Abstract: A method for reviewing and navigating among stored images on an image capture unit having a display, wherein each of the stored images is represented by a thumbnail image is disclosed. The method begins by displaying a page of thumbnail images on a display in which when the page is full of thumbnails, the thumbnails are arranged in an N×M array. A memory bar is displayed adjacent to the page on the display, wherein the memory bar indicates a position of the displayed page in relation to the other pages of stored images. The user may navigate among the thumbnail images in the displayed page via the up, down, right and left buttons, where a highlight area indicates a location of a currently selected thumbnail. The user may also navigate from the displayed page to other pages via up, down, right and left buttons, wherein the displayed page is replaced with a second page. In response, the memory bar is updated to indicate a position of the second page in relation to the other pages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a multimedia presentation from heterogeneous media objects stored in a digital imaging device, wherein each one of the media objects includes one or more media types associated therewith, such as images, video, audio and text. The digital imaging device includes a display screen, a navigation control button, and one or more function keys. In a first aspect of the present invention, a representation of each one of the media objects in the digital imaging device is displayed on the display screen. Thereafter, the user navigates to one of the displayed media objects using the navigation control button and marks the selected media object by pressing a corresponding function key. These steps are repeated to provide an ordered set of marked media objects. A slide show is then presented from the ordered set of marked media objects, whereupon initiation of the slide show presentation, each one of the media objects is automatically displayed on the display in the order marked.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a user interface for an application program executed in a digital imaging device, wherein the digital imaging device and the application program applies a plurality of imaging effects to captured images. The method and system include selecting one of the captured images, and automatically applying the plurality of effects to the selected image to provide a plurality of preview results. The plurality of preview results are then displayed as an aligned set of application specific items in the display along with the selected image to thereby provide a real-time preview of each type of effect applied to the selected image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing a multidimensional array of overlapping images for composite image generation using a camera that includes a viewfinder. This is accomplished by providing a composite image format comprising an N×M array of overlapping images, and allowing the user to sequentially capture the images in the array. When the user attempts to capture one of the images in the array, the overlap ping areas of previously captured images are displayed in the viewfinder to enable the user to align the next image to be captured in the array with the previously captured images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for the creation and use of simple and complex templates. The system includes providing the template where the template contains a plurality of tags, and then applying the template to the image based on the tags. The plurality of tags provide instructions for the application of a plurality of plane files to be applied to the image. The method and system in accordance with the present invention automates the process of applying templates to images which reduces the required amount of user time for the interface. Its use of tags to store the template requires less storage space. The method and system in accordance with the present invention thus saves the user considerable time and effort in applying templates. It also require less processing time over manual template creation methods.

Abstract: A system and method for providing user assistance to a user of a digital image device. The present invention, referred to as an interactive context assistant, includes computer-readable instructions stored in a memory unit of the digital image device which are executed by a central processing unit. The present invention is configured to automatically recognize an attribute of the image data. The present invention also includes a database which specifies the user assistance according to the attribute of the image data. The present invention retrieves from the database the user assistance corresponding to the attribute and provides the user assistance to the user via a user interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user to define a panning and zooming path across a still image in a digital imaging device during interactive movie creation. The method and apparatus include allowing the user to define the position of a plurality of key frames on the still image, allowing the user to size the key frames to control the zoom during the movie, and allowing the user to set the key frames on the still image to fix each of the key frame's position and size.

Abstract: Method and system aspects for increasing storage capacity in a digital image capture device are described. Compression levels of saved image files are utilized to increase storage capacity by identifying a level of compression of a saved image file in the digital image capture device. The identified level of compression is compared with a predetermined level of compression, and the saved image file is compressed to the predetermined level of compression when the identified level of compression does not match the predetermined level of compression to free storage space in the digital image capture device.

Abstract: An image processing system for high performance digital imaging in a digital camera. The reflected light from an image is focused through a lens and optically filtered. A CCD array converts this image into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is processed and then converted into an equivalent digital signal. A digital signal processor is then used to process the raw digital signal. The DSP includes a capture data path, a data flow control, an image processing data path, a compression/decompression engine, a resize circuit, a display processing circuit, and a rotation circuit. Data is routed between the DSP and memory via a bus. By selectively activating and reusing certain parts of the hardware architecture and various data paths, at least four modes of operation can be supported: live view, instant review, and play mode.

Abstract: Method and system aspects for locating a desired image from a plurality of images stored in an image capture unit are described. In an exemplary method aspect, the method includes sorting the plurality of images in the image capture unit according to a sort criteria. The method further includes displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups on a display interface of the image capture unit. Additionally included is providing browsing access of the displayed, sorted images by group, wherein locating of a desired image occurs.

Abstract: Method and system aspects for digital image stamping are disclosed. A method aspect, and system for providing same, stamps digital images captured with a digital image capture unit. Included are the establishing of parameters for at least one stamp type and the capturing of raw image data. Further included are the processing of the raw image data into at least one image, and the applying of the at least one stamp type to the at least one image.

Abstract: A method and system for providing instant review of a last image in an image capture device is disclosed. The image capture device includes a viewfinder for displaying a live image and each image of a plurality of previously captured images. The method and system include selecting instant review of the last image captured by the image capture device, determining the status and location of the last image, and providing the last image to the viewfinder for display. Therefore, the image capture device is capable of displaying the last image substantially immediately after the last image has been captured. In another aspect, the image capture device contains an image processing system. In this aspect, the method and system include allowing a user to access a play mode and a review mode while the last image captured undergoes processing by the image processing system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for automatically generating a plurality of folders for multiple devices in a digital camera. The method and system comprises providing a folder of images from a digital camera and embedding an image file format in the folder, wherein the image file format identifies the particular camera. In a preferred embodiment, the image file format comprises a TIFF structure. Through this mechanism, a one level folder system can be utilized to retrieve images. In addition, since the image file format identifies the camera, conflicts due to identical serial numbers are eliminated.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying an overlay bar on a digital imaging device is disclosed. First, text and graphic information to be displayed on the overlay bar are stored in an overlay bar buffer, and then displayed on a display screen. Thereafter, an image to be viewed is displayed on the display line-by-line. The lines of the image that are to be displayed within the area of an overlay bar are stored in a backstore buffer. Each line in the backstore buffer is then merged with its corresponding lines in the overlay bar buffer and displayed. The merging operation is performed by modifying the luminance value of each pixel of the image data that falls within the area of the overlay bar, and overwriting each pixel of image data that falls under a pixel of text in the overlay bar. This makes the overlay bar appear to the user to be translucent and makes the image appear as though it is sliding beneath the overlay bar as it is being displayed.

Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for generating variable-length timing signals in an electronic imaging device. A digital camera device includes an electronic image sensor which requires a complex set of timing signals to effectively capture image data. The digital camera therefore also includes timing generation circuitry which generates a set of precise timing signals for a variable-length frame time necessary to control and synchronize the electronic image sensor within the digital camera. The present invention includes a transfer substrate charge (Xsub) source circuit and a frame time source circuit, each containing a downcounter. The point in time when the downcounters reach zero is available as a precise and programmable timing reference. Both the Xsub time and frame time source circuits are loaded from registers under software control.

Abstract: A method for automatically storing and presenting digital images is disclosed. The method includes capturing digital images with a digital camera and storing the images in an image file, where the file includes at least one speech field and at least one text-based tag. A categorization process is then initiated whereby a user speaks at least one category voice annotation into the digital camera to categorize an image, and the category voice annotation is stored in the speech field of the corresponding image file. The category voice annotation is then translated into at a text annotation using voice recognition, and the image and the text annotation are automatically stored in a database. An album may then be dynamically created by retrieving selected images and corresponding text annotations from the database in response to a request from the user, and displaying each image on the album along with the text annotations.

Abstract: A system and method for adding file formats to a digital imaging device is disclosed. The digital imaging device includes a built-in file format. The method and system include allowing a user to loading a first file extension module, providing a management layer, and providing a plurality of data processing utilities. The first file extension module includes a second file format. The management layer communicates with the first file extension module to write and read an image file having the second file format. The management layer also communicates with a portion of the digital imaging device using an internal format. The plurality of data processing utilities are for converting data to between the second file format and the internal format.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling user interaction in a digital imaging device having a display using dynamic overlay bars. The digital imaging device includes at least two operating modes, where each of the operating modes has at least one mode-specific operation that can be performed on images. In response to operating in both of the operating modes, the digital imaging device displays a first overlay bar on the display that is dynamically updated with status information and interactive instructions that guide the user through the mode-specific operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for de-interlacing a buffer of image data, wherein scan lines from an image sensor have been transferred to the buffer and stored in a group of even scan lines and a group of odd scan lines. The method for de-interlacing the buffer includes providing a first table to indicate current storage locations of each scan line in the buffer and providing a second table to indicate which scan line is currently stored in each storage location. The first table and a temporary line buffer are then used iteratively swap pairs of scan lines that are stored out of numerical order in the buffer, such that after a swap, one of the scan line in the pair is stored in numerical order in the buffer. After each swap, the first table is updated using the second table, and then second table is updated, such that the first and second tables reflect a change of storage locations for the scan lines, whereby the buffer is de-interlaced in place without using a duplicate buffer.