JP2012018540A - Image data generation device and image data generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image data generation device and an image data generation method for generating data of moving images using original images.SOLUTION: An image data generation device includes an image cutting unit to cut out parts of an image as image parts from an original cartoon image inputted to the device, and an image data generation unit to generate multiple new images which are partly different from the original cartoon image by combining the image parts and generate image data for sequentially playing the multiple new images.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for creating image data composed of a plurality of images.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a technology that can provide information including a plurality of images having story characteristics such as comics using a mobile terminal. For example, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a mobile terminal receives comic data via a data communication network, performs image processing on image data included in the received comic data, and displays a comic image. Also, a technique for preventing unauthorized acquisition by a third party when transmitting image information via a communication network has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

  Such comic data is generally created by one of two methods. In one method, comic data is created in such a way that images of each frame of the original comic are sequentially displayed. The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 corresponds to this method. Also, in other methods, similar to general animation, the creator of comic data transcribes a plurality of new images based on the original comic, and the images are continuously played back. Comic data was being created.

JP 2001-188855 A Japanese Patent No. 3951539

However, with the above-described one method, the original comic can only be read via the portable terminal. In other words, the above-described one method has a problem in that the image is not moving and is unattractive to the user. In addition, the other methods described above have a problem in that the comic data creator needs to write a new image, resulting in an image different from the original image.
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of creating moving image data using an original image.

  One aspect of the present invention is an image data generation device that combines an image cutout unit that cuts out a partial image as a partial image from an input original comic image, and combines the partial image, An image data generation unit that generates a plurality of new images that are partly different from the first image and generates image data that enables the plurality of new images to be reproduced in time series.

  One aspect of the present invention is an image data generation method, in which an image data generation device extracts a partial image as a partial image from an input original cartoon image, and the image data generation device. However, by combining the partial images, an image data generation step of generating a plurality of new images that are partly different from the original cartoon image and generating image data that allows the plurality of new images to be reproduced in time series And comprising.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to create moving image data using an original image.

It is a system configuration | structure figure showing the system configuration | structure of an image data generation apparatus. It is a figure showing the specific example of an original image. It is a figure showing the specific example of a partial image. It is a figure showing the example of correction of the partial image of a background. It is a figure showing the specific example of a general partial image table. It is a figure showing the specific example of an eye partial image table. It is a figure showing the specific example of a mouth partial image table. It is a figure showing the specific example of a balloon partial image table. It is a figure showing the specific example of the screen which an image data generation part displays on an image display apparatus via a display part. It is a flowchart showing the flow of operation | movement of an image data generation apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a system configuration of the image data generation apparatus 1. The image data generation device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, an auxiliary storage device, and the like connected by a bus, and executes an image data generation program. The image data generation device 1 is configured to execute an image data generation program, and thereby an input unit 101, a display unit 102, an image input unit 103, an image storage unit 104, an image cutout unit 105, a partial image storage unit 106, and a partial image writing unit. 107, a partial image proposing unit 108, a partial image deforming unit 109, an image data generating unit 110, and the like. Note that all or part of each function of the image data generation device 1 may be realized using hardware such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). good.

  The input unit 101 is connected to an existing input device such as a keyboard, a pointing device (mouse, tablet, etc.), a button, a touch panel, etc., and receives input of signals representing data and commands. The input device is operated by the user of the image data generation device 1. Data and commands input via the input unit 101 are input to the image cutout unit 105, the partial image writing unit 107, the partial image proposal unit 108, the partial image transformation unit 109, the image data generation unit 110, and the like.

  The display unit 102 is connected to an image display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, a liquid crystal display, or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, and outputs an image signal to the image display device. The display unit 102 displays an image output from the image cutout unit 105, the partial image writing unit 107, the partial image proposal unit 108, the partial image transformation unit 109, the image data generation unit 110, and the like on the image display device. Let

  The image input unit 103 receives original image information input to the image data generation device 1 and writes it to the image storage unit 104. The original image information received by the image input unit 103 is electronic data of a comic (manga) original image. An original image represented by the original image information is referred to as an “original image”. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of an original image. In FIG. 2, a bold rectangle is a frame line (cross line) representing one frame. The image drawn inside the cross line is the original image. In the case of FIG. 2, a water surface, one fish, a plurality of splashes, clouds, a balloon, and the like are drawn as an original image. In the case of FIG. 2, only one frame image is represented as the original image, but a plurality of frame images may be represented as the original image.

Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the image data generation device 1 will be continued.
The image input unit 103 may be configured using any device as long as it can receive original image information. For example, the image input unit 103 is a drive device (CD drive, DVD drive, USB drive, etc.) that reads original image information from a recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disk) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) in which original image information is recorded in advance. ). The image input unit 103 may be a data input / output port such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port that reads original image information from a semiconductor storage device in which original image information is recorded as electronic data in advance. Further, the image input unit 103 may be a scanner device that generates original image information by scanning a paper surface on which a comic original image is printed. The image input unit 103 may be a network interface that receives original image information from another device via a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  The image storage unit 104 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The image storage unit 104 stores the original image information input by the image input unit 103.

  The image cutout unit 105 cuts out a partial image from the original image recorded in the image storage unit 104 and generates partial image information. A partial image is an image generated by cutting out a part of an image represented in an original image. The partial image is an image of the whole or a part of the character or background represented in the original image. The partial image information is electronic data representing a partial image. The image cutout unit 105 may be configured to correct the cut out partial image according to a user operation. In addition, when the original image is not colored, the image cutout unit 105 may be configured to color the image in accordance with a user operation before or after clipping.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a partial image. In FIG. 3, a plurality of partial images 20-1 to 20-11 are cut out from the original image shown in FIG. The partial image 20-1 is an entire image of the fish character represented in the original image. The partial image 20-2 is an image of a portion representing the water surface in the background represented in the original image. The partial image 20-3 is an image representing a cloud portion of the background represented in the original image. The partial images 20-4 and 20-5 are images representing one splashed portion of the background represented in the original image. The partial image 20-6 is an image that collectively represents a plurality of splashing portions in the background represented in the original image. The partial images 20-7 to 20-10 are images of the chest fin portion (20-7 and 20-8) further cut out from the entire fish character image of the partial image 20-1, and an image of the eye portion (20- 9) A mouth portion image (20-10). The partial image 20-11 is an image of a balloon portion shown in the original image.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a modification example of the background partial image. The partial image representing the background may have a blank portion generated by cutting out the image represented in the background surface portion of the original image. The image cutout unit 105 may be configured to perform correction so as to fill such a blank portion. FIG. 4A shows a partial image 20-3 before correction. FIG. 4B shows the partial image 20-12 after correction. The partial image 20-3 before correction includes a blank portion 20-3a generated by cutting out the partial image 20-1, and a blank portion 20-3b generated by cutting out the partial image 20-11. . These blank portions 20-3a and 20-3b are corrected by filling them with surrounding colors and images. Also, the outline of the blank part is corrected by being estimated from the surrounding outline. By performing the correction by such a correction method, the lines and colors of the original image are reproduced in a close form, and a more natural correction can be realized.

Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the image data generation device 1 will be continued.
A specific example of processing of the image cutout unit 105 will be described. The image cutout unit 105 displays the original image image stored in the image storage unit 104 on the image display device via the display unit 102. The image cutout unit 105 is represented by the designated position and line from the original image displayed on the image display device in accordance with the position and line designation from the user input via the input unit 101. A region image is cut out as a partial image. The designation of the position and the line is performed, for example, when the user operates a tablet or a mouse connected to the image data generation device 1 via the input unit 101. Then, the image cutout unit 105 generates partial image information that is electronic data of the cut out partial image.

  The partial image storage unit 106 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The partial image storage unit 106 stores the partial image clipped by the image cutout unit 106 and the partial image deformed by the partial image deformation unit 109 in association with the value of an item related to each partial image. For example, the partial image storage unit 106 stores a general partial image table, an eye partial image table, a mouth partial image table, a balloon partial image table, and the like.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the general partial image table. The general partial image table is a table in which cartoon identification information, keywords, and partial images are associated with each other. The comic identification information is identification information that uniquely represents a comic title. The comic identification information represents from which original comic image each partial image is cut out. The keyword is a word related to each partial image, and is set by the user of the image data generation device 1.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the eye part image table. The eye partial image table is a table in which cartoon identification information, character identification information, opening / closing information, orientation information, and eye partial images are associated with each other. The eye partial image is a partial image representing the character's eyes. The comic identification information is the same information as the comic identification information in the general partial image table. Character identification information is identification information that uniquely represents a character appearing in a comic. The character identification information indicates which character's eye partial image each eye partial image is. The open / close information indicates whether the eyes in each eye partial image are open or closed. In FIG. 6, the opening / closing information is represented by binary values of “open” or “closed”, but may be represented by three or more levels such as “10% open” or “middle open”. The orientation information represents in which direction the eyes in each eye partial image are directed. In FIG. 6, the orientation information is expressed in nine directions: “front”, “up”, “upper right”, “right”, “lower right”, “lower”, “lower left”, “left”, and “upper left”. However, it may be represented by other stage values.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the mouth portion image table. The mouth partial image table is a table in which cartoon identification information, character identification information, state information, sound information, and mouth partial images are associated with each other. A mouth partial image is a partial image representing a mouth portion of a character. The comic identification information is the same information as the comic identification information in the general partial image table. The character identification information is the same information as the character identification information in the eye part image table. The state information represents the mouth state in each mouth partial image. For example, the value of “laughter” is set for a mouth that laughs, the value of “voice” is set for a mouth that speaks, and the value of “moody” is set for a mouth that is displeased Is done. Various other values may be set in the status information. In addition, a plurality of values may be set in the status information. For example, in the third mouth partial image from the top in FIG. 7, “moody” and “speech” are set as state information. The sound information represents a sound of pronunciation that is assumed when the utterance is performed in the mouth state in each mouth partial image.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the balloon partial image table. The balloon partial image table is a table in which comic identification information and a balloon partial image are associated with each other. A balloon partial image is a partial image representing a balloon portion. The comic identification information is the same information as the comic identification information in the general partial image table.

Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the image data generation device 1 will be continued.
The partial image writing unit 107 registers the partial image cut out by the image cutting unit 105 in the table of the partial image storage unit 106. Hereinafter, a specific example of the process of the partial image writing unit 107 will be described. The partial image writing unit 107 displays the partial image cut out by the image cutting unit 105 on the image display device via the display unit 102. Further, the partial image writing unit 107 accepts selection by the user from the displayed partial images. When a partial image is selected by operating an input device connected to the input unit 101, the partial image writing unit 107 displays the selected partial image as a general partial image table, an eye partial image table, a mouth partial image table, A screen for selecting which table to register in the balloon partial image table is displayed on the image display device. For example, a check box or the like is displayed.

  When the registration destination table is selected by the operation of the input device, the partial image writing unit 107 displays a screen for setting the value of each item on the image display device according to the type of the selected table. . The value of each item is “cartoon identification information” and “keyword” in the general partial image table, and “cartoon identification information”, “character identification information”, “opening / closing information” and “opening / closing information” in the eye partial image table. "Corporate identification information", "Character identification information", "Status information" and "Sound information" in the mouth partial image, and "Cartoon identification information" in the balloon partial image table. When the value of each item is set by the operation of the input device, the partial image writing unit 107 associates the set value of each item and the selected partial image and registers them in the partial image storage unit 106.

  The partial image proposing unit 108 searches the partial image storage unit 106 for a partial image according to the user's needs. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 proposes to the user by displaying the searched partial image on the image display device via the display unit 102. Hereinafter, a specific example of processing of the partial image proposing unit 108 will be described. The partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to display a screen for selecting the type of partial image required by the user (general partial image, eye partial image, mouth partial image, balloon partial image, etc.). For example, a check box or the like is displayed. When a partial image type is input by operating an input device connected to the input unit 101, the partial image proposing unit 108 further inputs a value used for search according to the input partial image type. Are displayed on the image display device.

  For example, when the partial image required by the user is a general partial image, the partial image suggesting unit 108 causes the image display device to display a screen for inputting comic identification information and keywords. When the comic identification information and the keyword are input by the operation of the input device, the partial image proposing unit 108 matches the input comic identification information and the keyword with the comic identification information and the keyword of the general partial image table. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to display the partial image having the matching cartoon identification information and the keyword as a search result. At this time, when there are a plurality of partial images having the same cartoon identification information and keyword, the partial image proposing unit 108 may display a plurality of partial images as search results. The user can select a partial image to be used for generating image data from the displayed search results by operating the input device.

  When the partial image required by the user is an eye partial image, the partial image proposing unit 108 displays an image of a screen for inputting comic identification information, character identification information, opening / closing information, and orientation information. Display on the device. When cartoon identification information, character identification information, opening / closing information, and orientation information are input by the operation of the input device, the partial image proposing unit 108 inputs each value and each item of the eye partial image table. Match a value. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to display the eye partial images in which the values of the items match as search results. At this time, when there are a plurality of eye partial images having the same value for each item, the partial image proposing unit 108 may display a plurality of eye partial images as search results. The user can select an eye partial image to be used for generating image data from the displayed search results by operating the input device.

  When the partial image required by the user is a mouth partial image, the partial image proposing unit 108 displays an image of a screen for inputting comic identification information, character identification information, state information, and sound information. Display on the device. When comic identification information, character identification information, status information, and sound information are input by the operation of the input device, the partial image proposing unit 108 sets each of the input values and each item of the mouth partial image table. Match a value. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to display the mouth partial image in which the value of each item matches as a search result. At this time, when there are a plurality of mouth partial images having the same value for each item, the partial image proposing unit 108 may display a plurality of mouth partial images as search results. The user can select a mouth partial image used for generating image data from the displayed search results by operating the input device.

  When the partial image required by the user is a mouth partial image, the partial image proposing unit 108 displays a screen for inputting the comic identification information, the character identification information, and the dialogue displayed in the character balloon. You may display on an image display apparatus. When the cartoon identification information, the character identification information, and the dialogue are input by the operation of the input device, the partial image proposing unit 108 displays the mouth partial image corresponding to the input cartoon identification information and the character identification information as the mouth portion. Search from the image table. Further, the partial image proposing unit 108 determines the arrangement of dialogue vowels based on the inputted dialogue. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to sequentially display the mouth partial images corresponding to the sound information matched with the determined vowels from the searched mouth partial images. The user can select a mouth partial image used for generating image data from the displayed search results by operating the input device. The input of dialogue may not be performed by the user operating the input device, but may be performed by character recognition of the dialogue image described in the balloon of the original image.

  When the partial image required by the user is a balloon partial image, the partial image proposing unit 108 displays a screen for inputting comic identification information on the image display device. When the comic identification information is input by operating the input device, the partial image proposing unit 108 matches the input comic identification information with the comic identification information in the balloon partial image table. Then, the partial image proposing unit 108 causes the image display device to display the balloon partial image with the matching cartoon identification information as a search result. At this time, if there are a plurality of balloon partial images with the same value of the comic identification information, the partial image proposing unit 108 may display a plurality of balloon partial images as search results. The user can select a balloon partial image used for generating image data from the displayed search results by operating the input device.

  The partial image deformation unit 109 deforms the partial image selected by the user according to the user's operation. Further, the partial image deformation unit 109 newly registers the deformed partial image in the partial image storage unit 106 in accordance with a user operation. Hereinafter, a specific example of processing of the partial image deformation unit 109 will be described. The partial image deformation unit 109 displays the partial image selected by the user on the image display device via the display unit 102. When an instruction for deformation is given by operating an input device connected to the input unit 101, the partial image deformation unit 109 deforms the partial image according to the instruction. The deformation may be any image processing as long as it is an existing image processing for a part or the whole of the partial image. For example, there are a process of changing luminance, a filtering process such as a Gaussian filter, an affine transformation process, a process of moving a part of a partial image, and a process of replacing a part of a partial image with another partial image. More specifically, for example, in the partial image 20-1 shown in FIG. 3, processing for rotating the tail fin portion counterclockwise by 10 degrees, processing for replacing the eye portion with another eye partial image, contour The process of smoothing the image corresponds to the deformation. When a registration instruction is given by operating the input device, the partial image deformation unit 109 newly registers the deformed partial image in the partial image storage unit 106. This registration process is performed in the same manner as the process by the partial image writing unit 107.

  The image data generation unit 110 combines an original image image stored in the image storage unit 104 or a partial image stored in the partial image storage unit 106 to newly display an image (hereinafter referred to as “new image”). "). Then, the image data generation unit 110 generates image data that allows a plurality of new images to be reproduced in time series by arranging a plurality of new images in time series. The image data may be generated as data in any format. For example, the image data may be generated using a general-purpose moving image data format (for example, MPEG4, DivX, etc.).

  Hereinafter, a specific example of processing of the image data generation unit 110 will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a screen displayed on the image display apparatus by the image data generation unit 110 via the display unit 102. In the screen of FIG. 9, the time axis is set from left to right, and the layers are set from top to bottom. The images in each rectangle indicated by reference numerals 40-1 to 40-13 represent one layer image. Each layer image 40 is generated by combining one or a plurality of original image images or partial images. The layer images 40 arranged vertically in the same time are displayed as one image (hereinafter referred to as “new image”) in a superimposed manner. For example, the layer image 40-3 positioned one above is superimposed on the layer image 40-4 positioned lowest in FIG. By layering the layer images 40-2 and 40-1 in order, one new image is generated. The image data generation unit 110 generates image data so that each new image is displayed for a set time according to the user setting. Since image data is generated such that multiple new images are displayed as time passes, the device that reproduces this image data has a screen as if the background, characters, etc. are moving in the screen. Played.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the image data generation apparatus 1. First, the image input unit 103 accepts input of original image information (step S101). Then, the image input unit 103 writes the received original image information into the image storage unit 104. The image storage unit 104 stores the original image information according to the writing of the image input unit 103 (step S102). Next, in accordance with a user operation, the image cutout unit 105 cuts out a partial image from the original image (step S103). Next, the partial image writing unit 107 registers each clipped partial image in the partial image storage unit 106 in accordance with a user operation (step S104). By repeating the above-described series of processing, the partial image storage unit 106 stores a plurality of partial images cut out from the original image images input to the image data generation device 1.

  When the user requests a partial image proposal by operating the input device, the partial image proposal unit 108 searches for a partial image in response to the request and displays it on the image display device (step S105). When the user selects a partial image from the proposed partial images or directly selects a partial image stored in the partial image storage unit 106 and inputs a deformation instruction, the partial image deformation unit 109 receives the instruction. The selected partial image is deformed accordingly (step S107).

  When the user instructs to display an image data editing screen by operating the input device, the image data generation unit 110 displays a screen as shown in FIG. 9 on the image display device. In order to generate image data by operating the input device, the user selects an original image or a partial image, and places the selected image at a position corresponding to time and layer (step S107). When the user instructs generation of image data, the image data generation unit 110 generates image data according to the arrangement of the image with respect to the layer and time at the time of receiving the instruction (step S108).

  According to the image data generating apparatus 1 configured as described above, image data is generated using an original image or a partial image cut out from the original image. Therefore, it is possible to generate moving image data using the original image. Therefore, since a motion that was not in the comic itself is reproduced, the attractiveness to the user can be improved. Furthermore, since the original lines and touch are reproduced as they are, it is possible to prevent the loss of the original touch and atmosphere. In particular, the effects described above are prominent in comics that are characterized by the writing of the original author.

  Further, conventionally, since it was necessary to write a new image when creating an animation, there was a problem that it took time and cost. On the other hand, time and cost can be reduced by using the image data generation device 1. That is, since it is not necessary to create a new animation image, time and cost can be reduced. Furthermore, the partial image proposing unit 108 proposes a partial image desired by the user in accordance with the contents of each table stored in the partial image storage unit 106. Therefore, it is possible to reduce time when the user selects a desired partial image from a large number of partial images.

<Modification>
The image data generation device 1 may be configured not to include the partial image proposal unit 108. In this case, the partial image storage unit 106 may be configured to simply store data of each partial image instead of storing each table. In this case, the process of step S105 in the flowchart of FIG. 10 is omitted.
If there is no need to deform the partial image, the process of step S106 in the flowchart of FIG. 10 may be omitted as appropriate.

  Further, the input device and the image display device connected to the image data generating device 1 may be connected via a network. For example, an input device and an image display device connected to an information processing device capable of communicating with the image data generation device 1 via a network may be configured to correspond to the above-described input device and image display device. In this case, the image data generation device 1 is provided with a communication unit for communicating with the information processing device instead of the input unit 101 and the display unit 102, and data representing a user instruction or data representing a display screen is a network. Are sent and received via. The input unit 101 and the display unit 102 are provided for the information processing apparatus.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image data generation apparatus, 101 ... Input part, 102 ... Display part, 103 ... Image input part, 104 ... Image storage part, 105 ... Image extraction part, 106 ... Partial image storage part, 107 ... Partial image writing part , 108... Partial image proposal unit, 109... Partial image transformation unit, 110.

Claims (2)

An image cutout unit that cuts out a partial image as a partial image from the input original cartoon image,
An image data generation unit that generates a plurality of new images that are partly different from the original image of the comic by combining the partial images, and that generates image data that can be reproduced in time series.
An image data generation apparatus comprising: An image cutting step in which the image data generating device cuts out a partial image as a partial image from the input original cartoon image;
The image data generation device generates a plurality of new images that are partially different from the original cartoon image by combining the partial images, and generates image data that allows the plurality of new images to be reproduced in time series. An image data generation step to perform,
An image data generation method comprising:

Images