Method, apparatus, and recording medium for generating album

Claim 3

An album generation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the template is selected based on the accompanying information.

Claim 4

An album generation method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of generating the composite image data is the step of generating the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information in the template, in addition to the images.

Claim 5

An album generation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the composite image data is the step of generating the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information in the template, in addition to the images.

Claim 6

An album generation method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 , the digital camera further comprising: photographing means for obtaining image data representing a subject by photographing the subject; storage means for storing the recommended composition data sets, the recommended composition data sets representing images of recommended composition at various photographing locations by relating photographing information including location information representing the photographing locations to the recommended composition data sets; photographing information obtaining means for obtaining acquired photographing information; reading means for reading the desired one of the recommended composition data sets related to the photographing information corresponding to the acquired photographing information from the storage means, based on the acquired photographing information obtained by the photographing information obtaining means, wherein the image recording means is means for including the acquired photographing information in the accompanying information, for adding the accompanying information to the image data obtained by the photographing means based on the recommended composition, and for recording a plurality of sets of the image data having the accompanying information in the recording medium.

Claim 7

An album generation method as defined in claim 5 , further comprising the step of replacing the image data obtained according to the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets with prepared image data corresponding to the desired one of the recommended composition data sets.

Claim 8

An album generation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the accompanying information includes information indicating whether or not each of the image data sets is used for an album.

Claim 9

An album generation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the template is read out from template storage means for storing a plurality of templates, with reference to the information specifying the template, which is recorded on the recording medium.

Claim 10

An album generation method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: obtaining each of the images according to the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera by: adjusting a direction of the digital camera while viewing the recommended composition image represented by a corresponding one of the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets, thereby causing the desired one of the recommended composition data sets and the image to be obtained to be superimposed on a display means of the digital camera in a manner that is viewable by the user of the digital camera, and performing a photographing operation with the digital camera when the image to be obtained is confirmed by the user to be in accordance with the corresponding desired one of the recommended composition data sets; and storing the image data sets thus obtained in the recording medium of the digital camera.

Claim 11

An album generating apparatus for generating an album comprising a composite image in which a plurality of images obtained by a digital camera are arranged in a desired layout, the images being obtained according to desired ones of recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera, the digital camera comprising image recording means for recording image data sets representing the images and having accompanying information regarding the image data sets in a recording medium, the album generating apparatus comprising: reading means for reading the image data sets obtained according the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera and the accompanying information added thereto from the recording medium; and composition means for generating composite image data representing the composite image based on the accompanying information by inserting the respective images represented by the image data sets into image insertion areas of a template having the image insertion areas corresponding to the accompanying information, wherein the template includes thumbnail images of the recommended composition data sets, and the templates are selected by a user of the digital camera and are downloaded into the digital camera prior to obtaining the images.

Claim 12

An album generating apparatus for generating an album comprising a composite image in which a plurality of images obtained by a digital camera are arranged in a desired layout, the images being obtained according to desired ones of recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera, the digital camera comprising image recording means for recording image data sets representing the images and having accompanying information regarding the image data sets in a recording medium, the album generating apparatus comprising: reading means for reading the image data sets obtained according the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera and the accompanying information added thereto from the recording medium; and composition means for generating composite image data representing the composite image based on the accompanying information by inserting the respective images represented by the image data sets into image insertion areas of a template having the image insertion areas corresponding to the accompanying information, wherein the template includes thumbnail images of the recommended composition data sets, and the templates are selected by a user of the digital camera and are downloaded into the digital camera prior to obtaining the images.

Claim 13

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising template selecting means for selecting the template based on the accompanying information.

Claim 14

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the composition means generates the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information together with the images in the template.

Claim 15

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the composition means generates the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information together with the images in the template.

Claim 16

An album generating apparatus as defined in any one of claims 10 to 12 , the digital camera further comprising: photographing means for obtaining image data representing a subject by photographing the subject; storage means for storing the recommended composition data sets, the recommended composition data sets representing images of recommended composition at various photographing locations by relating photographing information including location information representing the photographing locations to the recommended composition data sets; photographing information obtaining means for obtaining acquired photographing information; the reading means for reading the desired one of the recommended composition data sets related to the photographing information corresponding to the acquired photographing information from the storage means, based on the acquired photographing information obtained by the photographing information obtaining means wherein the image recording is being means for including the acquired photographing information in the accompanying information, for adding the accompanying information to the image data obtained by the photographing means based on the recommended composition, and for recording a plurality of sets of the image data having the accompanying information in the recording medium.

Claim 17

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the composition means enables replacement of the image data obtained according to the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets with prepared image data corresponding to the desired one of the recommended composition data sets.

Claim 18

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the accompanying information includes information indicating whether or not each of the image data sets is used for an album.

Claim 19

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the template is read out from template storage means for storing a plurality of templates, with reference to the information specifying the template, which is recorded on the recording medium.

Claim 20

An album generating apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the digital camera includes: display means for enabling the user of the digital camera to adjust a direction of the digital camera while viewing the recommended composition image represented by a corresponding one of the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets, thereby causing the desired one of the recommended composition data sets and the image to be obtained to be superimposed on a display means of the digital camera in a manner that is viewable by a user of the digital camera, and photographing means for enabling the user to perform a photographing operation with the digital camera when the image to be obtained is confirmed by the user to be in accordance with the corresponding desired one of the recommended composition data sets, wherein the image data sets thus obtained are stored in the recording medium for subsequent reading by the reading means.

Claim 21

A computer-readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to execute an album generation method for generating an album comprising a composite image in which a plurality of images obtained by a digital camera are arranged in a desired layout, the images being obtained according to desired ones of recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera, the digital camera comprising image recording means for recording image data sets representing the images and having accompanying information regarding the image data sets in a recording medium, the program comprising the procedures of: reading the image data sets obtained according the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera and the accompanying information added thereto from the recording medium; and generating composite image data representing the composite image based on the accompanying information by inserting the respective images represented by the image data sets in image insertion areas of a template having the image insertion areas corresponding to the accompanying information, wherein the template includes thumbnail images of the recommended composition data sets, and the templates are selected by a user of the digital camera and are downloaded into the digital camera prior to obtaining the images.

Claim 22

A computer-readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to execute an album generation method for generating an album comprising a composite image in which a plurality of images obtained by a digital camera are arranged in a desired layout, the images being obtained according to desired ones of recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera, the digital camera comprising image recording means for recording image data sets representing the images and having accompanying information regarding the image data sets in a recording medium, the program comprising the procedures of: reading the image data sets obtained according the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera and the accompanying information added thereto from the recording medium; and generating composite image data representing the composite image based on the accompanying information by inserting the respective images represented by the image data sets in image insertion areas of a template having the image insertion areas corresponding to the accompanying information, wherein the template includes thumbnail images of the recommended composition data sets, and the templates are selected by a user of the digital camera and are downloaded into the digital camera prior to obtaining the images.

Claim 23

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the template is selected based on the accompanying information.

Claim 24

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 20 , the procedure of generating the composite image data being the procedure of generating the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information together with the images in the template.

Claim 25

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 19 , the procedure of generating the composite image data being the procedure of generating the composite image data by inserting the accompanying information together with the images in the template.

Claim 26

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in any one of claims 19 to 21 , the digital camera further comprising: photographing means for obtaining image data representing a subject by photographing the subject; storage means for storing the recommended composition data sets, the recommended composition data sets representing images of recommended composition at various photographing locations by relating photographing information including location information representing the photographing locations to the recommended composition data sets; photographing information obtaining means for obtaining acquired photographing information; reading means for reading the desired one of the recommended composition data sets related to the photographing information corresponding to the acquired photographing information from the storage means, based on the acquired photographing information obtained by the photographing information obtaining means wherein the image recording means is means for including the acquired photographing information in the accompanying information, for adding the accompanying information to the image data obtained by the photographing means based on the recommended composition, and for recording a plurality of sets of the image data having the accompanying information in the recording medium.

Claim 27

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 23 , the program further comprising the procedure of replacing the image data obtained according to the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets with prepared image data corresponding to the desired one of the recommended composition data sets.

Claim 28

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the accompanying information includes information indicating whether or not each of the image data sets is used for an album.

Claim 29

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the template is read out from template storage means for storing a plurality of templates, with reference to the information specifying the template, which is recorded on the recording medium.

Claim 30

A computer-readable recording medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein obtaining each of the images according to the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets stored in the digital camera includes the steps of: adjusting a direction of the digital camera while viewing the recommended composition image represented by a corresponding one of the desired ones of the recommended composition data sets, thereby causing the desired one of the recommended composition data sets and the image to be obtained to be superimposed on a display means of the digital camera in a manner that is viewable by the user of the digital camera, performing a photographing operation with the digital camera when the image to be obtained is confirmed by the user to be in accordance with the corresponding desired one of the recommended composition data sets; and storing the image data sets thus obtained in the recording medium for subsequent reading.