JP2662947B2 - Image search method - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image search device for searching and displaying still image data. [Background Art] As an example of an image search apparatus, a search is executed by designating some attributes, and the searched image is reduced at a uniform magnification and displayed on an image display apparatus. In such an apparatus, as a result of searching for a plurality of images, a plurality of images may be displayed on the image display device at the same time, and similar images may be present among them. In this case, the displayed images have a lot in common,
There is a problem that it is not easy for a searcher to determine which one to select. [Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and when a plurality of images similar to each other are searched and displayed, an image search device that allows a searcher to easily select an image. The purpose is to provide. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an image reading device 10 corresponding to an image scanner, a TV camera or the like used when an original image is registered in the original image storage device 14, a keyboard 11 for inputting a search request and an image registration request, and various controls CPU12 that performs
An index file 13 for storing attributes of each still image data (hereinafter, simply referred to as “image data”), an original image storage device 14, an image reduction device 15 for creating a reduced image from the original image, An image display device 17 for displaying image data and further narrowing down the image data,
CRT1 used as a guide screen for specifying attributes required for search requests and setting attributes required for image data registration
9 and a digitizer 20 used for setting attributes and selecting displayed image data. Further, the CPU 12 can enlarge any two pieces of image data in the image data displayed on the image display device 17 as an example of the display control means and display the two adjacently on the display device 17. . In this case, the CPU 12 displays the two image data below the image display device 17. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the index file 13 and the data in the original image storage device 14 in the above embodiment. When the original image is registered, the original image is input from the image reading device 10 and the database administrator inputs the attribute via the keyboard 11 and the digitizer 20.
2 is generated, and the identification code 22 and the set attribute 23 are registered as one record 21 in the index file 13. Furthermore, an identification code 22 is added to the head of the original image data,
It is stored as a data file 24 in the original image storage device 14.
Therefore, the attribute for one original image and the image data are associated with the same identification code 22. Next, a series of operations at the time of search will be described. When a predetermined attribute is input as a search request via the keyboard 11 and the digitizer 20, the CPU 12 opens the index file 13 to search for image data satisfying the request, and obtains the identification code 22. Then, the image data having the same identification code 22 is searched in the original image storage device 14, and the original image data 25 is transferred to the image reduction device 15. Image reduction device
15 reduces the original image data to a display size of 1/16 and sends the reduced original image to the image display device 1 via the CPU 12.
Displayed in 7. FIGS. 3 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a function of an image reduction device and a function of an alternative method and a display screen in the embodiment. On a screen 51 of the image display device 17, an image display area 52,
A display area 53 such as a menu is provided (FIG. 3 (1)). The image display area 52 can display three planes of RGB color with a gradation of 512 pixels in the horizontal direction, 480 pixels in the vertical direction, and 8 bits per pixel. In the present embodiment, an image is input from the image reading apparatus 10 in 512 × 480 pixels in horizontal and vertical directions, each having 8-bit gradation, and three RGB planes in accordance with the function of the image display apparatus, and this data is used as original image data. In a display area 53 such as a menu, commands for image control, commands for search assistance, and the like are listed. FIG. 3 (2) shows a state in which reduced images of 16 pieces of image data in the hit data are displayed in the image display area 52.
It is reduced by 1/4 and is displayed sequentially from the upper left to the right of the display screen. A desired image is selected by the digitizer 20 from the displayed reduced images, and the image data is narrowed down. At this time, it often happens that a similar image exists in the display image group or that it is necessary to compare details with other images. In such a case, an alternate mode (not shown) is designated by the digitizer 20 from the menu column 58, and an image to be compared is designated. For example, when the reduced images A and B in the image display area 52 shown in FIG. 3 (3) are designated, the CPU 12 transfers the corresponding original image data 25 from the original image storage device 14 to the image reduction device 15. The image reduction device 15 generates image data that is reduced by 1/2 in the vertical and horizontal directions of the original image (that is, reduced to a quarter of the display size), but is larger than the normal reduced size. Then, the CPU 12 displays the images A ′ and B ′ in the lower half of the image display area 52 as shown in FIG. 3 (4). In this case, the image obtained by enlarging the image A by two times vertically and horizontally is A ′
, And an image obtained by enlarging the image B by two times vertically and horizontally is B ′. Therefore, from the point of view of the searcher, when the alternative mode is designated, the two images to be compared can be viewed four times larger than the display size of the image that is normally reduced and displayed. The reduced image group displayed in the portion where the images A ′ and B ′ are displayed is temporarily saved by the CPU 12 in a memory (not shown) in the CPU 12, and the alternative mode ends. It will be displayed again at that point. Further, when narrowing down the images while looking at the screen, in order to make it possible to clearly recognize the specified image at a glance, as shown in FIG. May be framed in a predetermined color. When the designation is released, the frame can be deleted without damaging the original display image. FIG. 3 (5) is a diagram showing a screen display state after selecting the image B 'in the state shown in FIG. 3 (4). That is, the images A 'and B' shown in FIG.
The image group displayed on the screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, and a frame 59 is provided on the same image B as the designated image B ′. When the image is finally narrowed down to one, the CPU 12 transfers the original image data 25 corresponding to the narrowed image from the original image storage device 14 to the image display device 17 and displays it. As described above, one image data can be searched from many image data. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image memory and the like for image input / output prepared inside the CPU. Each of the image memories 34 to 41 has a 512 × 512 × 8 bit structure.
3 operates to input and output image memories 34 to 41 arbitrarily through the image controller 33. Furthermore, data transfer between arbitrary memories and real-time operation can be performed. Reference numeral 42 denotes an image input / output interface. Note that, in the above embodiment, the storage method of the image data,
The input image size, the reduced image creation method, and the like may be changed. According to the present invention, a plurality of images similar to each other are searched,
When displayed, it has the effect that the searcher can easily select an image.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relation between data of an index file and an original image storage device. FIGS. 3 (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) are diagrams showing the relationship between the functions of the image reduction device and the alternative function and the display screen. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram around image input / output in the above embodiment. 12 CPU, 13 Index file, 14 Original image storage device, 16 Reduced image storage device, 17 Image display device.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A search unit that searches a still image database for a still image satisfying a predetermined attribute; an image display device that displays the still image; and an arbitrary still image of the image displayed on the image display device. An image search method in an image search device having a designating means for designating a still image, wherein a reduced image of a plurality of still images searched by the search means is displayed on the display device; and displayed on the image display device. Specifying the first and second reduced images from the plurality of reduced images by the specifying means; and transmitting the first and second reduced images specified by the specifying means to the image display device. The first and second displayed above
Displaying the image in a size larger than the size of the reduced image, and displaying the image adjacent to the display device. 2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reduced images are displayed below the image display device.