JP2002140341A - Method and device for retrieving image, and database structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an efficient storing method for a large amount of image information and to provide a method for many-sided retrieval. SOLUTION: In the retrieving method for image data which uses a computer, ID numbers are given to pieces of image data in one-to-one relation, the ID numbers and conditions, classification structures by categories, entry catalog names and pages of images are related, and images are retrieved by using the ID numbers which are adaptive to any of three kinds of condition retrieval, category retrieval, and catalog retrieval by a catalog name and its pages.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of searching and organizing using a computer, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for storing a large amount of images and quickly retrieving the images when necessary, and a database structure used therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the case of proposing a building plan or the like using images to a customer who wants to build a building, the necessary images are individually prepared and read by a scanner, or the photograph itself is pasted on a proposal sheet. And hand-drawn illustrations. In addition, for equipment, etc., photos were cut from the catalog and pasted in the margins around the plan. Such manual work is troublesome and time-consuming, and it takes about half a day or more to complete one work. And, even if one catalog photo is cut out for one plan, it is discarded because it cannot be used anymore.
At present, expensive catalog production costs were wasted.

[0003] In addition, if it is remembered that a catalog was listed, but it is not clear which catalog was listed, conventionally, it is necessary to take out a number of heavy catalogs and examine the corresponding images. It took time and effort. Also, it is inefficient to look at several books in order,
A quick search method was desired.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In response to inquiries from customers, it has become necessary to be able to quickly make various proposals including images in order to acquire customers. There has been a demand for the development of a proposal method and a system capable of promptly providing an easily understandable proposal. However, images require a large amount of memory compared to character information, and if a large amount of images is searched using only one method, it may not be possible to search when that method does not work well. , Very time-consuming or problematic. Furthermore, there is a method of assigning an identification symbol such as a bar code to an image and searching for it using a clue.However, in an image-type catalog where design is important, such an symbol should be attached to the side of the image. There were cases where it was difficult. Furthermore, in the classification method based on the hierarchical classification, the classification may be different depending on the subjectivity of the classifier, and a situation in which a desired image cannot be searched has occurred. Therefore, it has been demanded to be able to combine these searches well and, in some cases, to perform the most suitable search.

An image retrieval method according to the present invention is a method for retrieving image data using a computer, the method comprising: assigning an ID number to the image data in a one-to-one relationship;
The ID number is associated with the condition, the classification structure by category, the catalog name of the image and the corresponding page, and the ID number corresponding to any of the three types of search: condition search, category search, catalog search by catalog name and corresponding page. The gist of the present invention is that an image can be searched for via the.

[0005] Further, the condition of the condition search of the image search method of the present invention is that the condition is a numeric code, a bar code, a price, and a period.

In the database structure of the present invention, a code search or a category search for a large number of images is performed by using a part of a code for category classification in a code search and associating the remaining code part with an image file. The point is that the search can be performed simultaneously.

Further, the database structure of the present invention
In the case where the category classification has a hierarchical structure, the gist is that a large number of data can be classified into a hierarchical structure with a small number of codes corresponding to a plurality of digits in each hierarchical level.

Further, the image data search apparatus using the computer according to the present invention is a means for assigning an ID number to the image data in a one-to-one relationship, the ID number and condition, a classification structure by category, and a catalog of images. A means for associating a name and a corresponding page with each other, and a search means for enabling an image search via a corresponding ID number from any of three types of condition search, category search, and catalog search by catalog name and the corresponding page Is the gist.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, as an image retrieval apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention, a server having image data may take in an image from a terminal online from each business office, or as shown in FIG. A search device may be installed and used in each office.

In this case, the internal configuration is such that a storage device B is connected to the main control section A and a large amount of image data is stored. The main control unit is also connected with a pointing device such as a keyboard and a mouse, or an input device including a reading device such as a barcode reader, a display device for monitoring input data, and an output device for outputting a processing result. Have been. The main control unit is an OS (Operatin
g system), a program defining the processing procedure according to the present invention, and an internal memory for storing required data. ,
Catalog data is stored.

[0010] Further, a program and data for causing a computer to execute the system of the present invention can be downloaded from a server via a network and used, or used on a server, and input / output from a terminal can be performed via the network. There is a method of operating or recording on a medium such as a CD-ROM for use.

[0011]

[Embodiment 1] An image search method based on a category according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing a state where category search is selected on the image search screen, FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing a state where category 2 is selected on the category image search screen,
(C) is an explanatory view showing a display screen at the lowest hierarchical level of a category. In the figure, (1) is the upper tag, (2)
Is a category selection tag, (3) is a category 1 selection button, (4) is a display window, and (5) is an ID number of an image displayed by the search result.

A procedure for searching by category search in order to use an image of a specific unit bus will be described. When the search program is started, an input screen (a) as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the monitor. Here, the upper tag (1) indicating the search method indicates three types, that is, "category search", "condition search", and "catalog search", and the search method can be selected by this tag.

When the user selects the "category search" tag (2), a screen shown in FIG. 3A is displayed. Below the selection tag, 1 to 10 classification selection buttons are provided. These are numbered in accordance with the classification hierarchy, and in the present embodiment, the classification is smaller as the number advances from 1, such as large classification, middle classification, and small classification. Now, when the first level (3) is selected, the contents of the large classification are displayed in the display window (4). Among them, the “equipment” corresponding to the category of the desired image (“bathtub”) is selected. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the result of the selected large classification is displayed as “1. Equipment” as the display of the hierarchy 1, and automatically the next stage hierarchy number “2” is displayed. The button is pressed, and the next category is displayed in the display window (4). Here, "bathroom facilities"
When you select, the category of the next classification is also displayed (4)
Will be displayed. Furthermore, here, in order, "unit bus"
If you select “Bathtub name” and “Size”, the lower 4
All the images are displayed together with the image ID number (5) in the display window (4). At this stage, after confirming with the eyes, a required image is selected and used.

In this image display, when the image reaches the deepest level, an image search is automatically started, and the corresponding image data is displayed as a list. However, by pressing the image search button (6) at an arbitrary point in the category search, the corresponding image data is displayed by narrowing down the category up to that point. When such a function is used, when it is desired to use a plurality of images in a plurality of sub-classes, if the plurality of images are in a common category in the next higher hierarchy, the upper hierarchy By performing the image search in, an image list including the images to be used can be displayed at once, and the search time can be reduced.

[Embodiment 2] Next, a procedure for barcode search in condition search will be described. When the condition search tag (7) is selected by the selection tag (1), the condition search screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. Here, in order to perform a barcode search, when a barcode is read by a barcode reader or input to a barcode column (8) by a keyboard, a corresponding image (9) is displayed on a display window. . In this condition barcode search screen, if you know not only the barcode but also the ID number given to the image,
The image can be called by inputting the ID number in (10). Further, when neither the barcode nor the ID number is known, the price range (15), the data registration period (1)
6) and the like can be searched, which is very convenient.

In the database structure, the one-to-one relationship between the hierarchical structure of the category classification and the barcode codes makes it more likely that a plurality of codes correspond to one hierarchy. Separation becomes possible. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when codes 0 to 9 are assigned to each of the five layers, the total number of classifications is 10 ⁵ . However, as shown in FIG. 5B, codes are not allocated to the first layer and the last
If you have assigned a two-digit 00 on each layer of the fourth layer from the hierarchy to 99, become ways 100 ^3, it is possible to 10 times the classification of the former. With such a database structure, a large number of images can be classified and stored. [Embodiment 3] Next, a procedure for catalog search will be described. FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a catalog search is selected on the image search screen, FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a catalog name is selected on the catalog search screen, and FIG. FIG. 8D is an explanatory diagram illustrating a screen state where a page is input, and FIG. 9D is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image state of a search result.

The catalog search tag (1) is selected by the selection tag (1).
When 1) is selected, as shown in FIG. 6, the window display column (4)
A list of catalogs that can be searched is displayed. In general, when performing a catalog search, there is often a catalog at hand and the image posted on that specific page is often called, but many catalogs have the same title and differ only in the end, and at a glance They may be mistaken for the same, and there are many mistakes at the time of identification. For this reason, in this catalog search, a scheme is devised so that the last page number automatically appears after the catalog name input field (12). By doing so, it is possible to confirm whether the catalog intended by the searcher is the same as the catalog being searched. Alternatively, even if there is no corresponding catalog at hand, by knowing this last page,
It is possible to predict what image will be around what page number. That is, the arrangement of images in a catalog is generally determined, and there is a tendency that appearance photographs are often recorded in the first half of the catalog, or equipment are often recorded in the second half. Next, the relevant image is searched and displayed by inputting the relevant page or narrowing down by inputting the relevant range (13).

In general, the same image is often used in a catalog. However, regarding an image published in a plurality of places or in a plurality of catalogs, regardless of which catalog is searched for, the image can be used. Is related so that is hit.

In the above, each search was performed independently, but in some cases, category search
By narrowing down the images to a certain number, and performing a conditional search,
It often happens that you want to get something in a certain price range. In general, prices are collectively posted on separate pages of materials, and it takes time to confirm, and the possibility of such mechanical extraction leads to an increase in work efficiency.

In such a case, the category search and the condition search can be used in combination. First, in the category search of FIG. 3, narrow down to categories of 1 (major category) and 2 (medium category), then press the hold button (14) at the bottom of the screen, and then change the price range on the condition search screen. input. Then, when the search button (6) is pressed, only the image / member of the member / commodity corresponding to the price range of the condition is displayed in the data narrowed down by the category search.

The combination search can be performed by a combination of a catalog search and a condition search. Such combination search is possible because one ID number is assigned to one image data in a one-to-one relationship, and the ID numbers narrowed down by a hold operation are stored in a memory. This is because the ID number level is compared with the refined ID in the condition search.

[0022]

According to the present invention, since a large amount of image data can be searched from various directions, the necessary image data can be quickly extracted. Further, it is possible to improve the working efficiency without having to reach the target image. Furthermore, images that have been conventionally cut out from catalogs require a large amount of catalogs for that purpose, but this is no longer necessary, greatly helping to reduce costs. Also, since the barcode search and the category search use the same database structure, the search is speedy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for conceptually explaining a use form of an image search device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an independent image search device in a business office.

3A is an explanatory diagram showing a state where category search is selected on the image search screen; FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing a state where category 2 is selected on the category image search screen; It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen in a hierarchy.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a screen state of a condition search screen.

5A is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a database structure, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a database structure.

6A is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a catalog search is selected on the image search screen, FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a catalog name is selected on the catalog search screen, and FIG. It is an explanatory view for explaining the screen state, and (d) is an explanatory view showing the image state of the search result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 selection tag 2 category selection tag 3 first layer button 4 display window 5 ID number 6 image search button 7 condition search tag 8 barcode entry field 9 searched image 10 ID number input field 12 catalog name input field 13 page input field 14 Hold button 15 Price range input field 16 Data registration period input field

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06T 1/00 200 G06T 1/00 200E (72) Inventor Shinichi Fujita 1-chome Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 1-88 Inside Sekisui House Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Obuchi 1-188 Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka F-term (in reference) 5B050 AA10 BA10 CA08 FA02 FA12 FA13 GA08 5B072 BB00 CC24 DD02 5B075 ND06 NK02 NK24 NK43 NK46 NR12 PP05 PP12 PQ02 PQ46

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an image data search method using a computer, an ID number is assigned to the image data in a one-to-one relationship, and the ID number, condition, classification structure by category, catalog name of an image, and a corresponding page are assigned. An image search method capable of searching for an image via a corresponding ID number from any of three types of search, namely, association search, condition search, category search, and catalog search using a catalog name and a corresponding page. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said conditions are a numerical code, a bar code, a price, and a period. 3. In the code search, a part of a code is used for category classification, and a code or a category search of a large number of images can be simultaneously performed by associating the remaining code part with an image file. Database structure 4. When the category classification has a hierarchical structure,
A database structure characterized by a multi-digit code corresponding to each layer, enabling large amounts of data to be classified in a small layer structure 5. An image data retrieving apparatus using a computer, an assigning means for assigning an ID number to the image data in a one-to-one relationship, the ID number and a bar code, a classification structure by category, a catalog name of the image, An image search apparatus having a search means for enabling an image to be searched through a corresponding ID number from any of three types of means for associating respective pages, a condition search, a category search, and a catalog search with a catalog name and a corresponding page. .