JPS62266984A - Picture information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily input a stereoscopic picture such as a landscape to a work station by providing an input and output means for digitizing a video signal from a TV camera, storing, thereafter and outputting on the bus of the work station. CONSTITUTION:After the video signal from the TV camera 4 is amplified, it is separated into a picture signal and a synchronizing signal in a synchronization separating circuit 13. The synchronizing signal is transmitted to a control part 15. The picture signal is sample held every sample clock SC fed from the control part 15 by a sample holder 14, converted into a digital picture signal in an A/D converter 16 and latched to a register 18a. This digital picture signal is transmitted to the bus 39 of the work station (WS) through a driver receiver 19 according to enable signals BE, DR transmitted from the control part 15. The picture signal processed in the WS and outputted to the bus 39 is fetched from the driver receiver 19, D/A converted, thereafter, mixed with the synchronizing signal in a mixer 21 and outputted to a VTR 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image information processing system that processes image information sent from a TV camera.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, with the rapid development of image information processing systems centered on electronic computers, it has become possible, for example, to optically read images, process the read images using arithmetic processing equipment, and output them from image output devices such as laser beam printers. A device configured as follows has been proposed.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional image information processing system, and 31 is a workstation (WS).
and the reader/printer interface 32. Image Completion Unit (ICU) 33. Program memory (PMEM) 34, bit move unit (BM
U) 35.

Image memory (IMEM) 36, video ram (VR)
AM) 37, central processing unit (CPU) 38, bus 39
The ICU 33 compresses and expands data, and in order to increase the encoding rate, two-dimensional compression (high compression) is adopted. The PMEM34 has an OS program and an application program memory area for controlling the input/output devices provided around the WS31 and each unit in the WS31, and also has a font memory area for converting character codes into image data. have. BMU35 is CRT display 4
0, image editing (image processing) is performed, and a predetermined image is enlarged, reduced, moved one rotation, or cut. The IMEM 36 has a storage capacity of, for example, 4 Mbytes, and can store images from the reader 4 and
It stores images edited by the MU 35, data decompressed by the ICU 33, word processing code data based on key code characters, mixed data, or data obtained by converting character codes into images.

The VRAM 37 stores image data to be displayed on the CRT display 40 in the form of a focus map code. 42 is a /\-hard disk device that stores data processed by the WS 31. A floppy disk device 43 stores data processed by the WS 31. 44 is an input section, including a keyboard 44a and a pointing device 4.
4b etc. The keyboard 44a is used to input characters and the like, and a cursor is used to specify a position on the CRT display 40. pointing device 4
4b specifies an arbitrary position on the CRT display 40. 45 is a printer device serving as an image output means, and WS3
Output the image edited in step 1.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in order to input a three-dimensional image of a landscape or the like into the image information processing system described in E, it is necessary to take a still photograph or the like and then read the developed photograph with an image reading means, for example, the reader 41. Since the photographed image cannot be directly processed without the input, the processing is very complicated.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and it is possible to convert a video signal sent from a TV camera into a digital signal and input it to a workstation, and to convert the image processed by the workstation into a video signal. The goal of LI is to obtain an image information processing system that can be converted into an image and recorded on a VTR.

[Failure to solve the problem]

The image information processing system according to the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives a video signal sent from a television camera that converts a photographed image into a video signal, and a converter that converts the video signal received by the receiving unit into a digital image signal. means, storage means for temporarily storing the digital image signal converted by the conversion means, and an output control p-stage for sending the digital image signal stored in the storage means to the bust of the workstation. It is something.

[Effect]

In this invention, the receiving means receives a video signal sent from a television camera. The video signal received by the receiving means is converted into a digital image signal by the converting means and stored in the storage means.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an image information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a video control unit (VCU) constituting input/output control means of the present invention; It is connected to a reader/printer interface 33 located inside the computer by a dedicated cable 1a, and has a dedicated power supply 2.

The VCU 1 is connected to the reader/printer interface 32 by a dedicated cable and is driven by a dedicated power source 2. 3
is a VTR that records video signals. 4 is the TV left camera, which converts the captured image into a video signal. VTR3,T
The V left camera is connected to VCUl. In addition, VCU
1 is input from the reader 41, TV left camera, VTR 3) to the WS31, and from the WS31 to the printer 45 and V
Switch the output to TR3. Furthermore, VCU 1 is
TV left camera samples the analog input (video signal) from VTR3, converts it A/D and outputs digital information to bus 19k of WS31, and also outputs digital information to bus 19k of WS31.
The digital information sent to the VTR 9 is taken in, D/A converted, and the analog information is sent to the VTR 9. Fig. 2 is an external view illustrating the image information processing system according to the present invention, and is the same as Fig. 1. The same symbols are given to the numbers.

As can be seen from these figures, the image information read by the reader 41 is sent to the WS 31 via the VCUI and the cable 1a, and the image information edited by the WS 31 is sent to the WS 31 via the VCUI and the cable 1a.
It is sent to the printer 45 via CU+. moreover,
The video signal output from the TV left camera is converted into a digital image signal by VCU 1 and sent to WS 31 via cable 1a, and the digital image signal edited by WS 31 is sent to VCUl via cable 1a. , and sends a video signal obtained by D/A converting this digital image signal to the VTR 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the configuration of the VCUL shown in FIG. 1, where Ila and ]1b are changeover switches, and the swift Ila is a video signal (NTSC signal) sent from the TV left camera or VTR3. and is output to the amplifier 12 by switching between the terminals TI and 72. The amplifier 12 amplifies the video signal selected by the switch operation of the switching switch 11a. 13 is a synchronization separation circuit that separates the analog image signal and synchronization signal in the video signal amplified by the amplifier 12; 14 is a sample holder, which transfers the analog image signal separated by the synchronization separation circuit 13 to the control unit 1;
Sample and hold is performed every sampling clock SC sent from 5. 16 is an A/D converter that converts the analog image signal sampled and held by the sample holder 14,
For example, it is converted into an 8-bit digital image signal. 17
is a separation circuit, which further converts the synchronization signal separated from the synchronization separation circuit 13 into the water mode synchronization signal H3YNC and the vertical synchronization signal VS.
Separate into YNC. Separated horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC:
and vertical synchronization signal VSYNC are sent to the control section 15.

18a is a register serving as the first storage means of the present invention;
For example, an 8-bit digital image signal that has been A/D converted by the launch clock LCI sent from the control section 15 is obtained. Reference numeral 18b denotes a register serving as a second storage means of the present invention, which takes in, for example, an 8-pin digital image signal from the driver receiver 19 and stores it in response to the latch clock LC2 sent from the control section 15. 20 is D
/A converter, 1 stored in register 18b, for example 8
Converts a bit digital image signal to an analog image signal. A mixer 21 mixes the analog image signal output from the D/A converter 20 with the horizontal synchronization signal HSYNCI and vertical synchronization signal VSYNC1 output from the control unit 15 to generate a video signal (NTSC signal). . A video driver 22 transfers the video signal output from the mixer 21 to the VTR 3 via the switching switch 11b.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a control signal driver receiver, which is composed of a receiving section that transfers command signals and status signals sent from the VTR 3 to the control section 15, and a driver section that transfers the command signals to the VTR 3.

24 is a bus driver, and the V signal sent from the controller 5 is
CUl state IE; transfer signal to bus 39;

A hash receiver 25 receives command information indicating the status of the host side from the path 39 and transfers it to the control unit 15.

Next, the input/output control operation according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are flowcharts showing examples of input/output control operations according to the present invention. In addition, (1) ~
(30) indicates each step.

A case will be described in which a video signal from the TV right camera is transferred to the host side.

First, the WS 31 serving as the host is notified that the VCU 1 is in a ready state (1). This allows the host to
Detects that the UI is ready and releases the VC from the host.
Read mode for U1.

Write the TV left camera card command. Next, a startup command is issued to VCU 1 from the host. VCU
1) waits for the startup command to be sent 2), and when the startup command is sent, the VCUl determines whether or not the ready command set by the host has been confirmed 3)
), if YES, the selector switch Ila shown in FIG. 3 is opened (4). Next, determine whether VCU 1 is the TV left camera 5), and if YES, connect the selector switch Ila to the terminal T1 side 6). The synchronization separation circuit 13 amplifies the video signal (NTSC signal)
is separated into an analog image signal and a synchronization signal, and the synchronization signal is further converted into a horizontal synchronization signal H5YNC by a separation circuit 17.
, a vertical synchronizing signal 5YNC, and sent to the control section 15. Next, wait for the vertical synchronization signal VSYNC to become rlJ (7), and when the vertical synchronization signal VSYNC rises, wait for the vertical synchronization signal VSYNC to become "0" (8), and then wait for the horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC to become "1". ”
9) When the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC rises, wait for the horizontal synchronizing signal H5YNC to become "0" 10) When the horizontal synchronizing signal H3YNC falls, the video signal sampling clock SC is sent from the control unit 15 to the sample holder 14. In response to this, the sample holder 14 holds the input analog image signal according to the ON-OFF state of the sampling clock SC, and converts the sampled and held analog image signal to the A/D converter 16 shown in Fig. '53. , for example, into an 8-bit digital image signal, and the data switch 18
In response to ON-OFF of the launch clock LC sent from the control unit 15, it is latched into a register in the internal register. moreover,
The 8-bit digital image signal latched in the register receives an enable signal BE sent from the control unit 15,
Driver Receiver 19. by DR. The data is transferred to the reader/printer interface 32, that is, the host side via the cable 1a (11), and a strobe signal indicating that the data has been finalized is output from the control unit 15 to the host side via the driver receiver 19.

On the other hand, VCU 1 takes steps (11) until the horizontal synchronization signal H3YNC sent from the TV right camera becomes "1".
12) When the horizontal synchronization signal H5YNC becomes "L", the driver register indicates that one line of video signal sent from the TV right camera has finished.
19. Notify the host side via cable 1a (1
3). Next, it is necessary to judge whether the vertical synchronization signal VSYNC sent from the TV right camera is "0" or not.
4) If YES, return to step (10); if No, the transfer of one frame of video signal has just been completed, so control the host side to the effect that data transfer for one frame has been completed. The notification is sent from the driver receiver 19° cable 1a from the unit 15 (15). Also, the startup command set in the control unit 15 is reset. In response to this, VCUL completes the capture of video No. 13 from the TV right camera and the data transfer to the host side, and
Notify the host side that VCU 1 is in a ready state.

Next, the operation of transferring the video signal recorded from the VTR 3 to the host side will be explained.

First, the WS 31 serving as the host is notified that the VCU 1 is in a ready state (1). This allows the host to
Detects that Ul is ready and sends VC from the host.
Read mode for U1.

Write the VTR mode command. Next, a boot command is issued from the host to the VCUI.

VCU 1 waits for the startup command to be sent 2
), when the startup command is sent, the VCUl determines whether it has confirmed the ready command sent from the host (3), and if YES, opens the switch switch shown in Figure 3 (4). . Then, VCUI becomes TV
5) If the answer is NO, connect the selector switch 11a to the terminal T2 side 16). It waits for a ready signal to be sent from the VTR 3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 (17), and when it is sent, outputs a reproduction command signal to the VTR 3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 shown in FIG.
). Next, it is detected whether the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC separated from the video signal sent from the VTR 3 is "1"7), and if it is "1", the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC is
Waits until the value becomes "O" (8). Thereafter, operations similar to those in the TV camera mode are performed.

Next, the recording operation of the digital image signal processed on the host side to the VTR 3 will be explained.

First, the WS 31 serving as the host is notified that the VCU 1 is in a ready state (1). This allows the host to
Detects that Ul is ready and sends VC from the host.
Light mode for U 1.

Inputs and outputs VTR remote commands. Next, a startup command is issued to VCU 1 from the host. The VCUI waits for the activation command to be sent (2), and when the activation command is sent, the VCUI determines whether the read mode has been set by the host (3). In this case, the light mode is set, so the answer is NO.
The changeover switch 11b is connected, and the changeover switch lla is connected to the terminal Tl side (19). Then, V.T.
The system waits for a ready signal sent from R3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 (20), and when the ready signal is sent, the signal is sent to the VTR via the control signal driver receiver 23.
3, a recording command is output (21). Next, the VTR
In response to the recording command to 3, the controller 15 waits for a ready signal sent from the VTR 3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 (22), and when the ready signal is sent, the control unit 15 sends a horizontal synchronizing signal H3YMCI to the mixer 21. At the same time (23), vertical synchronization signal VSYNC1 (7) ON1
The 0FF signal is sent to the mixer 21 (24). Then,
Outputs a data transfer request command signal to the host side (2
5). Next, the controller 15 waits for the digital image signal corresponding to the data transfer request to be sent to the bus 39 (26), and if it exists on the bus 39-1:, the control unit 15 outputs enable signals BE and DR to the driver receiver 19. Then, the digital image signal from the reader/printer interface 32 is taken into the internal bus (not shown) of the VCU1, and the 8-bit digital image signal is sent to the register in the data switch 18 by the ON-〇FF signal of the latch clock LC2. Latched. Furthermore, when the digital image signal is launched into the register, a data reception end command is output to the host side (27). The 8-bit digital image signal latched in the register in the data switch 18 shown in FIG. horizontal synchronization signal HSYNCI.

The vertical rotation signal VSYNC1 and the above-mentioned unlogged image signal are mixed to create a video signal (NTSC), which is recorded on the magnetic tape of the VTR 3 via the video dotper 22. Next, it is determined whether one line of video signal has been sent out (28), and if no, step (28) is determined.
Returning to step 5), if YES, it is further determined whether the video signal for one frame has been sent out (29). If this judgment is No, the process returns to step (24), and if YES, the end command is output to the VTR 3 via the control driver receiver 23, the end command is output to the host side, and the The set startup command is reset 30), and the recording operation to the VTR 3 is ended in the same manner as above.

In FIG. 1, if a video printer is connected instead of the VTR 3, a hard copy of the image read by the TV left camera or an image after image processing can be printed out. Further, even if the image is a binary image, if the A/D converter 16 shown in FIG. 3 performs a predetermined pseudo e-light image processing, a pseudo e-light image signal can be sent to the host side.

Furthermore, when converting an analog image signal to a digital image signal, pseudo halftones can be expressed by converting it into a binary signal using a single threshold value or a plurality of threshold values. Furthermore, it is also possible to convert digital image signals into multivalued signals.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention includes a receiving means for receiving a video signal sent from a video camera that converts a photographed image into a video signal, and a converting means for converting the video signal received by the receiving means into a digital image signal. and storage means for temporarily storing the digital image signal converted by this conversion means, and output control means for sending out the digital image signal stored in this storage means onto the bus of the workstation. , it becomes possible to input stereoscopic images to the workstation, and it becomes possible to incorporate image information from the TV right camera into the already captured image and document data, which has an extremely excellent effect of efficiently editing video information.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an image information processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external view of the image information processing system according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a VCU shown in FIG. 1. A block diagram explaining the configuration of FIG. 4(a)
, (b) is a flowchart illustrating an example of the input/output control operation according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional image information processing system. In the figure, 1 is VCU, 1a is cable, 2 is power supply, 3 is V
TR14 is a TV right camera lla, 11b is a changeover switch, 12 is an amplifier, 13 is a synchronous separation circuit, 14 is a sample holder, 15 is a control section, 16 is an A/D converter, 17 is a separation circuit, and 18a. 18b is a register, 19 is a driver receiver, 20 is D
/A converter, 21 is a mixer, 22 is a video driver, 2
3 is a control signal driver receiver, 24 is a bus try/to, 25 is a pass receiver, 31 is a WS, 41 is a league, 4
5 is a printer.

Claims (6)

[Claims] (1) In an image information processing system in which a workstation performs necessary processing on an image signal inputted from an image reading means, a receiving means receives a video signal sent from a television camera that converts a photographed image into a video signal; , a conversion means for converting the video signal received by the reception means into a digital image signal, a storage means for temporarily storing the digital image signal converted by the conversion means, and a digital image signal stored in the storage means. An image information processing system comprising: output control means for sending an image signal onto a bus of the workstation. (2) The image information processing system according to claim (1), wherein the control means command-controls the television camera. (3) The image information processing system according to claim (1), wherein the control means includes a plurality of central processing means. (4) The conversion means converts the video signal into 2 by a single threshold value.
The image information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image information processing system converts the signal into a value signal and inputs the converted signal into a workstation. (5) The conversion means converts the video signal into two
The image information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the image information processing system converts the signal into a value signal and outputs it to a workstation. (6) The image information processing system according to claim (4), wherein the converting means converts the video signal into a multi-level signal and inputs the signal to the workstation.