JP2940567B2 - Image database system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image database system, and more particularly to an image database system having a function of registering, storing, retrieving and displaying image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of image database system, image information is registered in a database using, for example, an electronic computer (computer) according to a processing procedure shown in FIG. First, a registration function of image information is selected in step 51, and desired one image information is input in step 52. In step 53, whether or not to display the image information on the display screen of the image display device provided in the image database system is selected. If the image information is to be displayed, the process proceeds to step 54; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 55. In step 54, the input image information is displayed on the image display screen. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 55. In step 55, one or more search indexes and keyword values are set so that the image information can be uniquely searched.

In step 56, the image information is registered and stored in the image database in association with the set index and keyword. Step 57
Then, whether or not to register one new image information is selected. Further, when registering image information, the process proceeds to step 52, and the processes from step 52 to step 56 are repeated. If there is no image information to be newly registered, the registration processing ends.

[0006] Further, in a conventional processing procedure for searching and displaying image information in an image database, as shown in FIG. 6 (flow chart), first, a search and display function is selected in step 61, and a desired function is selected in step 62. One or a plurality of indices or keywords are designated in order to obtain the image information, and a range of values to be searched for the designated indices or keywords is designated using a logical expression. In step 63, a list of image information candidates designated as search targets is displayed. In step 64, it is determined whether or not desired image information exists in the candidates,
If the desired image information does not exist, the process returns to step 62, where the index and the keyword are specified again, and the value range of the index and the keyword is specified using a logical expression. If the desired image information exists in step 64,
Proceeding to step 65, desired image information is selected. At step 66, the desired image information is displayed, and the search and display process ends.

[0005]

However, in the conventional image database system, one or a plurality of index or keyword value sets are uniquely assigned to one image information and the image information is registered, and the index or the index is registered. The same set of values for a keyword cannot be assigned to a plurality of image information. Therefore, in order to increase the number of indices and keywords necessary for registering a large number of image information, or to simultaneously search and display a plurality of image information, a logic for specifying a range of values to be searched for indices and keywords is used. There was a problem that the setting of the expression became complicated.

[0006] Further, the retrieved plurality of image information includes:
This is despite the fact that each image information to be displayed and displayed at a preset fixed display position and having a preset fixed display size has an importance or a property based on its content. However, there is a problem that the image is displayed uniformly without taking into account any.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to register and store image information.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image database system having search and display functions, which makes search and display extremely efficient and which can easily be changed to a desired display mode.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in an image database system having a function of registering, storing, retrieving and displaying image information, an album that can be specified only is defined. Means for registering and storing one or a plurality of pages of the album in association with one or more pieces of image information for each page and information on display dimensions and display positions of the image information in the page; Means for displaying, on an image display screen, image information registered in a page constituting an album searched by the designation according to information on a display size and a display position in the page associated with the image information The most important feature is to have

[0010] In the image data system,
A means for displaying each page constituting the album by an album search and display operation, deleting image information registered in the page, adding new image information, and displaying registered image information in the page It is characterized by comprising means for changing and displaying dimensional information and / or display position information, and means for registering deletion and addition of the image information and change in display size and / or display position of the image information.

[0011]

According to the above-mentioned means, in an image database system having a function of registering and storing image information, or searching and displaying the image information, an album including one or a plurality of pages is defined, and the album is searched. Index, keywords, and their values required to perform the setting, and register one or more image information and display dimension information and display position information of the image information in association with the pages constituting the album. At the time of searching and displaying, by displaying on the image display screen in units of pages constituting the searched album, a plurality of mutually related image information is graded according to the importance of the image information, or Since the image information can be displayed in an appropriate state on the display screen based on the difference in the contents of the image information, etc., the search and display are performed extremely efficiently. Door can be.

Further, by changing the display size information and the display position information of the image information belonging to the displayed page, a plurality of mutually related image information for changing the display position and the display size of the image information are changed. Can be easily changed to a desired display mode, so that the display mode on the display screen can be easily changed to a desired display mode.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure for registering image information in an image database according to an embodiment of the image database system of the present invention.

In the procedure for registering image information according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a function for registering image information is first selected in step 1, and a list of album types already registered in step 2 is displayed. indicate. The album type is defined by the combination of search indexes of the album and the settable number of keywords. Albums having different index sets and settable number of keywords have different album types.

Next, in step 3, it is determined whether or not a desired album type exists in the list of album types displayed in step 2 above. If there is no desired album type, the process proceeds to step 4, and if there is a desired album type, the process proceeds to step 5. In step 4, a new album type is registered. Here, an album type name, one or more search indexes, and a settable number of keywords are set. In this manner, a plurality of album types can be registered in one image database. In step 5, an album type used for registering image information is selected, and a new album is set according to the selected album type. In step 6, one of the pages belonging to the album is selected, and in step 7, the display size and display position of the image information to be registered on the page are specified. At this time, the display size and display position of the image information can be set based on the degree of importance of the image information and the difference in the contents.

In step 8, desired image information is input, and in step 9, the image information is displayed on the image display screen according to the display size and display position. Step 1
If it is 0, it is determined whether there is image information to be additionally input. If there is image information to be additionally input, the process proceeds to step 11, where it is determined whether to change the page.
If the page is to be changed, the process proceeds to step 6 and the page is selected. Then, the processing from step 7 to step 9 is performed to input and display image information. Step 11
If you do not want to change the page, go to step 7,
The processing from step 7 to step 9 is performed to input and display image information. If there is no image information to be additionally input in step 10, the process proceeds to step 12, where appropriate values are set for the search index and keyword of the album. Finally, in step 13, the album is registered in the image database, and the registration processing ends.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (flowchart), for example, as shown in FIG. 2 (flowchart), the processing procedure for searching, displaying and changing image information in the image database of an embodiment of the image database system of the present invention is as follows. Select display and change function. Next, in step 22, in order to search for a desired album, a search is executed by designating an album type, an index, a keyword, and a range of possible values of the index and the keyword by a logical expression. In step 23, based on the search result,
List search candidates. In step 24, it is determined whether or not a desired album exists in the search candidate list.
Returning to step 2, the album type, the index and the keyword, and the range of possible values of the index and the keyword are specified again by the logical expression, and the search is performed. If the desired album exists in step 24, the process proceeds to step 25, where the desired album is selected, and the process proceeds to step 26. In step 26, for the selected album,
It is determined whether to perform a page process such as adding a new page, copying a page, or deleting a page. When a new page is added, a new page is added to the album and registered, and when copying a page, a page belonging to or not belonging to this album is copied to the album,
It will be added to the album and registered.
Pages belonging to the album are deleted. If the page processing is to be performed, the process proceeds to step 27, where the page processing as described above is performed, and then the process proceeds to step. If the page processing is not performed in step 26, the process proceeds to step 28. In step 28, a page to be displayed on the display screen of the image display device is selected and designated from the pages belonging to the selected album. In step 29, one or more selected pages are displayed on the display screen accordingly.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which one page belonging to the searched album is displayed on the display screen of the image display device. Here, D1 is a display screen of the image display device,
P1 is one selected page belonging to the searched album, IM1 to IM5 are image information belonging to the page,
IX1, IX2 and IX3 are search indexes assigned to the album, and KW1, KW2 and KW3 are search keywords assigned to the album. In the image information IM1 to IM5, the display size and display position of the image information are set based on the importance of each item, the difference in the content items, and the mutual relation of the image information.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which a plurality of pages belonging to the searched album are displayed on the display screen of the image display device. Here, D1 is a display screen of the image display device,
P11, P12 and P13 are pages belonging to the searched album, IM11 and IM12 are image information belonging to page P11, IM21 is image information belonging to page P12, IM31 is image information belonging to page P13, IX1
1 to IX13 are search indexes assigned to the album, and KW11 to KW13 are search keywords assigned to the album.

In FIG. 4, three pages are displayed overlapping with the page P11 facing the front, for example, page P1.
In the case of displaying the page P12 on the front, the user can operate an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse of the image database system to designate the page P12 to be displayed on the entire surface, thereby displaying the page P12 on the front of the display screen. it can. Similarly, when the page P11 is displayed on the last screen, the page P11 is displayed on the last screen of the display screen by operating an input / output device such as a keyboard or a mouse and designating the P11 to be displayed on the last screen. be able to.

Further, pages P11, P12 and P13
When the display position in the display screen D1 is changed, the input device such as a keyboard and a mouse is operated to specify the page whose display position is to be changed and the display position on the display screen to be displayed. The display position can be changed. Next, in step 30, it is determined whether or not the image information belonging to the displayed page and the image display size information and display position information accompanying the image information are to be changed. If a change is to be made, the process proceeds to step 31. If no change is made, the process proceeds to step 32. Step 3
In step 1, the user selects image information change processing such as changing the display dimensions and display position of image information belonging to the displayed page, deleting image information, deleting new image information, and additionally registering new image information. After the processing result is registered, the process returns to step 30. By realizing such image information and a function of changing the image display size information and display position information accompanying the image information, the importance of the image information, the change of its contents, and the change in the mutual relation of the image information are changed. According to the image information, display size information,
The display position information can be changed and re-registered. In step 32, it is determined whether or not to display another page belonging to the album. When displaying another page, the process returns to step. If another page is not to be displayed, the process ends.

As described above, in the image database system according to the present embodiment, a plurality of pieces of image information
It is registered as one album in association with one set of search index and keyword value, and this album is composed of one or a plurality of pages.
One or a plurality of image information is registered by expressing the importance of the image information, the difference in the content items, and the relationship between the image information by the display size and display position of the image information, and registered.
At the time of search and display, image information registered in the searched album is displayed in page units. Therefore, in the image database system of the present invention, not only the content of the displayed image information but also information related to other image information displayed on the same page can be obtained or registered at the same time.

In this embodiment, a multi-window system is used for displaying image information. That is, one window is assigned to one image information, the image information is displayed on the window, and the display size of the window is made to match the display position based on the display position information included in the image information, and the window of the window is displayed. By matching the display size with the display size based on the display size information included in the image information, in the image display based on the steps 7, 30, and 31, the display position information and the display size included in the image information are provided for each image information. The image information is displayed on the display screen according to the information.

The display size information includes, for example, the vertical / horizontal ratio of the display size of the image information and the vertical and horizontal ratios of the image information based on the original image information (hereinafter referred to as original image information). By matching the enlargement or reduction ratio of the horizontal dimension, the vertical / horizontal enlargement or reduction ratio of the image information with respect to the original image information can be clearly displayed.

The display position information and the display size information of the image information IM1 to IM4 include the display position and the display size of the window for displaying each image information and the display position of the window having the multi-window method. The display size can be changed by using the window moving and window enlarging or reducing functions of the multi-window system. That is, by moving the window displaying the image information using the window moving function of the multi-window system, the display position of the window can be changed accordingly.

Similarly, when the window on which the image information is displayed is enlarged or reduced, the display size information of the image information displayed on the window is changed so as to match the display size of the window. Needless to say.

Further, the image information having the changed display position information and display size information is again registered, saved, searched,
It is also configured so that display and the like can be performed.

As can be seen from the above description, according to the present embodiment, an album composed of one or a plurality of pages is defined, and the indexes, keywords, and their values necessary for searching this album are set. One or more pieces of image information and display size information and display position information of this image information on the page are registered in a page constituting the album in association with each other. When searching, displaying, and changing the album, The image display screen is displayed on the image display screen in units of pages constituting the searched album, and the display position and the display size of the image information are changed by changing the display size information and the display position information of the image information belonging to the displayed page. Can be changed.

Also, because of having such a configuration and function, the image information is converted into the image information on the page based on the importance of the image information, the difference of the content items, and the mutual relation of the image information. Since the display size and display position can be set and changed, and can be displayed in page units, a plurality of mutually related image information can be displayed at the same time.

The mutual relation between the image information can be expressed by the display size and the display position of the image information.
Further, one album is composed of one or a plurality of pages composed of a plurality of mutually related image information, a search index and a keyword are assigned to the album, and the image information is retrieved in units of the album. Therefore, the number of indexes and keywords required to register a large number of mutually related image information in the database is smaller than that of the conventional image database system. This makes it easy to set a logical expression that specifies the range of values to be searched for keywords.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention. Absent.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the display position and display size of image information can be changed.

Further, the image information is represented by the importance of the image information,
The display size and display position of the image information in the page can be set and changed based on the difference between the content items and the mutual relation of the image information.

Further, it is possible to simultaneously display a plurality of pieces of image information that are related to each other, and to express the relationship between the pieces of image information by the display size and display position of the image information.

Further, the number of indexes and keywords required for registering a large number of mutually related image information in the database can be reduced as compared with the conventional image database system, and at the time of searching. It is possible to easily set a logical expression that specifies a range of values to be searched for an index or keyword.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for registering image information in an image database according to an embodiment of the image database system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for searching, displaying, and changing image information in an embodiment of the image database system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing one page belonging to a searched album in an image database system according to an embodiment of the present invention on a display screen of an image display device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of pages belonging to a searched album in an image database system according to an embodiment of the present invention on a display screen of an image display device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for registering image information in a conventional image database system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for searching and displaying image information in a conventional image database system.

[Explanation of symbols]

D1: display screen of the image display device; P1: one selected page belonging to the searched album; IM1 to IM5
... image information belonging to the page, IX1, IX2, IX3 ...
Search index, KW1, KW2, KW3 ... search keywords, P11, P12, P13 ... pages belonging to the searched album, IM11, IM12 ... page P1
1, image information belonging to page P12, IM31 ... image information belonging to page P13,
IX11 to IX13 ... search index, KW11 to
KW13: Search keyword.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image database system having functions of registering, storing, retrieving, and displaying image information, defining an album that can be uniquely specified, wherein the album is composed of one or a plurality of pages. 1
Means for registering and storing one or a plurality of pieces of image information and information of display dimensions and display positions of the image information in the page, and an image registered in a page constituting an album searched by the designation An image database system comprising: means for displaying information on an image display screen in accordance with information on a display size and a display position in the page associated with the image information. 2. The image database system according to claim 1, wherein means for displaying each page constituting the album by searching and displaying the album, deleting image information registered on the page, and adding a new image Means for adding and changing the display size information and / or display position information of the registered image information within the page, and deleting and adding the image information, and displaying and / or displaying the image information An image database system comprising means for registering a change of the image.