorized images in a digital camera is provided. In one aspect, a method includes, storing images on a storage media in the digital imaging device, where each image includes at least one tag corresponding to a category for categorizing the images. A category list is generated that includes the categories corresponding to the tags in the images and the category list is stored on the storage media. The category list identifies, for each category, which of the stored images have the tag corresponding to the category. A category within the category list is designated as a default category. The method further includes accessing the image category list in order to display the images, wherein only the identified images of the default category are displayed, thereby speeding access to, and display of, the images.

Abstract: A camera for capturing and printing an image. The camera includes a camera module which captures an image via an image sensor. The image is transferred to a network interface module which transfers the image to a computer system. The image is also transferred to a printing mechanism which prints an interface onto a surface. The interface includes the image and coded data at least partially indicative of an identity of the image, thereby allowing the identity of the image to be obtained from the interface. The computer system is then responsive to the identity of the image to perform an action with the image.

Abstract: The electronic still camera includes an internal memory, a calculating part, a storage medium, and a display part. With a storing rate of the storage medium equal to or higher than an internal processing rate of the camera, the calculating part calculates a storable continuous frame count according to a residual storage capacity and an image data amount of the storage medium. With the storing rate lower than the internal processing rate, it calculates the same according to a storage capacity of the internal memory, the image data amount, a continuous shooting rate of frames, the internal processing rate, and the storing rate, and calculates the continuous shooting rate of frames of when an actual continuous frame count exceeds the storable continuous frame count according to the storing rate and image data amount. The display part displays the storable continuous frame count and continuous shooting rate of frames.

Abstract: When it is determined that a shutter button has been depressed, it is determined if a moving image photographing mode is set. When a still image photographing mode is set, a still image photographing operation is performed. It is determined if a user sets a recording medium for recording a still image. When the recording medium has been set by the user, the still image data is transferred and recorded in the set recording medium. When it is determined that the moving image photographing mode has been set, a moving image photographing operation begins. When the shutter button is depressed again, the moving image photographing operation finishes. It is determined if the recording medium is set by the user for recording the moving image data. When the recording medium has been set, the moving image data is transferred and recorded in the recording medium.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an image sensor. Image data of an object imaged by the image sensor is recorded on a recording medium to which an FAT system is adopted. A recording area of the recording medium is divided into a plurality of clusters, and available clusters can be dispersedly distributed. When formatting the recording medium, a CPU increases a cluster size as a capacity of the recording medium is larger, or the recordable number of frames of the recording medium is greater.

Abstract: An image data storage method and system for editing image date transmitted from an image producing apparatus through a network and storing it in a removable recording medium includes a network, an image producing apparatus for transmitting image data through the network, an image storing and delivering server for storing the image data transmitted from the image producing apparatus through the network and delivering it through the network, an image receiving apparatus for communicating with the image storing and delivering server through the network to receive the image data from the image storing and delivering server, and an external recording apparatus combined with the image receiving apparatus for storing the image data from the image receiving apparatus in a recording medium. The image receiving apparatus stores reproduction software for reproducing the image data in the recording medium together with image data.

Abstract: A digital camera including a user input device for adjusting at least one visual error diagnostic characteristic, an image processor configured to create a digital image, a watermark engine configured to organize watermark data, and an image buffer configured to embed the watermark data within the digital image. The at least one visual error diagnostic characteristic has at least two settings. The watermark data includes a current setting of the at least one visual error diagnostic characteristic.

Abstract: A camera which can accurately inform a photographer of the number of times image taking is possible is disclosed. The camera comprises an image-pickup device which photoelectrically converts an object image to an electric signal, an image processing circuit which applies image processing to the image data obtained by using the image-pickup device and generates processed image data, a recording circuit which records the processed image data in a recording medium, a control circuit which causes the image processing circuit to perform image processing on the image data obtained through one-time image taking under a plurality of different conditions to generate a plurality of the processed image data, and an information output unit which outputs information on the remaining number of times image taking is possible.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image data processing method or the like capable of obtaining a preferable reproduction image based on processed image data even if the image data is short of the unit of block on reading the image data from the memory means in the unit of block. When image data of “M lines×N pixels” written in a memory is read in a unit of block consisting of the predetermined number of pixels and the read image data is subjected to a compression coding process or the like, if data of two lines and data of four pixels per line are short, data of two pixels per line is added to the left end side of the image by using data (1,1) (2,1) . . . (M,1) in the left end side thereof and data of two pixels is added to the right end side of the image by using data (1,N) (2,N) . . . (M,N) in the right end side thereof. Data of one line is added to the upper end side of the image by using data (1,1) (1,2) . . .

Abstract: According to the present invention, a data processing device includes an imaging unit for outputting a taken picture as image data, a memory for temporarily storing the image data output from the imaging unit every at least one frame, a power source for applying power to the imaging unit and the memory, and a plurality of operation switches. Only when a predetermined operation switch of the operation switches is operated, the device controls so as to apply power to the imaging unit and the memory.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including an image pickup unit, a memory which stores moving image data output from the image pickup unit, a detection circuit which detects that free space of a storage capacity of the memory becomes not more than a predetermined amount, a communicating unit which transmits the moving image data to an external device, and a controller which according to output of the detection circuit provided during photographing the series of moving image data, starts to transmit the moving image data stored in the memory to the external device while photographing the moving image data.

Abstract: A digital camera allowing a user to easily check shooting conditions with low power consumption is to be provided. The digital camera includes a display unit having a display panel on which a plurality of shooting conditions are displayed and an indicator needle, a driving unit for driving the indicator needle in response to an input given by a user and indicating one of the shooting conditions by using the indicator needle, and an image pick-up unit for converting an optical image formed by an optical system to a digital image on the basis of the shooting condition indicated by the indicator needle.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, a writing unit, a calculation unit, and a determination unit. The image capture unit captures an image. The writing unit writes the captured image in a recording medium. The calculation unit calculates a number of free clusters in the recording medium. The determination unit determines whether the recording medium has been removed from the image capture apparatus. If the determination unit determines that the recording medium has been removed from the image capture apparatus, a free space in the recording medium is calculated from the calculated number of free clusters. If the determination unit determines that the recording medium has not been removed from the image capture apparatus, the number of free clusters from a predetermined area in the recording medium is acquired and the free space in the recording medium is calculated from the acquired number of free clusters.

Abstract: A digital camera has an image sensor, a capture trigger, a processing system, and a capture buffer having multiple buffer locations. When the capture trigger is activated, a corresponding image frame is received by the processing system from the image sensor and stored in an available buffer location. Image processing is performed on the image frame. The buffer location is unavailable for storage of other image data until the image processing is complete. Auxiliary Image frames are stored in the remaining buffer locations not designated as unavailable.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of outputting one of successive pictures that is picked up at a desired timing. When the operator of the apparatus selects a continuous shoot mode, sets a mode dial at a “Pre (prior)/Post (posterior)” position, and then presses a release button to a half-stroke position, the apparatus picks up a desired scene at preselected intervals. Up to nine latest frames of image data are written to a main memory while being sequentially updated. Subsequently, when the operator presses the release button to a full-stroke position, up to five additional latest frames of image data are written to the main memory. The image data stored in the main memory are read out and transformed to display data. The display data appear on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel in a multiframe format.

Abstract: In an electronic image pickup apparatus, if a mode used and some of setting values of additional functions are changed, a camera control microprocessor computes the number of images that can be captured on the basis of a current consumption integrated value that has been computed by a current integrating unit and stored in a storage unit, updates data of the number of images that can be captured using the computation result, and performs control processing so as to cause a display unit to display the updated data.

Abstract: An electronic still camera, for recording the image signal in compressed state in a memory medium such as a memory card, is provided with a calculation circuit, for calculating the remaining number of still recordable frames in the memory medium in more reliable manner, and the number of already recorded frames and the remaining number of still recordable frames are simultaneously displayed in order to inform the photographer of the remaining state of the memory card in securer manner. The remaining frame number is calculated in securer manner by detecting the remaining capacity of the memory card and dividing the remaining capacity with the amount of compressed signal averaged over the latest 100 image frames. A display device is provided for indicating thus determined remaining frame number together with the number of already recorded frames.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is able to suppress instances in which the user misses shutter opportunities or has to abort shooting due to insufficient remaining capacity on a recording medium. When the remaining capacity of the recording medium falls below a threshold, the user is allowed to set a desired recording duration. If it is determined that recording for the set desired recording duration at the target encoding data rate currently set is not possible, recording for the desired recording duration is enabled by automatically setting a recording mode that corresponds to a lower target encoding data rate, for example.

Abstract: For achieving high-speed continuous shooting and increasing the number of shots that can be picked-up continuously, within a limited buffer memory size, an image pickup apparatus is provided with a function of carrying out a first process of storing output data from an image pickup element on a first memory area and a function of carrying out a second process of processing data placed on the first memory area and storing the processed data on a second memory area, and is configured to perform the first and second processes in parallel.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus records image files on a recording medium. The image recording apparatus automatically selects disused files and automatically deletes them at the appropriate timing. A storage device acquires an image file from, e.g., an imaging component or an external terminal and records the image file together with time information on a recording medium. A controller monitors the recording area of the recording medium and automatically deletes image files for which the time information is old in accordance with the monitored usage status of the recording area.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a recording unit, a first detecting unit, a second detecting unit, and a control unit. The recording unit records taken images on a first recording medium. The first detecting unit detects the remaining available recording space of the first recording medium. The second detecting unit detects a plurality of external recording devices from a network. The control unit (a) determines a priority among the plurality of external recording devices, (b) automatically selects one of the plurality of external recording devices in accordance with the determined priority among the plurality of external recording devices, and ©) changes a recording medium for the taken images from the first recording medium to the selected external recording device so that the selected external recording device records the taken images on a second recording medium.

Abstract: If a request of handle information to identify data existing in a recording medium is made to a digital camera by a PC, the digital camera collects the data existing in the recording medium by accessing a file system, generates unique handle information independent of the file system on the basis of a file path of the file system, and transmits it to the PC. When the request accompanied by the handle information is received from the PC, the digital camera executes a file path restoring process to the handle information, thereby restoring the file path which depends on the file system in the digital camera, retrieves the requested file by using the obtained file path, and transmits the data to the PC. According to this arrangement, installation costs can be suppressed by making an identification information management table unnecessary even while identification information which is independent of a logical data management system is used.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating virtual stop-off points in a movie title, where the viewer can explore interesting content using zoom, pan and gamma controls are provided. Methods include creating an interest point from one or more digital video titles. Systems include a composer for creating interest points in a video and a viewer for manipulating and displaying the interest points.

Abstract: An electronic camera comprising an LCD panel for image reproduction and an imaging device is disclosed, in which private information attaching a predetermined attribute to a designated photographed image can be input, and in accordance with the private information, the image reproduction on the LCD panel is prohibited by a command from a CPU.

Abstract: An image compression apparatus and method, and a carrier wave encoded with a computer readable control program having instructions for use by a computer, perform an image compression process. A compression level is determined for use in compressing a picture image to a predetermined target data amount by iteratively compressing a reduced version of the picture image in order to determine the compression level that is to be used to compress the picture image. First, a reduced-size picture image is created from the picture image that is to be compressed. A preliminary compression target data amount is then derived, for example, based on the target data amount, the data amount of the picture image and the data amount of the reduced-size picture image. The reduced-size picture image is then compressed using a compression level. The size of the resulting compressed reduced-size picture image is compared to the preliminary compression target data amount.

Abstract: A portable transcription device includes a reader module, a recording module, and a control module. The reader module is used to read data contained in a first storage medium of a first file system, and the recording module is used to record data into a second storage medium of the second file system. The control module includes a transcribing unit for transcribing data between the first file system and the second file system, and a MPEG encoder for encoding MPEG streams. Image files contained in a memory card inserted into the reader are MPEG-encoded, transcribed, and backup in a video disc ready for playback.

Abstract: Provided is a digital camera in which a memory card is inserted and image files are stored on the memory card. When a recording capacity of the memory card is insufficient, image files already stored in the memory card are recompressed at a relatively higher compression rate at the request of a user.

Abstract: A digital camera showing on a display a graphical user interface having a first display portion for inputting priority ratio of high speed in access to an external memory card to recordable capacity in formatting the external memory card, a second display portion for showing a cluster size, and a third display portion for showing the number of images recordable to the external memory card. The recording medium is formatted with the cluster size shown on the second display portion in response to the user's manipulation.

Abstract: A method for processing images comprises the steps of performing the reception of data through the net work, inputting image data obtainable in accordance with the designated input mode, managing the storage of the data received in the receiving step and the image data inputted in the input step to the memory, and intervening between the operations of the reception step and the input step in accordance with the storage management in the controlling step. With the method thus structured, the compression ratio of the input image is heightened by changing the current photographing mode if the added value of the estimated reception data through communicating means and the data side of photographed image predetermined by the current photographing mode should exceed the remainders of memory in the storage, hence making it possible to implement the compatibility of immediacy between the image input and the communication by dealing with any sudden reception during photographing.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus is provided having a memory, a storage medium, and a storage control device. The memory is built in the image-capturing apparatus. The storage medium stores image data. The storage control device stores image data into the memory when the remainder of the storable capacity of said storage medium becomes too small to store image data.

Abstract: Photography can be assisted at the time of photography with a digital camera. A base station stores photography assistance information such as a map around the base station, a sightseeing spot or an event site, a photography point therein, and an explanation of the photography point. Communication means of the digital camera accesses the base station and receives photography information comprising the various kinds of photography assistance information. The photography information is displayed on a liquid crystal display monitor and a photographer carries out photography by selecting a desired kind of the photography assistance information representing the sightseeing spot or the event site around the base station from the photography information. The selected photography assistance information is added to image data obtained by photography and recorded in a memory card.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for receiving a recording medium that stores image data and data setting conditions for an operation relating to the image data, and that includes an erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism, includes an image recording device for rewriting or erasing image data recorded in the recording medium, a setting device for setting conditions for an operation relating to the image data recorded in the recording medium, a detector for detecting a state of the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism, and a controller for performing control of the apparatus so that, when the detector detects that the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism is in an erroneous-erasure prevention state, an operation of the image recording device is prohibited, and an operation of the setting device is permitted.

Abstract: There is provided a white balance control method. A color space coordinate expressing a color signal of each divided block is transformed into a white balance determination space coordinate. A light source estimation area and a high-saturation determination area are set in a white balance determination space to which the transformed white balance determination space coordinate belongs. A kind of the light source is estimated based on a white balance determination space coordinate distribution in the light source estimation area. A kind of the light source is determined based on the estimated kind of the light source and a white balance determination space coordinate distribution in the high-saturation determination area. White balance control information is calculated based on the determined kind of the light source. White balance control with respect to an image signal is carried out based on the calculated white balance control information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data recording device which specifies a file to be deleted from a memory card 11 in response to the user's file deleting manipulation to a manipulation key 8, and moves the specified file to a predetermined temporary delete folder. In recording data, the device calculates remaining capacity of recording area of the memory card 11, to judge whether a series of data to be recorded is recordable. When it is determined that the data is recordable, the data is recorded in the recording area. When it is not determined that the data is recordable, a file included in the temporary delete folder is deleted and the data is recorded in the recording area.

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises an image-capturing element; a recording device that records image data constituted of image capturing signals output from the image-capturing element into a data recording medium; a frame number calculating device that calculates a number of frames of image data that have been recorded or can be recorded into the data recording medium; a display device at which the number of frames is displayed; and a control device that controls the display device so as to display at least the number of frames when a main switch is in an OFF state.

Abstract: The number of images recordable in a plurality of recording media, which are used for recording sensed image data in different purposes, is notified to a user. First, an available recording capacity of a recording medium incorporated in an image processing apparatus and an available recording capacity of a recording medium which is detachable from the image processing apparatus are calculated. Based on the calculated results, the smaller capacity is determined, and an indication with respect to this capacity is displayed.

Abstract: A photographing operation control device comprises a buffer memory in which image data is temporarily stored. In a blank photographing mode, when a release switch is turned ON, image data obtained through a photographing optical system is stored in the buffer memory. In the blank photographing mode, the image data stored in the buffer memory is not recorded in a PC card. In a normal photographing mode, when the release switch is turned ON, the image data is stored in the buffer memory and then transmitted to the PC card, in which the image data is recorded.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera, a scene is judged with using an image data outputted from an area sensor in a preparation state in which an image displayed on a monitor display serves as a viewfinder, and another image data to be recorded in a recording medium in an image recording mode is compensated corresponding to a result of judgment of the scene. By such the compensation, an image using the image data recorded in the recording medium can properly be reproduced by an image outputting apparatus such as a printer.

Abstract: An electronic camera system including an electronic camera having a recording medium which records image information obtained by shooting an image, a detection arrangement which detects that a memory capacity of the recording medium becomes a predetermined value, and a first interface which transmits and receives information, and a communication unit including a wireless communication arrangement which can transmit an image file, a transmission control arrangement to transmit the image information recorded on the recording medium by the wireless communication arrangement based on a detection signal from the detection arrangement, and a second interface which transmits and receives the information with the first interface of the electronic camera.

Abstract: In a digital camera, images are stored in chronological order in an image storage queue, and the ability of the camera to add additional images to the queue is related to the archival status of the images already in the queue.

Abstract: An electronic video camera temporarily records and saves motion video in a relatively high-resolution form in a frame aging buffer. While video frames are saved in high-resolution form, it is possible to extract a relatively high-resolution still image from the buffer. The camera holds the video data in high-resolution form a limited time, eventually “aging” it as more frames are captured. The motion video is stored in persistent storage in a lower resolution form. At the user's option, relatively higher resolution frames from the buffer can also be saved.

Abstract: Attached information is designated, and it is discriminated whether or not there is a paper output port corresponding to attached information read from a storage unit for storing image data and attached information about the image data. If it is determined there is a corresponding paper output port, then the paper output port is determined as a selected paper output port. If it is determined there is not a corresponding paper output port, then an available paper output port is determined as a selected paper output port. Thus, recorded images can be automatically discriminated based on the attached information.

Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus which stores data of images obtained by an image sensor as image files, in a directory in a recording medium in which the number of recordable image files is predetermined in accordance with a predetermined storage format, a first number of files makable in the recording medium is calculated based on the predetermined storage format, a second number of files recordable in the recording medium is calculated based on a remaining capacity of the recording medium, the first number of files and the second number of files are compared with each other, notification is instructed to be made in correspondence with the result of comparison, and notification is made in response to the instruction.

Abstract: A hand-held image capture and communication appliance and method of using same are provided wherein images may be captured and saved in an internal memory. The appliance includes a processor for manipulating and exhibiting the images on a built-in display screen. Program code stored in the internal memory and executed by the processor includes a delete page module for purging the memory of captured images when they are no longer needed. The delete page module includes a code segment for displaying an animation, which, in the preferred embodiment, is designed to convey the concept to the user that a delete operation is irreversible. One implementation of the animation shows the deleted page or group of pages turn into ashes, which is a metaphor for the permanence of the delete operation. A confirmation prompt is provided prior to carrying out the delete operation to inform the user how many pages or images will be deleted and what percentage of memory will be freed.

Abstract: Method for controlling a memory in a digital system, including the steps of (a) dividing the memory into a plurality of fixed sized memory blocks, (b) defining at least one of the memory blocks as a compression/decompression region, (c) assigning compression priorities to rest of the memory blocks except the memory blocks defined as the compression/decompression region, and (d) making the memory blocks to deal with an external data received according to an external command, and carrying out compression/decompression of data required in the dealing with the external data at the compression/decompression region according to the compression priorities.