Image processing apparatus and method for generating and displaying playlist for image data

Abstract

An image processing apparatus generates playlist data based on a specified playback procedure, and generates date information of the playlist data based on date information regarding image data specified in the playlist data. The playlist data and the date information of the playlist data are recorded in association with each other on a recording medium.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . A method comprising:
 sorting a plurality of files comprising a media file and a playlist file storing a playlist indicating a playback order of the media file,   wherein a date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of a media file on the playlist and not a generation date of the playlist.   
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 displaying a date of the media file and a date of the playlist file on a display device in accordance with the sorted result, the date of the media file on the playlist being displayed as the date of the playlist file, instead of the date of generation of the playlist.   
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the media file and the playlist file are recorded on a recording medium, and the media file is played back from the recording medium in accordance with the playlist. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of one of a plurality of media files on the playlist. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of a media file which is played back first among a plurality of media files on the playlist. 
   
   
       21 . A method for displaying a date of an image data file and a date of a playlist file storing a playlist indicating a playback order of the image data file, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, as a date of the playlist file, a date of the image data file on the playlist instead of a date of generation of the playlist.   
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein, as a thumbnail image of the playlist, a thumbnail image of the image data file on the playlist is displayed with the date of the playlist file. 
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for processing a plurality of files comprising a media file and a playlist file storing a playlist indicating a playback order of the media file, the apparatus comprising:
 a sorting unit configured to sort the plurality of files using dates of respective files, wherein a date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of a media file on the playlist and not a generation date of the playlist; and   a playback unit configured to play back the media file based on the playlist.   
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a display unit configured to display a date of the media file and a date of the playlist file on a display device in accordance with the sorted result, the display unit displaying, as the date of the playlist file, the date of the media file on the playlist instead of the date of generation of the playlist.   
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the media file and the playlist file are recorded on a recording medium, and the playback unit plays back the media file from the recording medium. 
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of one of a plurality of media files on the playlist. 
   
   
       27 . An apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the date used for sorting the playlist file is a date of a media file which is played back first among a plurality of media files on the playlist. 
   
   
       28 . An apparatus for processing an image data file and a playlist file storing a playlist indicating a playback order of the image data file, the apparatus displaying a date of the image data file and a date of the playlist file on a display device, the apparatus displaying, as the date of the playlist file, the date of the image data on the playlist instead of a date of generation of the playlist. 
   
   
       29 . An apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein, as a thumbnail image of the playlist, a thumbnail image of the image data file on the playlist is displayed with the date of the playlist file.