DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME AND METHOD OF DISPLAYING IMAGES ACCORDING TO A DATE

Abstract

A digital photo frame with a function for displaying images according to a chosen date includes an internal memory for storing a search date and digital images; a date unit for supplying a system date; a date obtaining module for obtaining the system date from the date unit; a time frame search confirming module for confirming a time frame according to the system date and the search date; an image searching module for searching images in the internal memory or an external memory connected to the digital photo frame according to the time frame; and an image obtaining module for obtaining images according to the time frame. A method of displaying images according to a chosen date in a digital photo frame is also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a digital photo frame with function for displaying images according to a date.

2. General Background

Digital photo frames typically display images directly from a memory card. Certain digital photo frames are able to directly load images to the frame's memory via a USB connection. All digital photo frames can display images on a screen. Most digital photo frames will display the images as a slideshow, changing photos according to an adjustable time interval. Digital photo frames are more convenient over conventional hardcopy photo albums because a user doesn't have to physically turn pages to look at photos.

However, a user may wish to view certain photos of a collection rather than all of them. For example, photos in a collection relating to a special date or day such as a birthday or anniversary.

What is needed, therefore, is a digital photo frame that has the function for displaying images according to a date.

SUMMARY

A digital photo frame with a function for displaying images according to a chosen date includes: an internal memory for storing a search date and digital images; a date unit for supplying a system date; a date obtaining module for obtaining the system date from the date unit; a time frame search confirming module for confirming a time frame according to the system date and the search date; an image searching module for searching images in the internal memory or an external memory connected to the digital photo frame according to the time frame; and an image obtaining module for obtaining images according to the time frame.

Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to measuring scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the digital photo frame with the function of displaying images according to date. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGS. 1 to 4 are different display modes of a display screen of a digital photo frame of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a digital photo frame in accordance with the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary block diagram of main function modules of a processing unit of the digital photo frame of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method for displaying images of certain dates by the digital photo frame of FIG. 5 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 4 are different display modes of a display screen in a digital photo frame of an exemplary embodiment. A display screen 130 (shown in FIG. 5) of the digital photo frame 10 has an image display area 11 and a date display area 12. The date display area 12 is configured for displaying a system date. The position of the date display area 12 can be any suitable position of the display screen 130, for example, at a right side of the display screen 130 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 or at a bottom right side of the display screen 130 as shown in FIG. 3. The display screen 130 further has an image information display area 13 for displaying property information of an image on display, such as creation time, size, and so on.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of the digital photo frame in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The digital photo frame 10 includes a processing unit 110, a display control unit 120, the display screen 130, an interface 140, an operation panel 150, an internal memory 160, and a date unit 170.

The interface 140 is used for connecting with an external memory 20, such as a memory card, a music player, a digital camera, and the like. The date unit 170 is used for supplying system time and calendar information. The processing unit 110 reads images from the internal memory 160 or the external memory 20, and sends the images to the display control unit 120. The display control unit 120 controls display of the images on the display screen 130. Furthermore, the processing unit 110 also obtains system date from the date unit 170, and sends it to the display control unit 120.

The operation panel 150 includes a digital image selection unit 151, a ratio adjusting unit 152, an rotating unit 153, a color adjusting unit 154, a date display control unit 155, and a search control unit 156. These elements of the operation panel 150 are configured for generating control instructions to the processing unit 110 in response to a user's input. Input by a user may be accomplished by any known means such as through the use of a keypad (not shown) installed on the digital photo frame or through the use of a touch sensitive portion of the display screen 130. The processing unit 110 performs a corresponding operation according to the control instructions.

For example, when a selection instruction is received from the digital image selection unit 151, the processing unit 110 reads images from the internal memory 160 or the external memory 20 according to the selection instruction. When a ratio adjusting instruction and a rotating instruction are received from the ratio adjusting unit 152 and the rotating unit 153 respectively, the processing unit 110 adjusts a display ratio and a display azimuth of a displayed digital image according to the ratio adjusting instruction and rotating instruction. When a color adjusting instruction is received from the color adjusting unit 154, the processing unit 110 changes colors of the displaying image according to the color adjusting instruction.

The date display control unit 155 is configured for controlling the display instruction, that is, starting or stopping the display of the system date. When the display control unit 120 receives the display starting instruction, the date display area 12 appears as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, when the display control unit 120 receives the display stopping instruction, the date display area 12 disappears, the display screen 130 appears back to be the image display area 11.

The search control unit 156 is configured for sending a search starting instruction or a search stopping instruction to the processing unit 110 to start or stop searching for an image search date according to a selected time frame. The time frame is calculated according to a search date inputted by the user. For example, if the user wishes to search for images that were captured or modified on the same day one year ago, the search date is one year, and the user should select one year as the search date. The search date can be n (n can be a whole number) years, n months, or n days, and is stored in the internal memory 160.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary block diagram of the main function modules of the processing unit 110 of FIG. 5. The processing unit 110 includes a date obtaining module 1110, a time frame determining module 1111, a searching module 1112, an image reading module 1113, and a folder creating module 1114.

The date obtaining module 1110 obtains current system date from the date unit 170, and determines whether to display the system date on the display screen 130 according to the control of the date display control unit 155. If the date obtaining module 1110 determines to display the system date on the display screen 130, the date unit 170 sends the system date to the display control unit 120, and the display control unit 120 controls the display screen 130 to display the system date in the date display area 12.

The time frame determining module 1111 obtains system date from the date unit 170 and the search date selected by the user, determines a time frame to search by subtracting the search date from the system date, then sends the time frame to the searching module 1112.

The searching module 1112 searches the internal memory 160 or the external memory 20 for images corresponding to the time frame, then creates a folder to store the results if any. The results typically comprise file paths to the images found that were created during the time frame.

The image reading module 1113 reads the images associated with the file paths. In the exemplary embodiment, the display screen 130 can also control the image information display area 13 to display the creation time information of the read images.

FIG. 7 is a method flowchart of displaying desired images implemented by the digital photo frame of FIG. 5 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

In step 700, a user input causes the date display control unit 155 to send a start instruction to the display control unit 120. The user is prompted to input the search date which is recorded in the internal memory 160.

In step 710, the time frame determining module 1111 obtains system date and the search date.

In step 720, the time frame determining module 1111 determines the time frame to search by subtracting the search date from the system date.

In step 730, the searching module 1112 searches in the internal memory 160 and/or the external memory 20 through the interface 140 according to the time frame, finds images created or modified at a time corresponding to the time frame, and generates a search result.

In step 740, the searching module 1112 creates a folder in the internal memory 160 to store the search result.

In step 750, the image reading module 1113 reads the images associated with the search result, then sends the images to the display screen 130 according to the control of the display control unit 120.

Although the present invention has been specifically described on the basis of a preferred embodiment thereof, the invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A digital photo frame with a function of displaying images according to a chosen date, the digital photo frame comprising:

an internal memory for storing a search date and digital images;

a date unit for supplying a system date;

a date obtaining module for obtaining the system date from the date unit;

a time frame search confirming module for confirming a time frame according to the system date and the search date;

an image searching module for searching images in the internal memory or an external memory connected to the digital photo frame according to the time frame; and

an image obtaining module for obtaining images according to the time frame.

2. The digital photo frame according to claim 1, further comprising an operation panel, wherein the operation panel comprises a search control unit for starting or stopping the function for displaying images.

3. The digital photo frame according to claim 2, further comprising a display control unit, and wherein the date obtaining module is further used for sending obtained system date to the display control unit.

4. The digital photo frame according to claim 3, further comprising a display unit, and wherein the operation panel further comprises a date display control unit for starting or stopping displaying system date on the display unit.

5. The digital photo frame according to claim 1, further comprising a folder creating module for storing a search result generated from the image searching module.

6. A method of displaying images in a digital photo frame according to a chosen date, the method comprising:

obtaining a search date from a user's input and a system date of the digital photo frame;

confirming a time frame according to the system date and the search date;

searching images in an internal memory or an external memory connected to the digital photo frame according to the time frame; and

obtaining images according to the time frame.

7. The method of displaying images according to claim 6, further comprising generating a search result and creating a folder to store the search result after searching images in the internal memory or the external memory according to the time frame.

8. The method of displaying images according to claim 6, further comprising starting or stopping the function for displaying images, search date and setting the search date.

9. The method of displaying images according to claim 6, further comprising displaying obtained system date.

10. The method of displaying images according to claim 9, further comprising starting or stopping displaying system date on the display unit.