JP3459757B2 - Image data input device and method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image data input device and method for displaying thumbnails of image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a conventional image data input system capable of displaying image data acquired from an image input device such as a scanner or a facsimile page by page or as a thumbnail of a plurality of pages. ing. Further, generally, when inputting image data of a plurality of pages at once, each page of the image data is set as a separate file or all pages are set at one time.
It is necessary to specify in advance whether to make one file. In addition, when you input image data of multiple pages at once,
Generally, the thumbnail image is generated when the batch input of the image data is completed.

[0003]

Therefore, when a plurality of pages are collectively input in the conventional image data input system, all pages are input as separate pages, that is, as a plurality of documents, and thumbnails are input. Either all the pages are displayed or all the pages are collectively registered as one document and are displayed as thumbnails. Therefore, in order to divide the image data that has been input collectively into multiple files (documents) that are composed of multiple pages, divide all the relevant image data and then divide the document I had to do it.

Further, when reading from a client PC from an image input device connected to a network such as a network scanner, a method of determining what kind of image the image currently being read is until the reading is completed. There was no

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when inputting image data of a plurality of pages, it is possible to generate and display thumbnail images in synchronization with image input for each page. An object is to provide an image data input device and method.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image data input device capable of changing a file storing image data in synchronization with image input for each page while inputting image data of a plurality of pages. And to provide a method.

[0007]

An image data input device of the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration: an input means for continuously inputting a plurality of images, and a plurality of images by the input means. While the continuous input is being made, it is determined that the determination means determines whether the user has given an instruction to register to another file, and that the determination means has not given an instruction to register to another file. While the images are continuously input, the images are controlled so as to be registered in the same file, and when it is determined by the determination means that the image is to be registered in the different file, the images are continuously input. Registration that controls to register the images that are input after the determination in a file different from the file that registered the images that have been input up to that point in the multiple images in the middle And control means, wherein the image is registered
File is a thumbnail of the image registered in the file.
Display control means for controlling the display by using the display file .

An image data inputting method according to another aspect of the present invention which achieves the above object is an input step of continuously inputting a plurality of images, and a step of continuously inputting a plurality of images in the input step. , Input continuously during the determination step of determining whether the instruction to register in another file has been made by the user and the determination step of determining that the instruction to register in another file has not been made in the determination step. The images are controlled so as to be registered in the same file, and when it is determined in the determination step that the instruction to register in the different file is made, in the plurality of images which are being continuously input, A registration system that controls the images input after the judgment to be registered in a file different from the file in which the images input so far are registered. A step, wherein the image is registered
File is a thumbnail of the image registered in the file.
Display control step to control to display using
With .

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a control program for implementing the above-mentioned image data input method by a computer.

[0010]

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system to which the thumbnail image display system of this embodiment is applied. This information processing system includes a client-side computer (hereinafter, PC 201) and an image input device 2
02 and a connection cable 203 connecting them. The interfaces for connecting the PC 201 and the image input device 202 are (1) SCSI, (2)
Various interfaces such as Centronics, (3) RS-232C, (4) network are applicable,
This system does not depend on the connection interface. The image input device 202 may be a scanner, a facsimile, or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a client side computer (PC 20) on which the thumbnail image display system of this embodiment operates.
It is a block diagram which shows the structure of 1). The PC 201 includes a display device 301, an input device 302, and a central processing unit 30.
3, an external storage device 304, and a memory 305. A CRT or a liquid crystal display (LCD) is used as the display device 301, and various displays are performed under the control of the central processing unit 303. The input device 302 includes a keyboard and a pointing device (mouse or the like). The central processing unit 303 is composed of a microcomputer. The external storage device 304 is composed of a hard disk, a floppy disk, etc., and stores various control programs and data. The memory 305 includes a ROM that stores a boot program and various data, and a RAM that functions as a main memory of the central processing unit 303. The control program stored in the external storage device 304 is stored in the R of the memory 305.
It is loaded into the AM and executed by the central processing unit 303.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views showing display examples of the main window according to the thumbnail image display system of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an example of reading a plurality of images and storing them in the folder α. FIG. 3A shows a state in which the third image C is read and its thumbnail image 401a is displayed in the main window 401. When a plurality of images are put together in the same document of a plurality of pages, the frame of the second image is displayed with a slight shift, clearly indicating that the document has a plurality of images. However, even if N sheets are read, only one sheet is displaced.

Now, in this state, the mouse pointer 401
When b is moved to the position shown in the window 401 and clicked, the images from the fourth sheet are displayed as a new document at that position. As shown in FIG. 3B, the thumbnail image 401c of the fourth image D is displayed in the window 401. In this way, a new document file having the image data D is created in the folder α.

FIG. 4 also shows an example in which a plurality of images are read and stored in the folder α. However, FIG. 4 shows a case where a new document file is created in a different folder. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the third image C is read and the thumbnail image 401a is displayed. Here, when the button indicating the folder β in the folder change button 503 is clicked, the fourth image is displayed as a new document in the changed folder β. FIG. 4B shows a state at this time, and the thumbnail image 501a of the fourth image D is displayed next to the existing document Z in the folder β in the main window 501 of the folder β. here,
The thumbnail image of the existing document may be displayed.

FIG. 5 is a thumbnail image display position change table (hereinafter also referred to as a position change table) used by the thumbnail image display method of this embodiment. In FIG. 5, “storage folder name” indicates the name of the folder in which the read image is stored. The “display position” indicates the display position of the thumbnail image of the image in the folder that stores the read image in x and y coordinates with the upper left of the window as a reference. The "selected folder name" indicates the selected folder name when another folder is selected during the reading of a plurality of pages, as described with reference to FIG. "Specified display position"
As described with reference to FIG. 3, when another position in the same folder is specified during the reading of multiple pages, x is based on the specified position with respect to the upper left of the window.
It is shown by coordinates and y coordinates.

FIG. 6 is a transition diagram showing changes in the contents of the thumbnail image display position change table (hereinafter referred to as the position change table) shown in FIG.

When the reading of the image is started (step S101 described later), the position change table is initialized first. This initialization is performed by the following procedure, for example. First, the current storage folder name is acquired from the display information (screen information) on the display device 301 at the present time (α in this example), and the image information for the current folder in the thumbnail image display information table shown in FIG. First, the display position of the thumbnail image with respect to the new image is calculated, and this is stored as the "display position" in the position change table. The "selected folder name" and the "specified display position" are initialized by NULL. As described above,
The contents of the position change table are as shown in the state number (1) of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a data structure example of a thumbnail image display information table (hereinafter referred to as a display information table). In the display information table, "folder name",
"Thumbnail display position", "Thumbnail size",
"Page number" and "pointer to database" are registered. The “folder name” is information that identifies the above-mentioned folder. The “thumbnail display position” is the display position of the thumbnail image (x, y coordinates in the upper left window of the thumbnail image). The "page number" indicates the number of images. The "pointer to database" stores the pointer to the actual image in the database.

The "calculation of the display position of the new image" in the initialization of the position change table described above is performed by displaying the thumbnail display position (x1, y1) in the folder α and the thumbnail size (x10, y10) in the display information table. Further, the display position of the new thumbnail image is determined based on these so that the existing thumbnail image and the new thumbnail image do not overlap. If multiple files already exist in the folder, multiple “thumbnail display positions” and “thumbnail sizes” are registered for the folder name α in the display information table, and the display position of the new image is It is determined in consideration of all these existing thumbnail images.

Returning to FIG. 6 again, for example, when another display position in the same folder is designated during the reading of the image (step S804 described later), the value (x2, y2) is "designated" in the position change table. Stored in the “displayed position” (transition from state number (1) to state number (2)). If another folder is selected during image reading (step S807 described later), the value (β) is stored in the “selected folder name” (state number (1) to state number (4)). ) Transition)).

When the position change table is changed as described above, the occurrence of the change is detected when the read image is registered / displayed, and the position change table is re-initialized. That is, when registering and displaying the second and subsequent pages of a plurality of pages, if a value other than NULL is entered in the "designated display position" in the change table, another position in the same folder is designated. It means that. Therefore, the display position is calculated based on the designated display position, the obtained value is stored in the “display position” of the position change table, and NULL is stored in the “designated display position” to re-initialize. Is performed (step S115). As a result, the state of the position change table changes from state number (2) to state number (3).

In addition, the "selected folder name" is NUL.
If a value other than L is entered, it means that another folder has been specified, so change this value to the "storage folder name".
, The "display position" in this new folder is determined by referring to the thumbnail image display information table, and NULL is stored in the "selected folder name" to perform re-initialization (step S118). . As a result, the state of the position change table changes from the state number (4) to the state board number (5).

By using the two tables (position change table and display information table) described above,
In synchronization with the reading of the image from the image display, the corresponding thumbnail images can be overlapped and displayed as a multi-page document. If the display position of the thumbnail image is dynamically changed during reading, the next read image is dynamically registered as another new document and the corresponding thumbnail image is dynamically changed to another new document. Can be displayed as.

Next, the display position changing process performed by the central processing unit 303 of this system will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the display position changing process according to this embodiment. It should be noted that this process is started when an attempt is made to change the storage folder or the display position in the folder (the change of the display position changes the storage destination file of the image data). That is, in this example, this process is started when another position in the folder is designated or when another folder is designated.

In step S800, the thumbnail image display position change table (FIG. 5) is read. Then, in step S801, the thumbnail display information table (FIG. 7) is read. In step S802, it is determined whether another folder is selected or another position in the same folder is designated. If another position in the same folder is specified,
In step S803, the position of the designated mouse pointer is acquired. Then, in step S804, the acquired position of the mouse pointer is registered in the "designated display position" of the position change table. As a result, the position change table is updated as shown in the state number (2) in FIG. Then, in step S805, the thumbnail image display position change table is stored and the process ends.

On the other hand, if another folder is selected in the determination in step S802, the process proceeds to step S806, and the selected folder name is acquired. And step S80
In step 7, the acquired folder name is registered in the "selected folder name" of the position change table, and the process proceeds to step S805. As a result, the position change table is updated as shown by the state number (4) in FIG.

Next, the image input processing performed by the central processing unit 303 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the image input process according to this embodiment.
This process is started when the image reading process is started.

In step S101, the external storage device 304
Initialize the position change table (FIG. 5) stored in. The initialization method is to store the name of the currently selected folder in the "storage folder" of the same table, and add a new one based on the "thumbnail display position" and "thumbnail size" obtained from the display information table (Fig. 7). The display position is calculated and stored in the "display position" of the position change table. The "selected folder name" and "designated display position" of the position change table are initialized by NULL.

Next, in step S102, an image for one page is input from the image input device 202 through the connection cable 203. The input method is a known method. Generally, it is performed via the driver of the image input device, and thus it is a unique method for each device, but it may be input according to a common convention such as a TWAIN interface. In step S103, a thumbnail image of the image input in step S102 is created by a known method and temporarily stored in the memory 305.

Next, in step S104, the position change table is read from the external storage device 304 into the memory 305, and the folder name to be stored is acquired. As a result, FIG.
If the "selected folder name" is NULL as shown in the status number (1) of "," the "stored folder name" is the folder name to be stored, and as shown in the status number (4), the "selected folder" If there is a folder name in "Name" (if it is a value other than NULL), it is the folder name to be selected. Therefore, if it is determined in step S105 that the files are stored in the same folder (the folder name is not selected), the process proceeds to step S106 to determine whether the files are stored in the same document (display position change is instructed). Check).

That is, in step S106, the position to be displayed is acquired from the "display position" and the "selected display position" of the position change table. For example, if the “designated display position” is NULL as in the state number (1) in FIG. 6, it is determined that the “display position” is the position where the thumbnail image should be displayed and the thumbnail images are stored in the same document. In addition, FIG.
If there is a value in the "specified display position" as in the state number (2) (if it is a value other than NULL), that value is the position where the thumbnail image should be displayed, It is determined to be storage.

If it is determined in step S107 that they are stored in the same document, in step S108 the display information table of FIG.
5, and it is determined whether the corresponding document is the second page or later. In the case of the second and subsequent pages, the process proceeds to step S109 and 1
The frame of the thumbnail image of the page is displayed with a slight shift. If it is determined in step S108 that the page is not the second page or later, step S109 is skipped and step S1 is performed.
Execute 10 or less. In step S110, the thumbnail image created in step S103 is converted to step S10.
It is displayed at the position acquired in 6. As a result, when the images of the second and subsequent pages are passed through the above step S109, the display form showing a plurality of pages is displayed as in the display of the thumbnail image 401a (image C) in FIG. If the image is the first page and does not go through step S109, it is displayed as the thumbnail image D in FIG. 3B.

Next, in step S111, information about the input image is stored in the display information table and saved in the external storage area 304. The display information table shows the relationship between the thumbnail display information and the actual database. As the information stored in the table information table in step S111, if the image is the first page, at least the folder name, thumbnail position, thumbnail size, number of pages (here, 1), and actual data in the database. Pointers to data are given. If the image is the second page or later and the storage position (display position) is not changed (steps S105 to 110 are passed), the number of pages is increased by one. The folder name, thumbnail position, thumbnail size, and pointer to actual data are not changed. If the image is on the second page or later and the storage position is changed (if steps S114 to S115 or steps S116 to S118 are passed, the folder name and thumbnail position are the same as the case of the first page. ,
The size of the thumbnail, the number of pages (here, 1), and the pointer to the actual data in the database are stored.

Then, the image and the thumbnail image input in step S112 are stored in the database by a known method. In step S113, it is determined whether all the images have been input from the image input device, and if there are any images to be input, the process returns to step S102 and the above process is repeated. Also,
If all the images have been input, the processing ends.

If it is determined in step S107 that the document is to be stored as another document (the storage position is specified), the process proceeds to step S114. Step S11
In 4, the thumbnail display position is calculated. That is, based on the "designated display position" and the image information in the display information table, calculate whether the thumbnail display position is appropriate, such as existing thumbnails do not overlap, and correct this if it is inappropriate. Then, the data to be registered in the “display position” of the change table is acquired. Then, in step S115, the position change table is re-initialized as shown by the state number (3) in FIG. 6, and the processes of step S110 and thereafter are executed.

If it is determined in step S105 that the file is to be stored in another folder (the folder name is selected), the process proceeds to step S116 to display the selected folder in the window. And step S1
At 17, the thumbnail display position is calculated. That is, from the image information in the display information table, a position where thumbnails do not overlap and an appropriate position as a thumbnail display position is calculated, and data to be registered in the “display position” of the change table is obtained. In step S118, the thumbnail image storage position change table is reinitialized as shown by the state number (5) in FIG. 6, and the processes in step S110 and subsequent steps are executed.

The image input process shown in FIG. 1 and the storage position changing process shown in FIG. 8 can be executed in different processes by using known techniques. The known technique is also used for exclusive control that refers to the same table.

In the above embodiment, when there are a plurality of thumbnail images, a plurality of pages are shown by shifting the thumbnail frame only once, but it is also possible to shift by the number of images.

Also, it is possible to automatically register and display a fixed number of sheets as a new document. In this case, if the number of pages of the read image is counted and the two tables described above (position change table and display information table) are automatically changed according to the count value, it is possible to automatically change them. good.

<Other Embodiments> In the state shown in FIG. 3B, the image on the next page of the image D is changed to the image C.
It is also possible to make it possible to register the file to which the file belongs. In this case, when the image of the next page of the image D is read in the state as shown in FIG.
The storage position changing process of FIG. 8 may be started by designating the position where the image C is displayed. Further, in the state of FIG. 4B, the image of the next page of the image D can be registered in the file to which the image C in the folder α which is another folder belongs. That is, (b) of FIG.
From this state, when the folder α is designated and the position of the image C is designated, the storage position changing process of FIG. 8 may be started.

As described above, when the storage location changing process of FIG. 8 is started, when an arbitrary location in the display area in the same folder is instructed or when another folder is instructed, the other storage area changing process is started. When an arbitrary location in the display area of the folder is designated, it is set as. Note that the above step S1
In 11, the number of pages in the corresponding display information already registered in the display information table is increased by 1.

Even when the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (eg, host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), a device composed of one device (eg, copying machine, facsimile). Device).

Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium having a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to supply a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
It is needless to say that it can be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

A storage medium for supplying the program code is, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD.
-R, magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM, etc. can be used.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes a case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is also included.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, it is possible to display thumbnail images of the read images in an overlapping manner in synchronization with the reading of the images.

Further, since it is possible to register and display as another new document at an arbitrary point before the reading of the image is finished, it is possible to divide and sort the image simultaneously with the reading.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, when inputting image data of a plurality of pages, thumbnail images can be generated and displayed in synchronization with image input for each page.

Further, according to the present invention, while inputting image data of a plurality of pages, it is possible to change the file storing the image data as desired in synchronization with the image input for each page.

[0055]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system to which a thumbnail image display method of this embodiment is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a client-side computer on which the thumbnail image display system of the present embodiment operates.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a main window according to the thumbnail image display system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a main window according to the thumbnail image display system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a thumbnail image display position change table used by the thumbnail image display method of the present embodiment.

6 is a transition diagram showing changes in the contents of the thumbnail image display position change table shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a data configuration example of a thumbnail image display information table.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of display position change processing according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of image input processing according to the present embodiment.

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. An input unit for continuously inputting a plurality of images, and a determination unit for determining whether or not an instruction to register in another file has been given by a user while the plurality of images are being continuously input by the input unit. The images that are continuously input while it is determined by the determination unit that the instruction to register in the separate file has not been issued are controlled to be registered in the same file, and the determination unit sets the When it is determined that an instruction to register to another file has been made, among the plurality of images that are being continuously input, the images input after the determination are registered as the images that have been input up to that point. registration control means for controlling to register the file as a different file, the file that the image is registered, is registered in the file
Control to display using thumbnails of existing images
Image data input device comprising: a display control means for. 2. The display control means controls to display using a thumbnail of the registered image when there is one image registered in the file, and the image is registered in the file. The image data input device according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of images, the thumbnails of the registered images are controlled so as to be displayed in an overlapping manner. 3. The determining means registers in the another file when a display position different from the thumbnail of the same file in which the plurality of images that are being continuously input is registered is specified by the user. The image data input device according to claim 1 , wherein it is determined that an instruction to do so has been made. 4. The display control means displays the thumbnail of the different file registered when it is determined by the determination means that the instruction to register in the different file is given by the user. The image data input device according to claim 3, wherein the image data input device is controlled to be displayed at a position determined based on the position. 5. The determination unit, if the user specifies a different folder from the folder to which the thumbnails of the same file in which a plurality of images that are being continuously input are registered, the different file The image data input device according to claim 1 , wherein it is determined that an instruction to register is made. 6. The folder for which the thumbnail of the different file registered when the display control means determines that the determination means has instructed to register the file in the different file is the folder designated by the user. The image data input device according to claim 5, wherein the image data input device is controlled so as to be displayed inside. 7. An input step of continuously inputting a plurality of images, and a determining step of determining whether or not an instruction to register in another file is given by a user while the plurality of images are being continuously input in the input step. The images continuously input while it is determined in the determination step that the instruction to register in the different file has not been made are controlled to be registered in the same file, and in the determination step, When it is determined that an instruction to register to another file has been made, among the plurality of images that are being continuously input, the images input after the determination are registered as the images that have been input up to that point. a registration control step for controlling to register the file as a different file, the file that the image is registered, is registered in the file
Control to display using thumbnails of existing images
And a display control step for performing the image data input method. 8. In the display control step, when there is only one image registered in the file, control is performed so that thumbnails of the registered image are used for display, and the image is registered in the file. 8. The image data input method according to claim 7, wherein when there are a plurality of images, the thumbnails of the registered images are controlled to be displayed in an overlapping manner. 9. A code of an input step of continuously inputting a plurality of images, and determining whether or not an instruction to register in another file is given by a user while the plurality of images are continuously input in the input step. The code of the determination step and the images continuously input while it is determined that the instruction to register in the separate file is not made in the determination step is controlled so as to be registered in the same file. If it is determined in the determination step that the instruction to register in the separate file has been made, the images input after the determination have been input by that time in the plurality of images that are being continuously input. and code registration control step for controlling to register the image to a file different from a file that has registered with the file on which the image is registered It is registered in the file
Control to display using thumbnails of existing images
A storage medium storing a computer-readable control program having a display control step code for 10. In the display control step, when there is one image registered in the file, control is performed so that the thumbnail of the registered image is used for display, and the image is registered in the file. The storage medium storing the control program according to claim 9, wherein when there are a plurality of images, the thumbnails of the registered images are controlled to be displayed in an overlapping manner.