JP2593338B2 - Microfilm search / reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention seeks out a microfilm cartridge containing a target image from a storage shelf containing a large number of microfilm cartridges and transfers the cartridge to a scanner. The present invention relates to a microfilm retrieval / reading apparatus which reads out by an image sensor and outputs it as an image signal.

(Technical Background of the Invention) One cartridge is selected from a number of microfilm cartridges stored in a storage shelf, a target image contained in the cartridge is read out by an image sensor, and this image signal is output as a digital signal. The device is considered. For example, it is considered that an image is output to a CRT, a printer, or a facsimile using this image signal, or a desired form or document is output by printing in combination with the output of another data processing device. That is, by converting the image of the microfilm into a digital signal, it is possible to cooperate with another digital image processing device using a data communication network, and the usefulness of the microfilm can be enhanced.

Conventionally, as such an apparatus, a rotary shelf type and a book shelf type are known. In the rotating shelf type, a large number of cartridges are detachably stored in a rotating drum from its outer peripheral surface in a multi-stage manner, and a desired cartridge is taken out by a take-out device that only moves up and down at a fixed position. To read the image.

In the bookshelf type, a large number of cartridges are stored in a fixed shelf on the bookshelf, and a carrier traveling in the X-Y direction at the front of the shelf searches for any one cartridge and is fixed at a predetermined position. It is carried to a reader, where an image is read.

However, in a conventional apparatus, a scanner for reading an image from a selected cartridge is easily enlarged, and it is difficult to compactly store the scanner in a case accommodating a storage shelf.

In addition, a carrier is required to carry the cartridge from the storage shelf to the scanner or back from the scanner to the storage shelf, which not only makes the device complicated and large, but also
There is also a problem that it takes time to replace the cartridge and the processing speed is reduced.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances,
The scanner for reading images has been miniaturized so that it can be compactly stored in the case of the storage shelf, and the carrier is not required for carrying the cartridge between the storage shelf and the scanner, so that the apparatus is simplified and miniaturized. Microfilm search and processing that can increase processing speed
It is an object to provide a reading device.

(Constitution of the Invention) According to the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to select a cartridge containing a target image from a storage shelf in which a plurality of microfilm cartridges are arranged in the thickness direction and transfer the cartridge to a scanner. In a microfilm searching / reading apparatus for reading an image by an image sensor and outputting an image signal, the scanner moves in the thickness direction of the cartridge in front of the storage shelf to insert and remove the cartridge from the storage shelf. On the other hand, the scanner is arranged in a cartridge take-in space parallel to the cartridge stored in the storage shelf, a take-up reel located on a common plane with the cartridge take-in space, and a gap between the two that is narrower than one side of the cartridge. And an image reader installed in the cartridge loading space. A low-magnification photographing lens and an image sensor arranged adjacent to a straight line substantially perpendicular to a straight line connecting the center and the center of the take-up reel, and substantially parallel to the common plane; And a light source located on the side.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system using one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a storage shelf and a scanner, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the cartridge storage state of the storage shelf, FIG.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the cartridge is loaded into the scanner, FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system using this apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram in a case where this is developed into a large-scale system.

In FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, reference numeral 10 denotes a prismatic case,
In this case 10, a cartridge storage shelf 12 is assembled so as to approach one side. In this storage shelf, a large number of cartridges 14 are stored in a vertically stacked manner. That is, the flat box-shaped cartridges 14 are arranged so as to overlap in the thickness direction. Cartridge 14 contains
The reel 15 around which the microfilm 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) is wound is housed.

Each shelf 12A of the storage shelf 12 incorporates a transfer device for the cartridge 14, as shown in FIGS. That is, on each shelf plate 12A, a number of guide rollers 18, a belt 20 wound around these guide rollers 18, and winding pulleys 22, 2 around which both ends of the belt 20 are wound to apply tension to the belt 20.
4 and are provided.

Accordingly, the cartridge 14 pushed from the right side in FIG. 3 enters the cartridge storage chamber S (the position indicated by the phantom line in FIG. 4) while pressing the belt 20 while being surrounded by the guide rollers 18.
Locked by 26. This stopper 26 is a scanner
When the scanner 30 releases the cartridge 14 from the stopper 26, the cartridge 14
The paper is automatically ejected toward the scanner 30 by the tension of.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, reference numeral 30 denotes a scanner. The scanner 30 moves the front surface of the storage shelf 12 in the case 10 in the vertical direction which is the thickness direction of the cartridge 14. That is, the scanner 30 is provided with guide rails 32, 3 as shown in FIG.
It is vertically movable by 2 and is moved up and down by a pair of wires 34,34. Wire 34 is upper and lower pulley 36,38
It is wound between (FIG. 1) and both ends thereof are fixed to the scanner 30. One pulley 38 is rotated by the servomotor 40, and as a result, the scanner 30 is moved up and down. Note that a counter weight 42 is fixed to the wire 34 at a position symmetrical to the scanner 30, thereby reducing the load on the motor 40.

The scanner 30 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, when the cartridge 14 is opposed to a certain shelf plate 12A, the cartridge 14 is taken into the cartridge 14 on the storage shelf 12 side.
A cartridge take-in space 44 parallel to 14 and a take-up reel located on a common plane with the cartridge take-in space 44
46, an image reader 48 disposed between them, and a film traveling drive device (not shown) for driving the reels 15 and 46 to run the film 16. In this embodiment, these are arranged side by side so as to face the shelf plate 12A, and the case 10 including the storage shelf 12 and the scanner 30 has a substantially square shape in plan view with one side of about 30 cm.

The image reader 4 includes a sealed reader unit 50 and an EL plate 52 as a light source. The EL plate 52 is pressed against the film 16
It can be separated and is controlled by an electromagnetic plunger (not shown) or the like. The reader unit 50 includes a galum plate 54 facing the EL plate 52 with the film 16 interposed therebetween, a projection lens 56 and an image sensor 58 housed in a sealed case.
Here, the projection lens 56 and the image sensor 58 are arranged on a straight line substantially orthogonal to a straight line connecting the center of the cartridge take-in space 44 and the center of the take-up reel 46 and substantially parallel to a common plane including these spaces 44 and the reel 46. It is arranged adjacent to. The projection lens 56 has a relatively low magnification, as is clear from FIG. 4, and the distance between the projection lens 56, the glass plate 54, and the image sensor 58 is sufficiently short. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a reflector or the like, and the case 50a can be reduced in size, and the case 50a is filled in a gap narrower than one side of the cartridge 14 formed between the intake space 44 and the take-up reel 46. So that it can be accommodated. Here, the lens 56 is moved in the optical axis direction by a motor, a piezoelectric element, or the like so that focusing can be performed.

Accordingly, when the scanner 30 is carried in front of the target cartridge 14, the stopper 26 is released, and the cartridge 14 is discharged toward the intake space 44 by the tension of the belt 20, and is taken into the space 44. Then, the film 16 is run by rotating the reels 15 and 46 by the film running device. At this time, the EL plate 52 is separated from the film 16. When a target image comes, the EL plate 52 presses the film 16 against the glass plate 54. The EL plate 52 serves as a surface light source, and the projected image on the film 16 is guided to the image sensor 58 through the glass plate 54 and the lens 56. The image sensor 58 scans an image and outputs a time-series image signal a (see FIG. 1). This signal "a" is binarized by the image processing circuit 60 and converted into a digital signal.
Entered in 100. Here, the image sensor 58 is preferably a two-dimensional area sensor, but may read an image by moving a one-dimensional line sensor in a direction (sub-scanning direction) orthogonal to the length direction.

In this embodiment, the control means separately includes a child control means 100A provided for each case 10 and a parent control means 100 for providing the child control means 100A with address information such as a target cartridge and a target image.

These control means 100 and 100A are formed by a small computer, and the control means 100 includes, as shown in FIG.
It has input / output interfaces 104 and 106, a ROM 108 for storing a control program, a RAM 110 for storing data during control, for example, data for performing autofocus, and the like. Reference numeral 112 denotes a memory means which is constituted by a storage medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, or a semiconductor memory, and stores data such as a storage address of the cartridge 14 in the storage shelf 12. These control means 100 and memory means 112 are housed in a cabinet 114 in FIG.

Data such as the contents and storage address of each cartridge 14 is input from the keyboard 116 to the CPU 102 and stored in the memory means 112. When searching for a target image, for example, a code for the target image is input from the keyboard 116. The CPU 102 sends the cartridge 14 containing the target image from the memory
And outputs address information such as the position of the target image and the target image to the child control means 100A. The child control unit 100A searches for the corresponding cartridge 14 based on the address information, and operates the motor 40 to move the scanner 30 to the front of the cartridge 14. Then, when the scanner 30 comes before the target cartridge 14, the child control unit 100A causes the scanning drive device 44 to
Rotate 46 to control the target image to be between the EL plate and the glass plate 54. The confirmation of the target image is performed by a blip mark (not shown) stored in the microfilm 16 in advance.
And the like can be read by another optical sensor (not shown).

When the target image comes before the glass plate 54, the child control unit 100A presses the EL plate 52 against the film 16 to emit light. The projected image of the target image is guided to the image sensor 58. The image signal a of the image sensor 58 is subjected to various processes such as variation correction of characteristics of each light receiving element, shading correction, waveform shaping and the like in the signal processing circuit 60, and is binarized.
Is input to When performing an autofocus operation, the circuit 60 selects a predetermined spatial frequency component of the image signal a with a band-pass filter, for example, and obtains a contrast signal by integrating the absolute value of this component. The child control means 100A controls the lens 56 to a position where the contrast signal becomes maximum. Needless to say, another element dedicated to autofocusing, for example, an element of a phase difference detection method or the like may be separately prepared to perform autofocusing.

When an image is read by the scanner 30 in this manner, the image signal is read by the parent control unit 100, and the CPU 102 outputs this data to various image processing devices. For example, this image is output to the CRT 118 or the printer 120 or stored in another external memory means such as the optical disk device 122. In addition, a facsimile machine 126 at a remote place is used by using a data communication network 124 such as a LAN (local area network).
(See FIG. 5) or a CRT. The CPU 102 can read data from an external image processing device using the data communication network 124, and can use external image data in this system.

The smallest scale of this system is completed by combining one case 10 with a workstation as shown in FIG. That is, the keyboard 116 and the CRT 118
, Printer 110, control means 100 and memory means 112
(See FIG. 1).

In the above embodiment, the case 10 is controlled by the main control unit.
Since the control is performed by 100 and another child control means 100A, there is an effect that control becomes easy when a large number of cases 10 are connected to increase the scale. However, in the present invention, it goes without saying that the child control means 100A may be integrated with the main control means 100, and such a configuration is also included.

In order to increase the scale of this system, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, stacks S1 to Sn in which eight cases 10 are integrated into one are installed movably on a plurality of rails 132, and a large number of Just connect to your workstation.

In this way, this apparatus can be easily scaled up by collecting a large number of cases 10 as one unit, and in this case, if each case 10 is controlled in parallel, the access time is further reduced. For example, while the scanner 30 is reading an image from one cartridge in one case 10, the other case 10
The access time can be reduced by preparing the scanner 30 to move up and down to find and read out the target image.

Also, the cases 10 which are distributed and arranged in different places can be used freely by connecting them to each other via the data communication network 124, and the joint use of the microfilm becomes possible.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an embodiment showing another arrangement of the storage shelf 12a and the scanner 30a. In this embodiment, since the take-up pulleys 22a and 24a are brought close to the storage room S, the storage shelf 12a is 30a can be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction.
0a can be a rectangle having a small width in plan view. Therefore, it is convenient when the case 10a is arranged in close contact with the wall.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention reduces the size of the optical system by arranging the projection lens and the image sensor in a straight line without using a reflecting mirror with a low magnification of the projection lens, and taking up the cartridge taking-up space and winding up. Since the scanner is configured such that the image reader is disposed in a gap narrower than one side of the cartridge formed between the cartridge and the reel, this optical system is provided with a gap between the take-up space of the cartridge and the take-up reel. The scanner can be reduced in size by housing so as to fill the space, and can be stored compactly in the case of the storage shelf.

Further, since the scanner moves in front of the storage shelf and directly inserts and removes the cartridge from the storage shelf, a carrier for carrying the cartridge is not required. Thus, the apparatus can be simplified and downsized, and the processing speed can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system using one embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the storage shelf and the scanner, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a film cartridge storage state of the storage shelf,
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the cartridge has been loaded into the scanner, FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system using this apparatus, FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a case where this is developed into a large-scale system, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another embodiment. 10,10a …… Case, 12,12a… Storage shelf, 14 …… Cartridge, 18A …… Guide roller, 22,24 ……
Take-up pulley, 30,30a ... scanner, 44 ... take-in space, 48 ... image reader, 100,100A ... control means, 112 ... memory means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cartridge containing a target image is selected from a storage shelf in which a plurality of microfilm cartridges are arranged in the thickness direction and transferred to a scanner, and the target image is read from the cartridge by an image sensor and read out by an image sensor. In the microfilm search / reading device that outputs a, the scanner moves in the thickness direction of the cartridge in front of the storage shelf to insert and remove the cartridge from and to the storage shelf, while the scanner is attached to the storage shelf. A cartridge take-in space parallel to the accommodated cartridge, a take-up reel located on a common plane with the cartridge take-up space, and an image reader arranged in a gap narrower than one side of the cartridge between them, The image reader comprises:
The film is sandwiched between a low-magnification taking lens and an image sensor, which are arranged adjacent to a straight line substantially perpendicular to a straight line connecting the center of the cartridge take-in space and the center of the take-up reel and substantially parallel to the common plane. And a light source located on the opposite side of the projection lens.