JP2502518B2 - Image processing system - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image processing system for processing a video signal sent from a camera.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, with the rapid development of image information processing systems centered on electronic computers, for example, it is possible to optically read an image, process the read image with an arithmetic processing unit, and output it from an image output device such as a laser beam printer. An apparatus configured as above has been proposed.

Furthermore, by connecting the camera to the electronic computer via the VTR, recording the camera input image once in the VTR, and then playing back the still image from the VTR, the input image from the camera is stored in the memory in the electronic computer. After that, a display system was also proposed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above system, processing of image data, which is a large amount of data, takes time, and a large-scale memory is required, for example, when storing the data in the memory.

Further, in the above system, the image signal is transmitted to the electronic computer in the bit stream, so that it is not always possible to properly discriminate the frame image.

As a result, it cannot be said that the processing accuracy is good in a unit for which frame unit processing such as compression processing and editing processing is suitable.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and informs the work station of the end of transmission of one screen worth of digital video signals sent from the camera onto the bus of the work station. However, the digital video signal of the image information input to the camera to the image editing processing unit and the image compression processing unit or the external device connection unit and the image compression processing unit connected to the bus of the workstation, which is suitable for the processing of one screen unit. By sending the image editing processing unit and the image compression processing unit or the external device connecting unit and the image compression processing unit, it is possible to provide an image processing system capable of accurately executing various image editing processing for each unit. To aim.

[Means for solving problems]

According to the present invention, a receiving unit that receives the video signal sent from a camera that converts a captured image into a video signal, an analog-digital converting unit that digitally converts the video signal received by the receiving unit, and the analog-digital converter Output control means for sending the digital video signal converted by the converting means onto the bus of the workstation, and notifying means for notifying the workstation body of the end of sending of one screen of the digital video signal to the bus. And an image editing processing unit and an image compression processing unit are connected to a bus of the workstation, and the image editing processing unit and the image compression processing unit are controlled by a control unit in the workstation. It is configured to be.

Also, receiving means for receiving the video signal sent from the camera for converting the captured image into a video signal, analog-digital converting means for converting the video signal received by the receiving means into digital form, and the analog-digital converting means. Output control means for sending out the digital video signal converted by the above to the bus of the workstation, and notifying means for notifying the workstation of the end of sending out the signal of one screen of the digital video signal to the workstation. An image processing system having, wherein an external device connection unit and an image compression processing unit are connected to a bus of the workstation, and the external device and the image compression processing unit connected to the external device connection unit are in the workstation. Controlled by the control unit Things.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an example of an image processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 31 is a workstation (WS), which is a reader / printer interface 32, an image compression unit (ICU) 33, a program memory (PMEM), a bit move unit (BMU) 35, an image memory (IMEM).
36, Video RAM (VRAM) 37, Central Processing Unit (CPU) 38, Bus 3
The ICU 33 is composed of a power supply 40 and a video control unit (VCU) 41. The ICU 33 compresses and decompresses data, and two-dimensional compression (high compression) is used to increase the coding rate.

The PMEM34 has an input / output device provided around the WS31 and an OS program for controlling each unit in the WS31, an application program memory area,
Further, it has a font memory area for converting a character code into an image.

The BMU 35 edits an image (image processing) on the CRT display 42, and enlarges, reduces, rotates or cuts a predetermined image.

The IMEM36 has a storage capacity of 4 Mbytes, for example, and is a reader.
The image from 43 is stored, the edited image by BMU35 is stored, the data expanded by ICU33 is stored, the word processing code data by key code character, the mixed data or the data which converted the character code into the image is stored. It is a thing.

The VRAM 37 stores image data to be displayed on the CRT display 42 by a bit map code. 44
Is a hard disk device that stores data processed by WS31.

A floppy disk device 45 stores data processed by WS31. 46 is a VTR, which records a video signal. Four
7 is a TV camera, which converts captured images into video signals. The VTR 46 and the TV camera 47 are connected to the VCU 41. Reference numeral 48 is an input section, which includes a keyboard 48a and a pointing device 48b.
And so on. The keyboard 48a is used to enter characters and the cursor is used to display the CRT display 42.
Specify the top position.

The pointing device 48b designates an arbitrary position on the CRT display 42. A printer device 49 serves as an image output unit and outputs the image edited by WS31.

Reference numeral 1 is a video control unit (VCU) that constitutes the input / output control means of the present invention, and is a reader / controller in the WS31.
It is connected to the printer interface 32 with a dedicated cable 1a and has a dedicated power supply 2.

The VCU 1 is connected to the reader / printer interface 32 with a dedicated cable 1a and is driven by a dedicated power supply 2. 3 is
Record video signal on VTR. 4 is a TV camera, which converts the captured image into a video signal. VTR3, TV camera 4 is V
It is connected to CU1. VCU1 is reader 41, TV camera
4, VTR3 input to WS31 and WS31 to printer device 45, VTR
Switch the output to 3. Furthermore, VCU1 is TV camera 4, V
The analog input (video signal) from TR3 is sampled, A / D converted, digital information is output on the bus 39 of WS31, and digital information sent on the bus 39 is taken in and D / A converted. Send analog information to VTR3.

FIG. 2 is an external view for explaining the image processing system shown in FIG. 1, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

As can be seen from these figures, the image information read by the reader 41 is sent to the WS31 via the VCU1 and the cable 1a, and the image information edited by the WS31 is sent to the printer device 45 via the VCU1. Further, the video signal output from the TV camera 4 is converted into a digital image signal by the VCU 1 and sent to the WS 31 via the cable 1a, and at the same time, the WS
The digital image signal edited in 31 is sent to the VCU 1 via the cable 1a, and the video signal obtained by D / A converting the digital image signal is sent to the VTR 3.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the VCU 1 shown in FIG. 1. 11a and 11b are changeover switches, and the changeover switch 1
1a outputs to the amplifier 12 by switching the video signal (NTSC signal) sent from the TV camera 4 or the VTR 3 and the terminals T ₁ and T ₂ . The amplifier 12 amplifies the video signal selected by the switching operation of the changeover switch 11a. A sync separation circuit 13 separates the analog image signal and the sync signal in the video signal amplified by the amplifier 12. A sample holder 14 samples and holds the analog image signal separated by the sync separation circuit 13 for each sampling clock SC sent from the control unit 15. Reference numeral 16 is an A / D converter, which converts the analog image signal sampled and held by the sample holder 14 into, for example, an 8-bit digital image signal.
Reference numeral 17 denotes a separation circuit, which further separates the synchronization signal separated by the synchronization separation circuit 13 into a horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC and a vertical synchronization signal VSYNC. Separated horizontal sync signal HSYNC and vertical sync signal VSY
The NC is sent to the control unit 15. 18a is a register, and the control unit 1
For example, an 8-bit digital image signal A / D converted by the latch clock LC1 sent from 5 is stored. 18
Reference numeral b denotes a register, which captures and stores, for example, an 8-bit digital image signal from the driver receiver 19 according to the latch clock LC2 sent from the control unit 15. A D / A converter 20 converts, for example, an 8-bit digital image signal stored in the register 18b into an analog image signal. A mixer 21 mixes the analog image signal output from the D / A converter 20 with the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC1 and the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC1 output from the control unit 15 to generate a video signal (NTSC signal). . A video driver 22 transfers the video signal output from the mixer 21 to the VTR 3 via the changeover switch 11b. Reference numeral 23 is a control signal driver receiver, which is composed of a receive unit that transfers the command signal and status signal sent from the VTR 3 to the control unit 15, and a driver unit that transfers the command signal to the VTR 3. A bus driver 24 transfers the status signal of the VCU 1 sent from the control unit 15 to the bus 39. A bus receiver 25 receives command information indicating the state of the host side from the bus 39 and transfers it to the control unit 15.

Next, the input / output control operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b).

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts showing an example of the input / output control operation. Note that (1) to (30) indicate each step.

The case of transferring the video signal from the TV camera 4 to the host side will be described.

First, the host WS31 is notified that VCU1 is ready (1). As a result, the host detects that the VCU1 is in the ready state, and the host writes the read mode and TV camera mode commands to the VCU1. Then, the host issues a start command to VCU1. VCU1 waits for the start command to be sent (2), and when the start command is sent, VCU1 determines whether it has confirmed the ready command set by the host (3), YES
Then, the changeover switch 11a shown in FIG. 3 is opened (4). Next, the VCU 1 judges whether it is in the TV camera mode (5), and if YES, connects the changeover switch 11a to the terminal T ₁ side (6) and sends it from the TV camera 4 by the amplifier 12 shown in FIG. Amplified video signal (NTSC signal)
The sync separation circuit 13 separates the analog image signal and the sync signal, and the sync signal is further separated by the separation circuit 17 into a horizontal sync signal HSYNC and a vertical sync signal VSYNC and sent to the control unit 15. Next, it waits for the vertical sync signal VSYNC to become "1" (7), and when the vertical sync signal VSYNC rises, waits for the vertical sync signal VSYNC to become "0" (8), and then the horizontal sync signal. Wait for HSYNC to become "1" (9), and wait for horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC to rise to "0" (10),
When the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC falls, the sampling clock SC of the video signal is sent from the control unit 15 to the sample holder 14. In response to this, the sample holder 14 changes the input analog image signal to ON / OFF of the sampling clock SC.
The analog image signal held and sampled and held according to the above is converted into, for example, an 8-bit digital image signal by the A / D converter 16 shown in FIG. Latch clock sent from 15
Latch according to ON / OFF of LC. Further, the 8-bit digital image signal latched in the register is supplied to the control unit 15
Data is transferred from the control unit 15 to the host side via the driver receiver 19 while transferring to the reader / printer interface 32, that is, the host side via the driver receiver 19 and the cable 1a by the enable signals BE and DR sent from Outputs a strobe signal indicating that has been determined.

On the other hand, VCU1 is a horizontal synchronization signal sent from the TV camera 4.
Repeat the operation of step (11) until HSYNC becomes "1" (12). When the horizontal sync signal HSYNC becomes "1", T
The fact that one line of the video signal sent from the V camera 4 has ended is notified to the host side via the driver receiver 19 and the cable 1a (13). Next, it is judged whether or not the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC sent from the TV camera 4 is "0" (14). If YES, the process returns to step (10), and if NO, the transfer of one frame of the video signal. Since it means that the data transfer for one frame is completed to the host side, the controller 15 informs the driver receiver 19,
Notification is given via the cable 1a (15). It also resets the startup command set in the control unit 15. In response to this, the VCU 1 finishes capturing the video signal from the TV camera 4 and transferring the data to the host side, and notifies the host side that the VCU 1 is in the ready state.

Next, the operation of transferring the video signal recorded by the VTR 3 to the host side will be described.

First, the host WS31 is notified that VCU1 is ready (1). As a result, the host detects that VCU1 is in the ready state, and the host writes a command in the read mode or VTR mode to VCU1. Then, the host issues a start command to VCU1. The VCU1 waits for the start command to be sent (2), and when the start command is sent, the VCU1 judges whether or not the ready command set by the host is confirmed (3), and if YES, FIG. The changeover switch 11a shown in (4) is opened (4).
Next, the VCU 1 judges whether it is in the TV camera mode (5), and since it becomes NO, the changeover switch 11a is connected to the terminal T ₂ side (16) and it is checked whether the VTR 3 is in the ready state or not as shown in FIG. The control signal driver receiver 23 shown in FIG. 3 waits for the ready signal to be sent from the VTR 3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 shown in (17).
A playback command signal is output via (18). Then
Detects whether the vertical sync signal VSYNC separated from the video signal sent from VTR3 is "1" (7),
If it is "1", it waits until the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC becomes "0" (8). Hereinafter, the same operation as the TV camera mode is executed.

Next, the recording operation of the digital image signal processed by the host on the VTR 3 will be described.

First, the host WS31 is notified that VCU1 is ready (1). As a result, the host detects that VCU1 is in the ready state, and the host writes the write mode and VTR mode commands to VCU1. Then, the host issues a start command to VCU1. The VCU1 waits for a start command to be sent (2), and when the start command is sent, the VCU1 determines whether the read mode is set by the host (3). In this case, since the light mode is set, the result is NO, and the changeover switch 11b is connected and the changeover switch 11a is connected to the terminal T ₁ side (19). Then, it waits for a ready signal sent from the VTR 3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 (2
0), when a ready signal is sent, a recording command is output to the VTR3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 (2
1). Next, in response to the recording command to the VTR3, the ready signal sent from the VTR3 via the control signal driver receiver 23 is waited (22), and when the ready signal is sent, the control unit 15 mixes the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC1 with the mixer. 21 (23) and sends the vertical sync signal VSYNC1 ON / OFF signal to the mixer 21.
(24). Then, a data transfer request command signal is output to the host side (25). Next, it waits for the digital image signal corresponding to the data transfer request to be sent to the bus 39 (26), and if it exists on the bus 39, the control unit 15
The enable signals BE and DR are output to the driver / receiver 19 from the reader / printer interface 32 to the internal bus (not shown) of the VCU 1 and the data switch 18 is activated by the ON / OFF signal of the latch clock LC2. An 8-bit digital image signal is latched in the internal register. When the digital image signal is latched in the register, a data reception end command is output to the host side (27). The 8-bit digital image signal latched in the register in the data switch 18 shown in FIG.
The D / A converter 20 converts the analog image signal, and the subsequent mixer 21 mixes the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC1 and the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC1 sent from the control unit 15 with the above-mentioned analog image signal to obtain a video signal. (NTSC signal) is created and recorded on the magnetic tape of the VTR 3 via the video driver 22. Then
It is judged whether or not the video signal for one line is transmitted (28), if NO, the process returns to step (25), and if YES, it is further judged whether or not the video signal for one frame is transmitted (29). . If NO in this judgment, go to step (2
Return to 4), and if YES, output the end command to the VTR3 via the control signal driver receiver 23, output the end command to the host side, and reset the start command set in the control unit 15. (30), same as above
The recording operation to VTR3 is completed.

In FIG. 1, if a video printer is connected instead of the VTR 3, a hard copy of an image read by the TV camera 4 or an image after image processing can be printed out. Further, in the A / D converter 16 shown in FIG. 3, even if it is a binary image, if the predetermined pseudo grayscale image processing is executed, the pseudo grayscale image signal can be sent to the host side.

When converting an analog image signal into a digital image signal, a pseudo halftone can be expressed by converting it into a binary value with a single threshold value or a plurality of threshold values. Further, it is also possible to convert the digital image signal into multivalue.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the workstation notifies the end of transmission of one screen worth of digital video signal transmitted from the camera to the bus of the workstation. This has the effect of improving the accuracy of processing in the image editing processing unit and the image compression processing unit, which are processing units connected to the bus of a workstation that is suitable for processing one screen.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an image processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external view of the image processing system according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a VCU shown in FIG.
4 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of FIG. 4, and FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are flowcharts showing an example of the input / output control operation according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a VCU, 1a is a cable, 2 is a power supply, 3 is a VTR, 4
Is a TV camera, 11a and 11b are changeover switches, 12 is an amplifier, 13
Is a sync separation circuit, 14 is a sample holder, 15 is a control unit, 16
Is an A / D converter, 17 is a separation circuit, 18a and 18b are registers, 19 is a driver receiver, 20 is a D / A converter, 21 is a mixer, 22 is a video driver, 23 is a control signal driver receiver, and 24 is A bus driver, 25 is a bus receiver, 31 is WS, 41 is a reader, and 45 is a printer device.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving the video signal sent from a camera for converting a captured image into a video signal, an analog-digital converting means for converting the video signal received by the receiving means into a digital signal, and the analog. Output control means for sending the digital video signal converted by the digital converting means onto the bus of the workstation, and notification for notifying the workstation body of the end of sending of one screen of the digital video signal to the bus. An image processing system having means, wherein an image editing processing unit and an image compression processing unit are connected to a bus of the workstation, and the image editing processing unit and the image compression processing unit are controlled by a control unit in the workstation. An image processing system characterized by being controlled. 2. A receiving means for receiving the video signal sent from a camera for converting a captured image into a video signal, an analog-digital converting means for converting the video signal received by the receiving means into a digital signal, and the analog. Output control means for sending the digital video signal converted by the digital converting means onto the bus of the workstation, and notification for notifying the workstation of the completion of sending of one screen of the digital video signal to the workstation. An image processing system having means, wherein an external device connection unit and an image compression processing unit are connected to the bus of the workstation, and the external device and the image compression processing unit connected to the external device connection unit are the work. Be controlled by the control unit in the station Image processing system characterized by.