JP2016045630A - Image acquisition device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of uselessly processing an image of a large amount of data because the area of an image to be picked up becomes a simple pattern connecting the start point and the end point of a moving range of an image processing device in the case of moving an image acquisition device having an image sensor and a position sensor on an imaging object, recognizing the moving range of the image acquisition device on the basis of information acquired from the position sensor and imaging an image in the range to store the image, and because the moving range is made wide so as to include the entire image of complicated areas to pick up a large image including an image of a place which is not desired to be acquired in the case of acquiring the image of complicated areas in the imaging object.SOLUTION: The image acquisition device includes image acquisition area designation means for designating an image acquisition area for acquiring an image of a prescribed area from a picked-up image, and image non-acquisition area designation means for designating an image non-acquisition area for not acquiring an image of a prescribed area. The image acquisition device includes storage control means for storing an image corresponding to image acquisition area information on the basis of the image acquisition area information obtained from the image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area, and storing the stored image in storage means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention moves an image sensor on an imaging object such as a newspaper or a handwritten notepad to acquire an image of the moved region, displays the acquired image on a screen, and displays the image. The present invention relates to an image acquisition apparatus that selectively cuts out and saves an image of a predetermined area from a stored image.

In an image acquisition apparatus that moves an image sensor on an imaging target and stores an image of the moved area, for example, when it is desired to acquire only an image of a specific area in a displayed image, conventionally, After saving the image as an image file, it has been necessary to perform editing such as deleting a portion that is not desired to be acquired in the image by an image editing application.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-22470

When an image of a predetermined area is designated as an image acquisition area from an image obtained by moving the image sensor on the object to be imaged and saved as an image file, the outer periphery of the area is like a square. In the case of a simple figure, the user may designate the diagonal of the rectangle as the start point and the end point, respectively. In this method, it is relatively easy to calculate a rectangle that is a diagonal line from the position specified as the start point and the position specified as the end point, but if the area to be saved as an image is not a rectangle, the save is performed. After specifying the rectangle that contains the outermost circumference of the desired area as the image acquisition area and saving it, the image that you do not want to save included in the saved square image needs to be deleted by the image editing application There was a problem.

On the other hand, in order to save an image having a complex graphic as an outer periphery, means for specifying the complex graphic as an image acquisition area while specifying a plurality of points and lines so as to trace the outer periphery of the complex graphic is known. However, with such a method, the user is not only required to perform complicated work compared to the case of specifying a simple rectangle, but also because the processing of the program that implements this method becomes complicated, it depends on the usage environment. Data processing slowed down and was not always easy to use.

The invention described in Patent Document 1 is a quadrilateral image acquisition area in which both are specified as a diagonal from the position specified as the start point and the position specified as the end point, and a free graphic image acquisition area that is not limited to a quadrangle by the pen function. Has means for designating.

On the other hand, the present invention provides an image acquisition apparatus using a method that can freely specify an area that is not stored because an unnecessary image is not stored while maintaining the ease of specifying a rectangle as the image acquisition area. Is.

An image acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes an image sensor and a position sensor, and the image sensor picks up an image of a predetermined region recognized based on detection information by the position sensor by moving on an object to be imaged. An image acquisition device that stores image data obtained by storing in a storage unit, the display storage unit storing the captured image in order to display the captured image on the display screen, and an image from the captured image An image acquisition area specifying means for specifying an image acquisition area that is an area for acquiring the image, an image acquisition area storage means for storing position information of the image acquisition area, and an image non-area that does not acquire an image from the captured image. An image non-acquisition area specifying means for specifying an acquisition area, an image non-acquisition area storage means for storing position information of the image non-acquisition area, and the image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area are determined. Image acquisition area determination means to be stored, image storage means for storing an image corresponding to the image acquisition area determined by the image acquisition area determination means, and storage for storing the image stored in the image storage means in the storage means Control means.

In such an image processing apparatus, when the area specified in the image acquisition area storage unit and the area specified in the image non-acquisition area storage unit overlap, the overlapped area of the image non-acquisition area storage unit Processing is prioritized.

On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the above processing, and if the area specified in the image acquisition area storage unit and the area specified in the image non-acquisition area storage unit overlap, the image acquisition area storage is performed in the overlapped area. Either the processing of the means or the processing of the image non-acquisition area storage means may be selected and the selected processing may be prioritized.

In addition to such a method, when the display storage unit stores the captured image, the image acquisition region specifying unit may specify substantially the entire area of the stored image as the image acquisition region.

The image located in the image non-acquisition area is processed so that only a single color appears.

When one image acquisition area does not contact another image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area, an image corresponding only to the one image acquisition area is the other image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area. It may be stored in the storage means separately from the image corresponding to.

According to the present invention, when the area to be stored as an image in the imaging target is a complex figure, the specification of the rectangle surrounding the complex figure is realized by specifying only the start point and the end point. It is possible to easily cancel the designation of an unnecessary image from the area, and it is possible to easily acquire only the image desired to be saved without using an image editing application.

Further, when the image acquisition area is formed by one graphic much smaller than the captured image and does not contact the other image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area, only the one graphic is stored as image data. Therefore, it is not necessary to capture an image of an extra area, and the amount of data can be reduced.

1 is a block diagram showing an image acquisition device of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the mouse | mouth with a scanner. The figure which shows the display state of an acquired image. The figure which shows the image of an image file. The flowchart which shows an example of a process.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image acquisition apparatus 1 of the present invention. This image acquisition apparatus is configured, for example, by connecting a scanner to a personal computer (not shown), and each unit of the apparatus is connected to the central processing unit 10 via the bus 11, and the operation of each unit of the apparatus is performed by the central processing unit 10. Controlled by

The temporary memory 12 temporarily stores information necessary for processing of the program 14, an image before determining an image to be acquired and stored, such as an image acquisition region and an image non-acquisition region, and position information in the image. This configuration is mainly configured by a primary storage device (main storage device) because it is preferable that the central processing unit 10 can be directly accessed and the processing can be executed quickly.

The storage unit 13 is for storing an image file whose area to be acquired is determined, and preferably has a large capacity, and thus is configured by an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk.

The display unit 15 is a display device for displaying characters and images, and a captured image, a state in which an image acquisition area and an image non-acquisition area are designated from the captured image, and an image to be acquired and stored are determined. It is used to visually indicate the state, and a display device connected to a personal computer ensures this function.

The image sensor 161 is an image sensor for moving the image of the imaging target and capturing the image, and is used together with the position sensor 162 to detect the position of imaging. These configurations may be configured by providing the mouse 16 with the image sensor 161 and the position sensor 162.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a mouse with a scanner that can be used in the present invention. In this example, an image sensor 161 and a position sensor 162 are provided on the bottom surface of the mouse 16, and the mouse 16 has a function as a mouse and a function as a scanner. The image sensor 161 is an image sensor. The position sensor 162 may be configured by a laser sensor. In particular, if the mouse 16 is an optical mouse, the laser sensor that detects position information for determining the position of the mouse cursor displayed on the display unit 15 and the laser sensor as the position sensor 162 are configured by the same thing. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and may be provided individually.

Since the mouse 16 is normally used as a mouse for a personal computer, the imaging object is not imaged in that state. However, the mouse 16 functions as an imaging means from the mouse mode that functions as a mouse by pressing the changeover switch 163. When switching to a certain scanner mode, the function as a mouse is suspended thereafter, the image sensor 161 starts imaging an imaging target, and when the changeover switch 163 is pressed in such a scanner mode state, the mouse mode is restored.

When the image sensor 161 captures an imaging target, when the user moves the mouse 16 over the imaging target, the position sensor 162 detects the movement position, and a substantially outer periphery of the movement position is processed as an imaging range. The

The keyboard 17 is a keyboard connected to a personal computer, for example, and is used to operate the program 14.

FIG. 3 shows a state displayed on the display unit 15 when the image acquisition regions 31 and 32 and the image non-acquisition region 33 are designated from the captured image 3 obtained by capturing an image of the predetermined region using the newspaper as an imaging target. FIG. First, the image sensor 161 or the mouse 16 on which the image sensor 161 is mounted is moved while being imaged on the object to be imaged, and the movement range of the image acquisition device is recognized based on the information obtained from the position sensor 162 and the region is detected. A captured image 3 that is image data obtained by acquiring a captured image is determined and displayed on the display unit 15, and the user operates the program 14 using the mouse 16 and the keyboard 17. The image acquisition areas 31 and 32 and the image non-acquisition area 33 are designated.

Next, a method for specifying the image acquisition area 31 and the image acquisition area 32 will be described. A mouse cursor is displayed at a position in a predetermined area in the captured image 3 where the user wants to acquire an image, and the image is acquired by clicking the mouse 16 or pressing a key on the keyboard. An area start point 311 is determined, and the mouse cursor is moved to a position that is an end point of an area where it is desired to acquire an image while applying a predetermined operation such as mouse dragging from the state. The image acquisition area end point 312 is determined by pressing the key, and thus the rectangular image acquisition area 31 having the image acquisition area start point 311 and the image acquisition area end point 312 as diagonal lines is determined. The area may be only one or plural, that is, only the image acquisition area 31 or the image acquisition area 32 may be added. It may be designated more in addition to these. Note that the operation method of the image acquisition region start point 321 and the image acquisition region end point 322 for specifying the image acquisition region 32 is the same as the operation method for specifying the image acquisition region 31 described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted. To do.

In addition to such a method, the captured image 3 may be recognized as the image acquisition region 31 as it is, that is, the step of determining the captured image 3 and the step of specifying the image acquisition region 31 therefrom may be one step. In this case, since the user's work can be simplified so that the image acquisition area 31 is specified by imaging the imaging object, the image acquisition area 32 and other subsequent image acquisition areas cannot be specified. Alternatively, the program 14 may be configured.

If an image that the user does not want to acquire is included in a part of the image acquisition area 31, an area including the undesired image is designated as the image non-acquisition area 33 from the image acquisition area 31. Next, the method will be described.

A mouse cursor is displayed at a position that is a predetermined area in the captured image 3 and is a starting point of an area where the user does not want to acquire an image, and the image is not displayed by clicking the mouse 16 or pressing a key on the keyboard. The acquisition area start point 331 is determined, and the mouse cursor is moved to a position that is the end point of the area in which it is desired to acquire an image while applying a predetermined operation such as mouse dragging from that state. The image non-acquisition area end point 332 is determined by an operation of pressing the key, so that a rectangular image non-acquisition area 33 having the image non-acquisition area start point 331 and the image non-acquisition area end point 332 as a diagonal line is temporarily determined. The image non-acquisition area may be only one or plural.

If the image non-acquisition area 33 is designated from the image acquisition areas 31, it is preferable that the operation of the image non-acquisition area 33 is given priority in the area where both overlap, so that the program 14 is processed as such. However, the present invention is not limited to such a method, and it is possible to select and specify either the operation as the image acquisition region 31 or the operation as the image non-acquisition region 33 in the overlapping region. The program 14 may be configured.

If the program 14 is configured so that one of the two processes can be selected in the area where the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 overlap, for example, the user desires to save the image If the area designated as the image non-acquisition area 33 is mistakenly overlapped with the area to be performed, the erroneous designation can be canceled by selecting the area so as to give priority to the processing of the image acquisition area 31. In addition, when two (or more) image non-acquisition areas 33 are specified and both have areas overlapping with the image acquisition area 31, the processing of the image acquisition area 31 is given priority on the one hand and the image non-acquisition on the other hand. It is possible to make a complicated specification such as giving priority to the processing in the area 33. In addition to this method, a process (so-called undo) for canceling the designation after the program 14 image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 are designated may be provided.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an image of an image file generated from the acquired image data. As shown in FIG. 4A, the image is acquired as an image non-acquisition area 33 that overlaps a part of the acquired image 41 that is an image of the area corresponding to the image acquisition area 31 and the image in that area is not acquired. In the case where the stored image 4 arranged as the non-acquired image 43 is stored, the non-acquired image 43 may be described in a single color such as white or black, but it is desired to clearly indicate that the area is different from the acquired image 41. In this case, the color is not limited to white or black, and may be written in yellow or purple, or may be configured so that the user can select the color when acquiring an image or saving an image.

As shown in FIG. 4B, in the case where the stored image 4 is processed as an image that appears to be overlaid on another image 44, an acquired image 41 is displayed at the portion that appears to be overlaid. Thus, the other image 44 is displayed at a location corresponding to the non-acquired image 43 and a location where the acquired image 41 does not exist, that is, the color of the non-acquired image 43 is so-called “transparent”. May be.

On the other hand, in the case where the acquired image 41 and the acquired image 42 are provided in a region that does not overlap with each other, both may be stored as one stored image 4 as shown in FIG. 4C, or FIG. 2 may be stored as two stored images 4 based on the respective image acquisition regions. In this case, since the image of the region located between the acquired image 41 and the acquired image 42 is not stored, the amount of data can be reduced compared to the case where the image is stored as one stored image 4.

The flow of processing for realizing the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the image acquisition device 1 is activated (step 501), the image sensor 161 is activated and moved on the object to be imaged, and an image of the moving position is captured (step 502). The image data is stored in the temporary memory 12 as the captured image 3 for displaying on the display screen (step 503).

Next, the user designates the image acquisition area 31 or the image acquisition area 32 from the captured image 3 and stores the information of the position in the temporary memory 12 (step 504). Further, the image non-acquisition area 33 from the captured image 3 is stored. The designated position information is stored in the temporary memory 12 (step 505).

When there is an area where the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 overlap (step 506 / Y), the user selects whether or not to process the image non-acquisition area 33 in the area (step 507). If it is selected to process the image non-acquisition area 33 (step 507 / Y), the image of the overlapping area is not acquired (step 528), and if it is selected not to process the image non-acquisition area 33 (step 528) In step 507 / N), the image of the overlapping area is acquired together with the image of the image acquisition area 31 (step 508). If there is no area where the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 overlap (step 506 / N), the image of the image acquisition area 31 is acquired (step 508).

Thereafter, when the user selects to continue the designation of the image acquisition areas 31 and 32 and the image non-acquisition area 33 (step 509 / Y), the designation of the image acquisition areas 31 and 32 and the image non-acquisition area 33 is resumed. (Step 504) When the user selects not to continue specifying the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 (Step 509 / N), the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 are determined. The image data of the area is stored in the temporary memory 12, and the position information of the captured image 3 and the image acquisition area 31 and the image non-acquisition area 33 in the image is deleted from the temporary memory 12 (step 510).

When the user selects to save the image file (step 511 / Y), an image file is generated from the image data and the image file is stored in the storage unit 13 (step 512). (Step 513), and the user selects not to save the image file (step 511 / N) and selects to continue the processing of the program 14 (step 530 / Y), the image acquisition area 31, When the designation of 32 and the image non-acquisition area 33 is resumed (step 504) and it is selected not to continue the processing of the program 14 (step 530 / N), the program 14 ends the processing (step 513).

1 Image acquisition device (block diagram)
10 Central processing unit 11 Bus 12 Temporary memory 13 File storage unit 14 Program 15 Display unit 16 Mouse 161 Image sensor 162 Position sensor 17 Keyboard 3 Captured image 31 Image acquisition area 311 Image acquisition area start point 312 Image acquisition area end point 32 Image acquisition area 321 Image acquisition area start point 322 Image acquisition area end point 33 Image non-acquisition area 331 Image non-acquisition area start point 332 Image non-acquisition area end point 4 Saved image 41 Acquisition image 42 Acquisition image 43 Non-acquisition image 44 Other images

Claims (6)

Image data obtained by the image sensor having an image sensor and a position sensor, moving on the object to be imaged, and capturing an image of a predetermined area recognized based on detection information by the position sensor An image acquisition device for storing the image in a storage means,
Display storage means for storing the captured image in order to display the image on the display screen;
Image acquisition area specifying means for specifying an image acquisition area, which is an area for acquiring an image from the captured image;
Image acquisition area storage means for storing position information of the image acquisition area;
An image non-acquisition area designating unit for designating an image non-acquisition area that is an area from which an image is not obtained from the captured image;
Image non-acquisition area storage means for storing position information of the image non-acquisition area;
Image acquisition region determination means for determining the image acquisition region and the image non-acquisition region;
Image storage means for storing an image corresponding to the image acquisition area determined by the image acquisition area determination means;
Storage control means for storing the image stored in the image storage means in the storage means;
An image acquisition apparatus. If the area specified in the image acquisition area storage means and the area specified in the image non-acquisition area storage means overlap, the processing of the image non-acquisition area storage means is prioritized in the overlapped area.
The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 1. If the area specified in the image acquisition area storage means and the area specified in the image non-acquisition area storage means overlap, the process of the image acquisition area storage means or the image non-acquisition area storage means in the overlapped area Select one of the processes, and the selected process has priority.
The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 1. When the display storage unit stores the captured image, the image acquisition region designating unit designates substantially the entire area of the stored image as the image acquisition region.
The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 1. The image located in the image non-acquisition area is processed so that only a single color appears.
The image acquisition device according to claim 1. When one image acquisition area does not contact another image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area, an image corresponding only to the one image acquisition area is the other image acquisition area and the image non-acquisition area. Stored in the storage means separately from the image corresponding to
The image acquisition device according to claim 1.

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