JP2873371B2 - 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 device, an image search device that executes a search by designating some attributes and displays an image reduced at a uniform magnification on an image display device is considered. In such an apparatus, there are cases where a plurality of displayed images exist and similar images exist among them. In this case, there are many common points in the displayed images,
It is not easy for the searcher to determine which should be selected. Thus, if there are many similar images,
There is a problem in that the selection may be lost, wasteful time is spent, and there is a high possibility of failure. [Object of the Invention] The present invention facilitates comparison between a plurality of search images, facilitates identification of a desired image, improves operability, and enhances a newly displayed search image. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image search method that facilitates confirmation. 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 image data adjacently on the display device 17. is there. 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,
The identification code 22 is obtained. 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. The image reduction device 15 reduces the original image data to a display size of 1/16 and displays the reduced original image on the image display device 17 via the CPU 12. 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 erasing 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 device 10 in 512 × 480 pixels in horizontal and vertical directions, each having an 8-bit gradation, and an RGB3 plane in accordance with the function of the image display device, and this data is used as original image data. . In a display area 53 for menus and the like, commands for screen control, commands for search assistance, and the like are listed. FIG. 3 (2) shows a state where reduced images of 16 image data in the bit data are displayed in the image display area 52. These reduced images are reduced by the image reducing device 15 in each of the vertical and horizontal directions, and are sequentially displayed from the upper left to the upper right of the display screen. Then, a desired image is selected from the displayed reduced images via the digitizer 20, and the image data is narrowed down. At this time, the user often encounters a situation in which a similar image exists in the display image group, or a situation in which details need to be compared with other images. In such a case, via the digitizer 20, the menu section
Specify "Elimination method mode" (not shown) from 58,
Delete unnecessary images. For example, FIG. 3 (3)
When the image A in the image display area 52 is designated as shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 12 deletes the display of the image A, and sequentially packs and re-images the images B to K as shown in FIG. indicate. Further, in the above case, if there is still undisplayed image data, the image L is read from the original image storage device 14 via the image reduction device 15 and displayed. In the above case, an undisplayed image L may be displayed in a portion where the image A in FIG. 3 (3) was displayed, as shown in FIG. 3 (5). However, FIG.
As shown in the figure, displaying an undisplayed image in the lower right part of the image display area 52 makes it possible to avoid confusion when the searcher focuses on a fixed position and compares it with other images. . 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. Then, among the displayed reduced images, those that are clearly unnecessary are erased, and instead, the undisplayed images are displayed. In addition, the image search time is reduced. 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. In the above embodiment, the storage method of the image D, the input image size, the reduced image creation method, and the like may be changed. [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, at the time of image search, a search image that is clearly unnecessary (no need to be searched) is erased from a plurality of displayed search images, and is not erased. Since the search images remaining in the image are displayed in a packed manner, it is easy to compare a plurality of search images with each other, and it is easy to specify a desired image. To
Since the undisplayed search image that could not be displayed is automatically displayed, the operability is improved, and the newly displayed search image is easily confirmed.

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 function of the image reduction device and the function of the erasing method 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] An image search method for searching image data from an image database, a first display step of displaying a plurality of search images corresponding to each of a plurality of image data registered in the database at the time of image search; From among the plurality of search images displayed in the first display stage, the display of the search image selected by the operator is deleted, and the remaining search image being displayed without being deleted is packed. A second display step for displaying the search image; a search image non-display determination step for determining whether there is an undisplayed search image; and a new display when it is determined that there is an undisplayed search image. A third display step of automatically displaying the undisplayed search image in an area vacated by the display of the search image to be performed in the second display step without being specified by the operator. Having Image retrieval method characterized by.