JP2845445B2 - 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, reads the image with an image sensor, and reads the image. The present invention relates to a microfilm retrieval / reading device which outputs a 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.

As such an apparatus, a rotary shelf type is conventionally known (for example, JP-A-62-283766). In this method, a large number of cartridges are detachably housed in a rotating drum from an outer peripheral surface thereof, and a desired cartridge is taken out by a take-out device which only moves up and down at a fixed position, and is transferred to an image reader having an image sensor. To read an image.

However, in this case, since the heavy rotating drum rotates to take out the target cartridge, there is a problem that the time required for searching for the target image (access time) is long and the installation area is large.

In addition, a large number of cartridges are stored in a bookshelf-like fixed shelf,
It is also known that a carrier running in the X and Y directions on the front of the shelf searches for an arbitrary cartridge and carries it to an image reader fixed at a predetermined position, where the image is read.

However, in this case, the film must be delivered twice. That is, they must move from the shelf to the carrier and from the carrier to the image reader. Therefore, there is a problem that the access time becomes long. In addition, there is a problem that the scale of the system becomes large, and it is not possible to cope with a case where a small system is required.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances,
An object of the present invention is to provide a microfilm retrieval / reading device which can shorten an access time, has a small installation area, and can easily cope with a change in system scale.

(Constitution of the Invention) According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to select a cartridge including a target image from a storage shelf storing a large number of substantially rectangular cartridges in plan view containing one reel around which one microfilm is wound. In a microfilm retrieval / reading apparatus which reads out a target image from the cartridge by an image sensor and outputs an image signal, one micro-film search / read apparatus is provided on each of a number of horizontal and rectangular shelves vertically stacked in a row.
A vertically long storage shelf accommodating the two cartridges and a discharge mechanism therefor; a take-in space for taking in the cartridge, a take-up reel for taking up a film from the cartridge taken in the take-up space, a microfilm traveling drive device, An image reader that reads an image of a film stored between the take-in space and the take-up reel through an image sensor through a projection lens, and a side facing the storage shelf is substantially the same as an opposite side of the shelf plate. One scanner having a length; an elevating device for moving the scanner up and down in opposition to the storage shelf; memory means for storing a storage position of a cartridge; and moving the scanner to a storage position of a cartridge containing a target image. The target image is taken by taking the cartridge from the storage shelf into the take-in space of the scanner by the ejection mechanism. And control means for causing taken; and prismatic case accommodating the said scanner and the lifting device and the storage rack; microfilm searching and reading device, comprising the be achieved by.

(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. The cartridge 14 contains one microfilm
One reel 15 around which the cartridge 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) is wound is housed, and the outer shape of the cartridge 14 is substantially square.

Each shelf 12A of the storage shelf 12 is rectangular, and
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a discharge mechanism of the cartridge 14 is incorporated. That is, a number of guide rollers 18 and a belt 20 wound around these guide rollers 18 are provided on each shelf plate 12A.
And take-up pulleys 22 and 24 that are wound around both ends of the belt 20 and apply tension to the belt 20 are provided. Accordingly, the cartridge 14 pushed from the right side in FIG.
While pressing, it enters the position of the solid line surrounded by the guide roller 18 in FIG. This stopper 26
Is operated by a scanner 30 described later. When the scanner 30 releases the cartridge 14 from the stopper 26, the cartridge 14 is automatically discharged toward the scanner 30 by the tension of the belt 20.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, reference numeral 30 denotes a scanner, and opposing sides of the scanner 30 and the shelf plate 12A have substantially the same length.
The scanner 30 is moved up and down by the lifting device accommodated in the case 10 so as to face the front surface of the storage shelf 12. 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. The wire 34 is the upper and lower pulleys 36,3
8 (FIG. 1), both ends of which 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 intake space 44 for taking in the cartridge 14 is opposed to the cartridge 14 on the storage shelf 12 side.
And a take-up reel 46, an image reader 48 disposed between the two, and a film traveling drive device (not shown) for driving the reels 15, 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 approximately one side.
It is approximately 30cm in plan view.

The image reader 48 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 glass 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 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.

The control means 100 is formed by a small computer, and includes a CPU 102, an input / output interface 104,
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
The scanner 40 is moved to the front of the cartridge 14 by operating the motor 40. Then, the stopper 26 (FIG. 3) on the storage shelf 12 side is released, the cartridge 14 is discharged, and the cartridge 14 is taken into the taking space 44 in the scanner 30. The CPU 102 controls the reels 15 and 46 to rotate by the traveling drive device in the scanner 30 so that the target image enters between the EL plate and the glass plate 54. Confirmation of the target image
This can be done by reading a blip mark (not shown) or the like recorded in advance by another optical sensor (not shown).

When the target image comes before the glass plate 54, the CPU 102
Is pressed 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 kinds of processing such as variation correction of characteristics of each light receiving element, pseudo correction, waveform shaping, etc. in the signal processing circuit 60, and then is input to the CPU 102. 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 CPU 102 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 the image is read in this way, 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.
Also, a facsimile machine 126 (fifth type) at a remote location is used by using a data communication network 124 such as a LAN (local area network).
(See the figure), and can be output to a CRT or the like. CPU10
2 uses the data communication network 124 to read data from an external image processing apparatus, and it is also possible to 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 control of the case 10 is performed by the control means 10.
It has been described that it is performed at 0. However, in the case 10, the control means 100A (first
(See FIG., Phantom line), and the control means 100A may control the motor 40, the scanner 30, and the like in the case 10, and may perform image signal processing independently for each case. That is, the control means 100 determines the location of the target cartridge 14 and the target image (film number, image address, etc.).
Is obtained from the data in the memory means 112, and this information (address information) is sent to the control means 100A in the case 10. The control means 100A on the case side moves the scanner 30 up and down based on the address information, selects the target cartridge 14, and
The target image is searched for from the cartridge 14, the image is read, and the target image is signal-processed and binarized.
Send to 0.

As described above, if the control means 100A for independently controlling each case is provided on each case 10 side and each case 10 is operated independently, when the case 10 is expanded and the scale is increased. Easy to respond to.

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.

As described above, this apparatus can be easily scaled up by collecting a large number of units as one unit of the case 10. 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.

In the above embodiment, the storage shelf 12 and the scanner 30 are formed to be substantially square in plan view as shown in FIG. 4, so that the case 10 can be stored well behind the walls and columns of the room, and the space close to the ceiling can be obtained. Can also be used effectively.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an embodiment showing another arrangement of the storage shelf 12a and the scanner 30a.
In this case, the case 10a has a rectangular shape with a small width in plan view. Therefore, close the wall to the case
This is convenient when arranging 10a.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, the present invention is configured such that the scanner itself moves up and down on the front of the storage shelves stacked in the vertical direction, so that the cartridge is moved between the storage shelves and the scanner. And the access time required to read the target image can be reduced. Also, since the unit of one case can be made smaller than that of the conventional device, the installation area becomes smaller,
Further, by appropriately increasing or decreasing the number of cases, there is an effect that the system scale can be easily changed. Further, since a cartridge discharge mechanism is provided on each shelf of the storage shelf that houses the cartridge, the cartridge can be smoothly inserted and removed between the shelf and the scanner, and the weight of the scanner can be reduced. Therefore, it is more suitable for shortening the access time. In addition, the opposite sides of the shelf board and the scanner have substantially the same length, and these are stored in a rectangular prism-shaped case having a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[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, 12A ... shelf, 30, 30a ... scanner, 44 ... take-in space, 46 ... take-up reel, 48 ... image reader, 56 ... Projection lens, 58 ... Image sensor, 100 ... Control means, 112 ... Memory means.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-283766 (JP, A) JP-A-60-258759 (JP, A) JP-A-60-81966 (JP, A) JP-A-60-182050 (JP, A) , A) JP-A-61-150456 (JP, A) JP-A-61-154256 (JP, A) JP-A-60-169754 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cartridge containing a target image is selected from a storage shelf storing a large number of substantially rectangular cartridges in plan view containing one reel on which one microfilm is wound, and a target image is imaged from the cartridge. A microfilm retrieval / reading device for reading out and outputting an image signal, comprising: a plurality of horizontal and rectangular shelves vertically stacked in a row, each containing one of the cartridges and its discharge mechanism, and one vertically long storage shelf; A take-up space for taking in the cartridge, a take-up reel for taking up a film from the cartridge taken into the take-up space, a microfilm traveling drive device, and an image of the film stored between the take-up space and the take-up reel. With an image reader that reads through a projection lens with an image sensor A scanner having a side facing the storage shelf and having a length substantially equal to an opposite side of the shelf; an elevating device for moving the scanner up and down opposite the storage shelf; and storing a storage position of the cartridge. Control means for moving the scanner to a storage position of a cartridge containing a target image and for reading the target image by reading the cartridge from the storage shelf by the discharge mechanism into a take-in space of the scanner; And a prismatic case for storing the device and a storage shelf.