Method and system for sorting images in an image capture unit to ease browsing access

Abstract

Method and system aspects for locating a desired image from a plurality of images stored in an image capture unit are described. In an exemplary method aspect, the method includes sorting the plurality of images in the image capture unit according to a sort criteria. The method further includes displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups on a display interface of the image capture unit. Additionally included is providing browsing access of the displayed, sorted images by group, wherein locating of a desired image occurs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for locating a desired image from a plurality of images stored in an image capture unit, the method comprising: 
 sorting the plurality of images in the image capture unit according to a sort criteria;    displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups on a display interface of the image capture unit;    providing browsing access of the displayed, sorted images by group, wherein locating of a desired image occurs.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein displaying the sorted images as one or more image groups further comprises displaying the sorted images as composite images.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein providing browsing access further comprises supporting movement from one group to a next group by moving from one composite image to a next composite image.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising providing expansion of a composite image to display a linked set of sorted images for the group represented by the composite image.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein displaying further comprises displaying the sorted images as a stream of single, sorted images with a separation indicator between images of different groups of the one or more image groups.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein providing browsing access further comprises supporting movement from one image to a next image in response to a single selection of a movement control and from one group to a next group in response to a double selection of the movement control.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sort criteria further comprises category designations.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the category designations further comprise automatic category tags.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the category designations further comprise capture tags.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the category designations further comprise user tags.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein sorting further arranges the images in a chosen order according to the category designations.  
     
     
         12 . A method for sorting images stored in an image capture unit to improve browsing access to the images, the method comprising: 
 determining a criteria for sorting a plurality of stored images in the image capture unit, the criteria based on one or more category tag designations associated with each of the plurality of stored images, the one or more category tag designations comprising automatic category tags, capture tags, and user tags;    sorting the plurality of stored images according to the criteria to establish one or more groups of images, each of the one or more groups forming separate composite images; and    supporting movement among the sorted plurality of stored images by group to more easily browse the plurality of stored images.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein supporting movement further comprises supporting scrolling of the separate composite images.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising displaying a group separation indicator to visually distinguish the one or more groups.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein displaying a group separation indicator further comprises displaying a vertical line between images of separate groups.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising displaying a sort indicator to identify that the stored plurality of images is ordered according to the sort criteria.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein determining a criteria further comprises automatically identifying an appropriate number of images falling in each of an appropriate number of groups.  
     
     
         18 . A system for sorting images to ease browsing access to the images in an image capture unit, the system comprising: 
 a memory means for storing image data including associated image tags for a plurality of captured images, the associated image tags comprising automatic category tags, capture tags, and user tags;    processing means coupled to the memory means for sorting the image data into category groups according to a chosen sort criteria based on the associated image tags; and    display means coupled to the processing means and memory means for displaying the sorted image data, wherein browsing of the sorted image data by category groups is achieved.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the display means displays the category groups as separate composite images.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the display means displays the category groups as a single stream of images visually separated into category groups by a group separation indicator.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising a selector means coupled to the processing means for selecting forward/backward movement among the category groups.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein a single selection of the selector means selects a different image.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein a double selection of the selector means selects a different group.