GB2158672A - Image inputting and editing system - Google Patents

Abstract

An original image pattern from image pick-up unit 6, e.g. a TV camera is stored in a first memory 19. An altered image pattern is made from this original image pattern by performing a converting process, such as enlargement, reduction or the like and/or a correcting process by means of a console 10 and a CPU 18. The altered image pattern is stored in a second memory 20. The original image pattern and the altered image pattern are displayed on a CRT 14, either side-by-side or overlappingly in different colours, so that they can be compared. Picture elements may be corrected either singly or in groups (see Figures 4, 8, 9). Corrected image patterns are written into a PROM by prom writer 16 to form a character font, preferably of Chinese characters. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Image inputting and editing system.

The present invention relates to an image inputting and editing system which inputs and displays an image pattern such as a character, figure or the like and corrects and stores it.

Hitherto, as image inputting and editing systems, there has been known a system (disclosed in the Official Gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.161963/1982) in which an image of a character drawn in a desired font is picked up and this image-pickup character is divided into a predetermined number of pixels, then the light and shade of each pixel are binary coded and this binary code is stored in a storage device. However, in such a system, unless any irregularity in illumination or shading of the image pickup system is suppressed so as to be as small as possible an also the binary coding threshold level is strictly determined, the edge portions of the character will easily become notched so that this makes it difficult to keep to a good quality of the binary coded character.In particular, in the case of characters, such as the letters "A" and "B" having sloping lines or arcs, the notched portions are particularly easily caused. Therefore, to make a character of good quality and to store it in the storage device without correcting the character after image pickup, it is necessary to increase the number of pixels or strictly adjust the illuminating conditions or the like, causing drawbacks such that the operation becomes complicated and the memory required to store one character becomes large and the overall system becomes expensive.

On the other hand, as another conventional example, there has bee proposed a system (disclosed in the Official Gazette of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No.52587/1983) comprising: an image pickup apparatus for picking up an image of a character; a video memory for storing the dot character signal of which a character image pickup signal from the image pickup apparatus was digitized; and a video synthesizing circuit for receiving an analog signal from the image pickup apparatus and a digital signal from the video memory and for overlapping both of these signals on the same screen and displaying them, in which the character of the original image and the image of the character which was divided into dots can be added and displayed on the display device or can be alternately displayed thereon, and the character divided into dots is subjected to correction or the like in response to a command from a keyboard and thereafter it is stored in the storage device.

However, such a system has the following drawbacks. Namely, in the case where the character picked up and inputted is not used as the image of the inherent size (number of pixels) but in order to use the character image by enlarging or reducing it, the original character image is enlarged or reduced in the video memory and thereafter it is corrected, it is necessary to also simultaneously enlarge or reduce the original image in order to overlap the digital image stored in the video memory and divided into the dots onto the original image and of the digital image stored in the video memory have to be accurately matched by adjusting the lenses of the image pickup apparatus and the character to be image picked up. Consequently, the position adjusting mechanisms of the optical system and image pickup apparatus become complicated.In particular, in formation of fonts of Chinese characters (KANJI), thousands of characters are formed, so that it is necessary to make the forming time per character as short as possible.

However, the use of the foregoing means causes drawbacks such that the operation is complicated and it takes a fairly long time to form characters.

An object of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks of a conventional image inputting and editing system and to provide an image and inputting and editing system which can form accurately and promptly a desired image pattern of good quality with a simple arrangement.

According to the present invention, an image inputting and editing system comprises: means for allowing an original image pattern inputted to the stored in a first memory; means for converting and'or correcting this original image pattern, thereby forming an altered image pattern; means for allowing this altered image pattern to be stored in a second memory; and display means for displaying the original image pattern and the altered image pattern so that they can be compared.

With this arrangement, when an image pattern, such as a character, figure or the like, is formed in the memory, the original image is once stored in the memory and the altered image patterns having various kinds of sizes, shapes, and lights and shades are formed due to the data processes while displaying them together with the original image pattern. Therefore, a desired image pattern can be formed accurately and promptly and the cost of formation of a pattern can be remarkably reduced.

The invention is further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outside appearance of one embodiment of an image inputting and editing system of the present invention; Figure 2 is a block arrangement diagram of the image inputting and editing apparatus shown in Fig.1; Figure 3 is a flowchart showing one example of the procedure of the image pattern forming work by the image inputting and editing system shown in Fig.1; Figure 4 is a diagram showing the indication of a display at the time of the pattern correcting operation; Figure 5 is a diagram showing a situation of the pattern correcting operation due to the parallel indication; Figure 6 is a diagram showing a situation of the pattern correcting operation due to the overlap indication;; Figure 7 is a diagram showing corrected exam ples of enlarged and reduced patterns; Figures 8 and 9 are diagrams showing situations of the operations to correct a plurality of pixels together; and Figures 10A to 10D are Chinese characters.

Referring first to Fig.1, a camera stand 1 is provided with a base plate, on which a pasteboard 2 is placed, and with an attaching member having a mechanism to adjust the vertical location of an image pickup apparatus 6. A pattern 3, which is to be inputted and edited, is drawn on the pasteboard 2.

The pattern 3 is formed by an image, such as a character, figure, photograph, or the like and corresponds to what is called a letter when inputting a Chinese character (KANJI).

A lens 5 serves to form the image of the pattern 3 on the image sensing surface of the image pickup apparatus 6. For the lens 5, it is preferable to use a zoom lens or a lens with an aperture diaphragm so that it can cope with a size of the pattern 3 or variations in reflectivities of the pattern 3 and of the background. In the illustrated embodiment, a television camera is used as the image pickup apparatus 6. However, the invention is not limited to the use of a TY camera but may be consistuted by a combination of a line sensor and a pasteboard feed mechanism or by a photo sensor and a scanning stage or the like.

Referring now to Fig. 2 as well as Fig. 1, a camera control unit 7 allows the image pickup apparatus 6 to perform the scan and executes signal processes. A computer 8 comprises: a CRT 9; an operator console 10; an external storage device 11; an analog-to-digital converter 17; a CPU 18; a first memory 19; a second memory 20; a power source; etc. This computer 8 performs the control of the system and data processes and the like. The CRT 9 can display characters and graphics and performs the operation menu, echo back of an operator input parameter, graphic display of a pattern, etc. The operator console 10 is provided with a JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) keyboard, ten-key, function keys, etc. and is used to input operation commands or parameters. The external storage device 11 stores a pattern before alteration and the pattern after alteration and some programs.In the embodiment, a floppy disc is used, but a hard disc, magnetic tape or the like may be used.

A monitor 12 displays the image of the pattern 3 picked up by the image pickup apparatus 6 as it is.

A white frame indicative of the taking-in range of the pattern 3 is displayed on the monitor 12. The operator performs the positioning of the pasteboard 2 or adjustment of the position of the camera and zoom, or the like in a manner such that the pattern 3 is located in this frame. A printer 13 is a dot printer to print the pattern 3. A display 14 can display the pattern 3 received by the computer 8 by a light and shade pattern, colour pattern, binary coded pattern, etc. The display 14 can also display commands for execution of the correction of the pattern.

A coordinate input apparatus 15 is used to designate the pixels of the pattern 3 displayed on the display 14 and the commands for operation. in the illustrated embodiment, a tablet digitizer is used; however, a light pen, an input device called a "mouse", a track ball or the like may be used.

A PROM writer 16 serves to write data in the PROM for storing the altered pattern. The analogto-digital converter 17 converts an analog video signal from the camera control unit 7 to a digital signal and write it into the memory of the computer 8. In the illustrated embodiment, to take in light and shade image, one pixel consists of eight bits and 320 pixels (sampling clock is about 6 MHz) are received for every horizontal scanning line. A microcomputer is used as the CPU 18 in the embodiment. The first memory 19 is used to store the pattern before alteration. The second memory 20 is used to store the pattern after alteration.

The operation of the image inputting and editing system constituted as described above will then be explained. First, the editing of a character pattern will be explained as a typical example of application of the present invention.

The pasteboard 2 on which the character pattern 3 to be made is drawn is first placed on the camera stand 1 and the positions of lamps 4 are adjusted to provide proper illumination of the pasteboard 2. Thus, the image of the character pattern 3 is formed on the photoelectric surface of the image pickup apparatus 6 through the lens 5 and is converted to an electrical signal. Then, it is displayed on the monitor 12 through the camera control unit 7. The operator then performs the positioning of the pasteboard 2 and image pickup apparatus, the adjustment of the aperture diaphragm of the lens 5, and the focussing of the lens 5 while observing the character pattern image on the monitor 12, thereby adjusting the image of the pattern 3 so that it is accurately located in the white frame representing the image reception range which is displayed on the monitor 12.

Upon completion of this adjustment, the operator instructs an image reception command to the CPU 18 through the operator console 10. The CPU 18 receives the data of the character pattern converted to the electrical signal through the analogto-digital converter 17 and allows this data to be stored in the first memory 19 and simultaneously allows it to be displayed on the display 14. Although the character pattern data stored in the first memory 19 has the light and shade information, in the case where one desires to make a binary coded pattern such as a pattern for a dot printer, the program processes such as the normalization of the light and shade level, shading correction, making of a histogram, binary coding, etc. are preformed, and thereafter the processed data is stored in another memory area different from the light and shade pattern information memory area in the first memory 19 and is displayed on the display 14.

The operator observes the display pattern on the display 14 and omits the next converting and/or the correcting operation when there is no need at all to perform the conversion andfor the correction.

Then, the operator permits the printing by the printer 13 and the writing into the external storage device 11.

If it is necessary to correct the display character pattern on the display 14, a correction command is inputted from the operator console 10. When the correction command is inputted, the pattern before correction is displayed on the display 14 as shown in Fig. 4; the operator moves a pointer 23 to the location of the pixel which he wants to correct and instructs a change of the value of the pixel, thereby forming a desired pattern. The pattern which is being corrected or the pattern after the correction is stored in the second memory 20 different from the memory in which the pattern before correction has been stored.Therefore, the pattern before correction can be displayed on the display 14 during the correcting operation or the images before and after correction can be displayed in parallel or can be displayed overlappingly, thereby making it possible to perform the correction with high fidelity as compared with the original pattern. The corrected character pattern in the second memory 20 is printed as a pattern by the printer 13 or is filed into the external storage device 11 or is written into the PROM by the PROM writer 16.

The above description relates to the case of one character editing. However, in many cases, a plurality of characters or patterns are together formed and filed or the PROM is made. For instance, in case of Chinese characters (KANJI} or the like, there are thousands of characters in case of making Chinese characters of the first and second standard of JIS together. An example of the working procedure in case of performing such a batch formation is shown in Fig. 3.

The above-mentioned working procedure will now be simply explained. First, a white paper or the like with no pattern is placed on the camera stand 1 and is inputted and stored as a reference image (step a). Next, the pattern to be made is placed on the stand 1 and image is inputted (step b). Thereafter, the normalization process of the brightness level is performed so that the brightest pixel becomes 225 and the darkest pixel becomes O (step c). Then, the image data after the normalization process is divided by the reference image, thereby executing the shading correction (step d).

After that, a histogram is made and the threshold level for binary coding is determined (step e). Next, the binary coding process is performed (step f) and the binary coded pattern is displayed (step g) and if the result of the binary coding process is not satisfactory, the binary coding is again executed by changing the threshold level (step h). When the binary coding proces is satisfactorily performed, the converting operation is then carried out if a converting process is necessary (steps i and j). On the contrary, if the conversion is unnecessary, the correction is directly executed (step k). Thereafter, the parallel display or overlap display together with the pattern before correction is performed (step I).

Further, if it is necessary to correct, the recorrection is performed (step m). When the correction is found to be satisfactory, the corrected image is printed by the printer 13 (step n) and is filed into the external storage device 11 (step o) and the next character pattern is inputted (step p). After completion of the fonmation of all patterns, they are written together in the PROM (step q) and the work is completed.

The correcting operation of the display pattern will now be explained in detail. Fig. 4 shows the pattern before correction displayed on the display 14. In the example shown in the diagram, it shows the case of forming the font pattern consisting of 16 x 16 dots of the character of the Chinese letter shown on the screen of the monitor 12 on Fig. 1 of the drawings and in Fig. 10A (this is the character representing "a letter" in Chinese characters). The pattern of Fig. 4 has already been binary coded and a description is made on the assumption that the pixel of the hatched portion is "1" and of the background portion is "0".

In the diagram, the reference numeral 21 denotes a pixel of "1", 22 is a pixel of "0"; and 23 is the pointer. The pixels 21 and 22 are expressed in different colours. In the case of a black and white display, the pointer 23 may be indicated by another different concentration or blink or the like.

The pointer 23 can indicate an arbitrary pixel on the display 14 by moving a cursor of the coordinate input apparatus 15. The coordinate input apparatus 15 is constituted in a manner such that a change of a value of the pixel can be instructed by pressing a key provided for the cursor. Numeral 24 denotes lost portions of the character pattern and 25 represents surplus portion of the character pattern.

To correct the lost portion 24, the cursor of the coordinate input apparatus 15 is first moved and the pointer 23 is thereby moved to the location of a lost portion 24. Then, by pressing the key of the cursor, the pixels in the lost portion 24 are changed from "0" to "1", thereby performing the correction of the lost portion 24. To correct the surplus portion 25, in a similar manner as above, the pointer 23 is moved onto the surplus portion 25 and the key of the cursor is pressed to change the value of the surplus portion 25 from "1" to "0", thereby performing the correction.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing another method of performing the correcting operations of the display pattern. In case of switching and displaying the pattern before the correction and the pattern during or after the correction on the display 14, it is difficult accurately to compare both of those patterns. The correcting operation method shown in Fig.5 intends to solve such a drawback and to perform the correction while displaying a pattern 27 before correction and a pattern during the correction simultaneously side-by-side on one screen 26.

Such a parallel display makes it possible easily to compare those two patterns and to perform the proper correcting operation.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a pattern correcting method whereby the comparison can be further easily performed. Namely, in the correcting method shown in Fig. 6, the pattern before correction and the pattern after the correction are overlapping displayed, thereby enabling both of those patterns to be compared very easily. As a method for overlap display, it is possible to employ a method whereby concentrations, textures or colours of two patterns are changed, or the like.For instance, in case of performing the overlap display in different colours, when it is assumed that the original pattern before correction is green and the corrected pattern is red, the pixel portion where no correction is performed becomes yellow and the pixel portion 24 where the lost portion was supplemented becomes red and the pixel portion 25 where the surplus portion was deleted becomes green; consequently, the operator can clearly observe them.

For character patterns such as Chinese characters (KANJI) or the like, font patterns consisting of various kinds of dot numbers such as 16 x 16 dots, 24 x 24 dots, 32 x 32 dots, etc. are needed in dependence upon the application. On one hand, stopping characters or patterns which are rotated by 900 or the like are used in word processors or the like.

According to the present invention, the system is constituted in a manner such that the converting processes for enlargment, reduction, modification, etc. of a character are performed by the computer 8 8 and the converted character data is stored in the memory, and thereafter, the correction can be performed. Therefore, there is no need to input the images in accordance with the sizes or the like of the individual patterns that are required, but, when the images have been once inputted, the subsequent converting processes can be performed by the program process of the computer 8. Therefore, the processing time can be made remarkably short in case of making a number of fonts.

If the original pattern image is received so that the number of pixels becomes as many as possible, the subsequent converting processes can be performed easily. For example, in the case of making a font consisting of up to 32 x 32 dots, if the original pattern is inputted as the image consisting of 96 x 96 dots and then it is reduced into the image consisting of 16 x 16 dots, 24 x 24 dots or 32 x 32 dots, the converting processes can be executed easily. It is apparently possible to input the original image as the image of 32 x 32 dots and form the font of 24 x 24 dots by reduction interpolating means.

On the other hand, in the case of performing the correcting processes of the pattern which was subjected to the enlargement or reduction conversion, as shown in Fig.7, an original pattern 29 before correction and an enlarged pattern 31 and a reduced pattern 30 are simultaneously displayed on the same display and the correction is performed while observing the original pattern 29, thereby enabling the correcting operations to be carried out easily.

In addition, by transferring the corrected pattern which has been once corrected into the first memory and by further correcting this corrected pattern, it is possible to produce sequentially the patterns of different fonts such as, for instance, Ming-style type and Gothic type.

In correction of the character pattern, in many cases, it is necessary to correct together a group of pixels on one transverse or longitudinal line. For example, in Fig.8, in the case of replacing a group of pixels between a head pixel 32 and a last pixel 33 by a value of "1", if the correction is performed for every pixel by moving the pointer 23 nine times, it will be very troublesome.

Therefore, in case of performing such a correction the pointer 23 is moved to the head pixel 32 in the group of pixels to be corrected and the key of the cursor is pressed. Next, the pointer 23 is moved to the position of the last pixel 33 and the key is again pressed. Due to this, the group of pixels between the head pixel 32 and the last pixel 33 can be together changed to the inversion value "1".

On the other hand, in Fig.9, in case of replacing the group of pixels between the head pixel 32 and the last pixel 33 by the value "0", the pointer 23 is put on the head pixel 32 and the key is pressed and then the pointer 23 is moved onto the last pixel 33 and the key is pressed, thereby making it possible to change the group of pixels between the pixels 32 to 33 to the value "0". Also, the pixels on one longitudinal or oblique line can be likewise corrected together as well as one transverse line.

In addition, in case of a multi-notation coded pattern, the system is constituted in a manner such that the value to be substituted for the original value is designated instead of the inversion value and the pixel value is replaced by an arbitrary value.

In the case where the corrected pattern is formed and stored in the second memory in accordance with the procedure described for the display pattern correction operating method shown in Fig.4 and thereafter the corrected pattern is used n the computer 8 used for making the foregoing corrected pattern. For instance, if the operator wants to register the corrected pattern as an external character and to use this external character, it is necessary to keep the corrected pattern stored in the second memory even after the power supply has been turned off. Therefore, in such a case, the external storage device 11 or the PROM in which the writing is performed by the PROM writer 16 is used as the second memory. Or a CMOS-RAM having a low electric power consumption or the like is used as the second memory and the CMOS RAM is backed up by a battery so as to constitute a non-volatile memory.Otherwise, the second memory is constituted by a non-volatile memory, such as a magnetic core memory, magnetic bubble memory or the like. With such a constitution, if a arbitrary image pattern is once formed, it can be recalled and used any time. In particular, this constitution is effective in the case where the operator forms external characters that are not included in the Chinese character ROM, which is commercially available, and uses them.

In addition, if the patterns created by the image inputting and editing system according to the invention are delivered to other computers or printers through non-volatile memory means, such as a magnetic disc, PROM or the like, they can be used widely in other computers or printers or the like. In this case, the patterns produced and stored in the second memory are transferred to the external storage device 11 or PROM writer 16 independently or all together. On one hand, if another computer is placed near this sytem, those patterns can be also transferred through a communication line.

The image patterns already stored in the ROM or the like can be utilized as the basis for new patterns, by transferring such image patterns from the ROM to the first memory or by making use of the ROM itself as the first memory. Particularly, it is possible to perform easily the font changing operations, such that the fonts are changed from Mingstyle type to the Gothic type, or the like.

Further, it is also possible to make a new pattern by synthesizing a plurality of patterns which have already been created. For instance, a pattern of the character shown in FigiOB (this is a Chinese character representing "a tree") is read out twice and these patterns are displayed in parallel, thereby making it possible to form a pattern of the character shown in Fig.10C (this is a Chinese character indicative of "a wood"). Or, the pattern of the character of Fig.10B is read out three times and these patterns are reduced and arranged, thereby enabling the pattern of the character of Fig.10D (this is a Chinese character which denotes "a forest") to be created.

Although the foregoing description relates to the examples of formation of character patterns, the present invention is not limited to characters but can be also applied to the correction and edition of light and shade figures, colour photographs, etc.

Claims (12)

1. An image inputting and editing system for inputting and displaying an image pattern, such as a character, figure or the like, and converting and/ or correcting said pattern, thereby storing a desired image pattern, comprising: means for enabling an inputted original image pattern, such as a character, figure or the like to be stored in a first memory; means for converting and/or correcting the original image pattern stored in said first memory and creating an altered image pattern; means for enabling said altered image pattern to be stored in a second memory; and display means for displaying the original image pattern and altered image pattern stored in said respective memories and so that said patterns can be compared.

2. An image inputting and editing system according to claim 1, in which said means for enabling said original image pattern to be stored in said first memory includes means for scanning the inputted original image pattern and for converting it to an electrical signal, and means for AID converting said electrical signal.

3. An image inputting and editing system according to claim 1 or 2, in which said display means is arranged to display said original image pattern and said altered image pattern on the same display screen.

4. An image inputting and editing system according to claim 3, in which said display means is adapted to display said original image pattern and said altered image pattern in parallel on the same display screen.

5. An image inputting and editing system according to claim 3, in which said display means is adapted to display said original image pattern and said altered image pattern in overlapping or coincident relationship on the same display screen.

6. An image inputting and editing system according to any preceding claim, in which said means for forming an altered image pattern is adapted to form the altered image pattern by performing an enlarging or reducing or inverting or modifying process on the original image pattern stored in said first memory.

7. An image inputting and editing system according to any preceding claim, in which said means for forming an altered image pattern is constituted by means for designating a pixel or a group of pixels of said original image pattern and means for altering a value or values of said designated pixel or group of pixels.

8. An image inputting and editing system according to claim 7, in which said means for designating a group of pixels is adapted to designate the head pixel and the last pixel among the group of pixels, and said means for altering values of said group of pixels are constituted so as to together alter the values of a series of pixels from the head to the last among the group of pixels designated by said pixel group designating means.

9. An image inputting and editing system according to any preceding claim, in which said second memory is constituted by non-volatile memory means, such as a PROM, magnetic storage device or the like.

10. An image inputting and editing system according to any preceding claim, in which the altered image pattern stored in said second memory is transferred into said first memory and is constituted so that it can be corrected again.

11. An image inputting and editing system according to any of claims 1 to 9, in which the altered image pattern stored in said second memory is transferred and stored into a non-volatile memory, such as a magnetic storage device or the like.

12. An image inputting and editing system, constructed and adapated to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.