Picture Display Control with Resume Pointers for Group Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of digital cameras and similar devices face difficulties in efficiently navigating and selecting specific pictures from large collections, as existing methods require extensive single-frame advancement in full-screen display or cumbersome thumbnail navigation on small screens.
Innovation Solution
A picture display controlling apparatus that divides picture data into groups, stores the location of the most recently displayed picture, and uses resume pointers to facilitate easy transition between groups and items, allowing users to quickly navigate and select desired pictures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If full-screen display function is used to browse pictures chronologically, then picture display capability is improved, but operation time increases significantly when numerous pictures are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the chronological picture sequence into multiple groups based on picture-taking dates. Each group represents a specific time period (e.g., day, week, month), allowing users to navigate to desired pictures by selecting groups first, then individual pictures within groups. This segmentation reduces the number of sequential operations needed compared to browsing all pictures one by one chronologically.
2Ease of operation
If catalog-like display function is used to display multiple thumbnails, then picture overview capability is improved, but ease of pinpointing specific pictures deteriorates on small screens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent organizes pictures into groups based on picture-taking dates, with each group displayed as a manageable set of thumbnails on the screen. This grouping allows the screen to be divided into sections, each showing a specific time period's pictures, making it easier to locate and select specific pictures without overwhelming the user with all thumbnails at once on a small screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical navigation structure with two dimensions: group level (time-based categories) and picture level (individual thumbnails within groups). This dual-dimensional organization allows users to first select a time period group, then select a specific picture within that group, effectively utilizing the limited screen area by providing structured navigation rather than displaying all pictures in a single flat list.
3Ease of operation
If pictures are sorted chronologically by picture-taking date, then chronological organization is improved, but navigation efficiency deteriorates when numerous pictures are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chronological picture sequence into multiple groups based on picture-taking dates (e.g., by day, week, or month). This segmentation transforms a single long chronological list into multiple manageable groups, allowing users to quickly jump to specific time periods and then select pictures within those groups, significantly reducing the time needed to locate specific pictures compared to sequential browsing through all chronological pictures.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a picture display controlling apparatus capable of improving the user's ease of operation upon selecting picture data on a small-size screen of digital cameras or the like. Picture data items held in a data holding unit (310) are sorted into picture groups. The location of the picture data item most recently displayed from any of the picture groups is held as a picture resume pointer in a resume pointer holding unit (320). With an operation input accepted from the user by an operation inputting device (340), a display controlling unit (390) causes a displaying unit (350) to display the picture designated by the operation input while effecting transition from the current display status retained in a status holding unit (330). If the operation input designates transition from a first picture group to a second picture group, the location of the picture data item currently displayed from the first picture group is placed into the resume pointer holding unit (320), and the location of the picture data item to be displayed anew from the second picture group is retrieved from the resume pointer holding unit (320).