Image processing system for classifying reduced image data

Claim 2

An image processing system, comprising: an image processing unit to produce digital image data corresponding to an imaged subject; a memory card including plural regions to receive the digital image data and to store the digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions; a reading unit to read the digital image data stored in the memory card automatically when the stored image data reaches a predetermined level; a reducing unit to reduce the digital image data read by the reading unit and to produce a reduced digital image data; and a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in the memory card.

Claim 3

An image processing system, as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a compression unit to compress the reduced digital image data; and a recording unit to record the compressed reduced digital image data in the memory card.

Claim 4

An image processing unit, comprising: an image processing device to generate digital image data representing a single frame image of an imaged subject; a main buffer memory to receive and store the digital single frame image data; a reducing unit to reduce the single frame image data; an auxiliary buffer memory having plural storage regions to receive the reduced single frame image data and to store the reduced data in a respective region in the auxiliary buffer memory; a compression and expansion unit to receive the digital image data from the main buffer memory and to compress the digital image data according to a first compression ratio, and to receive the reduced image data from the auxiliary buffer memory and compress the reduced image data according to a second compression ratio which is different from the first compression ratio; and a memory card to store the compressed image data.

Claim 5

An image processing unit, comprising: an image processing device to generate digital image data representing a single frame image of an imaged subject; a main buffer memory to receive and store the digital single frame image data; a reducing unit to reduce the single frame image data; an auxiliary buffer memory having plural storage regions to receive the reduced single frame image data and to store the reduced data in a respective region in the auxiliary buffer memory; a compression and expansion unit to receive the digital image data from the main buffer memory and to compress the digital image data according to a first compression ratio, and to receive the reduced image data from the auxiliary buffer memory and compress the reduced image data according to a second compression ratio which is different from the first compression ratio; and a memory card to store the compressed image data.

Claim 6

The image processing unit, as recited in claim 3, further comprising: a playback and display unit the receive the image data stored in at least one of the auxiliary buffer memory and the main buffer memory and to display the image data.

Claim 7

An image processing system for a camera, comprising: an image processing unit to produce digital data corresponding to a photographed subject; a memory including plural regions to receive the digital image data and to store the digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions, a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; and a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions of the memory according to a class classified by the classification unit.

Claim 8

An image processing system for a camera, comprising: an image processing unit to produce digital data corresponding to a photographed subject; a memory including plural regions to receive the digital image data and to store the digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions, a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; and a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions of the memory according to a class classified by the classification unit.

Claim 9

An image processing system as recited in claim 5, wherein the classification unit includes an attitude detection sensor to detect an attitude of the camera, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data into a respective class based upon a detected attitude.

Claim 10

An image processing system as recited in claim 5, wherein the classification unit includes a continuous photography mode detection device, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data into a respective class based upon a state of the continuous photography mode detection device.

Claim 11

The image processing system as recited in claim 5, wherein the classification unit includes a time information detection unit to detect information concerning the time of photography, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data based upon the detected time information.

Claim 12

An image processing system, comprising: an image processing unit to produce digital image data corresponding to an imaged subject; a memory including plural regions to receive the digital image data and to store the digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions; a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; and a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions of the memory according to a class classified by the classification unit.

Claim 13

An image processing system, comprising: an image processing unit to produce digital image data corresponding to an imaged subject; a memory including plural regions to receive the digital image data and to store the digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions; a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; and a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plural regions of the memory according to a class classified by the classification unit.

Claim 14

The image processing unit, as recited in claim 9, wherein the memory includes a main buffer memory to store one frame of image data and an auxiliary buffer memory including a plurality of storage regions, and wherein a frame of image data is stored in the main buffer memory and is transferred to a respective region of the auxiliary buffer memory based upon the classification by the classification unit.

Claim 15

The image processing system, as recited in claim 9, wherein the memory includes at least one region to store plural frames of image data which have been reduced by the reducing unit.

Claim 16

The image processing system, as recited in claim 9, wherein the classification unit includes an attitude detection sensor to detect an attitude of the image processing system, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data into a respective class based upon a detected attitude.

Claim 17

The image processing system, as recited in claim 9, wherein the classification unit includes a continuous photography mode detection device, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data into a respective class based upon a state of the continuous photography mode detection device.

Claim 18

The image processing system, as recited in claim 9, wherein the classification unit includes a time information detection unit to detect information concerning the time of photography, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data based upon the detected time information.

Claim 19

An image processing system, comprising: a image processing unit generating digital image data corresponding to an imaged subject; a storage unit having plural regions to store the digital image data generated by the image processing unit; a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plurality of regions of the memory according to the class classified by the classification unit; and a display device to receive the digital image data stored in the plural regions of the storage unit and to display an image of the data stored.

Claim 20

An image processing system, comprising: a image processing unit generating digital image data corresponding to an imaged subject; a storage unit having plural regions to store the digital image data generated by the image processing unit; a reducing unit to produce reduced digital image data; a classification unit to classify the reduced digital image data into a plurality of classes based upon predetermined classification criteria; a recording unit to record the reduced digital image data in a respective one of the plurality of regions of the memory according to the class classified by the classification unit; and a display device to receive the digital image data stored in the plural regions of the storage unit and to display an image of the data stored.

Claim 21

The image processing system, as recited in claim 15, wherein the classification unit further comprises an attitude detection sensor to detect an attitude of the image processing system, and the classification unit classifies image data for storage based upon a detected attitude.

Claim 22

The image processing system, as recited in claim 15, wherein the classification unit further comprises a continuous photography mode detection device, and the classification unit classifies the digital image data based upon a state of the continuous photography mode detection device.

Claim 23

The image processing system, as recited in claim 15, wherein the classification unit includes a time information detection unit to detect information concerning the time of photography, and the classification unit clasifies the digital image data based upon the detected time information.

Claim 24

The image processing system, as recited in claim 15, further comprising a memory card and wherein the image data stored in a respective region of the storage unit is stored in the memory card when a number of frames stored in the region reaches a predetermined number.