Abstract: An editing condition input screen of an image editing program is provided with a selecting button for selecting a basic scenario of a photo movie and a still image to be a material and is also provided with each button for performing priority designation for the image desired to be displayed by priority among the selected image and for performing key image designation. Further, a notable person designation button for performing notable person designation is provided. The image editing program, on the basis of such inputted editing conditions, evaluates and narrows down the material to produce the photo movie. By inputting the editing conditions, time assigned for a selected image within the photo movie becomes long and the selected image is repeatedly displayed, therefore the photo movie obtains a plot and a quality of the photo movie can be improved.

Abstract: Recognition of the contents of data, such as still images obtained by digital cameras, is facilitated. A plurality of images obtained by a digital camera are read out from a memory card. A classifying section classifies the plurality of images into groups, each of which corresponds to a date. A representative data selecting section selects a predetermined number of pieces of representative data from each of the groups. A display control section arranges thumbnail images of the predetermined number of pieces of representative data, arranged in date regions, which are classified by date, on a monitor.

Abstract: When a slide show in which a plurality of still images is reproduced and displayed in sequence is executed, the number of subjects captured in each still image is determined. Display time of each still image is calculated based on the determined number of the subjects. The number of the subjects is determined from the number of faces detected in the still image. The faces smaller in size than a predetermined value are eliminated from the number of the subjects. The display time is obtained by multiplying the number of the subjects by a predetermined coefficient. When the number of the subjects is larger than a criterion subject number M, the coefficient is set small. Accordingly, it is prevented that the display time is set unduly long.

Abstract: When a zoom effect or a panning effect is selected for an editing condition of a photo movie, a cutout area for cutting out a still image is set. When a face image of a person is detected in the cutout area designated by a user, the cutout area is automatically adjusted so as to have an optimal margin around the face image based on a position and size of the face image. When the face image is not detected in the cutout area, a position and size of the cutout area is adjusted manually.

Abstract: A photo movie creating apparatus stores a photo movie creating program. When the photo movie creating program is started, a position detecting section and an image editing section are generated in the CPU. The position detecting section detects a distance L1 from the center to the edge of a cropping frame for cropping a target subject out of a still image, and a distance L2 from the center of the target subject to the edge of the still image on this cropping frame's edge side. The image editing section compares the distance L1 with the distance L2, then controls at least one of the size and the position of the cropping frame so as the cropping frame not to protrude outside the still image where no image data exists.

Abstract: A photo movie is created based on scene configuration information, which includes scene definition information to determine a type of special effects, the number of still images, and playback time for each scene. The playback time is summed up to figure total playback time of the photo movie. If an intended total playback time is specified by a user, the playback time and scene configuration are changed in each scene so that the total playback time of the photo movie corresponds with the intended total playback time. In another embodiment, a moving speed of a cropping frame for cutting out a portion of a still image is derived from a moving path of the cropping frame and a total playback time of a photo movie. The size of the cropping frame is changed if the calculated moving speed is out of an allowable speed range.

Abstract: An image editing apparatus creates photo movies from frame images read out from a memory card. A file for the frame images stores frame classification information in relationship to the image data. An editing condition setup section reads out a scenario form from a HDD. The scenario form determines plural scene categories. The editing condition setup section assigns the frame images to the scene categories based on the frame classification information to complete a scenario. A photo movie creating section follows the scenario to create a photo movie. The scenario determines a special effect, BGM, and the like for each scene category, and all the frame images belonging to the same scene category are edited and processed as a group.

Abstract: Illegal use of a playlist can be prevented. A laboratory generates a playlist and encodes the playlist with a public key. The encoded playlist is recorded in a DVD. When a user carries out reproduction using the playlist on a personal computer, the personal computer compares token information thereof and token information included in an access ticket issued by an access ticket issuing center according to the token information of the personal computer. The personal computer carries out the reproduction by decoding the playlist with the private key in the access ticket only in the case where the token information thereof agrees with the token information in the access ticket.

Abstract: In a photo movie producing apparatus, a scenario producing section includes a parameter normalizing circuit which normalizes a parameter in a scenario into a format based on a predetermined pixel number not dependent on a pixel number of still images to be inputted in an image editor and an edited image. The image editor handles the still images and the edited image within a virtual pixel space by using the normalized parameter. In a preferred embodiment, each still image is normalized to a pixel number in accordance with an output format of a photo movie, before the image editing.

Abstract: An editing condition input screen of an image editing program is provided with a selecting button for selecting a basic scenario of a photo movie and a still image to be a material and is also provided with each button for performing priority designation for the image desired to be displayed by priority among the selected image and for performing key image designation. Further, a notable person designation button for performing notable person designation is provided. The image editing program, on the basis of such inputted editing conditions, evaluates and narrows down the material to produce the photo movie. By inputting the editing conditions, time assigned for a selected image within the photo movie becomes long and the selected image is repeatedly displayed, therefore the photo movie obtains a plot and a quality of the photo movie can be improved.

Abstract: A print system is provided with an order receiving device, a frame reproducing device and a printing device. The order receiving device acquires a time stamp of a frame to be printed during producing a photo movie. The frame reproducing device reproduces the frame to be printed by re-editing a still image in higher quality then when producing the frame based on a scenario after specifying the scenario corresponding to the time stamp. The printing device prints the reproduced frame of high quality. In the order receiving device, a photo movie is produced and displayed on a monitor for access of a client to designate the frame to be printed by using an operation section.

Abstract: Still images which are materials of a photo movie are displayed on a monitor. One still image is selected by observing the monitor. A frame including the selected still image is extracted from the photo movie. The extracted frame or a scene including the extracted frame is displayed on the monitor. When the frame displayed on the monitor is designated, the frame is printed by a printer.

Abstract: An image editing apparatus reads a selected still image, analyzes an image content, and determines an editing condition. By analyzing the image content, a main subject is determined (concerning whether the main subject is a person or scenery) and a framing (a relative position of the main subjects and the like) is determined. According to the result of analysis, a type of special effect such as zooming or panning and the editing condition such as a zoom point are determined. Further, the image editing apparatus produces a scenario on the basis of the determined editing condition and produces a photo movie. Because the editing condition is determined according to the image content, the photo movie obtains a plot and the quality of the photo movie can be improved. Further, because the image content analysis is automatically performed, operation such as designating the editing condition does not become complicated.

Abstract: A photo movie is produced by giving special effects, such as electronic zooming and panning, to plural still images used as material. The photo movie is produced on the basis of a scenario file in which editing conditions are described in time order. When creating the scenario file, candidate flags are recorded in the scenario file in association with specific frames for which a print order is expected to be placed. When the print order is placed, the corresponding specific frames are searched in the photo movie according to the candidate flags. Searching time is reduced compared to the case where the photo movie is played back from the beginning.