Abstract: To generating a mosaic image by combining a plurality of material images, an original image is divided into tiles and a material image having a characteristic similar to that of an image in each tile is applied to the tile. If more than one version of image data having different resolutions is provided as the image data for the material image, a low-resolution version of the image data is used to calculate a characteristic quantity of the image. Thus, the amount of time required to generate the mosaic image can be reduced.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in a borderless printing mode, a printing region is determined from an original image, a region expanded outward is determined for borderless printing based on the determined region. When the thus determined region exceeds the region of the original image, an image in the surplus portion is extrapolated based on an image at end portions of the original image, and printing data is formed based on the extrapolated image and image data of the expanded region.

Abstract: In conventional technique, a layout result is displayed on only one page, and a print result cannot be roughly observed by reduced display of all pages. For this reason, a specific image printed on a specific page cannot be overlooked, and a user must print the image while imaging an image result. When a user tries to change a layout method in the middle of a printing operation, the user must inconveniently restart the operation.

Abstract: A data processing method for registering meta-data in binary data loads data to be processed including binary data, and meta-data to be appended to the binary data. If it is determined that the loaded meta-data has a correct format, it is checked if existing meta-data is present in the loaded data to be processed. If existing meta-data is present in the data to be processed, new meta-data is formed on the basis of the existing meta-data included in the data to be processed, and the loaded meta-data. The new meta-data is connected to the end of the binary data in the data to be processed, and the connected data is output as a file.

Abstract: Image processing method and apparatus for combining a plurality of texture images and generating a mosaic image. A first image serving as an original image is divided into a plurality of tile areas; a texture image having a minimum difference between the average luminance of R, G and B tristimulus values in each tile area and average luminance of R, G and B tristimulus values in each texture image is selected; and a mosaic image is produced by substituting the tile area by the selected texture image. In determination of the texture image, L*a*b* space parameters of each tile area and each texture image are compared and a texture image having the closest space parameter is selected as the image for the corresponding tile area, and a mosaic image is generated.

Abstract: To make it possible to process or retrieve a recorded image in accordance with the location where the image is recorded and record digital image data together with GPS information when capturing a digital image by a video camera. Moreover, when GPS information cannot be captured, GPS information of a certain time before is captured. Furthermore, a system is disclosed which accesses the internet in accordance with the captured GPS information.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus in which attachment of removable memory card is detected and it is determined whether or not binary data is stored in the memory card. If it is determined that binary data is stored in the memory card, it is further determined whether or not meta data is stored in the memory card. If it is determined that the meta data is stored, the meta data is added to the binary data. If it is determined that no meta data is stored, meta data registration processing is started, and addition processing is performed after registration of the meta data. On the other hand, if it is determined that no binary data is stored, the registration processing is started to register the meta data in the memory card.

Abstract: To make it possible to process or retrieve a recorded image in accordance with the location where the image is recorded and record digital image data together with GPS information when capturing a digital image by a video camera. Moreover, when GPS information cannot be captured, GPS information a certain time before is captured. Furthermore, a system is disclosed which accesses the internet in accordance with the captured GPS information.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method and an apparatus for inputting characters, capable of saving the space of a character input screen and facilitating character inputting, and a storage medium. When the information of a character to be input is selected and input by scrolling a character selection portion displaying predetermined character information to be displayed on the character inputting position of an input result display portion, the input character information is displayed on the input result display portion, and the character selection portion is moved to a next character information inputting position.

Abstract: A data search apparatus for searching search object data that contains binary data and meta-data displays a list of thumbnails that indicate search object data. When a desired thumbnail is designated as search object data from this list display, meta-data contained in the designated search object data is extracted and displayed. When desired data is designated from the displayed meta-data, the designated data is set as a keyword as a search condition. A data search is executed based on the set keyword and meta-data contained in each search object data.

Abstract: There is provided a binary data storage method and device and a storage medium which, upon duplicating binary data stored in an external storage medium into a data storage device, is capable of generating inside the data storage device a folder having a name which is appropriate for the data without the user having to perform manipulations or confirm the content of the data.

Abstract: A plurality of images and image features of each of the plurality of images are stored in a form correlated with the images in an external storage device of an image retrieval apparatus. In retrieval of a desired image from the plurality of images that have been stored in the external storage device, a plurality of image features regarding one image are acquired by varying, over a predetermined range, each of the image features that have been stored in the external storage device. A fuzzy image search is conducted by calculating the degree of similarity between each of the plurality of images and a retrieval source image based upon the image features that have been acquired and the image features of the retrieval-source image.

Abstract: An image editing system obtains an object image defined by an output area and user specified depth information of the image object. On the basis of a comparison result of comparing depth information of the obtained image object with respect to respective depth information of objects read from a memory storing image data comprised of plural objects whose dephts are different and whose output areas are defined, the obtained image object is inserted into the image data stored in the memory.