JP2003018388A - Image processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device that retrieves an image to be laid out without the need for attaching information to each image so as to automatically lay out the image as intended by having only to enter the information to a configuration template field of a layout format. SOLUTION: The image processing device stores each area of an album board format in cross-reference with a filed of a template describing an album configuration so as to retrieve and lay out an image and a component to be laid out on the basis of information entered to the field and information automatically attached at image photographing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for searching and laying out images taken by a digital camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The work of pasting photographs taken during a trip, an athletic meet, or the like on an album has been conventionally performed. Various proposals have been made to support this. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-17
The image retrieval / editing apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 5533 automatically creates information for retrieval from image information. As a result, the image can be searched for without adding information to the image. However, this image retrieval / editing apparatus cannot automatically lay out images in an album so as to have an intended arrangement. To arrange the image as you want,
It is necessary to specify the position of each one with the mouse. Also,
In the film reading device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-32250, an album can be easily created automatically from the APS film by using the additional information of the image. However, in order to arrange images, texts, etc. as intended, information must be added to each image.

[0003]

On the other hand, in the case of a digital image taken by a digital camera or the like, software having an album creating function is used. With album creation software, images to be pasted and album mount (layout)
If you select, the image can be automatically pasted in a fixed location. However, as the number of captured images increases, even searching for images becomes difficult. With the conventional album creating software, it is not possible to search only the image to be pasted, so it is necessary to select the image to be pasted.

Further, in order to arrange images, texts, etc. as intended, it is necessary to input an image title or comment for each image and lay it out. For example,
When creating a package travel album with a fixed travel schedule, it is necessary to add the information "dinner" to all the text fields "dinner" for images of dinner during the trip. Such work is troublesome and is not suitable for processing a large number of images. Furthermore, I want to put together a memorial item (such as an entrance ticket to a tourist facility, a guide, etc.) other than a photograph (image), but such processing is difficult.

Therefore, in order for a general user to enjoy a digital image with a simple operation, in order to reduce the burden on the user, the image to be laid out can be searched without adding information for each image, and it is intended. It is desirable that it can be automatically placed on the mount as described above.

An object of the present invention is to easily search for a digital image to be laid out when creating an album,
It is to be able to arrange images automatically as intended.

[0007]

The image retrieval / editing apparatus according to the present invention stores each area of the album mount format and the field of the template for describing the album configuration in association with each other, thereby inputting the field. Images and parts to be laid out are searched and arranged from the information and the information automatically given at the time of photographing the images.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is a first storage means for storing a plurality of images, a plurality of formats for determining an image layout including image position information, and a template showing a format configuration. A second storage means for storing a template having a field for each image in association with the format, a selection means for a user to select one format from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means, and a selection means Input means for inputting data relating to an image to be laid out in the field of the template associated with the format selected by, and the respective field data of the template input by the input means are stored in the first storage means. The search method to search for images and the field From the position information of Matto, and a editing means the retrieved image by the search means, attached automatically paste was laid on the format selected by the selection means.

In the above image processing apparatus, for example,
The template includes fields for date, time and place of shooting. Preferably, the template further includes a comment field.

The image processing apparatus preferably further includes a third storage unit for storing a plurality of additional information, and the template further includes a field of additional information.

In the above image processing apparatus, preferably, the input means automatically inputs the information added to the image at the time of shooting and stored in the first storage means into the field of the template.

In the image processing method according to the present invention, a plurality of formats for storing a plurality of images in the first storage means and determining the layout of the images including position information of the images and a template indicating the format configuration are mutually exchanged. And is stored in the second storage means in association with. Next, one format is selected from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means according to a user's input, and each format to be laid out is selected in the field of the template associated with the selected format. Enter data about the image. Next, an image stored in the corresponding first storage means is searched from the input field data of the template, and the searched image is automatically laid out and pasted from the position information of the format corresponding to the field. wear.

An image processing program according to the present invention stores a plurality of images in a first storage unit, a plurality of formats for determining an image layout including image position information, and a template indicating a format configuration. Storing in the second storage means in association with each other,
Selecting one format from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means according to a user's input; and, in the field of the template associated with the selected format, each image to be laid out. Related data, the step of searching the image data stored in the corresponding first storage means from the input field data of the template, and the position information searched in the format corresponding to the field. Causing the computer to perform automatic layout and pasting of images.

A computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention records the above program.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the automatic album creating system according to the present invention, (1) the user registers the photographed image. In addition, this system has multiple album mounts (layouts).
Choose one album mount. On the album mount, for example, certain texts and related images can be arranged as a group. In response to the selection of the album mount, an album configuration template corresponding to the format of the album mount is prepared, and (3) the user inputs information about the image to be the album configuration in the template.
In this way, each area of the album mount format and the field of the template that describes the album structure are stored in association with each other. Even if you do not add information to each image,
With just this setting, images to be laid out are searched, and images, texts, etc. are automatically placed on the album mount as intended. Here, regarding the input to the album configuration template, the information input work to the field can be reduced by setting the information in the field of the template in advance. For example, if you have a fixed journey such as a package trip, you only need to enter the date and time in the field information. This is the information that is automatically added when the picture was taken, so you do not have to enter it. It is automatically entered in the template. Images and parts to be laid out are searched and arranged based on the information input in the field and the information automatically given at the time of image capturing. In addition, actually, additional information related to the image is also arranged in the album.

FIG. 1 shows the hardware configuration of the automatic album creating system. Album automatic creation system,
It has the same configuration as a system including a normal computer and a printer. CPU10 that controls the entire system
Is a ROM 12 for storing programs, data, etc.,
It is connected to the RAM 14 as a work area, and these operate as the control unit 30 of this system. CPU10
Is further connected to a keyboard 16 and a mouse 18 as an operation instruction input unit, and is also connected to a storage device 20 such as a flexible disk drive, a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive. The album creating program, which will be described later, is read from a recording medium 20a such as a flexible disk, a hard disk or a CD-ROM. Further, the CPU 10 is connected to a digital camera 22 or the like as an image input means, and a display device (display unit) 24 or a printer 2 as an output means.
6 (printing section).

FIG. 2 shows the overall structure of the automatic album creating system including the components of the album creating program. In the album creation process in this system,
The storage device 20 includes an album mount and an album configuration template storage unit 32, an image storage unit 34, and a component storage unit 3.
It operates as 6. The operation instruction input unit 38 is the keyboard 16 or the mouse 18 as an input means for the user to input data and the like.

The image storage section 34 stores date information and position information of the image together with the registered image data. The image data is, for example, an image taken by the digital camera 22. The image registration in the image storage unit 34 may be performed at the time of creating the album, or may be performed from a remote place on the Internet. Further, the registration may be temporary only when the album is created. The date information is information that is automatically added when shooting with a digital camera or the like. Further, the position information is automatically obtained by GPS and map information at the time of shooting.

The album mount and album configuration template storage unit 32 stores the album mount (layout) and the corresponding album configuration template in association with each other. The album mount (see FIG. 3) has various cells including image cells arranged in a predetermined format (album configuration), and the album mount selection unit 40 selects one album from a plurality of album mounts according to a user's instruction. Select the mount. The album configuration template corresponding to the selected album mount is sent to the album configuration input unit 42. The album configuration template (see FIG. 4) that describes the format configuration of the album mount is based on the data of the title corresponding to the album mount and the record (title, date, time, place and comment) of each image to be arranged. Become. In the album composition input section 42,
Based on the information added to the image and, if necessary, the user's input through the operation instruction input unit 38, the information is input into each field of the album configuration template. When the travel route is decided in advance such as a pack trip, the already input album configuration template may be read and corrected. In addition, the component storage unit 36 stores image information such as advertisements of souvenir shops and ticket stubs for tourist facilities along with keywords and arrangement position information on the album according to a user's instruction. The part may be a character string, a figure, or the like instead of the image.

The image retrieving section 44 generates a key for retrieving an image from the album mount and the field information of the album configuration template in the album configuration template accumulating section 32, and retrieves the corresponding image. Further, the component search unit 46 generates a key for searching for a component from the field information of the album configuration template, and the component storage unit 36 searches for the corresponding component image.

The automatic layout unit 48 determines the layout based on the album mount format selected by the album mount selection unit 40 and the images and components searched by the image search unit 44 and the component search unit 46. Here, it is possible to search for images, parts, and texts related to each of the field information of the template, and to know how to arrange them from the layout position information corresponding to the fields of the template.

The synthesizing unit 50 synthesizes the image and the mount from the layout determined by the automatic layout unit 48, and sends them to the printing unit 26 and the display unit 24. Here, on the album mount, corresponding data is poured into each of the generated cells, for example, image data is poured into the image cell. In this way, the album images are combined.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 7, an example of creating a package travel album with a fixed journey is shown. The user selects a desired layout from a plurality of prepared layouts and requests an album configuration template corresponding to this. The fields in the template correspond to the cells formed in the layout. next,
Enter the required information in the fields. With this simple operation, the captured images can be automatically searched, and the layout can be automatically performed based on the result.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the format (album structure) of the album mount 100 selected by the user. The album mount 100 is stored in the album mount and album configuration template storage unit 32. In the album mount 100, the title cell 102 displays a title character string. The place cell 104 displays a place character string. Image cell 106 displays the retrieved image. The comment cell 108 displays the corresponding comment character string. In this example, the comment is represented by a balloon. If a component cell (not shown) is included, a component image is displayed.

In the format of the album mount shown in FIG. 3, the album mount is constructed in units of places along the flow of time. On the album mount 100, the title cell 102 is arranged from the upper left end. Below that, a place cell 104 is provided, and below that, two image cells 106 are arranged in parallel. The comment cell 108 is arranged on the right side of the place cell 104. If there are two or more images, an image cell is additionally arranged on the lower side. The second location cell and its associated cells are then similarly placed. These cells are finally arranged according to the result of the search based on the album structure described later. A bitmap image (format) in which character strings, images, etc. are arranged in cells is finally combined. Here, as a result of the search, cells having no corresponding image are ignored. Although the album mount is configured based on the place here, the album mount is not limited to this example. For example, the album arrangement may be configured simply according to the flow of time.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the album configuration template stored in the album mount and the album configuration template storage unit 32. The template is associated with the album mount of FIG. The user inputs the title 110 and then the record 112 for each image in the album configuration template in order to create an album on the album mount of FIG. In each record, enter information in the fields (title, date, time, place and comment) 114. Here, the date, time, and place of the image shooting are automatically input at the time of shooting. For example, the shooting location is automatically input from GPS and map information. The user can also input data such as location and comment by input means. Based on this, the input value is poured into the cell of the album mount of FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the album structure is entered in the album structure template of FIG. In this example, the S hot spring trip (2001.1.10 to 1.11) is entered. The title is "S Hot Spring Trip (2001.1.10-1.11)". The photos are arranged in chronological order. Further, in this example, a field for component data is added to the album configuration template in addition to the above fields. Parts are commemorative items other than photographs (images) (for example, entrance tickets for tourist facilities, information cards, etc.), and in this example, they are entrance tickets to S temple and souvenir pictures taken after the trip.

Table 1 shows an example of information added to the registered image. In this example, the shooting date, time, and location are all information that is automatically added at the time of shooting.

[Table 1]

FIG. 6 shows a search result for the input shown in FIG. 5 in the album structure shown in FIG. Here, the image can be searched for the parameter that is automatically given. As shown in FIG. 6, four images taken during the travel were retrieved from the input date and time field data, and two component images were retrieved from the component field data and the location information.

In determining the layout in the automatic layout section 48, first, a title cell, a place cell, a comment cell, an image cell and a component cell corresponding to the field data are generated based on the album mount format and the search result. Furthermore, the composite position with the album mount is recalculated so that the cells do not overlap. Location cells or comment cells that have no retrieved images are ignored.

7 and 8 show the result of album creation by the synthesizing section 50. This is an album created from the search image and album mount shown in FIG. A title cell, a place cell, a comment cell, an image cell and a component cell are combined based on the album mount format, and the corresponding data is poured into each cell. For example, the component image 1 is attached to the lower right of the S temple, and the image 3 is arranged at a position where they do not overlap. In this example, the image, place, comment, and part image related to it are arranged under the title of “S hot spring trip (2001.1.10 to 2001.1.11)” on the first album mount. Further, on the second sheet of the album mount, following the first sheet, related images, places, comments and component images are arranged.

FIG. 9 shows a main processing flow for creating an album. First, an album mount is selected (S10). Next, the corresponding album configuration template is searched (S
12). Here, the album configuration template corresponding to the selected album mount is searched from the information stored in the album mount and the album configuration template storage unit. Next, information is input in each field of the album configuration template (S14). Here, information is input in each field of the retrieved album configuration template.
Read the album configuration template that has already been entered,
You can fix it. Note that there may be blank fields. In that case, it is ignored in the subsequent processing.

Next, the record information of the album structure template is read (S16). Next, an image is searched (S18). Next, a part is searched (S20). next,
It is determined whether all record information has been processed (S2
2) If not, the process returns to step S16 to continue the above process.

Next, the layout is determined (S24).
First, based on the album mount format and the search result, a title cell, a place cell, a comment cell, an image cell, and a part cell corresponding to the field data are generated. Furthermore, the composite position with the album mount is recalculated so that the cells do not overlap. Location cells or comment cells that have no retrieved images are ignored. Next, the images are combined (S
26).

FIG. 10 shows an image retrieval process (FIG. 9, S18).
Shows the flow of. First, a search key is generated from the date and time (S180). Here, a search key is created from the date and time field data of the record of interest and the next record. For example, if the fifth field in Fig. 5 is the field of interest, a fixed interval is provided, and from 14:50 to 15:
Use up to 10 as search keys. Next, the image is searched using the search key (S182). Here, by searching with the generated search key, for example, the image to be pasted next to the title column "S temple" of the album is found. If the image is captured by a camera capable of recording location information using GPS or the like, the location information may be used as the search key instead of the date and time.

FIG. 11 is a part retrieval process (FIG. 9, S20).
Shows the flow of. Here, a search key is generated from the additional data and the location data. In the fifth case of FIG. 5, the generated search key is “S temple stub”. First, it is determined whether or not there is information in the parts field (S200). If there is information, a search key is generated from the additional data and the location data (S202). Here, a desired image is searched from the component images stored in the component storage unit. In the fifth case of FIG. 5, the image of the S temple stub that has been registered in advance is taken out as the component data. In addition, the search of the part image is
It is also possible to go on the Internet instead of the image stored in advance in this system.

[0037]

According to the present invention, searching and layout can be automatically performed by a simple operation of selecting a desired layout and inputting data in the corresponding template field. That is, it is possible to search for images, parts, and texts related to each of the field information of the template describing the format configuration, and to know how to arrange them from the layout position information corresponding to the fields. Further, by setting information in the fields of the template in advance, the work of inputting information into the fields can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1] Overall configuration of the automatic album creation system

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the entire structure of the automatic album creating system including the components of the album creating program.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an album mount format.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of an album configuration template.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of input to an album composition template.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of search results for inputting image information.

[Figure 7] Diagram of the result of creating the first album

[Figure 8] Diagram of the result of creating the second album

[Figure 9] Flowchart for album creation

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of image search processing.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for searching a part.

[Explanation of symbols]

30 control unit, 32 album mount and album configuration template storage unit, 34 image storage unit,
36 parts storage section, 38 operation instruction input section, 4
0 album mount selection section, 42 album configuration input section, 44 image search section, 46 parts search section,
48 automatic layout section, 50 composition section, 100
Album mount, 102, 104, 106, 108
cell.

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5B050 AA09 BA15 CA07 DA04 EA20                       FA02 FA13                 5C052 AA12 AB04 AC08 DD02 EE03                 5C053 FA08 FA14 FA23 JA22 JA30                       LA01 LA03 LA11 LA20                 5C076 AA14 AA16 AA17 AA19 BA04

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A first storage means for storing a plurality of images, a plurality of formats for determining an image layout including image position information, and a template showing a format configuration, wherein a field for each image is set. Second storage means for storing the template to be stored in association with the format, selection means for the user to select one format from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means, and association with the format selected by the selection means An input means for inputting data relating to an image to be laid out in a field of the template, and a searching means for searching an image stored in the first storage means from each field data of the template input by the input means. , From the location information of the field and the corresponding format The image processing apparatus of the retrieved image by the search unit, and a editing means for automatically laid on the format selected by the selection means paste. 2. The template includes fields for date, time, and place of shooting.
The image processing device described in. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the template further includes a comment field. 4. A third means for storing a plurality of additional information.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a storage unit, wherein the template further includes a field of additional information. 5. The image processing according to claim 1, wherein the input unit automatically inputs information added to the image at the time of shooting and stored in the first storage unit into a field of the template. apparatus. 6. A second storage means which stores a plurality of images in a first storage means and correlates a plurality of formats for determining an image layout including image position information with a template showing a format configuration. A format selected from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means according to a user input, and each format should be laid out in the field of the template associated with the selected format. Enter the data for each image, from the input field data of the template,
An image processing method in which an image stored in a corresponding first storage unit is searched, and the searched image is automatically laid out and pasted based on position information of a format corresponding to a field. 7. A step of storing a plurality of images in a first storage means, a plurality of formats for determining an image layout including image position information, and a template indicating a format configuration are associated with each other. Storing in the storage means, selecting one format from a plurality of formats stored in the second storage means in response to a user input, in the selected format and the field of the template associated therewith, From the step of inputting data for each image to be laid out, and the field data of the input template,
An image processing program for causing a computer to execute a step of retrieving an image stored in the corresponding first storage means, and a step of automatically laying out and pasting the retrieved image based on position information of a format corresponding to a field. . 8. A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded.