1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digital cameras and, more particularly, to a digital camera having folders each accommodating in a scattered fashion image files from among which a desired image file is detectable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional digital camera of this kind, if a reproduce mode has been set, the file names for all the image files are read from a memory medium. With these file names, a file name management table is created within an internal memory wherein the file names are sorted in a predetermined order. In the reproduce mode, an image file is reproduced from the recording medium whose file name has been written at the end of the file name management table. Meanwhile, if an operator manipulates a reverse button, reproduction is made on the image file whose file name is positioned precedent by one to the last end of the file name management table. In this manner, it has been a conventional practice to created a file name management table having all the file names listed therein so that a desired image file can be reproduced with reference to this file name management table.
In the prior art, however, there encounters increase in the number of image files as the memory medium increases in capacity. This, in turn, results in increase in size of a file name management table that is required in a reproduce mode. Consequently, the memory medium capacity, if increased, has required to increase the capacity of the internal memory.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera which can suppress an internal memory from increasing in capacity.
According to the present invention, a digital camera having a memory medium recorded with a plurality of image folders from which a desired image file is detected and reproduced, comprises: a folder identification number detection means for detecting folder identification numbers of the image folders; a first number of files detection means for detecting, a first number of image files accommodated in each of the image folders; a designation means for designating a position number of the desired image file; an image folder specifying means for specifying a desired image folder accommodating the desired image file based on the folder identification number, the first number of files and the position number; a file identification number detection means for detecting a file identification number of an image file accommodated in the desired image folder; and an image file specifying means for specifying the desired image file from the desired image folder based on the file identification number, the first number of files and the position number.
The identification number detection means detects folder identification number of image folders, while the first number of files detection means detects, on an each image folder basis, a first number of files of the image files accommodated in the image folders. If a position number of a desired image file is designated by the designation means, the image folder specifying means specifies a desired image folder accommodating therein the desired image file based on the folder identification number, the first number of files and the position number. Furthermore, the file identification number detection means detects a file identification number of an image file accommodated in the desired image folder. If a file identification number is detected, the image file specifying means specifies a desired image file from the desired image folder based on the file identification number, the first number of files and the position number.
According to the present invention, a desired image folder is first specified based on the folder identification number, the first number of files and the position number, and then a desired image file is specified based on the file identification number, the first number of files and the position number. Accordingly, there is no necessity to read out all the file names. This can suppress the internal memory from increasing in capacity.
In one aspect of the invention, the position number of the desired image file represents a same value as a second number of files of from a top image file to the desired image file when the image files are arranged according to the file identification number.
In one embodiment of the invention, the image folder specifying means specifies a desired image folder, as follows. First, a comparison means compares the second number of files with the first number of files in an order according to the folder identification number. If the second number of files is greater than a current first number of files, a subtraction means subtract the current first number of files from the second number of files and updating the second number of files. On the other hand, if the second number of files is equal to or less than the current first number of files, an image folder determining means determines an image folder corresponding to the current first number of files as the desired image folder. The image files specifying means specifies the desired image file by a second number of files updated by the subtraction means and the file identification number.
In another aspect of the invention, an image folder reproduce means reproduces the desired image file specified by the image file specifying means, and a monitor displays an image corresponding to the desired image file.
According to this invention, a digital camera, comprises: a set means for setting a reproduce mode; a folder name detection means for detecting folder names of a plurality of image folders recorded on a recording medium; a folder name specifying means for specifying a predetermined folder name from among the folder names; a file name detection means for detecting file names of a plurality of image files accommodated in an image folder having the predetermined folder name; a file name specifying means for specifying a predetermined file name from among the file names; and a file reproduce means for reproducing a predetermined image file having the predetermined file name from the recording medium.
If a reproduce mode is set, folder names of folders recorded on the memory medium are detected by the folder name detection means. The folder name specifying means specifies a predetermined folder name from among the detected folder names. The file name detection means detects file names of the image files accommodated in the image folder having the predetermined folder name. The file name specifying means specifies a predetermined file name from among the detected file names. The file reproduce means reproduces the predetermined image file having the predetermined file name from the memory medium.
According to the present invention, the image file with a predetermined file name is specified from among the image files accommodated in the image folder with a predetermined folder name. This eliminates the necessity to read out all the image files. As a consequence, it is possible to suppress the internal memory from increasing in capacity. Also, the time can be shortened from setting a reproduce mode to reproducing a predetermined image file.
In one embodiment of the invention, the folder names and the file names respectively include a folder identification number and a file identification number, and the predetermined folder name and the maximum file name respectively having a maximum folder identification number and a maximum file identification number.
In one aspect of the invention, a first creating means creates a folder name management table having the folder names sorted in a first predetermined order; and a second creating means creates a file name management table having the file names sorted in the first predetermined order. The folder name specifying means specifies a folder name positioned in a predetermined position in the folder name management table as the predetermined folder name, and the file name specifying means specifying a file name positioned in the predetermined position in the file name management table as the predetermined file name. Incidentally, the predetermined position is at an end of the table.
The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds