JP3450498B2 - Image editing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drawing software for handling an image and an image editing method and apparatus in a database system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, database software that operates on a personal computer, called catalog software, has appeared. Catalog software is a database that handles graphics, documents, images, etc. as the center of data, and each data has a reduced image of that data (hereinafter referred to as thumbnail image), and the desired data can be viewed by looking at these. Browsing is the basic operation.

In order to assist the search by this browsing, what is generally called a free keyword is added. Free keywords are keywords that have no fields. As a keyword having a field, a field is set and the keyword is input there, as in a relational type or card type database. With the above catalog software, it is possible to search using free keywords, and the desired data is picked up by combining this search result with the previous browsing.

Of the catalog software, the one that attaches particular importance to images is sometimes referred to as album software. This album software stores images mainly in the database as if they were named in consideration of photo albums (paper). Basically, this is done with browsing and auxiliary free keywords. Pick up the image you want to see.

In the case of a paper album, the user can not only clip the photo, but also annotate the photo or see only any part of the photo as shown in FIG.
Paper that is hidden afterwards (hereafter called the frame)
Or put it on top and save it. This is commonly done when you want to leave a photo that you want to particularly emphasize or leave an impression on.

When performing the method shown in FIG. 2 with the album software, the image is cut out and saved in an arbitrary frame made by the user, but the operation accompanying this is very complicated. . FIG. 3 shows this series of operation procedures as a flowchart. First, in step S1, application software for drawing graphics (hereinafter referred to as drawing software) is activated to create a frame. An example of frame creation is shown at 401 in FIG. In step S2, the image can be read in the drawing software and is overlaid on the previous frame while adjusting the size. An example of this is shown at 402 in FIG. Then step S3
Then, the application software (hereinafter referred to as photo retouching software) for processing and editing the image is started. Then, via the clipboard, the previously superimposed frame and image are loaded into the photo retouching software. With the drawing software, the frame and the image could be handled separately, but when they were imported into the photo retouching software, they became a single image. Next, in step S4, the portion protruding from the frame portion is erased on the photo retouch. An example is shown in 403 of FIG. 4, and the work is performed using the area designation tool and the eraser tool of the photo retouching software. The corrected image thus created is shown in FIG.
404 example. In step S5, a new image is saved in a file, and finally in step S6 this is loaded into the album software.

On the other hand, conventionally, in a computer file management system, database system, etc., a method of hierarchically managing data is often used as a method of managing a large number of data. Especially in file systems, most operating systems (hereinafter abbreviated as OS)
Manages the entire file system by dividing it into multiple hierarchical directories. In recent OSs, a hierarchical structure such as a file system is displayed on a screen by a graphical user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as GUI), and data such as a file is accessed by instructing desired data with a pointing device such as a mouse. A browser system is usually adopted.

Conventionally, in a browser system for displaying such a hierarchical structure to the user, the hierarchical structure is constructed by a tree structure as shown in FIG. 18 or a hierarchical list box structure as shown in FIGS. 19 (a) and 19 (b). I was expressing. Figure 1
Reference numeral 8 is an example in which a hierarchical file system is represented by a tree structure. A directory hierarchy is represented by a folder icon, a file is represented by a document icon, and their hierarchical relationship is represented by a tree structure. In the figure, 101 represents a rule with a document icon, and their hierarchical relationship is represented with a tree structure. In the figure, 101 is a root directory,
The file R-1 (10
There is 2). Under the root directory are a directory A (103), a directory B (105), and a directory C (108). A file A-1 (104) is under the directory A, and a file B-1 (106) and a file B-2 (107) are under the directory C.
There is. Under the directory C, the file C-1 (1
09) and a directory D (110), and a file D-1 (111) and a file D are under the directory D.
-2 (112) and directory E (113).
Below the directory E is a file E-1 (114). In this way, the files of all layers are displayed in a tree structure, so that the target file can be selected.

FIG. 19 is an example in which the same hierarchical file system as in FIG. 18 is represented by a hierarchical list box. FIG. 19A shows a state in which the files and directories under the directory C are to be accessed. FIG. 19 (a)
In the figure, 115 is a list box for displaying files and directories in the first hierarchy. 117 is
A scroll bar is used when there are more files or directories than the number of items that can be displayed in the list box 115, 118 is an upward scroll button, and 119 is a downward scroll button. Reference numeral 116 indicates the directory C. Click the directory C (116) with a pointing device to display the directory C (116).
Is highlighted and the directory C (11
The file C-1 and the directory D under 6) are
It is displayed in the list box 120 showing the files and directories in the second layer. FIG. 19B shows a state in which the directory D (121) is further selected from the list box 120 with the pointing device and clicked. In the figure, directory D (121)
When is clicked, the directory E, the file D-1, and the file D-2 under the directory D (121) are displayed in the list box 122 showing the files and directories in the third hierarchy. In this way, it is possible to reach the target file by selecting the deeper layers one by one.

[0010]

However, the conventional procedure for cutting out an image and importing it into the album software is that the operation must be performed while activating a number of software, and the operation is very complicated and at the same time. There is a workload. Moreover, in order to perform the above operation, the user's skill level for the operation is required.

Another problem is that the frame and the image are combined into one image. If it is desired to change the shape of the frame or the portion of the image to be shown later, the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 must be performed from the beginning. Also, since it is common to save the original uncorrected image as it is, two types of images, that is, the original image and the image cut out by combining with the frame are eventually saved as separate images. I will end up.

For the above reasons, there is a need for a simpler method of making a frame to create a cropped image, and a flexible method that can be easily modified later. Further, when the conventional hierarchical file system is represented by a tree structure as shown in FIG. 18, it is easy to understand what kind of hierarchical structure the file system has, while it is easy to find a target file, but the number of files and directories is small. If there are too many icons of all files and directories cannot be displayed on the screen, it becomes difficult to find the desired directory or file. In addition, the display becomes horizontally long in the deep part, and becomes vertical when there are many files and directories in the same layer, so it is not always possible to effectively use the full screen, and it becomes necessary to scroll the screen more and more. There is a drawback that ends up.

On the other hand, in a browser system using a list box as shown in FIG. 19, hierarchical browsing is possible even on a narrow screen, but the directory and files below it are not displayed until a certain directory is selected. It was difficult to understand what the hierarchical structure of was, and it was difficult to find the target file.

It is important that a frequently used file can be easily found or taken out from a large number of files. In the case of FIG. 18, when a frequently used file has a deep hierarchy or in the same hierarchy. When there are many files or directories, it is hard to find them. Similarly in the case of FIG. 19, it is difficult to take out frequently used files.

The above contents are the same in a database browser system in which data is hierarchically classified into categories.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and makes it easy to understand what the overall hierarchical structure is,
Further, the present invention provides an image editing method and a device therefor in which a target file can be easily searched, and an image editing method and a device therefor in which a frequently used file can be easily found and taken out even from a large number of files.

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[Means for Solving the Problems ]
Therefore, the image editing method of the present invention is an image editing method in a hierarchical data management system that hierarchically manages a plurality of data, and an icon display size that specifies the size of an icon to be displayed as a data attribute. And a data icon display position for designating the display position of the icon are registered, and the icon display size and the data icon display position are set in a hierarchical order, whereby the data icon group indicating the identification information of the data is arranged in a hierarchical order. Data icons of different sizes and belonging to the same layer are displayed so as to be distinguishable from data icons of other layers.

Here, the data icons belonging to the same layer are displayed so as to be distinguishable from the data icons of other layers, and the layer to which the data having a relatively high access frequency belongs is also displayed relatively large. In addition, when the data icon displayed in a relatively large size is not accessed for a certain period of time, the data icon is reduced according to a period of no access or the number of times other data is accessed. Further, a desired layer or data icon is designated, and the layer or data icon is zoomed up, panned or zoomed out. In addition, the data icon in the higher hierarchy than the gaze hierarchy is displayed with blurring processing. Further, the blurring process is performed by enlarging the original data having the number of pixels smaller than the number of display pixels. Further, the higher the level of the data icon, the more the blurring process is added and the data icon is displayed. Further, the attribute of the data further includes date and time information selected from date and time information when the data was created, date and time information when the data was accessed, and date and time information specified in the data, and the icon display size By setting the data icon display position and the data icon display position in the order of date and time, the data icon group indicating the identification information of the data is displayed in a different size in the date and time so that the data icons belonging to the same date and time can be distinguished from the data icons of other date and time. . Further, by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position, the data icons belonging to the same date and time are zoomed in and out. Further, it is possible to select the hierarchical display or the display according to date order. In addition, the position currently displayed on the screen in the entire hierarchy is displayed in a separate window by dividing it into upper, lower, left, and right planes and the depth direction, and the desired position is specified in the separate window. By doing so, the desired hierarchy is displayed at the desired enlargement ratio.

[0023]

[0024]

[0025]

The image editing apparatus of the present invention is an image editing apparatus in a hierarchical data management system that hierarchically manages a plurality of data, and an icon that specifies the size of an icon to be displayed as a data attribute. Data indicating the identification information of the data by setting the attribute registration means for registering the display size and the data icon display position specifying the icon display position and the icon display size and the data icon display position in the hierarchical order. Data icons belonging to the same layer having different sizes in hierarchical order are provided with first display means for distinguishably displaying the data icons of other layers.

Here, there is further provided a first display changing means for zooming up, panning and zooming out the hierarchy or the data icon by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position. Further, as the attribute of the data, a second display changing means for further registering an access number for storing the number of times of accessing the data and for displaying a data icon having a relatively large number of accesses relatively large Prepare

Further, the image editing apparatus of the present invention displays a data icon group indicating the identification information of the data in different sizes in the hierarchical order in the image editing apparatus in the hierarchical data management system for hierarchically managing a plurality of data. Display means, access means for designating a desired data icon to access the data, and second display changing means for relatively large display of the data icon having a relatively high access frequency. Is characterized by.

Here, the display means displays the data icons belonging to the same layer so as to be distinguishable from the data icons of other layers, and the second display changing means displays the data having a relatively high access frequency. The hierarchy to which is also displayed is relatively large. Further, the second display changing means, when the data icon displayed in a relatively large size is not accessed for a certain period of time, according to a period of not being accessed or the number of times other data is accessed,
to shrink. Further, it further comprises first display changing means for designating a desired layer or data icon and zooming up, panning or zooming out the layer or data icon. Further, the first display changing means includes a blurring means for displaying a data icon in a higher hierarchy than the gaze hierarchy by performing a blurring process. Further, the blurring unit performs the blurring process by enlarging the original data having the number of pixels smaller than the number of display pixels. Further, the blurring means displays the data icon located in the higher hierarchy with the blurring processing being strongly added. Further, the attribute registration means further includes, as the attribute of the data, date and time information selected from date and time information when the data was created, date and time information when the data was accessed, and date and time information specified in the data. By further registering and setting the icon display size and the data icon display position in the order of date and time, the data icon group showing the identification information of the data is different in the order of date and time, and the data icons belonging to the same date and time are different in date and time. The display device further includes a second display unit for displaying the data icon in a distinguishable manner.
Further, a third display changing means for zooming up and zooming out the data icons belonging to the same date and time is further provided by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position. Further, it further comprises a switching means for switching between the first display means and the second display means. Further, the first and second display means display the position currently displayed on the screen in all the layers in another window by dividing the position into upper, lower, left and right planes and a depth direction,
A display instructing unit is provided for displaying a desired layer at a desired enlargement ratio by designating a desired position in the separate window.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 shows an example of a display screen of the album software according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, an image is attached to each page of an object such as a paper album, and a memo is added together with the image. With this album software, the basic operation as a search is to turn each page and browse. Although not shown, a free keyword can be added to the image, and a page containing the corresponding image can be automatically turned by a search using the free keyword. In this,
Reference numeral 1120 is a diagram showing an image cutout state in the present embodiment. In this example, the rectangular frame is a frame, and only the image in it is displayed. This frame is shown in Figure 5.
It is registered in the palette window shown in, and an image can be cut out by selecting an arbitrary frame from this.

<Structural Example of Image Management System> FIG. 15 shows a structural example of a personal computer system which is a platform on which this embodiment is realized. Figure 15
In the figure, 301 is a computer system main body, 302
Is a display for displaying data, 303 is a mouse which is a typical pointing device, 304 is a mouse button, and 305 is a keyboard.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the structure of a hierarchical data management system including software and hardware. Figure 1
6, 509 is hardware, 505 is an operating system (OS) operating on the hardware 509, and 504 is application software operating on the OS 505. Of the blocks that make up the hardware 509 and the OS 505,
Blocks that are naturally included as constituent elements but are not directly necessary for explaining the present embodiment are not shown.
Examples of such unillustrated blocks include a CPU and a memory as hardware, and a memory management system as an OS.

In FIG. 16, reference numeral 515 is a hard disk for physically storing files and data, and 508 is a file system constituting the OS, which enables application software to input and output files without being aware of hardware. There is a function. Reference numeral 514 is a disk IO interface for the file system 508 to read and write the hard disk 515. Reference numeral 507 is a drawing management system that constitutes an OS, and has a function that allows application software to perform drawing without being aware of hardware.

Reference numeral 513 is a video interface for the drawing management system 507 to draw on the display 302. Reference numeral 506 denotes an input device management system that constitutes an OS, and has a function that allows application software to receive user input without being aware of hardware. Reference numeral 510 is a keyboard interface for the input device management system 506 to receive input from the keyboard 305, and 512 is a mouse interface for allowing the input device management system 506 to receive input from the mouse 303. Reference numeral 502 is a frame management means for registering and managing frame data in the palette. 503 is
It is a display unit that displays the cutout image by superimposing the previous frame data on the image.

<Example of Data Structure> (Frame Data) 34 of FIG. 8 shows frame data. Frame data is not bitmap data,
It is a set of functions that describe straight lines and curves. These are O
A standard one is set by S. For example, it is called a metafile in Windows of Microsoft Corporation. The drawing function of the album software in this embodiment can create this metafile, and the drawing software can also create a metafile if it operates on the same OS. Since this metafile is represented by a drawing function, the resizing can be freely performed without reducing the quality when resizing like the bitmap data.

Reference numeral 35 shows frame attribute data. This corresponds to each frame 34 on a one-to-one basis. The frame number 36 of the frame attribute data 35 is a number assigned when the frame attribute data 35 is registered in the palette, and uniquely indicates the frame data 34 in the album software of this embodiment. Transparent area 3 of frame attribute data 35
The area outside 7 is hidden, in other words, the area where the superimposed images are hidden. This is set by the user when registering frame data in the palette.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the procedure for setting the transparent area 35 of the frame attribute data 35. Step S5
0 is a loop waiting for an event request for the program. When an event occurs, the process proceeds to step S51. In step S51, it is determined whether or not the frame is registered in the palette. If the frame is registered in the palette, the process proceeds to step S60. If not, step S59
Then, the process for another event is performed, and the process returns to step S50. The event of registering the frame in the palette occurs when the user presses the mouse button on the frame data, moves it to the palette window as it is, and releases the mouse button at an arbitrary position in the palette window. After that, drag and drop (Drag & Drop
Drop).

In step S60, the frame attribute data 35 of FIG. 8 corresponding to the frame is acquired. This frame attribute data 35 corresponds to the frame data when the content is empty when it is created in this album software or when the graphics created by other drawing software is loaded as a frame into this album software. Created. In step S52, it is checked whether the transparent area 37 in the frame attribute data 35 has not been set. If not set, the process proceeds to step S55. If the setting has been completed, the process proceeds to step S53, an inquiry box (dialog box) is displayed to the user to ask whether or not the designation of the transparent area 37 is changed, and then step S5.
Wait for the response at 4. When changing, it progresses to step S55. If it is not changed, the transparent area setting process is skipped, and the process proceeds to the palette registration process described later in step S58. In step S55, the dialog box shown in FIG. 10 is displayed to prompt the user to specify a point within the transparent area. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 68 is a frame display area for displaying the currently registered frame. A cursor 65 is displayed in the central portion. The user can move the cursor 65 to an arbitrary position with the mouse or the arrow keys. Then, when the OK button 66 is pressed, the setting ends as being valid. When the Cancel button 67 is pressed, the setting becomes invalid.

Returning to the description of FIG. 9, in step S61,
Check if the OK button or the Cancel button was pressed. In the case of the Cancel button, the process is terminated because it is invalid, and the process returns to step S50. If it is the OK button, the process proceeds to step S56. In step S56, the smallest figure including the position is extracted from the frame data and the position designated by the user. At the cursor position in Fig. 10,
The transparent area is the innermost ellipse 69 including this cursor. Next, in step S57, this minimum figure is set in the transparent area 37. This completes the setting of the transparent area 37. Incidentally, step S58 shows the processing of registering the frame in the pallet shown below.

(Palette Attribute Data) Next, a frame registration process in the pallet attribute data 39 shown in FIG. 8 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure. Steps S71 to S78 correspond to step S58 in FIG. Note that step S70 represents the above-described transparent region setting process.

When the setting of the transparent area 37 is completed in step S70, the content of the frame number 36 in the frame attribute data 35 shown in FIG. 8 is taken out in the next step S71. In step S72, it is checked whether this frame number has not been set yet. If it is not set, it means that it is a new registration, and therefore the process proceeds to step S74. If it is set, it is already registered, so
In step S73, the user is informed that the registration has already been made, and the process ends.

In step S74, since the registration is new, a frame list 40 of the palette attribute data 39 is first newly created. After the new creation, a unique number is set in the frame number 41 in step S75. The unique number is a number that does not overlap with a frame number used in another already existing frame list. In step S76, the same number as the frame number 41 is set in the frame number 36 of the frame attribute data 35. In step S77, the position where the frame is dragged and dropped and the display size are acquired, and in step S78 the position and size are set to the frame position 42 and the frame size 43, respectively. This is the end of the registration process to the palette.

(Image Data) FIG. 13 is a flowchart for registering frame data as the image attribute data 30 shown in FIG. In step S80, the process waits for an event. In step S81, the content of the event is determined. If the event is a dragged and dropped frame, step S80
Proceed to 82. In step S82, it is checked whether or not the position where the frame from the palette window is dropped is on the image, and if not, the process ends.

If it is on the image, the image data is acquired in step S83, and the frame data is acquired in step S84. Next, in step S85, the image attribute data 30 corresponding to the image data shown in FIG. 8 is newly created. Then, in step S86, the frame number 36 in the frame attribute data 35 is copied to the frame number 31 in the image attribute data 30. In this way, the image data and the frame data can be associated with each other by the frame number.

Next, in step S87, the position information and size information of the current frame are stored in the frame position 32 and the frame size 33, respectively. In step S88, it is determined whether the event is a resize event. If the event is a frame resize event, the process proceeds to step S89, the image attribute data 30 is obtained from the image data, and then the process proceeds to step S87 to determine the current position. Stores size and. If not, another event process is performed in step S90, and the process ends.

<Example of Processing Procedure of the Present Embodiment> (Cutout of Image) Next, a method for cutting out an image by selecting an arbitrary frame from the palette and superimposing it on the image for the image. I will explain. First, an example of an operation procedure for the screen example of FIG. 12 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the user
By selecting an arbitrary frame from the palette window and dragging and dropping the frame onto the album page, the selected frame is placed on the image with the frame size on the palette window. Then, as shown in FIG. 12B, the image in the transparent area is visible, but the portion outside the transparent area is hidden and invisible.

The user's operation is to resize this frame to a desired size. First, the user presses the mouse button on the frame and drags it (moves the mouse while holding down the mouse button) so that the center of the transparent area of the frame comes to the center of the part to be displayed in the image. Move to. As shown in FIG. 12B, a black square is displayed at the edge of the frame at the time of selection, as in general drawing software. Then, resize by dragging this black square with the mouse. At this time, the entire size of the resize is large or small with the center of the transmissive region of the frame being fixed and the aspect ratio being fixed (equal aspect ratio). In the resizing of drawing software or the like, the default mode is that the black square dragged by the user is variable and the square located at the opposite pole is resized in a fixed state. For example, if the lower right corner of the square is dragged with the mouse, resizing is performed with the upper left corner fixed (not moved). The reason why this method is not adopted in the present embodiment is that the resizing with the center fixed is more suitable as the operation for the operation of storing the image in the transparent area. The operation is performed in this manner, and the completed result is in the state shown at 1120 in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart for displaying the cutout state of the image for the registered and managed image data and frame data. In step S100, when an event is waited for and a display update event occurs, the process proceeds from step S101 to step S102 for all the images to be displayed, that is, until the end of displaying the images.
The following processing is performed.

First, in step S103, it is checked whether or not there is image attribute data corresponding to the image to be displayed. The image attribute data exists when the frame is overlaid, and the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the frame attribute data 35 having the same frame number 36 is acquired from the frame number 31 in the image attribute data. Next, step S105.
In step S106, the transparent area 37 is acquired, and the area in which the image is displayed (displayed) is extracted from the frame size 33 and the transparent area 37 in step S106. Then, in step S107, an area to be seen ahead of the image data is drawn. Next, in step S110, the frame size 33 is set at the frame position 32.
Then, draw the frame data. The display of the cutout state of the image is completed by the above processing procedure.

If there is no image attribute data in step S103, a normal image may be displayed. Therefore, in step S108, all the image data is displayed and the process is completed.
If the display is not updated in step S101, the process proceeds to step S109, another event process is performed, and the process ends. (Overall Operating Procedure) FIG. 6 shows the overall operating procedure of this embodiment.

In step S10, it is checked whether or not the frame already registered in the palette is used. If the frame already registered is used, the process proceeds to step S11 to select the frame and the image to be processed. . Next, in step S12, specify the position and size of the frame,
This completes the procedure. As described above, by preparing the palette in which the frames are registered, the processing can be easily performed.

To newly create a frame, the process proceeds to step S13. Since the album software in this embodiment has a simple drawing function, when a frame having a simple shape is created, it is desired to create a more complicated shape by using the function of the album software in step S14. In this case, it is created by drawing software in step S17. Next, in step S15, a transparent portion (inner side) and a hidden portion (outer side) of the created frame are designated. Depending on the shape of the frame, the outside and the inside may not be clearly distinguished, so the creator explicitly specifies this. After registration in the palette in step S16, the process proceeds to steps S11 and S12 described above.

(Comparison of Clipped Image with Conventional Example) FIG. 7
The difference between the structure of the clipped image of the conventional example and the structure of the clipped image of this embodiment is shown in FIG. In the conventional example, since the frame and the image are edited as a new single image by the photo retouching software, an integrated image such as 421 in FIG. 7A is obtained. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Like 422 in (b), the original image remains the same and the frame is superposed from above. Therefore, since the original image is stored as it is, the frame can be easily changed and the flexibility is high.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 37 is a diagram showing the configuration of a data management system including software and hardware according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 37, the hardware section 50
9 and the OS 505 are the same as those in FIG. 16, so the description thereof will be omitted.
The application software unit 504 of FIG. 37 is as follows. In FIG. 37, 1501 is a hierarchical data browser, and 1502 is a hierarchical management unit for hierarchically managing data. Reference numeral 1503 denotes a hierarchy display unit for displaying hierarchically managed data so that the hierarchical structure can be grasped.

<Example of Data Structure> (Hierarchical Attribute Data) FIG. 38 is the same as FIG. 37 in this embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining layer attribute data managed by a layer management unit 1502 of FIG. In FIG. 38, 601 is hierarchy attribute data, and 602 is a hierarchy identifier for uniquely identifying a hierarchy. A layer depth identifier 603 indicates the layer depth. In the example of FIG. 18, it can be defined that the root directory has a layer depth of 0, the directories A, B, and C have a layer depth of 1, and the directory D has a layer depth of 2. Reference numeral 604 is a hierarchical name. In the example of FIG. 18, A,
B, C, D and E are examples of hierarchical names. 605 is the number of belonging data, and in the case of the hierarchical file browser, the number of belonging data is the number of files belonging to the directory. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 18, the number of belonging data items of the directory-A is 1 and the number of belonging data items of the directory-B is 2.
Becomes

Reference numeral 606 indicates the number of layers that belong directly below that layer, and in the example of FIG. 18, the root directory has three child layers. 607 is a hierarchy display area,
As will be described later, the allocated area is set in the hierarchy display area 607 by the hierarchy management unit 502 according to the ratio of the number of belonging data including the number of data included in all child hierarchies. A data icon display area 620 is determined by the ratio of the number of data immediately below that layer to the total number of data under all child layers, as will be described later. A belonging data list 608 lists attribute data 609 of data directly belonging to the layer, that is, in the case of a file browser, attribute data of files directly belonging to the directory is listed. Reference numeral 610 is a child hierarchy list, and the hierarchy attribute data 601 of the child hierarchy to which the child directly belongs is listed in the hierarchy.

(Data Attribute Data) FIG. 39 is a diagram showing the structure of the data attribute data 609 of FIG. Figure 3
In FIG. 9, 611 is a data identifier for uniquely identifying the data. Reference numeral 612 denotes a data name. In the example of FIG. 18, file names such as A-1 and B-1 correspond to the data name. A data capacity 613 indicates the capacity occupied by the data in the file system. A data type 614 indicates an image format or the like in the case of image data. Reference numeral 615 denotes an icon display size, and as will be described later, according to the number of data included in the layer, FIG.
It is set by the hierarchy management unit 502. Reference numeral 616 is a data icon display position.

<Example of Display Operation of Hierarchical Data> FIG. 17 is shown in FIG.
7 shows a display example of the hierarchical data displayed by the hierarchical display unit 503 based on the data managed by the hierarchical management unit 502 of No. 7. The data to be displayed is data of the same hierarchical file system as the file browser of FIG. In FIG. 17, 1 is a hierarchy display area of the root directory, which is determined by the hierarchy display area 607 of FIG. Reference numeral 2 denotes a hierarchy name display area, which is determined by the hierarchy name 604 in FIG. 3 is a data icon of the file R-1,
The size of the display is the icon display size 615 in FIG.
Determined by Reference numeral 4 is a display area of the directory A which is a child hierarchy of the root directory, and 5 is the directory A
Layer name display area, 6 is a data icon of file A-1, 7 is a layer display area of directory B which is a child layer of the root directory, 8 is a layer name display area of directory B, and 9 is data of file B-1 Icons, 10 is a data icon of the file B-2, 11 is a hierarchy display area of the directory C which is a child hierarchy of the root directory, 1
2 is a hierarchy name display area of the directory C, 13 is a data icon of the file C-1, 14 is a hierarchy display area of the directory D which is a child hierarchy of the directory C, 15 is a hierarchy name display area of the directory D, 16 is a file D -1 is a data icon. Reference numeral 17 is a hierarchy display area of directory E, which is a child hierarchy of directory C, 18 is a hierarchy name display area of directory E, 19 is a data icon of file E-1, 20 is a data icon of file E-2, 2
Reference numeral 1 is a navigation cursor for designating a target hierarchy and data.

(Setting of Hierarchical Display Area and Size of Data Icon) FIG. 25 shows a flow chart when the hierarchical display unit 503 sets the hierarchical display area of each hierarchy and the size of the data icon. In FIG. 25, the maximum layer depth N is set in step S201. For example, in the example of FIG. 17, N = 2. Next, in step S203, the hierarchical depth n for setting the display area is initialized to "0", and in step S4, "1" is added to n. In step S5, if n is larger than the maximum number N of layers, the process ends. If not, the process proceeds to step S206. In step S206, n is set as the display area setting target layer depth.

In the next step S207, it is checked whether or not there is a hierarchy in which the area for displaying the data icon and the area for displaying the child hierarchy are not set in the hierarchy depth n.
If not, the process returns to step S204, and if there is, step S2
In step 08, the hierarchy is set as the display area setting target hierarchy. In step S209, the hierarchical display area of the display area setting target hierarchy is divided into a data icon display area and a child hierarchy display area according to the number of data immediately below the display area setting target hierarchy and the total number of data below the child hierarchy. FIG. 26 shows an example of the division result of the data icon display area and the child hierarchy display area in the root directory. In FIG. 26, 23 is a data icon display area and 24 is a child hierarchy display area.

FIG. 29 shows a flowchart for dividing the data icon display area and the child hierarchy display area. FIG. 29
In step S20, the minimum display area a _min of the data icon is set. That is, the size of the minimum data icon that can be visually recognized by the user as a data icon is determined in advance, and the minimum area for displaying all the data immediately below the hierarchy with the minimum data icon is set as a _min. I'll do it. Then step S2
1, the data icon display area a _prop is set according to the ratio of the number of data immediately below the layer to the number of layer data included under all child layers. Then comparing the a _prop and a _min in step S22, a _prop is the a _prop if more a _min, otherwise the a _min, is set in the data icon display area 620 in FIG. 38. Then step S2
In step 5, the data icon display size 615 and the data icon display position 616 are determined. When the data icon display area 620 of FIG. 38 is a _min , the data icon display size is a predetermined minimum size, and when the data icon display area is a _prop , the data icon display area 620 of FIG. It is the maximum size that can display all the data belonging to it.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. In step S210, the display area of each child layer of the display area setting target layer is set. At that time, the display area of each child hierarchy is distributed in proportion to the total number of data of each child hierarchy (the number of data including the data below the child hierarchy of each child hierarchy). However, as a result of the proportional calculation,
When the size of the display area of the child layer becomes equal to or smaller than the predetermined minimum size, the size of the display area of the child layer is set to the predetermined minimum size. Next, returning to step S207, the process loops until the display areas of all the layers in the display area setting target layer depth are set.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a state in which the display area and the display size of the data icon of the child layer of the root layer and the display size and position of the data icon are determined at the layer depth of 0. When the display areas of all the layers in the display area setting target layer depth are set, the layer depth is set to one deeper in step S204 of FIG. 25, and the process proceeds to step S205. When the set hierarchical depth exceeds the maximum hierarchical depth, the setting of the hierarchical display area ends, and when the hierarchical depth does not exceed the maximum hierarchical depth, the process proceeds to step S206, and the work described above is repeated for all hierarchical depths. All hierarchy display area 60
7, the data icon display area 620, the icon display size 615 and the data icon display position 616 of FIG. 39 are determined.

<Zoom-up / Zoom-out of display> In the present embodiment, when paying attention to the details of a desired layer in the layered data, for example, the mouse 30 shown in FIG.
The display is zoomed up according to the time when the left button of 3 is pressed. If you want to focus on a layer with a shallower depth in the hierarchical structure, or if you want to see the whole more, for example, by zooming out the display according to the time when the right button of the mouse 303 is pressed, the viewpoint with a shallower layer is displayed. You can see a wide range of data from.

(Zoom up) FIG. 20 shows the directory C
It is an example of a zoom-up display of. As shown in (a) of FIG. 20, by moving the navigation cursor 21 to the center portion to be enlarged and holding down the left button of the mouse 303, the entire screen is displayed in the directory C as shown in (b) of FIG. The display is zoomed up centering on the hierarchy. This enlargement ratio is the event 1 that the mouse is pressed.
Since the zoom-up rate per time is predetermined, the size of the display is determined by the number of times the mouse button is pressed. In other words, the display is magnified according to the time that the mouse is held down. Thereby, each data icon is also enlarged and displayed according to the zoom-up ratio, so that more detailed information of each data icon can be known. Further, FIG. 20 (c)
As shown in, the navigation cursor 21 is made to point to a portion in the hierarchical display area 17 of the directory E, and the left button of the mouse 303 is continuously pressed, so that the hierarchical display area 17 of the directory E is displayed on the entire screen. It will be zoomed up.

FIGS. 21A and 21B are examples of zoom-up display centering on the directory E. Figure 21
By further double-clicking the mouse button 304 in the state in which the data icon of the file E-2 is indicated, that is, by double-clicking the mouse button 304 in FIG. 21 (c) (generally referred to as double-clicking). The hierarchy display section displays the detailed contents of the file E-2.

FIG. 22 shows a display example of the detailed contents 22 of the file. (Panning) Next, FIG. 40 shows a case where another portion is viewed from the current display state at the same zoom-up rate (hereinafter, referred to as panning). When the navigation cursor 21 is brought to the edge of the display screen as shown in FIG. 40 (a), the cursor changes into an arrow shape. In the example of (a) of FIG. 40, since panning is performed in the upward direction, an up arrow 1001 is formed. While the button (either the right or left button) of the mouse 303 is kept pressed in this state, the display screen is panned in the designated direction at the same zoom-up ratio as shown in FIG. 40 (b).

(Zoom Out) Next, when it is desired to switch from the zoom-up display state of the lower hierarchy to the display viewed from the higher hierarchy, the display is zoomed out. FIG. 23 is a zoom-up display of the directory E. By pressing the right button of the mouse 303 in the display state of FIG. 23, the navigation cursor 21 changes to the front. By continuing to press the right button of the mouse 303, the display zooms out as shown in FIG. 20 (however, the navigation cursor 21 faces toward the front), and if the button is kept pressed, the display zooms out to the display of FIG.

(Detailed Information Display Instruction) If the data icon indicating the desired data can be found without zooming up, the detailed information display of the data can be directly indicated using the navigation cursor 21. FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a method of directly instructing display of detailed information of data. When it is desired to display the detailed information of the file E-2, the detailed information display shown in FIG. 22 can be obtained by directly pointing the data icon 20 of the file E-2 with the navigation cursor 21 and double-clicking as shown in FIG. You can

(Zoom-up / panning processing procedure)
FIG. 28 shows a flow chart at the time of zoom-up and panning display of the predetermined hierarchy described above. In the case of the zoom-out display, this is achieved by setting step S45 to "decrement the zoom-up rate", and therefore the description of zoom-out is omitted.

In FIG. 28, step S41 shows an event waiting loop, which is waiting for an instruction (event) from the user from the mouse or keyboard. If any event occurs, the process proceeds to step S42 to check whether or not the user double-clicks the data icon. If Yes, the process proceeds to step S43 to display detailed information of the data indicated by the data icon. If No, the process proceeds to step S44, and mouse button 3
It is checked whether the position where 04 is pressed is the edge of the screen, in other words, whether zooming or panning is performed. If No, zooming is performed, and the process proceeds to step S45.
If Yes, panning is performed, and the process proceeds to step S49.

When zooming, in step S45,
Zoom up rate Z _U is increased by a predetermined rate. Then, the process proceeds to step S46. Here, when a position deviated from the center of the screen is pressed during zoom-up, it is desired to perform a display in which the position gradually comes to the center as the position zooms up. Therefore, in step S46, a predetermined shift amount s is set according to the distance from the pressed position to the center position.
Find hiftX, shiftY. Next, in step S47, the hierarchy display area holding the hierarchy position and size information and the data icon display area are updated for all the hierarchies. This is set to a new position and size by expanding the size by Z _U from the center of the existing position and moving the whole by shiftX and shiftY. Next, also in step S48, the icon display size and the data icon display position, which are information indicating the position and the size, are calculated for each data. The calculation method is step S47.
Is the same as. Since the calculation necessary for updating the display is completed as described above, the display screen is updated in step S481.

When panning, in step S49,
The predetermined shift amounts shiftX and shiftY are set. In step S491, the hierarchy display area and the data icon display area are shifted by shiftX and shiftY for all the hierarchies. Next, also in step S492, similarly, the data icon display position is shifted by shiftX and shiftY. Since the calculation necessary for updating the display is completed as described above, the display screen is updated in step S481.

<Employee Database Display Example> FIG. 30 is an example of displaying the employee database using this embodiment. Employees are classified according to the organization of the company, and the face image of the employee is displayed as a data icon. Since the organization of a company forms a hierarchical structure, it can be represented by a nested hierarchical display like a hierarchical file system. In FIG. 30, 20
Reference numeral 4 is the highest level of the employee database, 205 is the level of the development department, and 206 is the data icon of the development manager. When the navigation manager 21 is instructed to the data icon of the development manager and double-clicked, detailed information 207 about the development manager is displayed as shown in FIG.

<Example of Change in Display Size> Next, depending on the frequency of use of the file (data). An example of a method of making the display size relatively larger than other files (data) will be described in detail. FIG. 42 is a diagram showing a display example of this embodiment. When the document E-1 is opened and used several times from the state of the display 1002 in FIG. 42 (a), the display of E-1 becomes large each time it is used, and the (access) result of the use is as follows: The display 1003 in FIG. 42B is obtained. In this way, E-1 is displayed in a large size, and the other files (data) are displayed in a relatively small size.

FIG. 41 shows the data attribute data in this embodiment. 41 shows the access count 6161 and the recording date 616 for the data attribute data in FIG.
2 and are added. The access count 6161 is incremented by 1 when the file (data) is double-clicked, that is, when the file (data) is opened. According to the count value of the number of times of access, the display size of data is determined by a method described later. Also, there are many files (data) that are frequently accessed at a certain time but are not used at all thereafter. Therefore, when the file is accessed, the recording date 6162 is rewritten to the date of the day. If this date has passed a predetermined period set by the user, it is assumed that it has not been used for a while, and the access count is decremented. Then, the recording date 6162 is rewritten to the date of that day.

By the above operation, the files (data) that are frequently used become larger and easier to find,
The unused data gradually becomes smaller and seems to have dropped to the rear. Also, the data that is frequently used for a certain period becomes smaller when it is not used from a certain time, and becomes the same as other data that is not used at all. Here, the ratio of increasing by one access and the predetermined period for returning to a small size when not accessed are set by default, but can be changed by the user according to his or her own usage situation.

43 and 44 are flowcharts showing the above processing procedure. (Enlargement by Access) FIG. 43 is a flowchart for processing the accessed file. In step S1001, the user waits for an event. If it is not a double click in step S1002, it is not an event to open a file (data), so
Other processing is performed in step S1008. In the case of double-clicking, it is checked in step S1003 whether the double-clicked position is on the display of the file, and if so, the designated file is acquired. If not, other processing is performed in step S1007. Next step S1
In 004, the data attribute data 609 shown in FIG. 38 corresponding to the designated file is acquired, and in step S1005, the access count 6161 therein is incremented by 1 to obtain the recording date 61.
Enter the current date in 62. And step S
At 1006, an operation to open the file is performed.

(Reduction by Non-Access) FIG. 44 is a flowchart for processing a file that has not been accessed for a predetermined period. Since all files are displayed when this program is started, the subsequent processing is performed only when this program is started. Step S101
At 0, wait for an event from the user. In the event that the screen is not displayed, the process proceeds to step S1018 and other event processing is performed. If it is an event that displays the screen,
If it is the end of the data in step S1012, it is ended, and if it is not the end, the process proceeds to step S1013. Step S10
In 13, the data attribute data of the display file is acquired,
In the next step S1014, the date of the recording date 6162 therein is acquired. Next, in step S1015, if the period obtained by subtracting the recording date from the date is not over the predetermined period, the process proceeds to step S1017. If it exceeds the predetermined period, the process proceeds to step S1016, the access count 6161 is set to -1, and the recording date 6162 is rewritten to the date. When the access count is decremented by -1 (decrement), if it is less than "0", it is clipped to "0". Next, in step S1017, display processing is performed. The above is performed for all the display files, and when the processing is completed, the process returns to the event waiting in step S1010.

(Hierarchical Display Area, Setting of Data Icon Size) FIG. 46 is a flow chart when the hierarchical display portion 503 shown in FIG. 37 in this embodiment sets the hierarchical display area of each hierarchy and the size of the data icon. And almost in FIG.
The same as 5. In step S201 of FIG. 46, the maximum hierarchical depth N is set. For example, in the example of FIG. 17, N = 2. Next, in step S3, the hierarchical depth for setting the display area is initialized to "0". Next, in step S6, n
Is set as the display area setting target layer depth. Next, it is checked whether or not there is a layer in which a region for displaying a data icon and a region for displaying a child layer are not set in the layer depth n, and if there is a layer, the layer is set as a display region setting target layer in step S8. Next, in step S9, the hierarchical display area of the display area setting target hierarchy is divided into a data icon display area and a child hierarchy display area according to the number of data immediately below the display area setting target hierarchy and the total number of data below the child hierarchy. To do.

At this time, the number of data is calculated in step S1.
009. The number of data is calculated as 1.0 for the data whose access count 6161 is “0”, and is calculated as (1.0 + n × enlargement ratio f) when the number of access is n, by adding the total number of data. To go. For example, when a certain data has the number of accesses = 2 and the enlargement ratio f is 0.2, it becomes (1.0 + 2 × 0.2 = 1.4) and is added together with other data. FIG. 26 shows an example of the division result of the data icon display area and the child hierarchy display area in the root directory. In FIG. 26, 23 is a data icon display area and 24 is a child hierarchy display area.

FIG. 45 shows a flowchart for dividing the data icon display area and the child hierarchy display area. FIG. 45 shows the processing corresponding to FIG. In FIG. 45, first, the number of data immediately below that layer and the total number of data included under all child layers are calculated. The calculation of the number of data is set to 1.0 for the data whose access count 6161 is 0, and (1.0 + n × enlargement ratio) when the access count is n.
Calculation is performed by adding the total number of data (step S102)
0-S1025).

In step S1023, for example, when a certain data has the number of accesses = 2 and the enlargement ratio f is 0.2, it becomes (1.0 + 2 × 0.2 = 1.4). Next, in step S1027, the data icon display area a _prop is set according to the ratio of the number of data immediately below that layer to the total number of data included under all child layers. Next, in step S1028, the data icon display size 61 of FIG.
5 and the data icon display position 616 are determined. The display size at this time is determined by the same method as in steps S1020 to S1025 of FIG. Here, the enlargement ratio f is
It is a numerical value set by default, and can be changed by the user according to the usage situation.

According to the method of FIGS. 45 and 46 described above, not only the frequently used data is displayed in large size, but also the hierarchical area including the data becomes relatively larger than other hierarchical areas. In FIG. 42, as E-1 is displayed larger, a hierarchical area E including it is displayed.
Further, the hierarchical area C is displayed relatively larger than the other hierarchical areas. This is because the user is dividing into hierarchical areas (creating categories) for a certain purpose, and the fact that the data in them is frequently accessed means that the categories that include them are also frequently used. Will be. Therefore, as the accessed data becomes larger and more conspicuous, it is natural and desirable that the category containing it also be larger.

(Example of Enlarged Display) This example is an example of performing enlarged display. In the following, for enlarged display,
In the case of displaying the data to which the cursor is placed or the data belonging to a layer higher than the layer area, a case where a small original image is prepared and is enlarged and blurred to generate the image will be described. Here, in order to generate a defocused image, it is sufficient to achieve the objective by averaging using an image smaller than the original image. Therefore, the three-dimensional sense of depth and the saving of the occupied capacity on the memory are achieved at the same time, and the effect is great.

FIG. 47 shows a display example of this embodiment in an image-based database system. FIG. 47
Indicates a process in which the user moves the cursor to the image 2001 to zoom up. At this time, image 2
Since 002 belongs to the layer region one level higher than the image 2001, this is displayed after being blurred. Accordingly, it is possible to realize an image with a sense of depth by regarding an image in a layer higher than the image on which the cursor is placed as an image located closer to the front. At the same time, it is sufficient for the image to be subjected to the blurring process to be performed on the data having a small image size, so that the memory capacity can be saved.

FIG. 48 shows a flowchart of the enlargement processing in this embodiment. If it is the event to be displayed in step S1031, the layer depth at the position of the cursor is acquired from the layer depth identifier 603 in step S1032. Next, the following processing is performed on each piece of data to be displayed. In step S1034, the layer depth identifier 603 of the layer to which the data belongs is acquired. Step S
At 1035, the layer depth identifiers are compared to determine which of the layer where the cursor is located and the layer to which the data belongs is above. If the data is higher, the original image data is replaced with a smaller size on the memory as the data located on the front side, and the resizing process (enlargement / reduction process) is performed. Filtering processing is performed in step S1038.

FIG. 49 shows a simple filter array. The center is a coefficient (1/2 /) to be applied to the pixel of interest, and a peripheral pixel is also multiplied by a predetermined coefficient (1/16) to be added, whereby a display image subjected to blurring processing is generated.
The filter array in FIG. 49 may be changed depending on the size of the display image. Further, if the blurring process is performed more strongly on the closer to the front when zooming up, a display with a more sense of depth can be realized. For example, since the filter array of FIG. 50 has a stronger blurring effect than that of FIG. 49,
It is used for the one located in the foremost position (for example, the highest layer), and the one in which the blurring effect is gradually weakened as the layer gets deeper from that is used.

In step S1035 of FIG. 48, if the data is at the same level as or deeper than the cursor position, a normal resizing process is performed. And step S1039
Then, the display processing is performed. By the above operation, it is possible to realize a display that the cursor is aligned with the position where the cursor is and the front is out of focus as if the user is looking through the zoom lens of the camera. Further, although the present embodiment has been described by taking an image-based database as an example, a file system can be realized because the same processing is performed on the file icon image.

<Example of Time Order Display> In this example, the time order display mode will be described. In this embodiment, the files are displayed in order of file creation date, recently accessed data, or the like. Also in this case, all the files (data) are displayed, and the newer (or older) is displayed larger in the foreground, and the older (newer) is displayed in the back smaller. As for this operation, the small display at the back can be enlarged by using the means for continuously enlarging the display as described above, and can be returned to the original by using the means for continuously reducing the display. To In addition, the time order display mode can be entered by the user by designating the hierarchy from the display status of the above hierarchy format, and when the time order display mode is ended, the display returns to the original hierarchy format display. You can

FIG. 51 is a diagram for explaining the chronological display in this embodiment. Reference numeral 1053 in FIG. 51A indicates a display in a hierarchical format. In this display state, when all the layers at the position of the cursor are displayed and a predetermined area is filled, a time-series display icon 1051 appears at the end of the layer. This icon indicates the entrance to the chronological display mode. When the user places the cursor on this icon and further performs a zoom-up operation, the mode is switched to the time-sequential display mode 1054 of FIG. 51 (b). If this switching is performed in order of (a) → (b) → (c) as shown in FIG. 52, the continuity of the operation is further achieved and it is effective.
On the time display screen, the data in the specified hierarchy is displayed in chronological order including the data of the child hierarchy. 51 (b)
The rectangles 1055 to 1058 shown in (1) are obtained by dividing time by means described later (hereinafter, referred to as time rectangle). At 1054, the data icon for the most recent time is displayed on the outermost side, and as the time gets older, it is displayed in the inner rectangle. At this time, in order to express the time order three-dimensionally with depth, the inner rectangle is set to a darker color and the display size of the data icon is also displayed smaller. On the contrary, if you want to see the old data in front and the new data in the back, set the outer rectangle to a darker color and use it to see whether the data is viewed from the new one or the old one. It is effective because it can be perceived by other people.

Also in this time-sequential display, by the same operation as in the hierarchical display, the old data can be zoomed in and displayed in a large size, and the zoomed out data can be viewed again. (Time Rectangle Attribute Data) FIG. 57 is a diagram illustrating time rectangle attribute data for managing each time rectangle in the present embodiment.

In the figure, 1081 is time rectangle attribute data, and 1082 is a time rectangle identifier for uniquely identifying the time rectangle. Reference numeral 1083 is a time rectangle depth identifier indicating the position of the time rectangle in the depth direction. 1084
Indicates the time range of the time rectangle. 1085 is the number of belonging data, which is the number of files corresponding to the time range. Reference numeral 1086 denotes a time rectangular display area,
Reference numeral 7 is a data icon display area. A belonging data list 1083 lists attribute data 609 of data included in the time rectangle, that is, in the case of a file browser, attribute data of files directly belonging to the directory is listed. Details of the data attribute data 609 in FIG. 57 are the same as in FIG. 39.

(Setting of Time Rectangle and Size of Data Icon) FIG. 53 shows a flowchart for setting the time rectangle and the size of the data icon belonging to each time rectangle. In FIG. 53, step S301 is
The latest date and time and the oldest date and time among the data to be displayed are acquired. If the user wants to display the files in order of creation date, the creation dates of the files are acquired via the OS for all the files to be displayed. Among them, the oldest and newest ones should be selected. When the user wants to display the files in the access order, the recording date 6162 in the data attribute data 609 of FIG. 57 is acquired for all the files to be displayed. Among them, the oldest and newest ones should be selected.

Next, in step S302, it is checked whether or not the user has set the time interval of the time rectangle. In the default state, the date and time from the oldest to the newest of the data to be displayed is a predetermined number N
(For example, N = 10) is divided and set (step S3).
03). Apart from this, in the present embodiment, the user can specify the time interval in units of one day, one year, or any desired interval. In this case, the predetermined number N is a number obtained by dividing the date and time from the oldest to newest data to be displayed by the time interval designated by the user (step S304).

Next, the following processing is performed from the first to the N-th time rectangle. In step S308, the size of the time rectangle currently being processed is set. The first time rectangle is the size of the display screen, and from then on, it is determined by the means for dividing the area described later. In step S309,
If there is a file icon or time rectangle n + 1 within the time rectangle n, the area within the time rectangle n is divided into a file icon display portion and a time rectangle n + 1 display portion in step S310. At this time, the division is performed by the ratio of the number of file data in the time rectangle n and the total number of file data in the time rectangle n + 1 and thereafter.

The area of the time rectangle n + 1 obtained as a result is set in step S308 in the next loop and further divided in step S310. The more detailed processing of step S310 will be described later with reference to FIG. In this way, as shown in FIG.
From (a) to (b), the time rectangular area and the file icon display area therein are set. in this way,
A file icon display area belonging to the time rectangle is set outside and a next time rectangle area is set inside according to the area ratio. And inside that is a file icon area,
It is divided into the next time rectangular area. 55 and FIG.
3 shows a more detailed flowchart of step S310.

(Division of Display Area) Step S3 of FIG.
At 20, the minimum display area a _min of the data icon in the currently focused time rectangle is set. First, the size of the data icon is predetermined as a default depending on the position of the time rectangle in the depth direction. The default size is set to be larger for the first (front) time rectangle and smaller for the last (back) time rectangle. The area for displaying all the data in the time rectangle by the default data icon is set as a _def . This is calculated by a _def = {(size of default data icon + margin) × (number of data in time rectangle)}. Next, in step S321, the data icon display area a is calculated according to the ratio of the number of data in the time rectangle to the total number of data included in all time rectangles from the next time.
Set _prop . Next, in step S322, a _prop
And compared with the a _def, the a _prop in step S323 if a _prop is a _def above, otherwise step S32
In step 4, a _def is set as the data icon display area 1061.

Next, in step S325, the data icon display size 615 and the data icon display position 616 shown in FIG. 41 are determined. When the data icon display area 1061 in FIG. 54 is a _def , the data icon display size is set to a predetermined default size, and when the data icon display area is a _prop , all the data belonging to the data icon display area 1061. Is the maximum size that can be displayed. Next, in step S326, the remaining area obtained by subtracting the determined data display area is set as the subsequent (more inner) time rectangular area. The flowchart of FIG. 55 corresponds to step S310 of FIG. 53, and in this way, the size and position of the data icon area and each data icon are sequentially determined from the first time rectangular area.

(Zoom-Up in Time-Sequential Display) FIG. 56 shows a flowchart for zoom-up in the time-sequential display described above. In the case of this time order display, since the data are arranged in the depth direction in time order, the panning function is not provided. In the case of zoom-out display,
Since only step S1073 is “decrement the zoom-up rate”, description will be omitted.

In FIG. 56, step S1071 shows an event waiting loop, which is waiting for an instruction (event) from the mouse or keyboard from the user. If any event occurs, step S107.
In step 2, it is checked whether the user double-clicked the data icon, and if Yes, step S1079.
The detailed information of the data indicated by the data icon is displayed (opens and displays the data). If No, it means a zoom-up operation, and the process advances to step S1073 to increase the zoom-up rate Z _U by a predetermined rate. Next, the following operations are performed for all time rectangles to be displayed. First, in step S1075, according to Z _U , the time rectangle display area 1086 and the data icon display area 108 in FIG.
Update 7. Next, the icon display size 615 and the data icon display position 616 of FIG. 41 are calculated according to Z _U in step S1077 for all the data belonging to the time rectangle currently watched. After the above operation is performed for all time rectangles, the display screen is updated in step S1078.

(Navigation window) 2 in FIG.
Reference numeral 000 is a navigation window for referring to which position of the whole the user is looking at when zooming in the display. This is also the xy plane (vertical,
It is composed of a display 2001 representing the horizontal plane and a display 2002 representing the z direction (depth direction). The cursor 2003, 2004 indicates the current position in the xy plane display and the z direction display.
Indicated by. Furthermore, this cursor 2003, 2004
By clicking on any of the above and moving it to any position on 2001, 2002, it is possible to quickly move from the currently viewed position to the desired position. xy
Since the plane display 2001 always shows the whole, the display is unchanged except for the 2003 cursor, but the z direction display 2002
Is updated according to the depth of the hierarchy at the position viewed on the display screen 2005.

The flowchart for creating the xy plane display 2001 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 25 and 29.
This is done at program startup and set. FIG. 32 shows a flowchart for displaying the z direction. In FIG. 32, step S2010 is an event waiting loop. Step S2
If the event is 011 and the event notifies that the display screen 2005 in FIG. 36 has been updated, step S2012
Go to. Regarding the layer pointed by the cursor on the display screen 2005 of FIG. 36, its layer attribute data 601 (FIG. 38)
To get. Next, in step S2013, the depth of the layer is acquired from the layer depth identifier 603 of this layer attribute data. In step S2014, the z-direction display 2002 of FIG. 36 is drawn according to the depth of the hierarchy.

The example 2002 of FIG. 36 shows the case where the depth is three layers. In step S2015 of FIG. 32, the current position in the depth direction is determined according to the ratio of the area of the display screen and the hierarchical display area 607. This is shown in Figure 3.
According to the calculation shown in 3. That is, the ratio of the currently watched hierarchy on the display screen in the most zoomed-out state where all the hierarchies are displayed on the display screen is “a”.
Then, the ratio on the display screen when the currently watched layer is displayed on the full display screen is “b”. Then, the ratio of the currently watched layer to the current display screen is set to "c". At this time, the position of the layer with respect to c is y = (n−1) × c / (c−a) − (n−1) × a /
(Ba) However, n is the depth of the layer and is calculated. That is, in the most zoomed out state (in the case of a), the z-direction display is such that the cursor is at the leftmost position as shown in FIG. In addition, when the gazing layer is displayed in the full screen, the proportional calculation is performed so as to reach the entrance of the layer depth as shown in FIG.

When the cursor on the navigation window is moved and the display screen is updated by the above method, the following procedure is performed. Movement in the z direction (20 shown in FIG. 36)
33), the area ratio c ′ with respect to the display screen is obtained by performing the inverse calculation of FIG. 33 from the position of the moved cursor. The zoom-up rate Z _U in FIG. 28 can be calculated from (c ′ / a). You can update the screen according to this Z _U. Further, in the case of movement in the xy directions (operation by the cursor 2003 shown in FIG. 36), the panning amounts shiftX and shiftY at the time of panning in FIG. 28 can be calculated from the movement amount of the position of the cursor 2003. The whole may be shifted according to this panning amount.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0108]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An image editing method and device that makes it easy to find out what the overall hierarchical structure is, and a target file can be easily found, and an image in which a frequently used file can be easily found and retrieved even from a large number of files. An editing method and an apparatus therefor can be provided.

That is, the present invention enables highly flexible management of images and frames by registering cutout shapes (frames) in a palette. Also, select an arbitrary cutout shape from the palette and drag it to the image.
Drop and enlarge the cropped shape on the image with the center fixed /
By reducing the size, a simple and highly flexible operation method can be provided. Further, in the present invention, since the original image is not processed or modified and used as it is, it is easy to resize the overlapped frames and change to different frame data.

Further, according to the present invention, the entire hierarchical structure of the file system or the database system is visually displayed by displaying the inclusive relationship between the hierarchies and the inclusive relationship between the hierarchy and the file (or data) in a nested hierarchy. Made it possible to express. Further, by continuously enlarging and displaying a desired hierarchy display included in an arbitrary hierarchy, it is possible to obtain more detailed information of the hierarchy and file (or data) included in the hierarchy, and conversely, Information including higher layers can be obtained by using means for continuously reducing the layer display. For the above zoom up / zoom out screen updates,
Since it is performed according to the time when the designated key of the keyboard or the pointing device is pressed, it is possible to provide a user interface that matches the feeling of the user.

Frequently used files (data)
According to its frequency of use, is displayed relatively larger than other files (data), so it is now possible to easily find frequently used files (data). In the zoomed-up state, it is considered that the camera is focused on the layered area for the data pointed by the cursor, and the display of the data belonging to the layer higher than this is generated by enlarging / blurring processing. As a result, a three-dimensional sense of depth and saving of the occupied space on the memory can be achieved at the same time.

Further, not only the hierarchical display but also the display mode in the time order is provided, and the both can be freely switched so that the files (data) hierarchically classified can be displayed.
The search efficiency can be further improved because the search can be performed in chronological order at the same time as the search and the both are realized by the same user interface of zooming up / zooming out.

Further, in the hierarchical display, when a large zoom is performed, a window indicating the position in the z direction of the xy plane is provided, which makes it easy to grasp the position currently focused on in the whole. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of album software according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of storing photos in a paper album.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for cutting out an image with conventional software.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional image cutout creation.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a palette for registering a frame according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an image clipping procedure according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a comparison of the structures of clipped images in the conventional example and the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data management structure in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of setting a transparent area according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a transparent area setting dialog box according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of registration in a pallet according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an operation example of image clipping according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of registration of frame data in an image according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a display flowchart of an image cutout state according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a personal computer in the present embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an internal block diagram of a personal computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a display example of hierarchical data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the hierarchical file system according to the second embodiment is represented by a tree structure.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example in which a hierarchical file system is represented by a list box.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of continuous zoom-up display of directory-C according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of continuous zoom-up display centered on directory-E according to the second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a display example of detailed contents of a file according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a zoom-up display of a directory-E according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a method of directly instructing display of detailed information of data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a flow chart for setting the hierarchy display area and the size of a data icon according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a division result of a data icon display area and a child hierarchy display area according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a display state at a stage when a display size and a display position of a child hierarchy of a root hierarchy and a data icon of Example 2 are determined.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart for zoom-up and panning display according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart of dividing a data icon display area and a child hierarchy display area according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 30 is an example of displaying an employee database using the second embodiment.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a display example of employee database detailed information according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart of z-direction display according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating a calculation example for determining the position in the z direction according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing a z-direction display example of the second embodiment.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing a z-direction display example of the second embodiment.

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing a display example of a navigation window according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 37 is a configuration example of a hierarchical data management system including software and hardware according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 38 is a diagram for explaining layer attribute data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 39 is a diagram showing a structure of data attribute data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing a display example of panning according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 41 is a diagram showing data attribute data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 42 is an explanatory diagram of relatively increasing the size of the display according to the usage frequency of the file according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 43 is a flowchart for processing an accessed file according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 44 is a flowchart of processing of a file that is not accessed for a predetermined period according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart of division of a data icon display area and a child hierarchy display area in the second embodiment.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart for setting the size of a hierarchy display area and a data icon in the second embodiment.

FIG. 47 is a diagram showing an example of a database system centering on images according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of image enlargement according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 49 is a diagram showing an example of a filter array in the second embodiment.

FIG. 50 is a diagram showing an example of a filter array in the second embodiment.

FIG. 51 is a diagram showing a display example of time-series display according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 52 is a diagram showing a display example of chronological display according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 53 is a flowchart for setting a time rectangle and setting a data icon according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 54 is a diagram illustrating a setting example of a time rectangular area and a file icon display area according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 55 is a flowchart for setting a data icon in a time order display of the second embodiment.

FIG. 56 is a flowchart of zoom-up in time-series display according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 57 is a diagram illustrating time rectangle attribute data according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

30 image attribute data 32, 42 frame position 33,43 frame size 34 frame data 35 frame data attribute 31, 36, 41 Frame number 37,69 Transparent area 39 Palette attribute data 40 frame list 65 cursor 66 OK button 67 Cancel button 68-frame display area 301 computer system body 302 display 303 mouse 305 keyboard 502 Frame management unit 503 Cutout display 504, 504 'application software 505 Operating System (OS) 506 Input device management system 507 Drawing management system 508 file system 509 hardware 510 keyboard interface 512 mouse interface 513 video interface 514 disk IO interface 515 hard disk 1120 Image clipping state 1501 Hierarchical data management system (hierarchical browser) 1502 Tier management section 1503 Hierarchical display

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-63-282523 (JP, A) JP-A-63-314653 (JP, A) JP-A-2-114318 (JP, A) JP-A-3- 228179 (JP, A) JP 4-5726 (JP, A) JP 4-100144 (JP, A) JP 4-152423 (JP, A) JP 4-346124 (JP, A) JP-A-5-20016 (JP, A) JP-A-5-61632 (JP, A) JP-A-5-265689 (JP, A) JP-A-6-342361 (JP, A) JP-A-7-13732 (JP, A) JP-A-7-36753 (JP, A) JP-A-8-171471 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06T 11/80 G06F 3 / 00 657 G06F 3/14 370

Claims (28)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image editing method in a hierarchical data management system for hierarchically managing a plurality of data, wherein an icon display size for designating a size of an icon to be displayed and an icon display position are specified as attributes of the data. By registering including the designated data icon display position and setting the icon display size and the data icon display position in the hierarchical order, the data icon groups indicating the identification information of the data are arranged in the same hierarchical level in different sizes. The image editing method characterized in that the data icon belonging to is displayed so as to be distinguishable from the data icons in other layers. By 2. A changing and said icon display size and data icon display position, the zoom-up of the hierarchy or data icon, image editing method according to claim 1, wherein the performing panning and zooming out. 3. The data attribute further includes an access count for storing the number of times the data has been accessed, and a data icon having a relatively large number of accesses is displayed relatively large. 1. The image editing method described in 1 . 4. An image editing method in a hierarchical data management system for hierarchically managing a plurality of data, wherein a data icon group showing identification information of data is displayed in different sizes in a hierarchical order, and a desired data icon is displayed. An image editing method, wherein the data is designated and accessed, and a data icon having a relatively high frequency of access is displayed relatively large. 5. A data icon belonging to the same layer is displayed so as to be distinguishable from a data icon of another layer, and a layer to which data having a relatively high access frequency belongs is also displayed relatively large. The image editing method according to claim 3 . 6. The relatively displayed data icon is displayed when the data icon is not accessed for a certain period of time.
The reduction is performed according to the period of non-access or the number of times other data is accessed.
The image editing method described in 3 or 4 . 7. The image editing method according to claim 4 , further comprising designating a desired layer or data icon and zooming up, panning or zooming out the layer or data icon. 8. The image editing method according to claim 7, wherein a data icon in a higher hierarchy than the gaze hierarchy is displayed with a blurring process. 9. The image editing method according to claim 8 , wherein the blurring process is performed by enlarging original data having a number of pixels smaller than the number of display pixels. 10. The image editing method according to claim 9, wherein the higher the data icon is, the more blurring processing is performed and the more the data icon is displayed. 11. The attribute of the data further includes date and time information selected from date and time information when the data was created, date and time information when the data was accessed, and date and time information specified in the data. By setting the icon display size and the data icon display position in order of date and time, the data icons that show the identification information of the data can be distinguished from the data icons of different date and time that belong to the same date and time with different sizes. The image editing method according to claim 1 , wherein the image is displayed on the screen. 12. The image editing method according to claim 11, wherein data icons belonging to the same date and time are zoomed up and out by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position. 13. The image editing method according to claim 11, wherein the hierarchical display and the display according to date order can be selected. 14. The position currently displayed on the screen in all layers is displayed in a separate window by dividing it into upper, lower, left, and right planes and a depth direction, and the desired position is displayed in the different window. by specifying the position, according to claim 1 to 1 and displaying desired hierarchy at a desired magnification
3. The image editing method described in any one of 3 . 15. An image editing apparatus in a hierarchical data management system for hierarchically managing a plurality of data, wherein an icon display size and an icon display position for designating the size of an icon to be displayed are specified as data attributes. By setting the attribute registration means for registering the data icon display position to be specified and the icon display size and the data icon display position in the hierarchical order, the data icon group indicating the identification information of the data can be changed to a different size in the hierarchical order. An image editing apparatus, characterized in that the data icons belonging to the same layer are provided with first display means for distinguishably displaying the data icons of other layers. 16. The display device further comprises first display changing means for zooming up, panning and zooming out the hierarchy or the data icon by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position. Item 15. The image editing apparatus according to Item 15 . 17. A second display change for further registering, as an attribute of the data, an access count for storing the number of times the data has been accessed, and displaying a data icon having a relatively large number of accesses relatively large. The image editing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16 , further comprising means. 18. An image editing apparatus in a hierarchical data management system for hierarchically managing a plurality of data, a display means for displaying a data icon group showing identification information of data in different sizes in a hierarchical order, and a desired data icon. The image editing apparatus is characterized by further comprising: an access unit for accessing the data by designating the data and a second display changing unit for displaying the data icon having a relatively high access frequency relatively large. 19. The display means displays a data icon belonging to the same layer so as to be distinguishable from a data icon in another layer, and the second display changing means displays data having a relatively high access frequency. 19. The image editing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the hierarchy to which it belongs is also displayed relatively large. 20. When the second display changing means does not access the relatively large-sized data icon for a certain period of time,
19. The image editing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the image is reduced in size according to the number of times other data is accessed. 21. The image according to claim 18 , further comprising first display changing means for designating a desired hierarchy or data icon and zooming up, panning and zooming out the hierarchy or data icon. Editing device. 22. The first display change means according to claim characterized in that it comprises a blurring unit for display in addition to blurring processing data icon upper layer than gazing hierarchy 2
1. The image editing apparatus described in 1 . 23. The image editing apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the blurring unit performs blurring processing by enlarging original data having a number of pixels smaller than the number of display pixels. 24. The image editing apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the blurring means displays the data icon located in a higher hierarchy with a blurring process added thereto. 25. The attribute registration unit is further selected as an attribute of the data from date and time information when the data was created, date and time information when the data was accessed, and date and time information specified in the data. By further registering the date and time information and setting the icon display size and the data icon display position in the date and time order, the data icon group indicating the identification information of the data is different from the data icon belonging to the same date and time in different sizes in the date and time order. 16. The image editing apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a second display unit that distinguishably displays the date and time data icon. 26. A third display changing means for zooming up and zooming out data icons belonging to the same date and time by changing the icon display size and the data icon display position. Item 25. The image editing apparatus according to Item 25 . 27. The image editing apparatus according to claim 25 , further comprising switching means for switching between the first display means and the second display means. 28. The first and second display means display the position currently displayed on the screen in all the layers in a separate window by dividing the position into upper, lower, left and right planes and a depth direction. 28. The display instruction means for displaying a desired layer at a desired enlargement ratio by designating a desired position in the another window, according to any one of claims 15 to 27 . Image editing device.