File management program, file management method, file management apparatus, imaging device and recording medium

Claim 2

The file management program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is caused to function as a device for selecting a folder for storing a file, from a list of folders displayed with folder icons on the display device (28).

Claim 3

The file management program according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the computer is caused to function as: a device for providing an instruction to successively create folders, and a device for creating a folder under the previously created folder in response to the instruction to successively create folders.

Claim 4

The file management program according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the computer is caused to function as: a device for selecting a folder having an icon image to be changed, from a list of folders displayed with folder icons on the display device (28), a device for inputting image data to be used as a new icon image of the selected folder, a device for creating a new icon image of the folder based on the inputted image data, and a device for rewriting the information stored in the storage device.

Claim 5

A file management method for creating a folder in a recording area of a recording medium (32), storing a file in the folder, and managing the file, the method comprising the steps of: creating a folder in the recording area of the recording medium (32) in response to an instruction to create the folder, inputting image data to be used as an icon image of the created folder, creating an icon image of the folder based on the inputted image data, storing, in a storage device, information about the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) and the icon image of the folder, and displaying, on a display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) based on the information stored in the storage device in response to an instruction to display a list of folders, the list being displayed with folder icons having the icon images.

Claim 6

The file management method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting a folder for storing a file, from a list of folders displayed with the folder icons on the display device (28).

Claim 7

The file management method according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising the step of creating a folder under the previously created folder in response to an instruction to successively create folders.

Claim 8

The file management method according to claim 5 , 6 or 7, further comprising the steps of: selecting a folder having an icon image to be changed, from a list of folders displayed with the folder icons on the display device (28), inputting image data to be used as a new icon image of the selected folder, creating a new icon image of the folder based on the inputted image data, and rewriting the information stored in the storage device.

Claim 9

A file management apparatus for creating a folder in a recording area of a recording medium (32), storing a file in the folder, and managing the file, the apparatus, comprising: a folder creation instructing device for providing an instruction to create a folder in the recording area of the recording medium (32), a folder creating device for creating a folder in the recording area of the recording medium (32) in response to the instruction of the folder creation instructing device to create the folder, an image input device for inputting image data to be used as an icon image of the folder created by the folder creating device, an icon image creating device for creating an icon image of the folder based on the image data inputted from the image input device, a folder information storage device for storing information about the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) and the icon image of the folder, a folder display instructing device for providing an instruction to display a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32), and a display control device for displaying, on a display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) based on the information stored in the folder information storage device in response to the instruction to display the list of folders from the folder display instructing device, the list being displayed with folder icons having the icon images.

Claim 10

The file management apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a recording folder selecting device for selecting a folder for storing a file, from a list of folders displayed with the folder icons on the display device (28).

Claim 11

The file management apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a folder successive creation instructing device for providing an instruction to successively create folders, wherein the folder creating device creates a folder under the previously created folder in response to an instruction of the folder successive creation instructing device to successively create folders.

Claim 12

The file management apparatus according to claim 9, 10, or 11, further comprising: a folder selecting device for selecting a folder having an icon image to be changed, from a list of folders displayed with folder icons on the display device (28), a new icon image creating device for creating a new icon image of the folder, which has been selected by the folder selecting device, based on the image data inputted from the image input device, and a folder information updating device for replacing information about the icon image of the folder selected by the folder selecting device with information about the new icon image created by the new icon image creating device.

Claim 13

An imaging device (10), in which image data can be recorded as an image file of a predetermined format in a recording medium (32), the image data having been acquired from an image pickup device in response to an instruction to photograph, and the image file recorded in the recording medium (32) can be reproduced and displayed on a display device (28), comprising: a folder creation mode setting device for setting a mode of the imaging device (10) at folder creation mode, a folder creating device for creating a new folder in a recording area of the recording medium (32) in response to the instruction to photograph in the folder creation mode, an icon image creating device for creating an icon image of the newly created folder in the folder creation mode, the icon image creating device acquiring the image data from the image pickup device in response to the instruction to photograph and creating the icon image based on the image data, a folder information storage device for storing information about the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) and the icon image of the folder, a display control device for displaying, on the display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) based on the information stored in the folder information storage device, the list being displayed with folder icons having the icon images, a recording folder selecting device for selecting a desired folder icon from the folder icons displayed on the display device (28) to select a folder for recording the image data having been acquired from the image pickup device, and a recording control device for recording the image data, which has been acquired from the image pickup device, in the folder selected by the recording folder selecting device.

Claim 14

The imaging device (10) according to claim 13, wherein after the folder creating device creates a new folder in the recording area of the recording medium (32) under the folder creation mode in response to an instruction to photograph, when another instruction to photograph is provided, the folder creating device creates a new folder under the newly created folder.

Claim 15

The imaging device (10) according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising: an icon image change mode setting device for setting the mode of the imaging device (10) at icon image change mode, a folder selecting device for selecting a folder having an icon image to be changed, by selecting a desired folder icon from a list of folders displayed with the folder icons on the display device (28) by the display control device in the icon image change mode, a new icon image creating device for creating a new icon image of the folder selected by the folder selecting device, the new icon image creating device acquiring image data from the image pickup device in response to the instruction to photograph and creating the new icon image based on the image data in the icon image change mode, and a folder information updating device for replacing information about the icon image of the folder selected by the folder selecting device with information about the new icon image and causing the folder information storage device to store the information.

Claim 16

An imaging device (10), in which image data can be recorded as an image file of a predetermined format in a recording medium (32), the image data having been acquired from an image pickup device in response to the instruction to photograph, and the image file recorded in the recording medium (32) can be reproduced and displayed on a display device (28), comprising: a folder creation mode setting device for setting a mode of the imaging device (10) at folder creation mode, an image selecting device for selecting an image to be used as an icon image from images reproduced and displayed on the display device (28) in the folder creation mode, a folder creating device for creating a new folder in a recording area of the recording medium (32) in response to image selection of the image selecting device in the folder creation mode, an icon image creating device for creating an icon image of the newly created folder in response to the image selection of the image selecting device in the folder creation mode, the icon image creating device creating the icon image based on the image data of the image selected by the image selecting device, a folder information storage device for storing information about the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) and the icon image of the folder, a display control device for displaying, on the display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) based on the information stored in the folder information storage device, the list being displayed with folder icons having the icon images, a recording folder selecting device for selecting a desired folder icon from the folder icons displayed on the display device (28) to select a folder for recording the image data having been acquired from the image pickup device, and a recording control device for recording the image data, which has been acquired from the image pickup device, in the folder selected by the recording folder selecting device.

Claim 17

The imaging device according to claim 16, wherein when the folder creating device creates a new folder in the recording area of the recording medium (32) in response to the image selection of the image selecting device and then another image is selected by the image selecting device, the folder creating device creates another new folder under the newly created folder.

Claim 18

The imaging device (10) according to claim 16 or 17, further comprising: an icon image change mode setting device for setting the mode of the imaging device (10) at icon image change mode, a folder selecting device for selecting a folder having an icon image to be changed, by selecting a desired folder icon from a list of folder icons displayed on the display device (28) by the display control device in the icon image change mode, a new icon image creating device for creating a new icon image of the folder selected by the folder selecting device, the new icon image creating device creating the new icon image based on the image selected by the image selecting device from the images reproduced and displayed on the display device (28) in the icon image change mode, and a folder information updating device for replacing information about the icon image of the folder selected by the folder selecting device with information about the new icon image and causing the folder information storage device to store the information.

Claim 19

A file management program for displaying a list of folders, which have been created in a recording area of a recording medium (32), with folder icons on a display device (28) in response to an instruction to display the list of folders, the program causing a computer to function as a device for displaying, on the display device (28), the folder icon varied in size on each folder according to a capacity or the number of files stored in each folder.

Claim 20

The file management program according to claim 19, wherein the computer is caused to function as a device for displaying, near the folder icon of each folder, a capacity or the number of files recorded in each folder, and displaying a total capacity or a total number of files recorded in the recording medium (32) on the display device (28).

Claim 21

A file management method for displaying a list of folders, which have been created in a recording area of a recording medium (32), with folder icons on a display device (28) in response to an instruction to display the list of folders, wherein the display device (28) is caused to display the folder icon varied in size on each folder according to a capacity or the number of files stored in each folder.

Claim 22

The file management method according to claim 21, wherein a capacity or the number of image files recorded in each folder is displayed near the folder icon of each folder and a total capacity or a total number of files recorded in the recording medium (32) is displayed on the display device (28).

Claim 23

A file management apparatus for displaying a list of folders, which have been created in a recording area of a recording medium (32), with folder icons on a display device (28) in response to an instruction to display the list of folders, the apparatus further comprising: a detecting device for detecting a capacity or the number of files stored in each folder, and a display control device for displaying the folder icon varied in size on each folder according to a capacity or the number of files detected by the detecting device on the display device (28).

Claim 24

The file management apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the display control device displays, near the folder icon of each folder, a capacity or the number of files recorded in each folder, and displays a total capacity or a total number of files recorded in the recording medium (32) on the display device (28).

Claim 25

An imaging device (10), in which a folder is created in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and image data acquired via an image pickup device is recorded as an image file of a predetermined format in the folder, comprising: a display device (28), and a display control device for displaying, with folder icons on the display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32), the display control device displaying the folder icon varied in size according to a capacity or the number of image files recorded in each folder.

Claim 26

The imaging device (10) according to claim 25, wherein the display control device displays, near the folder icon of each folder, the capacity or the number of image files recorded in each folder, and displays a total capacity or a total number of image files recorded in the recording medium (32).

Claim 27

A file management program for creating a plurality of folders in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and recording a file in a folder designated from the plurality of folders, the program causing the computer to function as a device for providing files stored in the designated file with names not overlapping in one recording medium (32).

Claim 28

The file management program according to claim 27, wherein the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) is provided with a folder name for identifying the folder, and the file is provided with a file name which is a combination of a folder name of a recording folder and a file number for identifying each file in the recording folder.

Claim 29

A file management method for creating a plurality of folders in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and recording a file in a folder designated from the plurality of folders, the method comprising the step of providing files stored in the designated folder with names not overlapping in one recording medium (32).

Claim 30

The file management method according to claim 29, wherein the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) is provided with a folder name for identifying the folder, and the file is provided with a file name which is a combination of a folder name of a recording folder and a file number for identifying each file in the recording folder.

Claim 31

A file management apparatus for creating a plurality of folders in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and recording a file in a folder designated from the plurality of folders, the apparatus comprising a recording control device which provides an image file recorded in the folder with a file name and records the file, wherein the recording control device provides files stored in the designated folder with names not overlapping in one recording medium (32).

Claim 32

The file management apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) is provided with a folder name for identifying the folder, and the recording control device provides the file with a file name which is a combination of a folder name of a recording folder and a file number for identifying each file in the recording folder.

Claim 33

An imaging device (10), in which a plurality of folders are created in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and image data acquired via an image pickup device is recorded as an image file of a predetermined format in a folder designated from the plurality of folders, comprising: a recording control device for naming the image file to be recorded in the folder and recording the image file, wherein the recording control device provides names not overlapping in one recording medium (32) and records the image file.

Claim 34

The imaging device (10) according to claim 33, wherein the folder created in the recording area of the recording medium (32) has a folder name for identifying each folder, and the recording control device provides the image file with a file name and records the image file, the file name being created by combining the folder name of a recording folder with a file number for identifying each image file in the recording folder.

Claim 35

An imaging device (10), in which a folder is created in a recording area of a recording medium (32) and image data acquired via an image pickup device is recorded as an image file of a predetermined format in the folder, comprising: a display device (28), and a display control device for displaying, with folder icons on the display device (28), a list of folders created in the recording area of the recording medium (32), the display control device displaying folder icons of lower folders in a horizontal direction with respect to folder icons of upper folders and displaying folder icons on the same level in parallel in a vertical direction.

Claim 36

A recording medium (32) for creating a folder in a recording area and storing a file in the folder, wherein information about the folder created in the recording area and an icon image of the folder is recorded in a predetermined recording area.