Image recording apparatus and method

Abstract

An image recording apparatus records image files on a recording medium. The image recording apparatus automatically selects disused files and automatically deletes them at the appropriate timing. A storage device acquires an image file from, e.g., an imaging component or an external terminal and records the image file together with time information on a recording medium. A controller monitors the recording area of the recording medium and automatically deletes image files for which the time information is old in accordance with the monitored usage status of the recording area.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image recording apparatus, comprising: 
 recording means for recording an image file together with time information on a recording medium;    monitoring means for monitoring a recording area of said recording medium; and    automatic deleting means for deleting image files for which said time information is relatively old compared to other image files on the recording medium in accordance with a usage status of the recording area monitored by said monitoring means.    
     
     
         2 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said monitoring means determines the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and    said automatic deleting means successively deletes image files for which said time information is oldest each time the available capacity determined by said monitoring means falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         3 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a user interface that presents an image file anticipated to be deleted by said automatic deleting means, and inquires whether or not the deletion operation of the image file is approved, wherein    said automatic deleting means performs deletion of the image file when the deletion operation is approved via said user interface.    
     
     
         4 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising limit modifying means for raising and lowering said predetermined limit.  
     
     
         5 . An image recording apparatus, comprising: 
 recording means for recording an image file on a recording medium;    disused image establishing means for establishing whether or not an image file on said recording medium is disused in accordance with an external selection operation;    monitoring means for monitoring a recording area of said recording medium; and    automatic deleting means for deleting image files established as disused by said disused image establishing means in accordance with a usage-status of the recording medium monitored by said monitoring means.    
     
     
         6 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said monitoring means determines the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and    said automatic deleting means successively deletes image files established as disused by said disused image establishing means each time the available capacity determined by said monitoring means falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         7 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said automatic deleting means deletes image files established as disused by said disused image establishing means in priority order of larger file capacity.    
     
     
         8 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a user interface that presents an image file anticipated to be deleted by said automatic deleting means, and inquires whether or not the deletion operation of the image file is approved, wherein    said automatic deleting means performs deletion of the image file if the deletion operation is approved via said user interface.    
     
     
         9 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 limit modifying means for raising and lowering said predetermined limit.    
     
     
         10 . A method for recording images using an image recording apparatus, comprising the steps of: 
 acquiring an image file;    recording said image file together with time information on a recording medium;    monitoring a recording area of said recording medium; and    automatically deleting image files for which said time information is relatively old compared to other image files in accordance with a monitored usage status of the recording area.    
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said monitoring step includes: 
 determining the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and wherein    said deleting step successively deletes image files for which said time information is oldest each time the determined available capacity falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 presenting on a display an image file anticipated to be deleted in said automatic deleting step;    inquiring on the display whether or not the deletion of the image file is approved; and    deleting the image file when the deletion is approved.    
     
     
         13 . A method for recording images using an image recording apparatus, comprising the steps of: 
 acquiring an image file;    recording said image file on a recording medium;    establishing whether or not an image file is disused;    monitoring a recording area of said recording medium; and    deleting image files established as disused in accordance with a monitored usage status of the recording medium.    
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said monitoring step includes: 
 determining the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and wherein    said deleting step successively deletes image files established as disused each time the determined available capacity falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said automatic deleting step deletes image files established as disused in priority order of larger file capacity.    
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 presenting on a display an image file anticipated to be deleted in said automatic deleting step;    inquiring on the display whether or not the deletion of the image file is approved; and    deleting the image file when the deletion is approved.    
     
     
         17 . An image recording apparatus, comprising: 
 a storage device that stores images as image files on a recording medium along with time information; and    a controller coupled to said storage device to monitor a recording area of a recording medium in said storage device and to automatically cause said storage device to delete, from said recording medium, image files for which said time information is relatively old compared to other image files in said recording medium in accordance with the monitoring of the recording area performed by said controller.    
     
     
         18 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said controller determines the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and automatically deletes image files for which said time information is oldest each time the determined available capacity falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         19 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a user interface that presents a candidate image file to be deleted by said controller, and inquires whether or not the deletion operation of the candidate image file is approved, said controller deleting the candidate image file when the deletion operation is approved via said user interface.    
     
     
         20 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said predetermined limit is adjustable.  
     
     
         21 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is an electronic camera, the electronic camera including a photographic lens that forms a light image of an object on a photoelectric converter that converts the light image into image signals that are stored in the recording medium.  
     
     
         22 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising a display coupled to said controller, wherein said controller automatically selects the image file having the oldest time for deletion and, prior to deletion, displays said image file along with a graphical delete button on said display.  
     
     
         23 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said display includes a touch panel for determining the location of a contact with said display and said controller senses via said touch panel whether or not said graphical deletion button is pressed and deletes said displayed image file when said delete button is pressed.  
     
     
         24 . An image recording apparatus, comprising: 
 a storage device that stores images as image files on a recording medium;    a selector coupled to the storage device to select whether or not an image file stored on said recording medium is disused in accordance with an external selection operation; and    a controller coupled to the storage device to monitor a recording area of said recording medium and to automatically delete image files selected as disused by said selector in accordance with the monitoring of the recording medium by said controller.    
     
     
         25 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein: 
 said controller determines the available capacity of the recording area of said recording medium, and automatically successively deletes image files established as disused each time the determined available capacity falls below a predetermined limit.    
     
     
         26 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said controller deletes image files established as disused in priority order of larger file capacity.  
     
     
         27 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a user interface that presents a candidate image file to be deleted by said controller, and inquires whether or not the deletion operation of the candidate image file is approved, wherein    said controller deletes the candidate image file when the deletion operation is approved via said user interface.    
     
     
         28 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 25 , wherein said predetermined limit is adjustable.  
     
     
         29 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said selector includes a disuse establishing switch for establishing disuse of image files.  
     
     
         30 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 29 , wherein when said disuse establishing switch is on, said controller causes the image files stored on said recording medium to be displayed in a thumbnail format on a display, and wherein a selected thumbnail image is determined to be disused and the recording area of said recording medium occupied by the corresponding image file is set to an overwrite-enabled status.  
     
     
         31 . An image recording apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the apparatus is an electronic camera, the electronic camera including a photographic lens that forms a light image of an object on a photoelectric converter that converts the light image into image signals that are stored in the recording medium.