JP2001157034A - Image processor, image reproducing device, control method and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute information, including an object where reading approval/ disapproval can be set according to time on a reception side with respect to the reading of image content without depending on the means of real time distribution and the reproduction of recorded information. SOLUTION: A base image is inputted, and an object is generated by an object generator 111 with respect to the image. An object generator 113 inputs an image positioned on this side of the base image, inputs displayed time limit data as well and generates an object. Respective objects are encoded, and they are multiplexed by a multiplexer 115. Then, they are ciphered and outputted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image reproducing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the advancement of image encoding technology and the advance of computers, a method of encoding an image by dividing the image into individual objects has been started. By encoding an image on an object basis, an optimal code can be assigned to each object, thereby improving the encoding efficiency and obtaining a function of generating a new image by editing an object in the image. be able to.

Also, in a system for delivering information for a limited period such as an advertisement or news to a user in the distribution of image contents, it is required to remove the information when browsing after the expiration date.

[0004] In order to realize this with the conventional techniques, it is necessary to manage such time-limited information as objects on the distribution side, and to create and distribute new content excluding those objects after the time limit expires. was there. Further, in this method, there is a problem that when an object recorded before the expiration date of the information is reproduced after the expiration date, browsing of the object with the expiration date cannot be restricted.

[0005]

As described above, distribution of image content including an object whose browsing is desired to be permitted for a limited period includes an object with time limit information set in advance on the distribution side. It is preferable that the image content can be delivered after the expiration of the time limit without any modification such as appropriately removing the object with the time limit on the delivery side.

In addition, when the user reproduces the image content recorded as code data within the expiration date of the object after the expiration date, it is necessary to remove the object whose expiration date has expired and generate the object. .

The present invention satisfies the above requirements and does not depend on means such as real-time distribution and reproduction of recorded information.
An image processing apparatus, an image reproducing apparatus, a control method, and a storage medium that enable distribution of information including an object for which browsing permission / impossibility can be set according to time on a receiving side with respect to browsing of image content. Things.

[0008]

In order to solve such a problem, for example, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, an input unit for inputting an image, a period adding unit for adding period data for visually displaying the input image data, and an encoding unit for encoding the image data with the period added for a predetermined reproducing unit. Means.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an encoding apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, a base image 101 is input to an object generator 111 and a base image object 104
Is generated. Also, the image data 102 and the term information 103
Are input to the object generator 113 in the same manner, and the term-limited image object 105 is generated. Each object is independent of the object encoder 11
2, 114. The coded data 106 and 107 obtained by each object coder are combined by a multiplexer 115 and transmitted as code data 108.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the base image data 101, and FIG. 4 shows an example of the image data 102. This image data 10
Reference numeral 2 gives time limit information that allows browsing until a certain period, sets an object with time limit information, and multiplexes the object with the base image object to obtain code data.

FIG. 2 shows an overall view of the decoding apparatus. Code data 201 (corresponding to code data 108 in FIG. 1)
Is received, and the object data 202 and 203 are separated by the separator 211. The separated objects are subjected to processing for determining whether or not the time limit information data exists and whether or not the separated object is within the time limit by the time limit information analyzers 212 and 214, respectively. Object 205 determined to be overdue
Does not perform the subsequent decoding processing by the decoder, and the object 204 within the set time limit is decoded by the object decoder 213. All decrypted objects 206 are
6 to obtain an output image 208. In this example, the output image includes an image with a time limit as shown in FIG. 5 until the viewing time limit set on the encoding apparatus side. Only the base image object becomes the output image.

The general operation of this embodiment is as described above, but will be described more specifically.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an apparatus for realizing the configuration shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a CPU that controls the entire apparatus, and 2 is a ROM that stores a boot program and the like. Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM used as a work area of the CPU, into which an OS and various application programs are loaded and executed. 4
Is a network interface, which is a device for connecting to an intranet or the Internet (modem, TA, router, Ethernet card, etc.). Reference numeral 5 denotes an image input device, which is a device for connecting an image scanner, a film scanner, a digital camera, or a device for accessing a device such as a flash memory card. A display device 6 displays an editing screen and the like. 7
Is an external storage device such as a hard disk or a floppy disk, in which an OS and various applications are stored. Reference numeral 8 denotes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse.

In such a configuration, an OS is loaded on the RAM 3 and an application for realizing the configuration of FIG. 1 is loaded on the RAM 3 from the external storage device 7 and executed.

First, in step S1, an image is input from the image input device. When an image is input, an attribute for the image is set in step S2. The attribute may be a background, a foreground, or a number of planes assuming a multi-layer plane. Next, the process proceeds to step S3 to select whether or not to set a time limit for the target image. If the time limit is not set, it is equivalent to always being displayed. If the user selects to set the time limit, the process advances to step S4 to set the time limit (period) for displaying the image.

When the process proceeds to step S5, the image of interest is encoded and stored in the external storage device 7. Then, in step S6, steps S1 to S6 are repeated unless there is an instruction indicating that the input of all images has been completed.

When the conversion of the necessary images into objects is completed, the layout position of each image is set in step S7. At this time, the portions where the images overlap each other are displayed so as to be superimposed in the hierarchical order of each image. Note that this arrangement processing is actually displayed on the display device 6, and the position is performed by operating the input device 8. Also, the work of changing the hierarchy once set is performed here.

When the arrangement position of each image is determined in this way, each image is independently encoded, a file having the layout information is created, and the file is encrypted and output. The output target is the external storage device 7
Alternatively, it may be its own homepage on the Internet via the network interface 4.

The above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 as follows.

The image shown in FIG. 3 is a background image, and the time limit is not set. Then, the image of FIG. 4 is set to be displayed in front of the image of FIG. 3, and is set to be displayed until June 18 (not displayed after June 19).

Next, an operation process on the user side for displaying an image will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. Note that the configuration of the device is substantially the same as that of FIG. 8, and a description thereof will be omitted.

First, in step S11, a file created according to the flowchart of FIG. 9 is decrypted (decoded) via a network or a storage medium. If it is determined in step S12 that the decryption is not possible, the subsequent processing is not performed, an error is displayed, and the processing ends. Note that this decoding is performed by a method determined in advance by agreement with the creator.

If the decryption is successful, the object is read in step S13, and it is determined in step S14 whether a time limit has been set. If it is determined that the time limit has been set, the process proceeds to step S15, where the current time (timer information of the system) is compared with the set time limit to determine whether or not the time is within the set time limit. If it is determined that the object is within the time limit, the object (image) is set to be displayable (step S17),
If it is determined that the time limit has expired, it is set as display disabled (step S16).

Next, the process proceeds to step S18, where it is determined whether or not reading of all objects has been completed. If not, the processes of steps S13 to S18 are repeated.

When the reading process of all the images is completed, the process proceeds to step S19, where the images are reconstructed according to the arrangement information of each image present in the decoded file and the display hierarchy position of each image. Display is performed in S20.

As a result, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to control the image to be displayed according to the time at the time of reproduction. In other words, the time of the reproducing system can be made to be as if it were a key for decryption.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the expiration date is not set for the base image but is set for the preceding image. In other words, this was dealt with by setting a display period. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a period during which display is not performed may be set.

In the embodiment, an example in which two images are displayed in a hierarchy is shown. However, three or more images may be displayed.
The present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments, because the present invention can be realized by setting one time limit.

The information may be distributed not by a network but by a storage medium such as a floppy disk.

[Second Embodiment] As in the first embodiment, an image is converted into code data using the encoding apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is used as the base image and FIG. 7 is used as the time-limited image data. As the time limit information, a setting is made such that the browsing permission is given after a certain point in time without giving the browsing permission at first.

The obtained code data is decoded by the decoder of FIG. 2 as in the first embodiment. If the date and time of decryption is before the set date of the object with time limit information, the object with the time limit information is not displayed. If the output image 208 is after the set time limit as shown in FIG. 208 can be made as shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, display / non-display can be set with a time limit, so that the viewer can view the time of his system only within the set time. Becomes possible.

As shown in FIG. 8, the functions of the present embodiment can be realized by a general-purpose information processing device (for example, a personal computer). That is, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or a recording medium) in which software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments are recorded to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or a CPU or Needless to say, this can be achieved also by the MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. By executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, the CPU included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, browsing of image contents is permitted / impossible depending on time on the receiving side without depending on means such as real-time distribution and reproduction of recorded information. Distribution of information including an object for which the setting can be made.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration conceptual diagram of an encoding device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a decoding device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a base image.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of image data with time limit information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a composite object.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the base image.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of image data with term information.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration of an encoding device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure of the encoding device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure of the decoding device.

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Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An input means for inputting an image, a term adding means for adding term data for visual display to the input image data, and encoding the term-added image data for a predetermined reproducing means. An image processing apparatus comprising: an encoding unit that performs encoding. 2. The input means is capable of inputting a plurality of images, and further comprises setting means for setting whether or not to add expiration date data for enabling visible display to each of the input images, 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time limit adding unit sets time limit data for the image set by the setting unit. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for arranging a plurality of input images so as to be superimposable on each other. 4. An image reproducing apparatus for displaying data created by the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decoding is performed by decoding the data encoded by the encoding unit. Means for comparing the expiration date data added to the image data obtained by decoding with the display time, and controlling display / non-display of the image data based on the comparison result of the comparison means An image reproducing apparatus, comprising: 5. An input step of inputting an image, a term adding step of adding term data for visual display to the input image data, and encoding the term-added image data into a predetermined reproducing step. And a coding method for controlling the image processing apparatus. 6. A control method in an image reproducing device for displaying data created by the control method for an image processing device according to claim 5, wherein the data encoded in the encoding step is decoded. A decoding step, a comparing step of comparing the time of display with the time limit data added to the image data obtained by decoding, and displaying / hiding the image data based on the comparison result of the comparing step. And a controlling step of controlling the image reproducing apparatus. 7. A storage medium for storing a program code to be read and executed by a computer, comprising: a program code of an input step of inputting an image; and a term adding step of adding term data for visually displaying the input image data. And a program code for an encoding step of encoding the image data to which the time limit has been added into a predetermined reproducing step. 8. A storage medium for storing a program code for reproducing and displaying data created by executing the program code of the storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the program code is encoded in the encoding step. A program code for a decoding step for decoding data, a program code for a comparison step for comparing the display time with the time limit data added to the image data obtained by decoding, and a comparison result of the comparison step And a program code for a control step of controlling display / non-display of image data based on the storage medium.