JP2008065656A - Database system, thumbnail image provision server, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a database system, etc. capable of utilizing an effect of thumbnail display of a PDF file composed of image information registered in a database at maximum and reading the thumbnail display. <P>SOLUTION: The image data of each page of a commodity image file (PDF file) received from a client terminal 103 are converted into one GIF file which is GIF animated, and a thumbnail image 322 obtained by reducing the image data of the GIF file is generated, registered and stored in a commodity information database 301 together with the PDF file. When a thumbnail image reading request is sent from the client terminal 103, the thumbnail image 322 is extracted from the commodity information database 301 and provided. When the client terminal 103 displays the received thumbnail image 322, all pages of the commodity image file (PDF file) are automatically and successively displayed as thumbnails. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a database system using a network, and in particular to a PDF (Portable
Document Format) relates to registration of image data of a file and thumbnail display of the registered image data.

  In recent years, when creating catalogs, with the spread of computers, product data to be put on catalogs has been used as a database. Collaborating with a database, catalog creation work is performed by desktop publishing (DTP) or the like, and the efficiency has been improved. For example, a database that stores product information consisting of text data related to products and material files consisting of image data, and a server that manages database information and provides functions such as database input / output, search, and browsing There is a database system that operates on the Web and includes a plurality of user terminal devices (for example, Patent Document 1). In such a database system, image data of material files registered in the database can be browsed in a thumbnail list.

  In recent years, GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) animation is sometimes used as moving image data that can be handled by a personal computer or the like. The GIF animation expresses a moving image by storing a plurality of still images in one file and displaying them in order. In other words, it is the outline of flip book. Since it is compressed in the GIF format, it can be reduced in size, so it is used as a simple moving image on the Internet homepage and advertisement banner.

JP 2001-324975 A

In conventional database systems, image files (PDF files) consisting of image data such as leaflets and leaflets display thumbnails of specific pages such as the top page at the time of browsing. However, thumbnails are fixed to specific pages. There is a case where a page having contents that can make use of the “ease of comparing and referencing multiple information (listability)”, which is an advantage of the above, may not be displayed as a thumbnail, and the effect of the thumbnail display is reduced.
In general, since each PDF file has a different page that uses the advantages of thumbnails, it may be possible to set a page to be thumbnailed for each PDF file, but this is troublesome.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a database system and the like that can be browsed by making the best use of the thumbnail display effect of a PDF file composed of image information registered in a database. And

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first invention has a database for storing and managing information, and is connected to a database server for managing the database via a network and registered in the database. A server that provides a thumbnail image of an image file made up of image information, and in response to a registration request for the image file from the client terminal, based on the image data for each page of the received image file, Registration means for generating one moving image file composed of moving images formed by combining still images corresponding to the number of pages, and registering and holding thumbnail images obtained by reducing the image data of the moving image file in the database; and the client Along with the thumbnail image browsing request from the terminal, the support from the database. Providing means for extracting and providing a nail image, wherein the client terminal displays the received thumbnail image so that all the pages of the image file are automatically and sequentially displayed as thumbnails. It is a providing server.

  The registration unit converts the received image file into image data for each page, and sets page number file names corresponding to each page, and generates page image files for the number of pages. And a moving image file converting means for converting and generating one moving image file which is a moving image formed by combining the generated page image files by the file name, and combining still images corresponding to the respective pages. And thumbnail image generation means for generating a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the image data of the generated moving image file; and database registration means for registering and holding the image file and the generated thumbnail image in the database. desirable.

“Information” includes text data (such as specifications) and image data.
A “moving image formed by combining a plurality of still images” expresses a GIF animation, and this image data is a single GIF (Graphics).
(Interchange Format) format file.

  In the first invention, since all the pages of the product image file are displayed as thumbnails, it is possible to improve the ease of comparing and referring to a plurality of information and the listing within the page, and to immediately grasp the characteristics of the image. Therefore, the effect of the thumbnail display is maximized, and the thumbnails of the materials registered in the database can be browsed effectively.

  The second invention has a client terminal, a database for storing and managing information, a database server for managing the database, and a thumbnail image of a PDF file of image information registered in the database. A database system connected to a server via a network, wherein the server is based on image data for each page of the received image file in response to a registration request for the image file from the client terminal. Registration means for generating one moving image file composed of moving images formed by combining still images corresponding to the number of pages, and registering and holding thumbnail images obtained by reducing the image data of the moving image file in the database; In response to the thumbnail image browsing request from the client terminal, the database Providing means for extracting and providing the thumbnail image from, and the client terminal displays a registration request means for transmitting a registration request for the image file to the server, and displaying the received thumbnail image. And a display means for automatically and sequentially displaying thumbnails of all the pages of the image file.

A third invention is a program for causing a computer to function as the thumbnail image providing server of the first invention.
A fourth invention is a recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to function as the thumbnail image providing server of the first invention is recorded.

  The above-mentioned program may be held and distributed on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or the program can be transmitted and received via a communication line.

  The present invention can provide a database system and the like that can be browsed by making the most of the effect of thumbnail display of a PDF file composed of image information registered in the database.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a database system and the like according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are given to components having substantially the same functional configuration, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a database system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a database system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the database system 100 is configured by connecting a server 101, a plurality of client terminals 103, and the like via a network 109. The database text output system 100 is a configuration diagram when implemented using WWW (World Wide Web) technology.

  The network 109 is a network such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), or an in-house LAN, and may be wired or wireless.

  The server 101 is a server computer or the like, and includes a Web server 110, a PDF file thumbnail registration / display unit 111, a database server 112, and the like. The PDF file thumbnail registration / display unit 111 converts the image data of all the pages of the PDF file received from the client terminal 103 into one GIF file that has been GIF-animated, and converts the thumbnail image to the product via the database server 112. The thumbnail image is registered in the information database 301, and the registered thumbnail image is provided in response to a browsing request from the client terminal 103. The database server 112 is a database engine or the like, and performs corresponding processing for various requests such as search, reference, registration, and deletion to the product information database 301.

  The client terminal 103 is a personal computer, a portable terminal (Personal Digital Assistant), or the like. A web browser 120 is installed in the client terminal 103. The client terminal 103 accesses the Web server 110 via the Web browser 120 and transmits a PDF file registration request including image information. Also, in response to a thumbnail display request for registered image information, the thumbnail image is received and a GIF-animated thumbnail image consisting of all pages of the PDF file is displayed.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the server 101 will be described. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the server 101.

  The server 101 is configured by connecting a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, a media input / output unit 203, a communication control unit 204, an input unit 205, a display unit 206, a printing unit 207, and the like via a system bus 209.

  The control unit 201 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like.

The CPU calls a program stored in the storage unit 202, ROM, recording medium or the like to a work memory area on the RAM, executes it, controls the drive of each device connected via the system bus 209, and is performed by the server 101. Various processes described later (see FIGS. 6 and 7) are realized.
The ROM is a non-volatile memory and permanently holds a computer boot program, a program such as BIOS, data, and the like.
The RAM is a volatile memory, and temporarily stores a program, data, and the like loaded from the storage unit 202, ROM, recording medium, and the like, and includes a work area used by the control unit 201 for performing various processes.

The storage unit 202 is an HDD (hard disk drive), and stores a program executed by the control unit 201, data necessary for program execution, an OS (operating system), and the like. As for programs, a control program 391 corresponding to an OS (operating system), an application program 392 corresponding to processing to be described later performed by the server 101 to which the computer is applied, and the like are stored.
Each of these program codes is read by the control unit 201 as necessary, transferred to the RAM, read by the CPU, and executed as various means.

  The media input / output unit 203 (drive device) performs data input / output, for example, floppy disk drive, PD drive, CD drive (-ROM, -R, -RW, etc.), DVD drive (-ROM, -R, etc.) -RW etc.) and media input / output devices such as MO drives.

  The communication control unit 204 has a communication control device, a communication port, and the like, is a communication interface that mediates communication between the server 101 and the network 109, and performs communication control between the client terminals 103 via the network 109.

  The input unit 205 inputs data and includes, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, and an input device such as a numeric keypad. An operation instruction, an operation instruction, data input, and the like can be performed on the server 101 via the input unit 205.

  The display unit 206 includes a display device such as a CRT monitor and a liquid crystal panel, and a logic circuit (such as a video adapter) for realizing a video function of the computer in cooperation with the display device.

  A printing unit 207 is a printer and performs print output processing.

  The system bus 209 is a path that mediates transmission / reception of control signals, data signals, and the like between the devices.

  Next, information stored in the storage unit 202 of the server 101 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating information stored in the storage unit 202.

  In the storage unit 202, a product information database 301, a control program 391, an application program 392, and the like are stored.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an aspect of the product information database 301.
As shown in FIG. 4, the product information database 301 is connected to the database server 112 and includes product information 310 including text information such as product specifications, material information 320 including product image information, and the like. The material information 320 stores a PDF file 321 composed of image data such as a leaflet and a leaflet, and a thumbnail image 322 obtained by converting the image data of the PDF file into an animation GIF. Note that a plurality of product information databases 301 managed by the database server 112 may exist as necessary.

The control program 391 is a program that drives and controls each component of the server 101, and corresponds to an OS (operating system).
The application program 392 is an executable program corresponding to the later-described processing (see FIGS. 6 and 7) performed by the server 101, and is applied to the Web server 110, the PDF file thumbnail registration / display program, the image conversion engine, the database server 112, and the like. Applicable program.

  The data configuration of the product information database 301 is not limited to this configuration.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the client terminal 103 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the client terminal 103.

The client terminal 103 is connected to a control unit 401, a storage unit 402, a communication control unit 403, a media input / output unit 404, an input unit 405, a display unit 406, a printing unit 407, and the like via a system bus 409.
The hardware configuration of the client terminal 103 is the same as that of the server 101 described above with reference to FIG.

  Next, referring to FIG. 6, a PDF file registration process for registering a PDF file and a thumbnail image made up of material information 320 corresponding to the PDF file thumbnail registration / display unit 111, and a thumbnail image display of the registered material information 320 The processing operation of the processing will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of PDF file thumbnail registration / display processing.

In the storage unit 202, a PDF file thumbnail registration / display program, which is an application program 392, is installed. The following processing of the server 101 is performed by the control unit 201 of the server 101 in accordance with a PDF file thumbnail registration / display program that is a Web application to be executed via the Web server 110.
In addition, a Web browser 120 that is an application program is installed in the storage unit 402 of the client terminal 103, and the following processing of the client terminal 103 (access to the server 101 via the Web browser 120, instructions to the server 101) Etc.) is performed by the control unit 401 of the client 103.

  The control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 accesses via the Web server 110, and makes a login request to the product information database 301 with a user ID having administrator authority (step S601). Registration of a PDF file composed of image information is performed by a user having administrator authority.

  For example, the Web browser 120 of the client terminal 103 specifies a predetermined URL of the server 101 to access the Web server 110, and the Web application transmits login screen data to the client terminal 103 via the database server 112. The control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 transmits the input user ID, password, and server name to the server 101 according to a login screen (not shown).

  The control unit 201 of the server 101 performs user authentication from the received user ID, password, and the like (step S602), and when the user authentication is correct, sets and connects the selected user group (administrator) and product information database 301 Then, the administrator maintenance top screen data for performing the maintenance operation on the product information 310 of the product information database 301 in the administrator mode is transmitted (step S603).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the administrator maintenance top screen 10 and the product image management screen 20.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 selects and transmits “product image” 11 from the displayed administrator maintenance top screen 10 (step S604).

The control unit 201 of the server 101 transmits product image management screen data (step S605).
The control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 displays the product image management screen 20 for uploading / searching / downloading product images (step S606). The control unit 401 selects the product image file 22 (PDF file) to be registered in the product image file registration 21 (step S607), and clicks the “upload” button 24 to select the selected product image file 22 (PDF file). The registration request is transmitted (step S608). For example, the product image file 22 (PDF file) is image data such as a leaflet.

  In response to the registration request for the product image file 22 (PDF file), the control unit 201 of the server 101 performs registration processing of the product image file 22 (PDF file) in the product information database 301 (step S609).

After registering the product image file 22, the control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 transmits, for example, a product image detail screen view request for the registered product (step S610).
The control unit 201 of the server 101 extracts the specified product image material information 320 and related text information additional information 32 from the product information database 301 via the database server 112 (step S611). The product image detail screen data including the 320 thumbnail images 322 and the related additional information 32 is transmitted (step S612).

The control unit 401 of the client terminal 103 displays the product image detail screen 30 having the thumbnail display unit 31 (step S613).
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a product image detail screen 30 having a thumbnail display unit 31.
As shown in FIG. 9, the product image detail screen 30 includes a thumbnail display unit 31 and additional information 32 related to the product image.
The thumbnail display unit 31 displays thumbnail images 322 that have been GIF-animated, so that all the pages of product images in the PDF file are automatically displayed as thumbnails sequentially.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for registering the product image file 22 (PDF file) in the product information database 301 in step 609.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the control unit 201 of the server 101 uses a general JPEG format conversion engine to convert a product image file 22 (PDF file) to be registered into JPEG (Joint) for each page.
The file is converted into a Picture Experts Group file, and the file names are assigned serial numbers (for example, XX-01.JPEG, XX-02.JPEG,...) And stored in a temporary folder (step S701).

The control unit 201 of the server 101 sorts the plurality of created JPEG files by file names, converts them into one GIF file that has been GIF-animated, and saves it in a temporary folder (step S702).
The control unit 201 reduces the image data of the created GIF file and generates a thumbnail image 322 for preview (step S703).
The control unit 201 registers and holds the PDF file 321 of the product image to be registered and the generated thumbnail image (GIF file) 322 in the product information database 301 via the database server 112 (step S704).

  As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the image data for each page of the received product image file 22 (PDF file) is combined in response to the image file registration request from the client terminal 103. The thumbnail image 322 obtained by converting the image data of the generated GIF file and reducing the image data of the GIF file is registered and held in the product information database 301. In response to a thumbnail image browsing request from the client terminal, the thumbnail image 322 is extracted from the product information database 301 and provided. By displaying the received thumbnail image, the client terminal 103 automatically GIF-animates all pages of the product image file (PDF file) in order to display thumbnails.

  As a result, all the pages of the product image file are displayed as thumbnails, which improves the ease of comparing and referencing multiple information, improves the listability within the page, and allows you to immediately understand the characteristics of the images. Making the most of the display effect, the thumbnails of the materials registered in the database can be browsed effectively.

  In this embodiment, the server 101 includes a Web server 110, a PDF file thumbnail registration / display unit 111, a database server 112, and the like. The server 101 is accessed from the client terminal 103, and the server 101 is accessed via the Web server 110. The PDF file thumbnail registration / display program is started. However, the PDF file thumbnail registration / display program is downloaded to the client terminal 103 in advance, and the PDF file thumbnail registration / display program on the client terminal 103 is started. The PDF file thumbnail registration / display process may be performed while accessing the product information database 301 of the database server 112 on the side.

  6 and 7 may be distributed by being stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or the program can be transmitted and received via a communication line.

  The preferred embodiments of the database system and the like according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea disclosed in the present application, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

The figure which shows schematic structure of the database system 100 which concerns on this Embodiment. Hardware configuration diagram of server 101 The figure which shows the information which the memory | storage part 202 hold | maintains The figure which shows the one aspect | mode of the merchandise information database 301 Hardware configuration diagram of the client terminal 103 Flowchart showing the processing procedure of PDF file thumbnail registration / display processing The flowchart which shows the process sequence of the registration process of the product image file 22 (PDF file) to the product information database 301 of step 609. The figure which shows the administrator maintenance top screen 10 and the product image management screen 20 The figure which shows the product image detail screen 30 which has the thumbnail display part 31

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ......... Database system 101 ......... Server 110 ......... Web server 103 ......... Client terminal 109 ......... Network 111 ......... PDF file thumbnail registration / display means 112 ......... Database server 120 ......... Web Browser 201, 401 ... Control unit 202, 402 ... Storage unit 301 ... Product information database 310 ... Product information 320 ... Material information 321 ... Product image file (PDF file)
322 ... Thumbnail image

Claims (10)

Provides a thumbnail image of an image file comprising image information registered in the database, connected via a network to a client terminal and a database server for storing and managing information, and connected to a database server for managing the database A server that
One moving image composed of moving images formed by combining still images corresponding to the number of pages based on image data for each page of the received image file in response to the registration request of the image file from the client terminal Registration means for generating a file and registering and holding thumbnail images obtained by reducing the image data of the moving image file in the database;
In accordance with the thumbnail image browsing request from the client terminal, providing means for extracting and providing the thumbnail image from the database;
With
A thumbnail image providing server, wherein the client terminal automatically displays thumbnails of all pages of the image file sequentially by displaying the received thumbnail images. The registration means includes
A page conversion means for converting the received image file into image data for each page, and generating page image files for the number of pages in which sequential file names corresponding to each page are set;
Sorting page image files for the number of generated pages by the file name, converting one moving image file that is a moving image formed by combining still images corresponding to each page, moving image file converting means for generating,
Thumbnail image generating means for generating a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the image data of the generated video file;
Database registration means for registering and holding the image file and the generated thumbnail image in the database;
The thumbnail image providing server according to claim 1, further comprising: The thumbnail image providing server according to claim 1, wherein the image file is a PDF file. 2. The thumbnail image providing server according to claim 1, wherein the page image file is a JPEG file. The server according to claim 1, wherein the moving image file is a GIF file. The server according to claim 1, wherein the moving image formed from the plurality of still images is a GIF animation. The thumbnail image providing server according to claim 1, wherein the server is a Web server, and the client terminal functions as a Web browser. A client terminal, a database server that stores and manages information, a database server that manages the database, and a server that provides thumbnail images of PDF files of image information registered in the database via a network A connected database system,
The server
One moving image composed of moving images formed by combining still images corresponding to the number of pages based on image data for each page of the received image file in response to the registration request of the image file from the client terminal Registration means for generating a file and registering and holding thumbnail images obtained by reducing the image data of the moving image file in the database;
In accordance with the thumbnail image browsing request from the client terminal, providing means for extracting and providing the thumbnail image from the database;
With
The client terminal is
Registration request means for transmitting a registration request for the image file to the server;
Display means for automatically displaying thumbnails of all pages of the image file sequentially by displaying the received thumbnail images;
A database system comprising: A program for causing a computer to function as the thumbnail image providing server according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as the thumbnail image providing server according to claim 1.

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