US 6,819,356 B1 · Image search method in electronic still camera with GPS reception function

Abstract

In an image pick-up mode, when a piece of image information is picked-up by an image information acquisition unit, pieces of position information acquired by a position measurement unit are stored in a storage unit together with the pieces of image information in association with each other. In a playback mode, when the scroll key of a key input unit is kept pressed for a predetermined time or more, pieces of position information stored in the storage unit in association with pieces of image information are sequentially read out. An arithmetic unit sequentially calculates the distance between pick-up points of two pieces of image information, and a search unit determines whether the calculated distance is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance acquired by a condition acquisition unit. When the search unit searches for a calculated distance equal to or longer than the predetermined distance, a display control unit displays, on a display unit, a searched item of image information, i.e., a piece of image information picked-up at a place apart from the image pick-up place of immediately preceding item of image information by the predetermined distance or more.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An image search apparatus comprising:

means for storing a plurality of pieces of image information;
means for displaying the pieces of image information stored in said storing means;
first display control means for causing the pieces of image information stored in said storing means to be successively displayed by said displaying means in a predetermined order;
means for searching the pieces of image information for a piece of image information in which a distance between image pick-up positions where the pieces of image information are picked up satisfies a predetermined condition;
first display switch instructing means for giving an instruction for switching the piece of image information being displayed by said displaying means;
and
second display control means for switching in a skipping manner the piece of image information being displayed by said displaying means, from the piece of image information which is caused by said first display control means to be displayed by said displaying means, to a piece of image information designated based on a result of searching by said searching means, when the instruction for switching the piece of image information being displayed by said displaying means is given by said first display switch instructing means.

4 more elements

An image search apparatus comprising:

means for storing a plurality of pieces of image information;
means for displaying the pieces of image information stored in said storing means;
means for searching the pieces of image information stored in said storing means, for a piece of image information in which a distance between image pick-up positions where pieces of image information are picked up satisfies a predetermined condition;
and
means for informing a user, when a piece of image information searched by said searching means is caused to be displayed by said displaying means, that the piece of image information to be displayed is the piece of image information searched by said searching means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image search method in electronic still camera with GPS reception function

Life of this patent

Image search method in electronic still camera with GPS reception function

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25