1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image evaluation apparatus and an image evaluation method for changing an evaluation value that is assigned to an image and represents a result of evaluation of the image. The present invention also relates to a program for causing a computer to execute the image evaluation method.
In addition, the present invention also relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically selecting an image whose printing is recommended from a plurality of image data sets according to preference of a user. The present invention also relates to a program for causing a computer to execute the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any user can store a large number of images in a recording medium, thanks to the spread of digital cameras and a soaring increase in capacity of recording media. On the other hand, an operation is necessary for selecting an image to be subjected to processing such as printing from a large amount of images. Therefore, in order to carry out efficient image selection, a function is desired for screening images according to certain conditions before a user finally determines an image to print, or for selecting an image appropriate for printing according to preference of a user.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-010179, a method of automatic selection of an image appropriate for printing has been proposed based on an evaluation value regarding image lightness, or an acceleration sensor, or autofocus (AF).
By assigning an evaluation value of some kind to an image according to the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-010179, an image appropriate for printing can be selected automatically from a plurality of images. For printing, an image having been printed once is infrequently selected additionally, and an image not having been printed is often selected.
However, in the case where a user has carried out printing once after viewing an image group and the user carries out printing again after viewing the same image group, an image having been printed once is selected again as an image appropriate for printing, according to the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-010179. Therefore, selection of the image does not reflect an intention of the user.
Furthermore, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-256498, a method has been proposed for classifying images into images suitable for printing and images not suitable for printing at the time of reception of a printing order regarding the images. In this method, the images are classified through analysis of whether each of the images is well focused and whether each of the images has appropriate lightness.
The methods described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 2002-010179 and 2001-256498 are image selection techniques that pay attention only to image quality and a photography condition, and do not consider preference of a user. Importance or preference of an image varies from person to person, and an image to print is difficult to judge only by paying attention to image quality and a photography condition. For this reason, automatic image selection according to preference of a user has not necessarily been realized.