AU2006252198B2 - Animated sub-images for browsing - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 789636 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, of 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, of Applicant: Ohta-ku, Tokyo, 146, Japan Actual Inventor(s): Steven David Webster Jing Wu Address for Service: Spruson & Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 35 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Invention Title: Animated sub-images for browsing The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5845c(618017_1) ANIMATED SUB-IMAGES FOR BROWSING Technical Field The present invention relates to the browsing of collections of data items and, in particular, to the browsing of collections of images. 5 Background An increasingly common use of personal computers and more customized digital devices is for a user to view and browse a personal media collection. This may include images captured using digital still camera, which the images may have taken personally or shared between friends and family. Over time, this collection can become quite large, and 10 locating a particular photograph requires special consideration to a user interface associated with an image viewing application, commonly known as a browsing application. One popular interface method is to display many different images at a reduced size at the same time. These reduced size images are known as thumbnails and are commonly displayed in a grid formation which can be scrolled through the collection. When a 15 thumbnail of interest has been located, the user will typically be able to view a full screen version of the original image. However, problems arise for the user when trying to recognise which original image each thumbnail represents. Images may have similar content and at the typical resolution and reproduction size of thumbnail images, it is often hard to distinguish between some 20 images. Also identifying features, such as a persons face, may be too small to recognise in a thumbnail version of the original. This problem is made worse when the thumbnails are being scrolled due to the additional cognitive effort in tracking moving images. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_speci final.doc -2 Systems are known which automatically detect and use regions of interest to assist browsing. However these approaches are not suitable for quickly scrolling through large numbers of images. Systems which change the layout or size of objects whilst scrolling have been 5 described. However, these do not make use of regions of interest in the main image object and are of limited value in solving the problem of recognising thumbnail images when scrolling. It would be desirable to provide a method which assists the user in recognising thumbnails whilst scrolling through the thumbnails without having to stop scrolling to 10 check image details. Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of browsing a collection of images upon a display device, the collection being formed as a list, said method comprising the steps of: 15 displaying images on the display device from at least a portion of the list, wherein at least one of the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; receiving an instruction to initiate a directional movement of the list ; and displaying, during the directional movement, for said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed representation is larger 20 than a size of the region as displayed in said image. Generally, a centre point of the displayed representation of the region is offset from a corresponding point of the one image. Also, the one image and the corresponding region of interest are desirably displayed concurrently. Desirably, the size of the displayed ROI representation is substantially equal to a size of the display of the one image in the list. 2091885_1 789636 amends specifinal.doc -3 Preferably, the displayed representation of the region forms part of the list. In a specific implementation, the region corresponds to the presence of a face in the one image. The user action may be a continuous user action, such as the maintained depression of a key. The method may further comprise responding to a further user action to cease the 5 directional movement whereupon the ROI representation is removed from display. Alternatively, the method may respond to cessation of the continuous user action to cease the directional movement whereupon the representation of the region is removed from display. In a certain implementation, the method further displays the one image, at a 10 resolution greater than that displayed in the list such that the region as represented in said further display is at a size at least as large as the corresponding previously displayed representation. In specific implementations, the displayed images of the portion comprise thumbnail representations of corresponding images and the displayed representation of the 15 region of interest comprises a corresponding sized thumbnail image. Desirably, the displaying of the representation of the region of interest comprises animating the representation to the displayed size. The images from the portion of the list may be displayed in a two-dimensional grid arrangement or in a filmstrip fashion. The ROI of the one image may be associated with a focus point of the one image. The focus point is 20 preferably identified at a time of capture of the one image. Desirably, the one image comprises a plurality of pre-defined regions of interest and the displaying comprises display a representation of each region of interest of the one image. According to another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a user interface for browsing a collection of images, said user interface comprising: 2091885_1 789636 amends speci_final.doc -4 a display representation of images from at least a portion of the collection, wherein at least one of the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; means for receiving an instruction to initiate a directional movement of the collection ; and 5 means for displaying, during the directional movement and, for at least said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed representation of said region of interest is larger than a size of the region as displayed in the display representation of said image. Other aspects are also disclosed. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings At least one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. I is a system diagram showing a typical digital system for the reproduction of data items; 15 Fig. 2 shows an image with predetermined regions of interest (ROI); Fig. 3A shows a scrolling list containing images; Figs. 3B-3G show different arrangements of the scrolling list whilst scrolling is active; Figs. 4A and 4B show alternative arrangements of the scrolling list whilst scrolling 20 is active; Figs. 5A and 5B show other alternative arrangements of the scrolling list whilst scrolling is active; Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram representation of a general purpose computer system upon which the presently disclosed arrangements may be practiced; 2091885_1 789636 amends speci_final.doc -5 Figs. 7A and 7B show an alternate representation derived from the region of interest; Fig. 8 is a flowchart of a method of browsing images according to the present disclosure; 5 Fig. 9 illustrates the non-coincidence of centre points during animation; and Fig. 10 shows an extension of the concept underlying Fig. 7B. Detailed Description including Best Mode The methods and user interfaces to be described may be implemented using a computer system 600, such as that shown in Fig. 6 wherein the processes of Figs. 2 - 5 and 10 Fig. 7 may be implemented as software, such as one or more application programs executable within the computer system 600. In particular, the steps of image browsing are effected by instructions in the software that are carried out within the computer system 600. The instructions may be formed as one or more code modules, each for performing one or more particular tasks. The software may also be divided into two separate parts, in which a 15 first part and the corresponding code modules performs the collection browsing methods and a second part and the corresponding code modules manage a user interface between the first part and the user. The software may be stored in a computer readable medium, including the storage devices described below, for example. The software is loaded into the computer system 600 from the computer readable medium, and then executed by the 20 computer system 600. A computer readable medium having such software or computer program recorded on it is a computer program product. The use of the computer program product in the computer system 600 preferably effects an advantageous apparatus for image browsing. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_specifinal.doc -6 As seen in Fig. 6, the computer system 600 is formed by a computer module 601, input devices such as a keyboard 602 and a mouse pointer device 603, and output devices including a printer 615, a display device 614 and loudspeakers 617. An external Modulator-Demodulator (Modem) transceiver device 616 may be used by the computer 5 module 601 for communicating to and from a communications network 620 via a connection 621. The network 620 may be a wide-area network (WAN), such as the Internet or a private WAN. Where the connection 621 is a telephone line, the modem 616 may be a traditional "dial-up" modem. Alternatively, where the connection 621 is a high capacity (eg: cable) connection, the modem 616 may be a broadband modem. A wireless 10 modem may also be used for wireless connection to the network 620. The computer module 601 typically includes at least one processor unit 605, and a memory unit 606 for example formed from semiconductor random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The module 601 also includes an number of input/output (1/0) interfaces including an audio-video interface 607 that couples to the video 15 display 614 and loudspeakers 617, an 1/0 interface 613 for the keyboard 602 and mouse 603 and optionally a joystick (not illustrated), and an interface 608 for the external modem 616 and printer 615. In some implementations, the modem 616 may be incorporated within the computer module 601, for example within the interface 608. The computer module 601 also has a local network interface 611 which, via a connection 623, 20 permits coupling of the computer system 600 to a local computer network 622, known as a Local Area Network (LAN). As also illustrated, the local network 622 may also couple to the wide network 620 via a connection 624, which would typically include a so-called "firewall" device or similar functionality. The interface 611 may be formed by an EthernetT" circuit card, a wireless Bluetooth or an IEEE 802.11 wireless arrangement. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_specifinal.doc -7 The interfaces 608 and 613 may afford both serial and parallel connectivity, the former typically being implemented according to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standards and having corresponding USB connectors (not illustrated). Storage devices 609 are provided and typically include a hard disk drive (HDD) 610. Other devices such as a 5 floppy disk drive and a magnetic tape drive (not illustrated) may also be used. An optical disk drive 612 is typically provided to act as a non-volatile source of data. Portable memory devices, such optical disks (eg: CD-ROM, DVD), USB-RAM, and floppy disks for example may then be used as appropriate sources of data to the system 600. The components 605, to 613 of the computer module 601 typically communicate 10 via an interconnected bus 604 and in a manner which results in a conventional mode of operation of the computer system 600 known to those in the relevant art. Examples of computers on which the described arrangements can be practised include IBM-PC's and compatibles, Sun Sparcstations, Apple MacTM or alike computer systems evolved therefrom. 15 Typically, the application programs discussed above are resident on the hard disk drive 610 and read and controlled in execution by the processor 605. Intermediate storage of such programs and any data fetched from the networks 620 and 622 may be accomplished using the semiconductor memory 606, possibly in concert with the hard disk drive 610. In some instances, the application programs may be supplied to the user 20 encoded on one or more CD-ROM and read via the corresponding drive 612, or alternatively may be read by the user from the networks 620 or 622. Still further, the software can also be loaded into the computer system 600 from other computer readable media. Computer readable media refers to any storage medium that participates in providing instructions and/or data to the computer system 600 for execution and/or CANrPortbI\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_specifinal.doc -8 processing. Examples of such media include floppy disks, magnetic tape, CD-ROM, a hard disk drive, a ROM or integrated circuit, a magneto-optical disk, or a computer readable card such as a PCMCIA card and the like, whether or not such devices are internal or external of the computer module 601. Examples of computer readable transmission 5 media that may also participate in the provision of instructions and/or data include radio or infra-red transmission channels as well as a network connection to another computer or networked device, and the Internet or Intranets including e-mail transmissions and information recorded on Websites and the like. The second part of the application programs and the corresponding code modules 10 mentioned above may be executed to implement one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to be rendered or otherwise represented upon the display 614. Through manipulation of the keyboard 602 and the mouse 603, a user of the computer system 600 and the application may manipulate the interface to provide controlling commands and/or input to the applications associated with the GUI(s). 15 Fig. I shows a further system in which the disclosed arrangements may operate. Images are viewed on a HDTV display 100. The user can interact with a UI application, reproducing a UI representation 110 on the display 100, using a hand-held remote control device 105. The UI application resides in a set-top box 101, coupled to the HDTV 100 via a connection 104. Images are stored digitally on the set top box 101 in a memory 103 20 thereof, or may be acquired by the set top box 101 via a network (not illustrated, but for example including a cable TV network or the Internet). In many respects, the set-top box 101 has functionality akin to that of the computer module 601 however with a more limited form of user input and control (ie. the remote 105). C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_specifinal.doc -9 Fig. 2 diagrammatically represents an image 200, having two regions of interest (ROI) 201 and 202 each identified here for convenience by rectangles with dotted lines. When displayed on a display device 100 or 614, the dotted lines are not shown or otherwise seen in the image 200, but are used herein to identify specific regions of interest in the 5 image 200. It is preferred that the regions are rectangular, however other shapes may be used. For a rectangular region, the relative position of a region may be identified by the location of the top left corner of the region relative to the top left corner of the parent image, in addition to the width and height of the region. For an image in a collection, this information is generally prior determined and is associated with the image. The associated 10 information may be stored in a database or other permanent storage system, including the storage devices 103 and 609, as the case may be. A low resolution thumbnail image representation, corresponding to the or each ROI is generated from the original image and may also be permanently associated with the image, for example within the collection. The dimensions of the thumbnail images may be the same size as a thumbnail used for 15 browsing the original images. Thumbnail image sizes may vary depending upon the particular application, the screen space available, and a resolution desired by the user (typically for browsing purposes, the lowest resolution tolerated by the user). The pre identified region of interest data is supplemental to the actual images of the collection and not all images in the collect need have such information. 20 The region of interest may be assigned manually by a user selecting the region using a suitable GUI application. Alternatively, the region may be determined automatically by image analysis software, for example which can perform face location or face recognition where faces are desired to be identified as ROI. Other approaches can include using focus point information which may have been stored with the image by a C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_speci final.doc - 10 digital still camera. The identification of the ROI is preferably performed in advance of browsing operations, hence the ROI are "pre-identified". In some implementations, ROI filtering applications may operate during browsing operations to identify ROI in substantial real-time or 'on-the-fly'. Such an application may be a face detecting application. 5 If several regions of interest have been defined, each is assigned an order of usage. The first region in this order is termed herein the primary ROI. The order may be assigned by the user when assigning the ROI based on personal preference, or may be performed automatically by an algorithm. A user may browse images in a collection by interacting with a GUI application via 10 an input device, such as the remote control device 105. Preferably, image thumbnails corresponding to the original images are presented in a row, such as a "film strip" style representation. The presently disclosed arrangements may alternatively be implemented using a two dimensional (2D) layout such as a grid, as well as 3D representations. Thumbnail images may be scrolled left or right to view more images in the 15 collection. User input is detected to cause or initiate directional movement (scrolling) of images within the GUI. The user input may be continuous, such as the maintained depression of a key of the remote control 105, the keyboard 602 or the mouse 603. The user input may also be discrete, as in individual depression of key. Scrolling may be terminated by detecting cessation of the continuous input, or by detecting further user 20 input. Fig. 3A shows an area 300 of user interface (UI) screen shown upon the display 100, 614, where five thumbnails 301, 302, 303, 304 and 200 are presented. The thumbnails are representations of images of a collection, where the thumbnails form a list, and the five displayed thumbnails represent portion of the list able to be displayed simultaneously in a first display representation. The displayed thumbnails may not be the smallest thumbnail C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_speci final.doc - I1 size available in the collection, but may be an intermediate size, more suited to browsing by scrolling. The list of images representing the collection may be formed into a circular record, such that scrolling of the list in either direction causes traversal of the entire list. Alternatively the list may have ends, generally requiring some forwards and backward 5 scrolling to traverse the entire list. Further, whilst Fig. 3A shows the displayed portion of the list as a single row of thumbnails, the list may alternately be configured, represented or displayed as multiple rows of thumbnails giving a 2-dimensional representation of the items in the list. Preferably, when the user starts scrolling, the UI application changes the layout of 10 the row of displayed images to allow an additional image thumbnail to be displayed adjacent to image thumbnail 200. In an implementation according to the present disclosure, instead of the next image in the collection being shown next to (on the right hand side of) the image thumbnail 200, the primary ROI thumbnail is displayed as a further representation in a location to the left of the thumbnail 200. A preferred method of 15 implementation is to show this as an animation, where the primary ROI thumbnail, in this case corresponding to the ROI 202, is initially shown at the same position and size of the ROI area in the image thumbnail 200 and, after commencement of the scroll operation, progressively enlarges and moves sideways (left in this case) into an expanding gap between thumbnails 304 and 200. This enlargement or growth in size may be achieved by 20 progressive scaling or zooming of pixels of the ROI in the image thumbnail 200. Fig. 3B shows the displayed thumbnails part way through such an animation during such zooming or scaling. Fig. 3C shows the displayed thumbnails when the animation is complete in which the thumbnail 202 is that ROI thumbnail stored or otherwise associated with the parent thumbnail image 200. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_speci final.doc - 12 If two ROIs have been assigned for an image, the secondary ROI thumbnail may be additionally displayed on the other side of the image thumbnail. In Fig. 2 the ROI 201 is the secondary ROI. Fig. 3D shows this case part way through the animation. Fig. 3E shows the displayed thumbnails when the animation is complete. As will be appreciated, 5 the focus image 200 and it's region of interest images 201 and 202 are displayed concurrently. For images which are being scrolled into view, the animation commences as they first appear in the viewable area 300. As will be observed from Figs. 3B and 3E, during the described animation, the ROI thumbnail 202/201 (respectively) partly overlaps the original parent image 200, thus 10 providing context as to the source of the ROI images. However, to ensure this context is maintained, it is preferred that the enlarging ROI thumbnails do not obscure the ROI source in the parent image. That is, with reference to Fig. 3B, as the ROI thumbnail 201 grows in size to assume the position in Fig. 3C, at all times, the corresponding region component within the adjacent parent image 200 remains seen. This can be achieved by tracking a 15 centre point of the animated ROI thumbnail 201 and ensuring such does not overlap the corresponding ROI in the parent image 200. Desirably this may be by ensuring such centre point is not coincident with or offset from the centre point of the ROI in the image 200. Alternatively, transparency may be used to reduce the problems associated with overlap, whilst providing a smooth transition. 20 A further alternative is shown in Fig. 3F which represents a variation over the animation that resulted in Fig. 3E. In Fig. 3F, the animation of the two ROI 201 and 202 is provided in such a fashion that they do not cross. Thus, the relative positions of the ROI 201 and 202 in the original parent image 200 are maintained when the ROIs are separately shown at the conclusion of the animation. In this fashion, in the parent image, the ROI 202 C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_speci final.doc - 13 is on the right hand side and the ROI 201 on the left. As seen in the completed animation of Fig. 3F, the enlarged ROI 202 is positioned to the right-hand side of the parent image 200 and the enlarged ROI 201 on the left-hand side. This approach further maintains and enhances contextual relationship between the ROIs and the parent image 200. 5 Fig. 3G shows a further alternative, where the ROI thumbnails 201 and 202 are positioned side-by-side above their parent thumbnail 200 in a 2-dimensional (2D) grid-type layout. This configuration affords more space in the filmstrip for other original images 330 and 332 that were not seen in previous configurations described above. Alternative arrangements of ROI thumbnails may be used. Fig. 4A shows an image 10 200 with two regions of interest 201 and 202, the image 200 being central image in a film strip row shown in a viewing window 400. Fig.4B shows an alternative arrangement for the two associated ROI thumbnails 201 and 202 when scrolling is active. In this case they are placed next to each other on one side of the original image thumbnail 200. Another arrangement is shown in Figs. 5A and 5B where a viewing window 500 15 has the ROI thumbnails 201 and 202 are displaced in a vertical direction from the row of images 501, 502, 503, 200 and 504. This presentation does not reduce the number of original thumbnails displayed in the row and also maintains the contextual integrity of the representation whilst affording the user additional information regarding individual ones of the images in the collection. Further, Fig. 5B maintains the contextual positioning of the 20 ROI in a similar fashion to that of Fig. 3F. When the user stops scrolling, the ROI thumbnails are preferably removed from display, to therefore return the UI a pre-scroll (eg. simple filmstrip) representation, again maintaining contextual integrity for the collection. Preferably, this is done by reversing the animation sequence described above. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOc 789636_spedfinal.doc -14 Whilst the above described implementation allows for ROI thumbnails to be viewed whilst scrolling, it may be beneficial to also view theses thumbnails when not scrolling. Accordingly the user may select this mode via the input device (eg. 105) so that when scrolling ceases the ROI thumbnails persist in the display window, for a 5 predetermined period of time, or indefinitely until scrolling is recommenced. In a further alternative, when not scrolling, a large version of a current image (eg. a focus image) can be displayed. This allows the user to clearly see the details of the image without having to change modes by pressing other keys on the input device 105, or by the UI cluttering the display screen with ROI thumbnails. When scrolling commences or 10 recommences, the display representation may then change to the row or grid view. This may be done with an animation which shrinks the large image to the size of the thumbnails (ie. a zoom-out transition). When scrolling stops, the large version of the image is again automatically displayed (for example via a zoom-in transition). An example of this sequence is seen in Figs. 7A and 7B. Fig. 7A shows a scrolling operation ceasing where 15 the current focus image 200 is a parent image of an ROI image 202. Following for example from the representation of Fig. 3C, the ROI thumbnail 202 is seen to grow in a direction above the film strip representation of scrolling thumbnails 302, 303, 304 and 200. Once animation is complete the grown thumbnail assumes a position a nominal resolution, not of the ROI, but rather of the original image 200 from which it arose. In this fashion, 20 the user is presented with salient features of context whilst scrolling through the presentation of ROI thumbnails (ie. Figs. 3B - 5B) and when scrolling ceases, the focus image is presented in detail 200A which includes the component of the image corresponding to the enlarged ROI thumbnail. As seen other images 702 and 704 in the list may also populate the viewing window 700. A corresponding animation may occur on re C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_specifinal.doc - 15 commencement of scrolling, whereby the high resolution representation 200A shrinks back to a scrolling size. Fig. 8 shows a flowchart of a method 800 for displaying images of a collection whilst browsing. The method 800 has a nominal start step 802 which may represent entry 5 to a sub-program being part of a larger application. At a first substantive step 802, the method 800 displays representations of a number of images from the collection. The number of images displayed will be determined by a size of the display space and a resolution at which the images are to be displayed. Typically, the images are a contiguous portion or subset of the collection which may be arranged as an ordered list. Ordering or 10 sorting of the list may be based on one or more image attributes such as capture date or title. Step 806 follows to detect a user input to cause scrolling. If no such input is received, the method 80-0 returns to step 804 and the display is maintained. If scrolling is detected, step 808 follows to determine of one or more of the displayed images has an associated region of interest. Such a region of interest is pre 15 identified and a record of such may form part of the collection, together with one or more further image representations of the region of interest. If no such image is identified, step 810 follows to increment and scroll along the list. Step 804 then displays the updated (scrolled) portion of the list. Where a displayed image is found to have an identified region of interest, step 812 20 operates to display a representation of that region of interest, preferably as part of the displayed list of images and adjacent the corresponding display imaged from which the region was derived. Control then proceeds to step 810 which operates as described above. Many variations of the method 800, consistent with the above disclosure, are possible. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_speci final.doc - 16 Fig. 9 shows a representation of the browser user interface 500 corresponding to that of Fig. 5B but illustrating the preferred non-coincidence of centre points of the animated images. As seen in Fig. 9, animated ROI thumbnail images 201 and 202 each derive from the parent thumbnail image 200. A centre point 904 of the ROI thumbnail 201 5 is seen to be non-coincident with the centre point 902 of the corresponding ROI of the parent thumbnail 200. Similarly, a centre point 908 of the ROI thumbnail 902 is seen to be non-coincident with the corresponding ROI of the parent thumbnail 200. This non coincidence or offset provides to maintain a contextual relationship between an ROI thumbnail and the ROI of the parent thumbnail image by maintaining each as substantially 10 visible during representation within the interface. Whilst the examples shown in Figs. 3A -3B show a maximum of two ROIs being displayed at any one time in the display window, the number need not be so limited. Larger numbers may be used where the display window is large or the thumbnail representations small. Multiple ROI thumbnails may be added to the scrolling list either to 15 the left or right of the parent original thumbnail for which they are derived. However, in some if not many implementations, it may be desirable that the number of simultaneously displayed ROI not be more than two, so as to avoid significantly increasing the scrolling/browsing burden upon the user, and possible cluttering of the browsing window. The arrangement of Fig. 5B further presents an opportunity to use a 2D grid 20 arrangement of the original thumbnails. In this fashion, high speed scrolling can be effected using a 2D grid of original thumbnails over which, and with some displacement or offset, any ROI images may be represented as in Fig. 5B. Such an approach may be desirable whereas relatively small portion of the whole collection has ROI sub-images, or C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1 .DOC 789636_spedfinal.doc - 17 where the space between rows of scrolling thumbnails is sufficient to prevent significant obscuring of the original images below. Fig. 10 shows a further implementation of a view when scrolling is stopped. Consider the situation of the user scrolling the collection of images using the remote 5 control 105 or other input means. According to the present disclosure, the views as seen in any of Figs. 3A-3G, 4A-5B or 7A and 7B may be seen during the scrolling operations. When scrolling is ceased, according to some user operation, which may include the cessation of an operation (such as a key depression), in the example of Fig. 10, that images of the collection about which the display window 700 is focussed at the time, is then 10 presented in a large, high resolution mode, occupying substantially all the display window 700 such that no other image is displayed. In the present example of Fig. 10, a representation 200B corresponding to the representations 200 and 200A, but at higher resolution is displayed. In this respect, for the purposes of display between scrolling operations, each image of the collection may, of itself, be considered to a be a region of 15 interest. It follow that in this mode of operation, all images of the collections are shown at a size to occupy the viewing window, whether or not that image has one or more pre identified regions of interest. When scrolling recommences, the display window reverts to the presentation of any one of Figs. 3A-3G, 4A-5B or 7A and 7B. Industrial Applicability 20 The arrangements described are applicable to the computer and data processing industries and particularly where collections of images are to be viewed for browsing purposes. Specific implementations find application where regions of individual images may be observed to identify images of interest. This is particularly important or often C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_specifinal.doc - 18 required when scrolling images with human faces for example to identify a person of interest. The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and 5 spirit of the invention, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the described and illustrated example shows only a single image in the collection having one or more regions of interest. Where a number of image shave associated ROI thumbnails, multiple instances of the described animation may be shown simultaneously where the parent images appear in the display window. To avoid 10 overcrowding such may use the arrangement of Fig. 5B to ensure a fair selection of the parent thumbnail images are reproduced. (Australia Only) In the context of this specification, the word "comprising" means "including principally but not necessarily solely" or "having" or "including", and not "consisting only of'. Variations of the word "comprising", such as "comprise" and 15 "comprises" have correspondingly varied meanings. C:\NrPortbl\SAF\LDP\617206_1.DOC 789636_speci final.doc

Claims (21)

1. A method of browsing a collection of images upon a display device, the collection being formed as a list, said method comprising the steps of: 5 displaying images on the display device from at least a portion of the list, wherein at least one of the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; receiving an instruction to initiate a directional movement of the list ; and displaying, during the directional movement, for said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed representation is larger 10 than a size of the region as displayed in said image.

2. A method according to claim I wherein said image is displayed concurrently with the displayed representation of said region of interest. 15

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a centre point of the displayed representation of the region is offset from a corresponding point of said image.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the size of said displayed representation is substantially equal to a size of the display of said image in said list. 20

5. A method according to claim I wherein the displayed representation of said region forms part of said list. 2091885_1 789636 amends speci_final.doc - 20

6. A method according to claim I wherein the region corresponds to a presence of a face in said image.

7. A method according to claim I further comprising the step of: 5 receiving a further instruction to cease the directional movement whereupon the representation of the region is removed from display.

8. A method according to claim 7further comprising the step of: displaying said image, at a resolution greater than that displayed in said list such 10 that the region as represented in said further display is at a size at least as large as the corresponding previously displayed representation.

9. A method according to claim I wherein the displayed images of the portion comprises thumbnail representations of corresponding images and the displayed 15 representation of the region of interest comprises a corresponding sized thumbnail image.

10. A method according to claim I wherein the displaying of the representation of the region of interest comprises animating the representation to the displayed size. 20

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the animation of the representation comprises progressively enlarging the region of interest from a size in said image to the displayed size. 2091885_1 789636 amends specifinal.doc -21

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the progressive enlarging includes one of scaling and zooming of the region of interest of said image, and the displayed representation comprises a thumbnail representation of said region of interest associated with said image. 5

13. A method according to claim 1 where the images from said portion of said list are displayed in a two-dimensional grid arrangement.

14. A method according to claim I wherein the region of interest of said image is 10 associated with a focus point of said image.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the focus point is identified at a time of capture of said image. 15

16. A method according to claim I wherein said image comprises a plurality of pre defined regions of interest and said displaying comprises display a representation of each said region of interest of said image.

17. A user interface for browsing a collection of images, said user interface comprising: 20 a display representation of images from at least a portion of the collection, wherein at least one of the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; means for receiving an instruction to initiate a directional movement of the collection ; and 2091885_1 789636 amendsspedfinal.doc - 22 means for displaying, during the directional movement and , for at least said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed representation of said region of interest is larger than a size of the region as displayed in the display representation of said image. 5

18. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon and adapted to make a computing device browse a collection of images upon a display device, the collection being represented as a list, said program comprising: code for displaying images from at least a portion of the list, wherein at least one of 10 the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; code for receiving an instruction to initiate directional movement of the list for browsing the images of the collection; and code for displaying, during the directional movement and for at least said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed 15 representation is larger than a size of the region as displayed in said image.

19. Computer apparatus for browsing a collection of images, the collection being represented as a list, said apparatus comprising: a display device 20 means for displaying images on the display device from at least a portion of the list, wherein at least one of the displayed images has at least one predetermined region of interest; an input device for initiating a directional movement of the list for browsing the images of the collection upon the display device; and 2091885_1 789636 amendsspecifinal.doc -23 means for displaying upon the display device, during the directional movement and for at least said image, a representation of said region of interest, wherein a displayed size of the displayed representation is larger than a size of the region as displayed in said image. 5

20. A method of browsing a collection of images upon a display device, said method being substantially as described wherein with reference to Figs. 3A-5B, or Figs. 7A- Fig. 9 of the drawings.

21. A user interface substantially as described herein with reference to any one of 10 Figs. 3A-5B, or Figs. 7A-7B, 9 or 10 of the drawings. DATED this eleventh Day of January, 2010 CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 15 Spruson&Ferguson 2091885_1 789636 amendsspedfinal.doc