JP2001289798A - Image processing device and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device and its method for shortening the waiting time for processing, in a device for displaying image information and processing it. SOLUTION: A detailed whole image, stored in a memory device 3, is processed to a false whole image displayable at a high speed and stored in a memory device 4. A partial image in an assigned display area is cut out as a false partial image, is processed to a displayable false partial image, and is displayed in an image displaying and processing device 5. While applying feasible processing to the false image displayed, a worker cuts out a detailed partial image from the detailed whole image stored in the memory device 3, process it to a displayable detailed partial image, and is displayed in the image displaying and processing device 5. After displaying the detailed partial image, an operator will continue working while he views the image.

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 and an image processing method, and more particularly, to an apparatus for displaying and processing image information, in which an image information drawing time is reduced and image information processing is performed. The present invention relates to a technique for improving an image display method so that a waiting time can be reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of image display has been performed as follows. That is, in a device that displays image information of an object or the like and performs processing, first, image information of the entire object is acquired and stored in a storage device, and an image of a region specified from the image information of the entire object is obtained. Display, and various processes are performed after the display is completed.

FIG. 5 shows an example of this conventional image display processing in more detail, and shows image information that changes as the display processing is executed, focusing on the flow of the processing.

First, image information 101 (102) of the entire object
Is an example of the shape), and it is stored as the detailed whole image 103 (see O1), and the detailed partial image is selected from the detailed whole image in response to the region instruction O5a by the operator operation O5. 102a is cut out (see O2) and processed into a display detail partial image 102b (O3).
(Refer to O4).
When the worker issues a desired processing instruction O5b while viewing the display image 105, the processing corresponding to the processing instruction O5b is performed on the target indicated as the display image.

[0005]

Conventional display processing of image information is performed as described above. An image is displayed and a desired processing instruction is issued by referring to the image. It is easy for the operator to intuitively determine the processing instruction to be issued, and an easy-to-use user interface is realized.

However, as the image information size of all images has become larger with the increase in accuracy and resolution of images, it takes a long time until display of images is completed. In the conventional method in which the processing is started after the display is completed, a long processing waiting time occurs.

In order to shorten the display time, there is a method of storing an image in a storage medium which can be accessed at high speed.
The higher the speed of the storage medium, the higher the price. Therefore, if a large capacity that can store all images is required, the image processing apparatus becomes expensive.

On the other hand, when a low-priced, large-capacity storage medium is used, the access speed is slow, the drawing time of a detailed image of a designated processing area becomes long, and processing on a display image can be started. There is a long wait before it becomes.

Further, an "apparatus for acquiring image information" and an "apparatus for processing image information" are installed as separate apparatuses, and when they communicate with each other, it is necessary to display image information. The image information must be transferred from the "device for acquiring image information" to the "device for processing image information". However, the communication speed is considerably slower than the access speed of the storage medium, and a longer waiting time occurs before drawing is completed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of reducing a waiting time required for display when processing an image. The purpose is to do.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for processing a detailed image into a pseudo image which can be drawn at a high speed. Image storage means for storing the detailed image and the pseudo image; designating means for specifying an image display area which is an area to be processed with respect to the pseudo image stored in the image storage means; An image clipping unit that cuts out the display area from the pseudo image and outputs the image to an image display unit, a pseudo image display detection unit that detects that the pseudo image has been displayed, and the pseudo image that is displayed after the pseudo image is displayed. An image processing means for preparing to display the detailed image while performing various processes on the image; and a display of the image display means for displaying the detailed image when the preparation for displaying the detailed image is completed. And a display switching means for switching, it is characterized in. According to the invention of claim 1 of the present application, in order to draw at high speed using a pseudo image,
Processing wait time is reduced.

An image processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the image storage means includes: a first image storage means for storing the detailed image; And a second image storage means for storing the first image storage means, and the first image storage means and the second image storage means are connected by a network. According to the invention of claim 2 of the present application, since the drawing is performed at high speed using the pseudo image, the waiting time of the processing by transmitting the image information via the network is shortened.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the detailed image is processed into a pseudo image which can be drawn at high speed, and when the image display area is designated, first, the pseudo image of the designated processing area is displayed at high speed. Then, after the pseudo image is displayed, while performing various processes on the pseudo image, at the same time, preparing for displaying the detailed image, and displaying the detailed image when the preparation for displaying the detailed image is completed. is there.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, even when the image size is large and the display requires a long time, the processing wait time is reduced by performing the processing using the pseudo image.

[0015]

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus using an image processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an outline of the mounted printed board appearance inspection apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus, and FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the printed circuit board appearance inspection device of FIG. 1A.

The mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus inspects the appearance of the printed circuit board in a state where the components have been mounted, and determines the positional deviation of the component in millimeters or less and the suitability of soldering. Is to check whether or not can be shipped.

In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 1 denotes a three-dimensional sensor (three-dimensional shape measuring device) for scanning a three-dimensional surface shape of a printed circuit board by irradiating a laser beam or the like;
Is a printed circuit board on which components are to be inspected by the mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus, 3 is a storage device for storing detailed image data of the printed circuit board scanned by the three-dimensional sensor 1, and 4 is a storage device. A storage device for storing pseudo image data enabling high-speed display with respect to the detailed image data of the printed circuit board stored in the device 3;
Is an image display and processing device for displaying this image data and performing an inspection thereof. These storage devices 3 and 4 and the image display and processing device 5 constitute an image processing device.

In FIG. 1B, reference numeral 10 denotes an image input means corresponding to the three-dimensional sensor 1 in FIG.
(a) Image storage means corresponding to the storage device 3 (or storage devices 3 and 4), 5a is control means for controlling the mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection device, 5b is data transfer means for transferring data, and 5c is data transfer means. An image cutting means for cutting out an image, 5d an image processing means for processing an image,
Reference numeral 5e denotes processing end detection means for detecting that the processing of the image has been completed, 5f denotes designation means for the operator to issue an instruction to the control means 5a, and 5g denotes image display means for displaying an image.

These control means 5a, data transfer means 5b, image cutout means 5c, image processing means 5d,
Processing end detection means 5e, designation means 5f, image display means 5
g constitutes the image display and processing device of FIG.

The processing completion detecting means 5e constitutes a pseudo image display detecting means for detecting that the processing of the detailed image has been completed and thereby detecting that the pseudo image has been displayed.

Further, after the pseudo image is displayed, the control means 5a performs various processes on the pseudo image and prepares for displaying a detailed image. Both of the display switching means for switching the display of the means to the detailed image are configured.

Next, the operation of FIG. 1A will be described. The printed board 2 is measured by the three-dimensional sensor 1, and the three-dimensional image information of the measurement result is stored in the storage device 3. Then, the image information in the storage device 3 is processed into a form that can be displayed at high speed, and is stored in the storage device 4. The image information stored in the storage devices 3 and 4 is displayed on the image display and processing device 5, and the mounted printed circuit board 2 is inspected.

FIG. 2 shows the flow of images in the mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a processing flow in the mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus of FIG.

Next, the image processing method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. First, a three-dimensional sensor (three-dimensional shape measuring device) 1 mounts a mounted printed circuit board 2
Of the mounted printed circuit board 2 in detail and the entire image information (hereinafter, referred to as a detailed whole image)
To get. Instead of the three-dimensional sensor 1, a device for reading detailed whole image information measured by another measuring device may be used. The detailed entire image 101 (102 is an example of the shape) of the printed circuit board 2 is temporarily stored in the storage device 3 via the data transfer means 5b (see O1 and S1). An example of the storage device 3 is a hard disk that is slower but cheaper and has a larger capacity than a semiconductor storage device.

The detailed whole image 10 stored in the storage device 3
3 is processed into a pseudo whole image 104 capable of high-speed display by the image processing means 5d (see O6 and S2), and stored in the storage device 4 via the data transfer means 5b.

As an example of this processing method, there is a method in which pixel data of a detailed whole image is thinned out and processed into a small pseudo whole image. For example, 8192 (X) × 204
If an image having 8 (Y) pixels is thinned out to 1/16, it becomes 512 × 128 pixels, and the data size becomes
It becomes 1/256.

There is also a method of reducing the data size per pixel. For example, the data size per one pixel if the compressed information of 32bit to 8bit, all data size is 1/2 ^24.

Since the size of the pseudo whole image is reduced by such a processing method, the storage device 4 can have a small storage capacity, and therefore an expensive but high-speed semiconductor storage device can be used. If the pseudo whole image is sufficiently small to a size that can be accessed at high speed, the pseudo whole image may be stored in the storage device 3 without providing the storage device 4.

Next, for example, a partial image of the display area specified by the operator by the specifying means 5f of the image display and processing device 5 (see S3) is converted from the pseudo whole image 104 stored in the storage device 4 to the pseudo partial image. Cut out as 104a (O
7, S4). In the case immediately after the image acquisition, the display area is specified in advance, and usually, the entire image is specified as the display area. This image clipping is executed by the image clipping means 5c, and the clipped pseudo partial image 104
“a” is processed by the image processing unit 5d into a display pseudo partial image 104b having a displayable size and format (see O8). For example, if the pseudo partial image is smaller than the display area, it is enlarged, and if it is larger, it is reduced and the image is displayed.
Displayed by the image display means 5g of the processing device 5 (O
9, S5).

The operator operates the control means 5 by the designation means 5f.
By giving an instruction to “a”, processing and work that can be performed on the control image display and display image (pseudo image) 105 displayed on the processing device 5 are performed (see S6 and S7). This work includes searching for a specific part in the image, performing an inspection of the part alone, and setting a rough inspection area. While the operator is performing various operations on the pseudo image (see S7), another display area is designated (see S8), the work is not completed (see S9), and a display to be described later is performed. If the processing of the detailed image for use has not been completed (see S10), the image clipping means 5c cuts out the detailed partial image 102a of the same display area from the detailed whole image 103 stored in the storage device 3 (O2, S11). reference).
The worker does not work on the pseudo image (S6).
Also in this case, the extraction of the detailed partial image 102a is executed (see S11).

The extracted detailed partial image 102a is processed by the image processing means 5d into a detailed display partial image 102b having a displayable size and format (O
3, S12). For example, if the detailed partial image is smaller than the display area, it is enlarged, and if it is larger, it is reduced. After the processing end detection unit 5e detects the end of processing, (S
10, S13), the display detail partial image 102b is displayed on the image processing and processing device 5 instead of the display pseudo partial image 104b (see O4, S14). Then, after the display of the detailed partial image (display image) 102b, if the work is not completed (see S15 and S16), the user performs further work while viewing this image (see S17). If another display area is designated in the course of the work (see S18), a pseudo partial image of the designated area is similarly displayed at a high speed, and preparation for displaying a detailed partial image is performed during the work. After the detailed partial image is displayed, the operation is performed using this image. If the operation is not completed (see S16), the process returns to the extraction of the pseudo partial image.

As described above, according to the first embodiment,
The detailed whole image information stored in the storage medium is processed into a pseudo whole image that can be drawn at high speed while holding the minimum information that can be performed after image display in advance, and the processed pseudo whole image is stored in the storage medium. When a processing area is specified, a pseudo partial image necessary for the specified processing is cut out from the pseudo whole image on the storage medium, and drawn at high speed.
While the processing that can be performed with the pseudo partial image is being performed, the detailed partial image is cut out from the detailed entire image stored in the storage medium and displayed on the display device, so that the processing for displaying the detailed image is performed. While the operation is being performed, the operation can be performed using the pseudo image displayed at a high speed. Therefore, there is no need to wait for a long time until the detailed image is displayed, and the operation can be performed efficiently.

(Embodiment 2) As Embodiment 2 of the present invention, a brief description will be given of a case where a measurement device and a display device transfer data through a network connection. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a measuring device for measuring the shape of an object to be measured;
Is a storage device for storing the detailed whole image information of the measurement object measured by the measuring device 1, 4 is a storage device for storing the detailed whole image information stored in the storage device 3 as a pseudo whole image, and 5 is a storage device for storing image information. An image display and processing device 6 for displaying and executing various processes;
Is a network that connects

In the case of the second embodiment, a storage device 3 for storing detailed whole image information is provided in the measuring device 1, and a storage device 4 for storing detailed whole image information as a pseudo whole image is provided in the image processing device 5. And a measurement device 1 and an image display / processing device 5 are connected by a network 6. For this reason, even if a high-speed and large-capacity device is used for the storage device 3, since the network transfer speed is considerably slower than the access speed of the storage device, the speed at which images are displayed on the display device is limited by the network transfer speed. Will be done.

Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the pseudo image is stored in the storage device 4 of the image processing apparatus 5 in advance, the pseudo image information is first taken out from the storage device and displayed, and the operation is performed while the operation is being performed. A detailed image from the storage device 3 to the network 6
The processing waiting time is shortened by taking out the data via the.

According to the second embodiment, the waiting time for processing can be greatly reduced, and there is no need to wait for a long time until a detailed image is displayed. A larger improvement effect can be obtained.

[0037]

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, image processing means for processing a detailed image into a pseudo image which can be drawn at high speed, the detailed image and the pseudo image Image storage means for storing an image, designation means for designating an image display area which is an area to be processed with respect to the pseudo image stored in the image storage means, and pseudo image stored in the image storage means Image clipping means for cutting out the display area and outputting the image to image display means, pseudo image display detecting means for detecting that the pseudo image has been displayed, and displaying the pseudo image after displaying the pseudo image. Image processing means for preparing to display the detailed image while performing processing, and display switching for switching the display of the image display means to the detailed image when the preparation for displaying the detailed image is completed. Since so and an example means,
Since drawing is performed at high speed using the pseudo image, an image processing apparatus capable of displaying a detailed image with a short processing wait time is obtained.

According to the image processing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the image storage means stores the first image storing the detailed image.
Image storage means, and a second image storage means for storing the pseudo image, wherein the first image storage means and the second image storage means
The image storage means is connected to the network by a network, so that high-speed rendering is performed using a pseudo image, so that the waiting time for processing by transmitting image information via the network can be reduced, and processing can be shortened. There is an effect that an image processing apparatus capable of reducing the waiting time can be obtained.

Further, according to the image processing method of the present invention, a detailed image is processed into a pseudo image which can be drawn at a high speed, and when an image display area is designated, first, a designated processing area is designated. After displaying the pseudo image at high speed, after displaying the pseudo image, various processes are performed on the pseudo image, and at the same time, preparation for displaying the detailed image is performed. When the preparation for displaying the detailed image is completed, the detailed image is displayed. In this way, the detailed image information is stored in advance as pseudo image information that can be displayed at high speed, and the detailed image information is acquired while processing is performed on the pseudo image information. In an apparatus that takes a long time to prepare for processing, there is an effect that an image processing method that can reduce processing waiting time can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus using an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing viewed from an image.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mounted printed circuit board appearance inspection apparatus using an image processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow in a conventional image processing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 three-dimensional sensor 2 mounted printed circuit board 3 storage device 4 storage device 5 image display and processing device 5 a control device 5 b data transfer device 5 c image cutout device 5 d image processing device 5 e processing end detection device 5 f designation device 5 g image display device 6 network 10 Image input means

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2G051 AA65 AB20 EA12 EA14 EA21 ED01 ED04 FA01 5B057 AA03 BA24 CE09 CH11 DA03 DA07 DA16 5B069 AA01 DC15 DC18 DD15 DD18

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image processing means for processing a detailed image into a pseudo image which can be drawn at a high speed, an image storage means for storing the detailed image and the pseudo image, and a pseudo image stored in the image storage means. Designating means for designating an image display area which is an area to be processed, image display means for cutting out the display area from the pseudo image stored in the image storage means, and outputting to the image display means, Pseudo image display detection means for detecting that display has been performed; image processing means for preparing to display the detailed image while performing various processes on the pseudo image after displaying the pseudo image; An image processing apparatus, comprising: display switching means for switching display of the image display means to the detailed image when preparation for displaying an image is completed. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image storage means comprises: first image storage means for storing said detailed image; and second image storage means for storing said pseudo image. An image processing apparatus, wherein the first image storage means and the second image storage means are connected by a network. 3. A detailed image is processed into a pseudo image that can be drawn at high speed, and when an image display area is designated, first, a pseudo image of the designated processing area is displayed at high speed. While performing various processes on the image, prepare for displaying the detailed image at the same time, and when the preparation for displaying the detailed image is completed, display the detailed image.
An image processing method comprising: