Abstract: Automatic selection of best shots from among a plurality of photographic images is enabled, while retaining photographic images of scenes, for which a possibility exists that a user feels are necessary, regardless of image quality. A readout portion reads out a plurality of photographic images, which are recorded on a memory card. A classifying portion classifies these photographic images into similar photographic image groups, which include similar photographic images. A selection condition setting portion of an extracting portion sets selection conditions so that at least one qualified photographic image is selected from each similar photographic image group. The extracting portion extracts qualified photographic image groups form each similar photographic image group, based on the set selection conditions. A printing portion prints only the qualified photographic images, and a recording portion records the qualified photographic images and other photographic images in different folders of a CD-R.

Abstract: A communication apparatus which specifies the destination of the data accurately and transmits the data without complicated operation such as designating the destination.

Abstract: A personal computer issues an instruction to estimate a subject included in an image represented by image data stored in an image server. A database in which a place of photography, time periods, and a photographing direction correspond to structure image data representing a structure is stored in a storage unit of a subject estimating device in the image server. Related structure image data related to the place of photography and the photographing direction and a date/time of photography, are extracted from the database by referring to the position data and the date/time data attached to the image data. Then, a correlation value between the extracted related structure image data and the image data is obtained, and a structure included in an image represented by a related structure image data with the highest correlation value is estimated to be a subject included in the image represented by the image data.

Abstract: Automatic selection of best shots from among a plurality of photographic images is enabled, while retaining photographic images of scenes, for which a possibility exists that a user feels are necessary, regardless of image quality. A readout portion reads out a plurality of photographic images, which are recorded on a memory card. A classifying portion classifies these photographic images into similar photographic image groups, which include similar photographic images. A selection condition setting portion of an extracting portion sets selection conditions so that at least one qualified photographic image is selected from each similar photographic image group. The extracting portion extracts qualified photographic image groups form each similar photographic image group, based on the set selection conditions. A printing portion prints only the qualified photographic images, and a recording portion records the qualified photographic images and other photographic images in different folders of a CD-R.

Abstract: A communication apparatus which specifies the destination of the data accurately and transmits the data without complicated operation such as designating the destination.

Abstract: A database which is used for sorting image data S0 is selected as a selected database DBs from a plurality of databases DBi connected to a network 2. In the selected database DBs, an event corresponds to a date/time. By referring to the selected database DBs based on a date/time represented by date/time data attached to the image data S0, a corresponding event which corresponds to the date/time is selected. Then, by assigning the corresponding event to the image data S0, the corresponding event is associated with the image data S0.

Abstract: A personal computer issues an instruction to estimate a subject included in an image represented by image data stored in an image server. A database in which a place of photography, time periods, and a photographing direction correspond to structure image data representing a structure is stored in a storage unit of a subject estimating device in the image server. Related structure image data related to the place of photography and the photographing direction and a date/time of photography, are extracted from the database by referring to the position data and the date/time data attached to the image data. Then, a correlation value between the extracted related structure image data and the image data is obtained, and a structure included in an image represented by a related structure image data with the highest correlation value is estimated to be a subject included in the image represented by the image data.

Abstract: Image data sets are enabled to be classified for each of a plurality of people, who share a device that stores image data sets, such as a digital camera. Date data that represent a photography date are attached to image data sets. A database stores therein events related to each of the plurality of people, correlated with the dates of the events. The image data sets are correlated with events related to each person by referring to the database. For example, the database stores therein events related to family members (Father, Mother, and Son), correlated with the dates of the events. Accordingly, events are selected from the database based on the date data attached to the image data sets, and the image data sets are correlated with the selected events. Thereby, image data sets are enabled to be classified according to events for each person.

Abstract: Albums are generated by efficiently classifying images recorded on a high capacity memory card. Image datasets, having location data representing photography locations thereof attached thereto, are transmitted from a personal computer to an album generation support server. The album generation support server calculates distances between the photography locations of the image datasets and a predetermined reference position, such as the user's home, based on the location data. In cases that the distance exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the image dataset is assumed to have been photographed during a trip, and is classified as an image for a vacation album. In cases that the distance does not exceed the threshold value, the image dataset is assumed to have been photographed in the vicinity of the user's home, and classified as an image for a theme album, the theme being an event that occurs in the vicinity of the user's home.

Abstract: An ink jet printer forms an image frame in a continuous recording sheet at a size PL with reference to a feeding direction. The continuous recording sheet includes plural recording sheets, and a splicing portion for splicing the plural recording sheets to one another in one line. In ink jet printing, the image frame is printed to the continuous recording sheet with a printing bead while the continuous recording sheet is fed in the feeding direction. It is detected whether the splicing portion comes past a predetermined position upstream from the printing head at a distance L1. The printing head is inhibited from printing the image frame if an unavailable region including the splicing portion is estimated to overlap on a region of the image frame according to a detection signal from the detecting step.

Abstract: A digital camera and an image processing method in the digital camera, which make it possible to easily obtain interesting and unexpected images applied with special effects. An imaging system images a subject and converting a subject image into unaltered image data representing an unaltered image of the subject. Then, a special effect selector, which is provided with a random number generator generating a random number, selects one special effect from a plurality of special effects in accordance with the random number. A special effect image processor image-processes the unaltered image data under the special effect selected by the special effect selector so as to obtain special effect image data representing a special effect image. The special effect image data is recorded into an external memory, or sent to an external printer through a communication interface.

Abstract: An ink jet printer comprises at least one ink jet head, in which plural nozzles are arranged in an array in a main scan direction, and eject a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image. Feeder rollers feed the recording material relative to the ink jet head in a sub scan direction, to print the image to the recording material two-dimensionally. A thermal head includes plural heating elements arranged in an array in the main scan direction, for applying heat to the recording material respectively in a heating region. A system controller sets drying heat energy according to the ejected amount, and drives the thermal head to apply the drying heat energy to the heating region, to promote drying of the droplet in the heating region.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet printing head including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting ink. A feeder rollers move continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction, to print plural images to the continuous recording sheet. A system controller operates to clean the printing head in a beginning or ending position of respectively the plural images. The printing head prints a cutting indicia to the recording material upon being cleaned. The cutting indicia is adapted to separating the images.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes an ink jet printing head, having plural recording elements arranged in a main scan direction. Feeder roller sets move continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction, to print an image to the continuous recording sheet. A printing head inspecting device for the printer is provided. A controller causes the feeder roller set to set first and second line positions of the continuous recording sheet sequentially at the printing head. While one of the first and second line positions is set at the printing head, the controller simultaneously drives recording elements in one of first and second groups into which the recording elements are grouped in the printing head, to print one check dot train to the continuous recording sheet. Thus, two check dot trains are printed in the first and second line positions. Each of the first and second groups includes plural recording elements intermittently arranged in the printing head.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet printing head which includes plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction. A feeder rollers feed continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction. A controller drives the printing head and the feeder rollers to print images and a head check pattern to the continuous recording sheet. The head check pattern is printed outside a region of the images, and adapted to check whether the nozzles print at intended printing density.

Abstract: An ink jet printer forms an image frame in a continuous recording sheet at a size PL with reference to a feeding direction. The continuous recording sheet includes plural recording sheets, and a splicing portion for splicing the plural recording sheets to one another in one line. In ink jet printing, the image frame is printed to the continuous recording sheet with a printing bead while the continuous recording sheet is fed in the feeding direction. It is detected whether the splicing portion comes past a predetermined position upstream from the printing head at a distance L1. The printing head is inhibited from printing the image frame if an unavailable region including the splicing portion is estimated to overlap on a region of the image frame according to a detection signal from the detecting step.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes an ink jet printing head, having plural recording elements arranged in a main scan direction. Feeder roller sets move continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction, to print an image to the continuous recording sheet. A printing head inspecting device for the printer is provided. A controller causes the feeder roller set to set first and second line positions of the continuous recording sheet sequentially at the printing head. While one of the first and second line positions is set at the printing head, the controller simultaneously drives recording elements in one of first and second groups into which the recording elements are grouped in the printing head, to print one check dot train to the continuous recording sheet. Thus, two check dot trains are printed in the first and second line positions. Each of the first and second groups includes plural recording elements intermittently arranged in the printing head.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet printing head including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting ink. A feeder rollers move continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction, to print plural images to the continuous recording sheet. A system controller operates to clean the printing head in a beginning or ending position of respectively the plural images. The printing head prints a cutting indicia to the recording material upon being cleaned. The cutting indicia is adapted to separating the images.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet printing head which includes plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction. A feeder rollers feed continuous recording sheet relative to the printing head in a sub scan direction. A controller drives the printing head and the feeder rollers to print images and a head check pattern to the continuous recording sheet. The head check pattern is printed outside a region of the images, and adapted to check whether the nozzles print at intended printing density.

Abstract: A white balance adjusting device for use in a camera which photographs a field and forms a video signal representing the field. In the white balance adjusting device, while a sequential photographing is under way, updating of the color temperature data to be used for adjusting a white balance is prohibited. Therefore, the hues of main objects in the respective frames of still images photographed by the sequential photographic operation remain unchanged, thereby maintaining the homogeneity of the main objects. Also, in the white balance adjusting device, control a device is used to provide a short response time for a quick response property in a still mode and to provide a longer response time in a movie mode when compared with the still mode. As a result, the white balance can be adjusted according to the photographic modes of the camera.