JP2741758B2 - Image information storage and retrieval device and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information storage and retrieval device and a storage medium, and more particularly to a storage for storing specific image information and other dependent image information related to the specific image information. The present invention relates to a medium (such as an optical disk or a magnetic disk) and an image information storage / search device that searches for image information using such a storage medium. [Prior Art] Conventionally, in an image information storage and retrieval device which can store image information such as a television still image in a storage medium such as an optical disk or a magnetic disk, and thereafter retrieve and read an image required when necessary. When the image is stored, characteristic data of the image, for example, data generally referred to as a keyword such as a date, a person's name, or an outline of the content are simultaneously input and stored. In general, a keyword search method is used in which data is narrowed down to several images and output and displayed, and then the user searches for the required image while viewing those output images. Various proposals have been made for such a keyword search method. For example, a method of outputting and displaying a two-dimensional map in the form of a map has recently been proposed. In addition, when an image is extracted after being narrowed down by a keyword, recently, a two-layered extraction method in which six images or 16 pixels are projected at one time at a time, and a desired one is selected from the projected images, etc. boom. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, what can be said in common with all of these conventional devices is that when storing an image, a large amount of keyboard data information must be input at the same time. In this regard, the image information storage and retrieval device may not necessarily be so burdensome when used for business use of a company such as an office or a factory,
When used for home use, if keyword data is entered using a character keyboard, it would be quite annoying, and even if various measures were taken when inputting the keyword data, it would be extremely cumbersome for the user. This has the serious disadvantage of being impractical. In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present applicant has marked and stored one "representative image" selected for a plurality of images taken in one event by a still video camera or the like, In the first search, a “representative image method” apparatus for searching between the “representative images” was proposed by another application. Since humans store image information while associating them with each other, the situation when the image was shot with one representative image is remembered, and whether or not the image being searched for is in the group of the representative image is determined. Is intuitively understood, so that the use of this representative image method has an advantage that image information can be searched very efficiently. However, when realizing this method on an actual storage disk, if the data is transferred and recorded on the storage disk in the order of storage on the storage disk for recording, the first
When only about 9 to 16 representative images are selected and displayed on the monitor at the same time in the second search, the seek time (search time) is too long. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to store and retrieve image information at high speed and with high efficiency by storing specific image information and subordinate image information hierarchically. The present invention is to provide an image information search device and a storage medium that enable the selection. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the image information storage and retrieval device of the present invention includes a specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information, Storage means for storing the dependent image information in a different area on a storage medium,
A search unit configured to search for the dependent image information related to the specific image information after the search based on the specific image information. In order to achieve the above object, the storage medium of the present invention is configured such that specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of pieces of dependent image information is stored in a first area, and other dependent image information respectively related to the specific image information is stored. The image information is stored in the second area, and the image information can be read out from each of the areas independently. In another aspect of the storage medium of the present invention, the first area and the second area are different tracks on one disk-shaped storage medium. Further, as still another form, the storage medium of the present invention can be characterized in that the first area and the second area are different storage media. [Operation] In the present invention, specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information and the subordinate image information related to the specific image information are hierarchically stored in a storage medium, and such a storage medium When a search is made using the above, first, a search (selection of an image) based on the specific image information is performed, and then the dependent image information related to the selected specific image information is searched. As described above, since the specific image information and the dependent image information are stored in a hierarchical manner, an image most suitable for the user can be used as the specific image information, and a more reliable search can be performed. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, a is a storage unit that stores specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information and the subordinate image information related to the specific image information in different areas on a storage medium. Reference numeral b denotes a search unit which can search for the dependent image information related to the specific image information after the search based on the specific image information. The storage medium,
Specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information is stored in the first area, other subordinate image information associated with each specific image information is stored in the second area, and On the other hand, each image information can be read independently. Specifically, the first area and the second area are different tracks on one disk-shaped storage medium, and the first area and the second area are different storage media. There are cases. FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes an input / output interface for inputting / outputting image information to / from an external device, and reference numeral 12 denotes a control previously stored in an internal memory as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8A and 8B. A controller (control device) 13 that performs a control operation of storing and retrieving image information and keyword data according to a procedure. A controller 13 controls the controller 12 to output and display information such as an image in the storage device 14 and information from an external device. A monitor like a CRT display. A printer 15 records an image read from the storage device 14 on a recording medium such as paper, such as an ink jet printer or a laser beam printer. Various storage devices such as an optical disk device and a magnetic disk device can be used as the storage device 14. Reference numeral 16 denotes a small hand-held type remote controller (remote control device) for remotely controlling the controller 12, and inputs and outputs various operation instructions and data via a display and a keyboard. Signals are transmitted and received between the remote controller 16 and the controller 12 via infrared rays, weak radio waves, ultrasonic waves, and the like. FIG. 3 shows an example of the arrangement of the remote controller 16 described above. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 denotes a display panel for displaying an operation instruction message from the controller 12, and for example, a liquid crystal is used. 22 to 32 are function keys (button switches) for inputting operations necessary for storing and retrieving images
Group. 22 is an input key, 23 is a representative image key, 24 is a child image key, 25 is a print key, 26 is a search key, 27 is an index key, 28 is a representative image key, 29 is a date key, and 30 is
A NEXT key, 31 is a sequential key, and 32 is a selection key. 33-36 are keys for entering year, month, day, and hour, 37-40,4
2 to 44, 46 to 49 are tension keys for inputting numbers, 41 is a clear key, and 45 is an all clear key. Also, keys 33 ~
48 allows the user to select and designate image positions A to P. FIG. 4 shows a method of storing image information in the storage device 14 of FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 141 denotes a disk (disk) -shaped storage medium (hereinafter, referred to as a disk) such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, or an optical disk.
Is configured. As described above, the disks 14 are stored in the order stored in the external device.
If it is stored above 1, it takes too much time to display the representative image for the first time, which is not preferable. On the other hand, if a certain designated area is used for the representative image and the rest is used for the general purpose, the number of “child images” for one representative image is variously varied. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the representative image A is sequentially recorded from the outside of the disk 141 toward the inside, while the child images B are recorded in the order of storage.
We record from the inside to the outside of 141. At this time, the representative image may be written into the child image B again. Thereby, even when only the representative image A is displayed on the monitor 13 at a time on the order of 9 to 16 screens, it is possible to access it at a sufficiently high speed. Next, the outline of the operation of storing and retrieving image information will be described. First, when inputting to the storage device 14, the representative image A is determined by the representative image key 23, and the sub-images B dependent on the representative image A are determined by the sub-image key 24, respectively marked and stored on the disk 141 of the storage device 14. . When reading an image from the storage device 14, first, only the representative image A is displayed on the monitor 9 to 16 based on the above-mentioned marking by the search key 26.
At the same time, the image is projected on the monitor 13 and the user looks at the displayed representative image group and remembers which image belongs to the event desired by the user. When the user selects one of the representative images including the event by using the representative image key 28, 9 to 16 are displayed on one screen of the monitor 13.
A number of child images B belonging to the representative image are displayed. If the user notices that the representative image has been selected incorrectly, the representative image key 28 is pressed to return to the display of the original representative image. In this way, an image desired by the user is further selected from the selected 9 to 16 child images. This search method is based on an associative function that essentially controls human memory, and has an advantage that the mental and physical loads on the user are extremely small. FIG. 5 shows the concept (grouping) of grouping consisting of a representative image and a child image in the above-described search. FIG. 6 shows a control procedure of the controller 12 at the time of input operation (at the time of storage) such as marking, and FIG. 7 shows a user operation procedure at the time of input operation. First, the operation of the input operation will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIG. 6 and FIG. Note that P1 to P16
Indicates program steps of the controller 12, and S1 to S12 indicate operation steps of the user. A video source of an external device (for example, a still video player) connected to an input terminal (not shown) of the input / output interface 11 is input by an “input” key 22 of the remote controller 16.
Press (S1, P1) to display on the monitor 13 (S2, P
2). By operating the still video reproducer, an image to be made a representative image is displayed on the monitor 13 (S3, P2). Then, when the “representative image” key 23 on the remote controller 16 is pressed (S6, P
3), the image is registered and stored in the storage device 14 as a new representative image (P6). After that, the message "Enter the date" appears on the display panel 21 (P7).
The date on which the representative image was taken or the date on which the representative image is to be stored is input (S7, P8, P9). Next, since a message "enter the next screen" appears on the display panel 21 (P10), the still video player is switched to another image (S8, P11). This time, when the switch 24 of the “child image” is pressed (S10, P1
2) The image displayed on the monitor 13 is automatically registered and stored in the storage device 14 as a "child image" belonging to the "representative image" recorded previously (P13). Hereinafter, this operation is repeated until there are no more child images (S11, P15, P16). Until the new "representative image" key 2 is input (P14) or the AC (all clear) key 45 is pressed (S12, P16), the "child image" key 24 is pressed as a child image belonging to the representative image. The stored image is registered in the storage device 14. Immediately after the AC key 45 is pressed (S12, P16) or the first time after the power is turned on, input can be performed only from the "representative image". , P4),
The memory operation is not performed, and a warning sound "beep" indicating erroneous operation is produced, and at the same time, a display of "erroneous operation" and a comment "Please set a representative image first" appear on the display panel 21 (S5, P5 ). At the time of the above-described image input, a code indicating the location where the image is recorded can be displayed on the monitor 13. 8A and 8B show a control procedure of the controller 12 at the time of search, and FIG. 9 shows a user's operation procedure at the time of search. Next, the operation at the time of retrieval will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 (A), (B) and the flowchart of FIG. Here, P21 to P50 indicate program steps of the controller 12, and T1 to T23 indicate operation steps of the user. Pressing the search key 25 on the remote controller 16 (T1, P
21) Then, a search state is entered, and a message “Searching” appears on the monitor 13 (P22). On the display panel 21 of the remote controller 16, a comment “Please select“ index ”or“ representative image ”” appears (T2, P23). Then, press the “Index” key 27 (T3, P2
4) You can directly select image information by inputting the code “0” to “9” of the numeric keypad of 37 to 40, 42 to 44, 46 to 48 (T4, P
twenty five). Since the correspondence between the code and the image can be checked at the time of storage, if the user leaves it in a memo or the like in advance, direct selection can be performed. On the other hand, if the "representative image" key 28 is selected (T5, P26), then "year / month / day" or "sequential" will be selected. This instruction also appears on the display panel 21 (T6, P27). When "Date" is selected with the key 29 (T7, P28), the approximate date when the desired image was recorded is input using the keys 33 to 48 (T8, P28). ). For example, Key. The place where "0" is included in this indicates that the details are not known. Based on this input information, the representative images are displayed on the monitor 13 in the order of the specified date (T9, P31, P
32). At this time, 4 × 4 = 16 screens are displayed on the monitor at once. If there is no desired screen among the displayed 16 screens (T12), the "NXET" key 30 is pressed (T13, P35). If there is a desired screen on the display screen, the "select" key 32 is pressed (T14, P34). When the selection key 32 is pressed, the display plate 21
Displays a message "Please select one of AP" (P42). That is, keys 33 to 48 are 16
It comes to correspond geometrically to a single screen. For example, 1
Press the “D” key 36 when you want the representative picture at the top right (T1
5, P40). Then, on the screen of the monitor 36, the 16 representative images are displayed at the top left from the upper left to the upper right at a time (T16, P41).
If you do not find the one you want on the screen (T17),
Press the "T" key 30 (T18, P44), and if there is one you want, press the "Select" key 32 (T21, P43). By inputting the “NEXT” key 30, the image of the group is over even if the desired image is overdone, and if the “NEXT” key 30 is further pressed, the screen returns to the original screen (T22, P46). When inputting the “Select” key 32,
If you press one of the keys 33 to 48 of A to P (T22,
(P48), one image desired by the user is displayed on the monitor 13 (T23, P49). Also, an output terminal of the input / output interface 11 (not shown)
Outputs an image signal of the selected image. The "Print" key 25 is used in all
Is pressed, an interrupt is generated, and at that time, the image displayed on the monitor 13 can be output to the printer 15 and printed on a storage medium. By the way, instead of "Year / Month / Day", press key 31 sequentially (T10,
P29), the representative images are displayed on the monitor 13 from the upper left to the lower right in the order in which the 16 representative images are recorded (T11, P30). The next step is to use the “NEXT” key 30 (T13, P35) or select key 32
It is just a key input of (T14, P34),
This is the same as the case of selecting “year, month, day” above. Note that "C" on the remote controller 16 in FIG.
A (clear) key 41 is a key for correcting only one command or data being input at the time of inputting this key, and an "AC" (all clear) key 45 is a key for presetting to an initial state. . In addition, the above-mentioned remote controller 16 cannot perform a function of deleting or editing a specific screen,
Such advanced functions can be executed by operating the controller 12 of the main body. If, after selecting one representative image, the user notices that the method of selecting the representative image is incorrect, the “ALL CLEAR” key 45
May be keyed in (P50), or "Representative image" key 28
May be input again (P36, P45). In the above-described embodiment, the case where one disk is used efficiently has been described. However, a plurality of disks may be used, and one of the disks may be used as a representative image dedicated disk. In a multiple-disk system, a representative image may be inserted from the beginning of the first disk and a child image may be inserted from the end of the last n-th disk. It should be noted that the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a replacement sector is used. In this case, the "alternate sector" and the "child image" are complicated, but it is coded so that it can be immediately determined whether or not it has been used as an alternate sector. There is no. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information and the subordinate image information related to the specific image information are hierarchically stored in a storage medium. When searching using such a storage medium, first, a search (selection of an image) based on the specific image information is performed, and then the dependent image information related to the selected specific image information is stored. , The most suitable image for the user can be used as the specific image information, and a more reliable search can be performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an arrangement configuration, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a storage method of the storage device 14 in FIG. 2 on a disk, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a grouping configuration of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure at the time of input operation of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure at the time of input operation of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 (A) and (B) are embodiments of the present invention. 9 is a flowchart showing a control procedure at the time of retrieval, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure at the time of retrieval according to the embodiment of the present invention. 11 input / output interface, 12 controller, 13 monitor, 14 storage device, 141 disk, 15 printer, 1
6 Remote controller, 21 Display plate, 22 to 48
…Key.

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Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Storage means for storing specific image information arbitrarily selected from a plurality of subordinate image information and the subordinate image information related to the specific image information in different areas on a storage medium; An image information storage and retrieval device comprising: a retrieval unit configured to retrieve the dependent image information related to the specific image information. 2. Specific image information arbitrarily selected from the plurality of dependent image information is stored in the first area, other dependent image information respectively related to the specific image information is stored in the second area, and Wherein each image information can be read out independently of the other. 3. 3. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the first area and the second area are different tracks on one disk-shaped storage medium. 4. 3. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the first area and the second area are different storage media.