JPH01238269A - Retrieving and reading device for microfilm - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To retrieve/read a target image in a short time by moving a scanner itself incorporating a microfilm running driver and an image reader up and down in front of a container shelf in which many cartridges are piled vertically. CONSTITUTION:Many cartridges 14 are piled vertically and contained in the container shelf 12 of a case 10, and on the respective shelf plates 12A of the shelf 12, a mechanism to exhaust a cartridge 14 composed of a guide roller 18, a belt 20, pulleys 22, 24 etc., is mounted. And in front of the shelf 12, the scanner 30 is arranged, which is moved vertically by a pair of wires 32 driven by the driver 100. In this scanner 30, the microfilm running mechanism and the image reader are incorporated. A position where the cartridge 14 is contained is stored in a memory 112 provided in the CPU 102 of the means 100. The scanner 30 is moved toward the target cartridge 14, so that, upon the intruding of the scanner 30, the cartridge 14 is exhausted, and a target image is read by the scanner 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention searches for a target image from a storage shelf storing a large number of microfilm cartridges, reads the image using an image sensor, and outputs it as an image signal. This relates to a microfilm retrieval/reading device.

(Technical Background of the Invention) One cartridge is selected from a large number of microfilm cartridges stored in a storage shelf, a target image contained therein is read out by an image sensor, and this image signal is output as a digital signal. A device is being considered. For example, it has been considered to use this image signal to output an image to a CRT, printer, or facsimile, or to output a desired form or document by printing it in combination with the output of another data processing device. That is, by converting microfilm images into digital signals, it becomes possible to collaborate with other digital image processing devices using a data communication network, thereby increasing the usefulness of microfilm.

As such a device, a rotating shelf type device is conventionally known. In this method, a large number of cartridges are stored in multiple stages in a rotating drum so that they can be attached and detached from the outer circumferential surface of the drum, and a take-out device that only moves up and down at a fixed position takes out the desired cartridge and transfers it to an image reader equipped with an image sensor. It is used to read images.

However, in this case, since the heavy rotating drum rotates to take out the target cartridge, there are problems in that the time required to search for the target image (access time) becomes longer and the installation area becomes larger.

In addition, a large number of cartridges are stored in a bookshelf-like fixed shelf, and a carrier running in the
It is also known to locate one cartridge, transport it to an image reader fixed at a predetermined position, and read the image there.

However, in this case the film must be transferred twice, ie from the shelf to the carrier and from the carrier to the image reader. Therefore, there is still a problem that the access time becomes long. There is also the problem that the scale of the system has increased, making it impossible to respond to cases where a small-scale system is required.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to shorten access time, have a small installation area,
The purpose of this invention is to provide a microfilm search/reading device that can easily respond to changes in system scale.

(Structure of the Invention) According to the present invention, this purpose is to select a cartridge containing a target image from a storage shelf storing a large number of microfilm cartridges, read the target image from this cartridge by an image sensor, and output an image signal. A microfilm retrieval/reading device has a vertical storage shelf that stores a large number of cartridges stacked vertically, a scanner that has a built-in microfilm travel drive device and an image reader, and moves up and down in opposition to the storage shelf. Achieved by a microfilm retrieval Φ reading device characterized by comprising a memory means for storing the storage position of the cartridge, and a control means for moving the scanner to the storage position of the cartridge containing the target image and reading the target image. be done.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system using an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the storage shelf and the scanner, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the cartridge storage state in the storage shelf, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the cartridge loaded into the scanner.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system using this device, and FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the system developed into a large-scale system.

1.5, 6. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a prismatic case, and a cartridge storage shelf 12 is assembled in this case 10 so as to be shifted to one side. This storage shelf stores a large number of cartridges 14 in a vertically stacked manner. The cartridge 14 houses a reel 15 on which a microfilm 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) is wound.

Each shelf board 12A of the storage shelf 12 has a built-in mechanism for ejecting the cartridge 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, on each shelf board 12A are a large number of guide rollers 18, a belt 20 wound around these guide rollers 18, and take-up pulleys 22, 24 around which both ends of the belt 20 are wound and which apply tension to the belt 20. and is provided. Therefore, the cartridge 14 pushed in from the right side in FIG. 3 enters the position surrounded by the guide rollers 18 as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 while pushing the belt 20, and is stopped by the stopper 26. This stopper 26 is operated by a scanner 30 to be described later, and when this scanner 30 releases the cartridge 14 from the stopper 26, the cartridge 14 is automatically ejected toward the scanner 30 by the tension of the belt 20. . In FIG. 1.2.4, 30 is a scanner. This scanner 30 is installed in the storage shelf 1 in the case 10.
Move the front of 2 in the vertical direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, this scanner 30 is held movably up and down by guide rails 32.32, and is moved up and down by a pair of wires 34.34. The wire 34 connects to the upper and lower pulleys 3
6 and 38 (FIG. 1), and both ends thereof are fixed to the scanner 30. One pulley 38 is rotated by a servo motor 40, and as a result, the scanner 30 is moved up and down. Note that this wire 34 is connected to the scanner 3
A counterweight 42 is fixed at a position symmetrical to 0, reducing the load on the motor 40.

The scanner 30 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, when facing a certain shelf board 12A, there is a take-in space 44 that faces the cartridge 14 on the storage shelf 12 side and takes in the cartridge 14, a take-up reel 46, and an image reader 48 disposed between these two. , and a film running drive device (not shown) that drives the reel 15.48 to run the film 16. In this embodiment these are the shelves 12
A storage shelf 12 and scanner 3 are arranged in parallel to face each other.
The case 10 including 0 is approximately square in plan view with each side being approximately 30 cm.

The image reader 48 includes a closed reader unit 50 and an EL plate 52 as a light source. The EL plate 52 can be pressed against and separated from the film 16, and is controlled by an electromagnetic plunger (not shown) or the like. The reader unit 50 includes a glass 54 facing the EL plate 52 with the film 16 in between, and a projection lens 56 and an image sensor 58 housed in a sealed case. Lens 56 here
is moved in the optical axis direction by a motor, piezoelectric element, etc. to enable focusing.

Therefore, when the scanner 30 is brought in front of the target cartridge 14, the stopper 26 is released and the cartridge 14 is moved.
is ejected into the take-in space 44 by the tension of the belt 20 and taken into the space 44, and the film 16 is run by rotating the reels 15, 46 by the film running device. At this time, the EL plate 52 is separated from the film 16. When the target image arrives, the EL plate 52 presses the film 16 against the glass plate 54. The EL plate 52 serves as a surface light source, and the projected image of the film 16 is projected onto the glass plate 54,
The light is guided to an image sensor 58 through a lens 56. The image sensor 58 scans the image and outputs a time-series image signal a (see FIG. 1). This signal a is the image processing circuit 6
0, it is binarized into a digital signal, and the control means 10
It is input to 0. Here, the image sensor 58 is preferably a two-dimensional area sensor, but an image may be read by moving a -dimensional line sensor in a direction perpendicular to its length direction (sub-scanning direction).

The control means 100 is formed by a small computer, and as shown in FIG.
08, it has a RAMll0 etc. for storing data during control, for example, data when performing autofocus. Reference numeral 112 denotes a memory means, which is made up of a storage medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, or a semiconductor memory, and stores data such as the storage address of the cartridge 14 in the storage shelf lz. These control means 100 and memory means 112 are connected to cabinet 1 in FIG.
It is stored in 14.

Data such as the contents and storage address of each cartridge 14 are inputted to the CPU 102 from the keyboard 116 and stored in the memory means 112. When searching for the target image,
For example, the code of the target image is input from the keyboard 116. The CPU 102 searches the memory means 112 for the cartridge 14 containing this target image, and operates the motor 47 to move the scanner 30 in front of this cartridge 14. Then, the stopper 26 (third
) is released to eject the cartridge 14 and take it into the take-in space 44 in the scanner 30.

The CPU 102 controls the reels 15 and 46 to rotate using the traveling drive device in the scanner 3o so that the target image is placed between the EL plate and the glass plate 54.

Note that this target image can be confirmed by reading a grip mark (not shown) recorded in advance on the microfilm 16 using another optical sensor (not shown).

When the target image comes in front of the glass plate 54, the CPU 102 presses the EL plate 52 against the film 16 to cause it to emit light. The projected image of the target image is guided to the image sensor 58. The image signal a of the image sensor 58 is input to the CPU 102 after being subjected to various types of processing such as correction of variations in characteristics of each light receiving element, correction of shading, and waveform shaping in a signal processing circuit 60 . Also, when using autofocus,
This circuit 60 selects, for example, a predetermined spatial frequency component of the image signal a using a band pass filter, and obtains a contrast signal by integrating the absolute value of this component. CPU1
02 controls the lens 56 to a position where this contrast signal is maximized.

Note that it is of course possible to separately prepare another element exclusively for autofocus, such as an element using a phase difference detection method, to perform autofocus.

When the image is read in this way, the CPU 102 outputs this data to various types of image processing devices. For example, you can output this image to the CRT 118 or printer 120,
The information may be stored in other external memory means such as the optical disk device 122. It is also possible to output the data to a remote facsimile 126 (see Figure 5), CRT, etc. using a data communication network 124 such as a LAN (Local Area Φ Network). Note that the CPU 102 can also read data from an external image processing device using this data communication network 124, and use image data from the outside within this system.

The smallest scale of this system is completed by combining one case 10 with a workstation as shown in FIG. That is, the keyboard 116 and the CRT
118, a printer 110, and a cabinet 114 that houses the control means 100 and the memory means 112 (see FIG. 1).

In addition, in the above embodiment, the control of the case 10 is performed by the control means 1.
I explained that it should be done with 00. However, the control means 100A composed of a microcomputer or the like is provided on the case 10 side.
(see FIG. 1, imaginary line) is provided, and this control means 1
00A may be used to control the motor 40, scanner 30, etc. in the case 10, or perform image signal processing independently for each case. In other words, the control means 100 may control the location of the target cartridge 14 and the target image (film number). , image address, etc.) from the data in the memory means 112, and sends this information (address information) to the control means 100A in the case 10. Control means 10 on this case side
0A moves the scanner 30 up and down based on this address information, selects the target cartridge 14, searches for the target image from this cartridge 14, reads the image, processes the image, converts it into a binary value, and sends it to the control means 100. Send.

In this way, if the control means 100A for controlling each case independently is provided on each case 10 side and each case 10 is operated independently, it is possible to increase the scale by adding more cases 10. Easy to deal with.

When increasing the scale of this system, as shown in FIG. All you have to do is connect it to your workstation.

In this way, this device can be easily scaled up by collecting a large number of cases 10 as one unit, and in this case, if each case 10 is controlled simultaneously and in parallel, the access time can be further reduced. 30 is 1
While reading images from one cartridge, in other cases 10 the access time can be reduced by moving the scanner 30 up and down to locate and prepare the target image for reading.

In addition, by connecting the cases 10 distributed at different locations to each other via the data communication network 124, they can be used freely and the microfilm can be shared.

In the above embodiment, the storage shelf 12 and the scanner 30 are arranged to have a substantially square shape in plan view as shown in FIG. It can also be used effectively.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an embodiment showing another arrangement of the storage shelf 12a and the scanner 30a, in which the storage shelf 12a is arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the scanner 30a, and in this case, the case 10a has a width in plan view. It becomes a thin rectangle. Therefore, it is convenient when arranging the case 10a in close contact with a wall.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the present invention, since the scanner itself moves up and down in front of the storage shelves stacked vertically, the movement of the cartridge is performed between the storage shelves and the scanner. Therefore, the access time required to read out the target image can be shortened.

Furthermore, since the unit of one case can be made smaller than that of conventional devices, the installation area is reduced, and furthermore, by appropriately increasing or decreasing the number of cases, changes in system scale can be easily accommodated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system using an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the storage shelf and scanner, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the storage shelf with film cartridges stored.
Figure 4 is a plan view showing the state in which the cartridge is loaded into the scanner, Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system using this device, Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram of the system developed into a large-scale system, and Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram of a system using this device. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another embodiment. 10, loa...case, 12.12a...storage shelf, 14...cartridge, 30.30a...scanner, 50...image reader, ioo...control means, 112...memory means. Patent applicant: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney 1) Text: Eloquence: 1) Hiroshi Shizuo's drawing '3 (content F2 unchanged) Figure 2; i= =] Figure 5: 7 Figure Procedure 7 City Authorization (Spontaneous method) April 111, 1988 Reader 3, relationship with the person making the amendment Patent applicant address 210 Nakanuma, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture Name (520)
) Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Representative Minoru Ohnishi 4, Agent address Yamato Bank Toranomon Building, 1-6-21 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Telephone: 591-7556) Name (8)
222) Patent Attorney Yama 1) Yu Moon 1, <7 others) 5,
Date of amendment order zo" spontaneity 6, number of inventions increased by amendment 07, drawings to be amended 8, content procedure of amendment, "P Fu Seisho (Method) % formula % l Indication of case 1988 Patent Application No. 063485 No. 2, Name of the invention Microfilm retrieval/reading device 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Case Patent applicant address 210 Nakanuma, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture Name (520)
) Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Representative: Minoru Ohnishi 4, Agent Address: Yamato Bank Toranomon Building, 1-6-21 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Telephone: 591-7556) 6, Target of correction in Figure 2? Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a microfilm search/reading device that selects a cartridge containing a target image from a storage shelf storing a large number of microfilm cartridges, reads the target image from the cartridge using an image sensor, and outputs an image signal. , a vertical storage shelf that stores a large number of cartridges stacked vertically, a scanner that has a built-in microfilm travel drive device and an image reader and moves up and down in opposition to the storage shelf, and a memory that stores the storage position of the cartridges. 1. A microfilm retrieval/reading device, comprising: a control means for moving the scanner to a storage position of a cartridge containing a target image, and causing the scanner to read the target image.