GB2157862A

GB2157862A - Image filing system

Info

Publication number: GB2157862A
Application number: GB08508464A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shinichi Kamachi
Original assignee: Olympus Optical Co Ltd
Current assignee: Olympus Corp
Priority date: 1984-04-04
Filing date: 1985-04-01
Publication date: 1985-10-30
Also published as: JPS60211578A; JPH0580024B2; DE3510699A1; GB2157862B; GB8508464D0; DE3510699C2

Abstract

An image filing system comprises an auxiliary storage device (3) for temporarily storing information representing a plurality of images; a main storage device (4); and an image attribute storage area (8) for storing information which makes possible a selection as to whether or not certain image information stored in the auxiliary storage device is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device. When transmitting and storing the image information into the main storage device (4), the image information selected is simultaneously transmitted into the main storage device (4) while referring to the selection determining information. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Image filing system The present invention relates to an image filing system in which a large quantity of still image information can be kept and freely searched.

Generally in image filing systems which keep a large quanitity of still image information and which can be used to search and display desired image information, operations to store and keep the image information and operations to search and display the image information are needed. However, in an operation to keep the image information, each image information which is stored and kept is once displayed on a display means, such as a CRT display or the like, and, after checking that it is the image information to be kept, it is stored and kent.

One example of a conventional image filing system for performing such operations is shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. In Fig. 1, an image information source 1 is adapted to transmit an image information signal which is obtained from a TV camera or the like. An image signal reception interface 2 converts the image information signal from the image information source 1 to a form which can be read and stored and transmits it to an auxiliary storage device 3. Methods of storage for the auxiliary storage device 3 are generally classified into an analog method and a digital method.In the case of a digital method, the system is constituted in a manner such that the image signal reception interface 2 converts the image information signal from an analog signal to a digital signal and sends it to the auxiliary storage device 3, thereby allowing the digital signal to be temporarily stored therein.

A control unit 5 has the function of selecting arbitrarily information on one image from information on a plurality of images stored in the auxiliary storage device 3 and to display the image on a display apparatus 7 in response to a command from a console 6 and the function of transmitting the selected image information from the auxiliary storage device 3 to a main storage device 4 and to store it therein.

In the image filing system constituted as described above, to transfer the image information, temporarily stored in the auxiliary storage device 3, into the main storage device 4, the desired image information is first selected from the auxiliary storage device 3 and is displayed on the display apparatus 7 in response to a command from the console 6 by the operator. This image information is checked to see if it is the image information that should be stored and kept in the main storage device 4 or not. Thereafter, this image information is transmitted to the main storage device 4 and is stored therein in response to a command from the console 6.

As described above, in the conventional image filing system, information pertaining to still images is taken out and displayed image by image and a check is made to see if this image information should be stored and kept in the main storage device 4 or not. When it is image information to be stored and kept, an instruction for storage and keeping is generated each time. Therefore, when storing and keeping a large quantity of image information in the main storage device 4, each information relating to each image has to be displayed and selected and thereafter it has to be transmitted and stored, so that its efficiency is very poor and this system is inconvenient.

In particular, there is an extremely large quantity of image information and it takes a long time to perform the data transmission to store the image information into the main storage device. The operator waiting time is long and the working efficiency is poor and this system is highly inconvenient for the operator.

An object of the present invention is to overcome or mitigate the drawbacks of the conventional image filing system and to provide an image filing system in which the transfer of image information from the auxiliary storage device into the main storage device can be batch processed, thereby reducing the operator waiting time.

According to the present invention, an image filing system for storing and keeping a large quantity of image information in a main storage device comprises an auxiliary storage device for temporarily storing information representing a plurality of images from an information source; and an image attribute storage area for storing the information by which it is possible to determine a selection with respect to whether the individual image information stored in the auxiliary storage device is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device or not.In the case where the image information stored in the auxiliary storage device is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device, only those pieces of image information which are needed to be stored and kept are transmitted simultaneously to and stored in the main storage device while referring the information by which it is possible to determine the selection with respect to whether the image information is stored in the main storage device or not.

By constituting the image filing system as mentioned above, the waiting time of the operator at the time of operation can be made extremely short with a very simple arrangement and it is possible to obtain an image filing system with good working efficiency.

The invention is further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block arrangement diagram showing one arrangement example of a conventional image filing system and has already been described; and Fig. 2 is a block arrangement diagram of an embodiment of an image filing system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block arrangement diagram of one embodiment of image filing system according to the present invention, in which similar parts and components as those shown in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

As will be apparent from Fig. 2, a feature of the invention is that an area 8 to store the attribute of image is added to the arrangement of the conventional image filing system shown in Fig. 1. The attribute of image denotes the characteristics which the image information has, for instance, number, meaning, denomination, date of production, etc. of the image. This attribute can be written by a command from the console while displaying the image information on the display device.

The attribute, such as the number, meaning or the like, of this image can be also simultaneously transmitted and stored when the image information is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device.

The invention intends to set, as one of the attributes of the image, the information by which it is possible to determine the selection with respect to whether the image information temporarily stored in the auxiliary storage device 3 is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device 4 or not. In the embodiment of the invention, the foregoing selection determinating information which is set as one of the image attributes is constituted by the information indicative of the presence or absence of a necessity about whether the image information stored in the auxiliary storage device 3 is transmitted to and stored in the main storage device 4 or not.Or in the case where it is necessary to store the image information in the main storage device 4, the foregoing selection determining information is constituted by the address information when the image information is stored in the main storage device. This image attribute is stored in the image attribute storage ares 8.

To store such an image attribute in the area 8, information pertaining to a plurality of images temporarily stored in the auxiliary storage device 3 is first individually selected and displayed on the display apparatus 7. Then, the selection determining information is stored in the portion corresponding to each image information in the image attribute storage area 8 on the basis of each displayed image by virtue of the control unit 5, which receives a command from the console 6. Namely, for the image information which is to be stored and kept in the main storage device 4, the attribute information representing the presence of a necessity of storage or the address information upon storage in the main storage device is stored in the image attribute storage area 8.

On the other hand, for the image information which is not to be stored and kept, the attribute information indicating no necessity of storage is stored. Prior to transmitting the image information into the main storage device 4, all the information, by which it is possible to determine the selection as to whether the transmission to the main storage device is necessary with respect to all image information stored in the auxiliary memory device 3, are stored simultaneously in the attribute storage area 8.

Next, in the case where information pertaining to a plurality of images temporarily stored in the auxiliary storage device 3 is transnitted to and stored in the main storage device 4, the control unit 5 selectively takes out only the image information which is to be stored and kept, from the information a plurality of images in the auxiliary storage device 3 and transmits the information on the selected images together into the main storage device 4 as a batch process while referring to the information by which the foregoing selection can be determined and which has been stored in the image attribute storage area 8. In the case where the information representative of the presence or absence of a need to store is used as the selection determining information, the information or the selected images is stored sequentially in the main storage device 4.In the case where the address information in the main storage device 4 is memorized in the image attribute storage area 8 as the selection determining information, the image information is stored sequentially in accordance with the order of those addresses designated.

In the foregoing embodiment, the image attribute storage araa 8 is shown independently of tha auxiliary storage device 3. However, this image attribute storage area needs only to have an arrangement such that the storage of the image attribute and the raference of this image attribute can be executed under the control of the control unit 5. For instance, this area may be together arrangad in the auxiliary storage device 3.

In such a case, the area which can store the information by which it is possible to make a determination about the necessity of transmission to and storage in the main storage device is provided in a part of the auxiliary storage device 3 and the transmission of the image information from the auxiliary storage device to the main storage device and storage therein may be performed as a batch process with reference to that attribute information.

In addition, the foregoing embodiment is obviously provided with ordinary functions in the image filing system, such as to search the image information stored and kept in the main storage device and to display the searched image information on the display apparatus, or to transmit it again to the auxiliary storage device, or the like.

As described above, according to the present invantion, the image attribute storage area is provided and the imaga information can be transmitted to and stored in the main storage device as a batch process with reference to the information which has been stored in that storage area and which makes it possible to determine the selection about the necessity of storage and keeping in the main storage device. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an image filing system with a good working efficiency in which the operator waiting time is shortened by extremaly simple means.

Claims

1. An image filing system comprising; an auxiliary storage device for temporarily storing information apertaining to a plurality of images taken from an information source; a main storage device for storing and keeping image information selectively transferred from said auxiliary storage device; a control unit having a function to select arbitrary image information from said image information stored in said auxiliary storage device and to transmit the selected image information to said main storage device; and an image attribute storage area for storing information which makes it possible to determine a selection with respect to whether or not the individual image information stored in said auxiliary storage device is to be transmitted to and stored in said main storage device, the arrangement being such that, when transmitting image information from said auxiliary storage device to said main storage device and storing such information in the latter, said control unit allows the image information selected for storage and kaeping to be simultaneously transmitted to and stored in said main storage device while referring to said selection determining information stored in said image attribute storaga area.

2. An image filing system according to claim 1, in which said information which makes it possible to determine the selection with respact to whether or not the image information stored in said auxiliary storage device is transmitted to and stored in said main storage device is constituted by information representing the presence or absence of necessity of the transmission and storage.

3. An image filing system according to claim 1, in which said information which makes it possible to determine the selection with respact to whether or not the image information stored in said auxiliary storage device is transmitted to and stored in said main storage device is constituted by an address information when the image information is stored in said main storage device.

4. An image filing system adapted to be used substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.