JP3607913B2 - Image display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus, and more particularly to an image display apparatus that displays a predetermined portion in a designated original image within a display frame.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an image input as data is subjected to various editing processes such as image composition, cutting and pasting, enlargement and reduction in accordance with instructions from the operator, and an arbitrary image desired by the operator is created and printed. There is known an image processing system that enables this. This type of image processing system is configured to include a display device such as a display, so that the operator can easily grasp the image being created within the created image display area of the display screen of the display. The image of the input image data is temporarily displayed in the work area outside the created image display area of the display screen so that the operator can always display various instructions and easily give various instructions. Has been.
[0003]
In the image processing system as described above, a so-called cut-and-paste process in which a part of an image represented by input image data (hereinafter referred to as an original image) is cut out and placed in a window of a created image display area designated in advance is input. The original image represented by the image data is displayed in the work area of the display screen, the range of the portion to be cut out is designated by the operator, and the image of the portion designated by the operator is displayed in the designated window. It is completed by deleting the image display.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the operator determines that the range of the portion cut out from the original image is not appropriate after the above cut and paste processing is completed, the operator needs to perform the cut and paste processing again to respecify the range of the portion to be cut out. is there. However, since the display of the original image is erased at this time, it is difficult to determine which range on the original image should be set, and the operator repeatedly performs the pasting process until the appropriate range is cut out. Therefore, it is necessary to perform complicated operations such as re-specifying the range of the portion to be cut out.
[0005]
In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to continuously display the original image in a work area on the display screen. However, the work area is a display area used in various editing processes and is displayed on the display. Since the screen is limited, it is not preferable to continuously display the original image once the cut and paste process is completed. Further, it is conceivable to continuously display an image obtained by reducing the original image, but there is a problem that the display on the display screen becomes complicated.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image display apparatus that can easily specify a range to be cut out from an original image and displayed in a window.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image display apparatus according to the present invention includes a window display means for displaying a window indicating the boundary of an image display range on a display screen, a storage means for storing image data representing the original image, and an original image. A designation unit for designating a range to be displayed in the window, and a partial image corresponding to the range designated by the designation unit is displayed in the window based on the image data stored in the storage unit The original image when the specified range of the original image is located in the window based on the image display means to be displayed, the display position of the window, and the position and size of the partial image on the original image calculates the position and size, is configured to include a, a contour display means contour to visibly display the original image located outside the window.
[0008]
[Action]
In the present invention, a window indicating the boundary of the image display range is displayed on the display screen by the window display means. In addition, designation means for designating a range to be displayed in the window in the original image is provided, and the image display means has a range designated by the designation means based on the image data stored in the storage means. The corresponding partial image is displayed in the window. The contour display means calculates the position and size of the original image when the designated range is located in the window based on the display position of the window and the position and size of the partial image on the original image. The outline of the original image located outside the window is displayed so as to be visible.
[0009]
Thereby, the operator can easily recognize the relative position between the contour of the original image and the window, that is, the position in the original image of the image currently displayed in the window. Therefore, when the image displayed in the window is not an image of a desired portion in the original image by once instructing the range to be displayed by the operator via the instruction means, it should be designated via the designation means. Since the position of the range on the original image can be easily determined, the operator can easily specify the range to be cut out from the original image and displayed. Further, since the outline of the original image is displayed in the present invention, the display on the display screen is concise and clear as compared with the case where the original image itself is reduced and displayed outside the window.
In the above image display device, the window display means may display a mount for displaying the window on the display screen, and display the window on the displayed mount in an editable manner. Good. In this case, the window may include a window for displaying an image corresponding to a range designated by the designation unit and a window for displaying character data.
In the image display device, the contour display means is based on the size of the original image, the position of the range specified by the specification means on the original image, and the display magnification of the image in the window. The outline of the original image located outside the window may be displayed by judging the virtual position and size of the original image.
In the above image display device, the designation unit designates a range to be displayed in the window in the original image by designating a position of the contour of the displayed original image with respect to the window. It may be.
[0010]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image display apparatus that performs DTP (desk top publishing) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image display device includes a personal computer 10 for controlling the apparatus, calculating, controlling various input / output devices, and various input / output devices connected to the personal computer 10. Yes. The personal computer 10 temporarily stores a CPU 10A for controlling the apparatus, computing, etc., a RAM 10B as a storage means having a work area, an input / output device interface (I / O port) 10C, and image data (bit map data) to be displayed. A VRAM 12 for storage, a ROM (not shown) for storing programs and the like, and a bus such as a data bus and a control bus for connecting them are configured.
[0012]
In the input / output device interface 10C, as an image input device, a full color scanner 16 for capturing an image such as a photograph, a digital still camera 18 for capturing an image of a subject and capturing a captured image, and image data of the photograph are recorded. A photo CD device 20 for taking image data from a CD and a magneto-optical disk 22 as an external storage medium for the image data are connected. The magneto-optical disk 22 can record an edited image or read out and store the recorded image.
[0013]
The personal computer 10 is connected to a monitor 14 as a display device configured to display an image of image data that is configured by a CRT or the like and temporarily stored in the VRAM 12. A menu bar display area for displaying menu items is provided at the upper end of the screen of the monitor 14 (see FIG. 4). Further, the input / output device interface 10C is used for inputting a character data to the personal computer 10 and a mouse 24 as an input indicator for instructing (or selecting) a menu item or a screen position displayed on the monitor 14. The keyboard 28 is connected. Further, the input / output device interface 10C is connected to a printer 26 for printing a document edited by image processing. The mouse 24 corresponds to the instruction means of the present invention.
[0014]
In the image display apparatus according to the present embodiment, all data including both image data and character data is handled as document data. First, the detailed structure of document data will be described with reference to FIG. The document data is composed of data indicating each of the mount 102, the graphic frame 108, and the text frame 126. The text frame 126 is an area for displaying character data, and an attribute that is decoration information for determining the character font, size, color, and the like can be given to the text frame 126.
[0015]
The graphic frame 108 is an area for displaying an image, and acts as a viewing window for displaying the captured image in the graphic frame 108. Attributes that determine the magnification of the image displayed in the frame, the background transmittance of the image in the frame, and the like can be given to the graphic frame.
[0016]
The captured image data itself can be handled as the same document data as described above. That is, a second graphic frame is inserted in an image (first image) displayed in one graphic frame (first graphic frame) in a nested structure, and the second graphic frame is inserted. It is possible to display the second image. Further, a third image frame is nested in the second image to display the third image, and a fourth image frame is nested in the third image to display the fourth image. It is possible to nest graphic frames.
[0017]
The multiple nested graphic frames have a vertical relationship, and if the lower (nested) graphic frame image and the upper (nested) graphic frame image overlap, the lower image It will be displayed blocked by the image. The top-bottom relationship of this graphic frame can be changed.
[0018]
The above document data, that is, the data representing the mount 102, the graphic frame 108, the text frame 126, the image data, and the text data are stored as a single file in the RAM 10B, and are stored in different external files (for example, image data in advance). Library files etc. in which multiple records are recorded are not referenced.
[0019]
As described above, in this embodiment, the mount 102, the graphic data, and the graphic frame 108 each have a layer (layer) structure. That is, it has a laminated structure in which an image is positioned above the mount 102 and a graphic frame 108 acting as a window is positioned on the image. Thus, during image editing, the captured image data is held, and the position of the graphic frame is shifted by dragging, so that images and characters that have not been displayed in the graphic frame until now can be displayed.
[0020]
Note that the mount 102 is always positioned below all the graphic frames 108 and the text frames 126, and can be directly drawn on the mount 102.
[0021]
Next, the flow of image editing will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 4, when a document creation menu (not shown) for creating a new document is selected, a mount 102 is displayed on the screen 100. Next, when the figure editing field 106 of the menu bar 105 at the upper end of the screen is selected with the mouse 24, figure editing is started.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 5, when the cursor 24 is clicked on the reference points 107 and 109 on the mount 102 and the mouse 24 is clicked, a rectangular graphic frame 108 having the reference points 107 and 109 at both ends of the diagonal line is displayed. Displayed above. Next, when one of the input menus (not shown) of the full-color scanner 16 or the digital still camera 18 is selected, a work mount 110 is displayed, and image reading is started by any of the selected image input devices. The original image 111 (the original image including the image of the copier 112 in FIG. 5) is displayed in the work mount 110.
[0023]
On this original image 111, it is possible to display a capture frame 115 indicating the range of a partial image for cutting the image and displaying it in the captured graphic frame 108. That is, when the mouse 24 is clicked by positioning the cursor at the reference points 114 and 116 that are the opposite ends of the diagonal line of the partial image displayed in the graphic frame 108, the capture frame having these reference points 114 and 116 as the opposite ends of the diagonal line. 115 is displayed. Note that the capture range can be changed by changing the positions of the reference points 114 and 116. When the capture range instruction ends (for example, a confirmation instruction by clicking the mouse 24), the image in the capture frame 115 is displayed in the graphic frame 108. This process corresponds to the image display means of the present invention.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, a plurality of graphic frames and sentence frames can be generated on one mount 102, and image editing can be performed for each frame. As shown in FIG. 3A, when another image is to be combined with one image, another graphic frame 52 is generated inside one graphic frame 50 on the screen. Thus, another image is synthesized and displayed in one image. At this time, when it is desired to synthesize the image of only the chair image 54 excluding the background from the image in the graphic frame 52 with the image in the graphic frame 50, an image other than the chair image 54 in the graphic frame 52 is used as the background. If the attribute that the transmittance of the background is 100% is given, an image of only the chair 54 is synthesized on the image in the graphic frame 50 in the graphic frame 50 as shown in FIG. And displayed.
[0025]
Next, character editing will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the character editing field 124 of the menu bar 105 at the upper end of the screen is selected by the mouse 24. Thereby, character editing is started. When a text frame 126 is designated by a mouse operation similar to that for image editing using the graphic frame 122, a character input window 128 is displayed. When a character is input from the keyboard, a character string 130 is displayed on the character input window 128, and when an input completion instruction (for example, mouse click) is given, a character string 132 is displayed in the sentence frame 126 (see FIG. 7). . When there is no correction here, when an instruction for confirming editing is made (for example, a mouse click), the character input window 128 is deleted and editing of the text frame 126 is confirmed (FIG. 8).
[0026]
Next, an image capture position changing process that is performed when it is desired to change the capture position from the original image with respect to the image once captured from the original image and displayed in the graphic frame will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. To do. In this process, as shown in FIG. 9, the execution position change process is instructed from among a plurality of icons (not shown) displayed in the command menu 118 displayed in advance on the left side of the mount 102. This is executed when the icon is selected by clicking the button of the mouse 24 after the cursor 104 corresponds to the icon corresponding to the command to be executed.
[0027]
In step 200, it is determined whether or not an instruction for a graphic frame to be processed has been completed. If the graphic frame to be processed is instructed in advance, the determination at step 200 is affirmed and the routine proceeds to step 206. On the other hand, if the determination in step 200 is negative, the process waits until a point in any graphic frame currently displayed on the mount 102 is designated in step 202. Note that FIG. 9 shows a state in which only a single graphic frame 122 is displayed on the mount 102 for ease of explanation. If the determination in step 202 is affirmed, the graphic frame corresponding to the point instructed in step 204 is stored as a graphic frame to be processed, and the process proceeds to step 206.
[0028]
In step 206, it is determined whether or not the frame line of the graphic frame 122 instructed as the processing target is instructed (clicked) as described above, and waits until the frame line is instructed. If the determination in step 206 is affirmative, in step 208, the coordinates of the graphic frame 122 on the mount 102, the position and size of the image displayed in the graphic frame 122 on the original image (the size and graphic of the graphic frame 122). Based on the display magnification of the image in the frame 122), the position and size of the original image with respect to the mount 102 are calculated.
[0029]
In the next step 210, a frame line 124 representing the outline of the original image is displayed based on the position and size of the original image calculated above. As for the display of the frame line 124 representing the outline, it is determined which part of the frame line 124 is inside the mount 102 and which part is outside, the inside part of the mount 102 is a broken line, and the outside part is Display with solid lines. In the next step 212, the capture frame 120 (see FIG. 11) having the same size as the graphic frame 122 is displayed so as to overlap the graphic frame 122. In this state, since the capture frame 120 and the graphic frame 122 overlap, the capture frame 120 is not shown in FIG. This process corresponds to the contour display means of the present invention.
[0030]
In step 214, it is determined whether or not the mouse button has been released. If the determination in step 214 is negative, it is determined in step 216 whether or not the mouse pointing point (the position of the cursor 104) has been moved. If the determination in step 216 is also negative, the process returns to step 214 and waits until the determination in step 214 or 216 is affirmed. When the mouse instruction point is moved and the determination in step 216 is affirmed, in step 218, the display position of the capture frame is moved in accordance with the movement of the mouse instruction point, and in step 220, the outline is displayed as a frame line 124. Of the original images, the image corresponding to the range surrounded by the capture frame 120 whose display position has been moved is captured from the image data of the original image, the image is displayed in the graphic frame 122, and the process returns to step 214. . The processing in steps 218 and 220 also corresponds to the image display means of the present invention.
[0031]
As an example, when the operator wants to display a slightly lower left image on the original image with respect to the image displayed in the graphic frame 122, click an arbitrary point on the frame line of the graphic frame 122 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, when dragging in the lower left direction, the capture frame 120 (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 11) moves in the lower left direction, and the graphic frame 122 corresponds to the position of the moved capture frame 120. A slightly lower left image is displayed with respect to the image to be displayed, that is, the image that has been displayed so far. That is, the capture frame 120 is regarded as a virtual window, and an image corresponding to looking into the image data from the window is displayed in the graphic frame 122.
[0032]
As described above, the image displayed in the graphic frame 122 is changed in real time to an image corresponding to the range surrounded by the moved capture frame 120. The operator can easily determine the position of the image displayed in the graphic frame 122 on the original image on the basis of the display position of the frame line 124 and the capture frame 120 representing the outline of the original image, and the button of the mouse Referring to the image displayed in the graphic frame 122 while moving the cursor 104 with the button turned on, the cursor 104 can be moved in which direction and how much to display the desired image in the graphic frame 122. It is possible to easily determine whether it is appropriate. Therefore, it is possible to easily specify a range to be cut out from the original image and displayed in the graphic frame 122.
[0033]
The operator releases the mouse button while a desired image is displayed in the graphic frame 122. As a result, it is determined that edit confirmation has been instructed, and the determination in step 214 is affirmed. As shown in FIG. 12, the display of the capture frame 122 and the outline of the original image is erased in step 22, and in step 224 The coordinates of the image displayed on the original image are stored, and the process ends.
[0034]
When the creation of a new document is completed as described above, the print field 134 is selected from the menu bar 105 at the upper end of the screen by the mouse 24, and the information on the fixed characters and graphics on the mount 102 is output to the printer 26. The printer 26 prints based on the input data. As a result, a print of the editing screen on the mount is obtained.
[0035]
In the above, the graphic frame 122 as a window is fixedly displayed, and the capture frame 120 having the same size as the graphic frame 122 is moved in accordance with the dragging with the mouse 24 to thereby change the range of the image displayed in the graphic frame 122. Although the case of changing is described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead of displaying the capture frame 124, the display position of the graphic frame 122 may be moved in accordance with the drag by the mouse 24. Good. Further, the display position of the frame line 124 representing the outline of the original image may be moved according to the dragging with the mouse 24. Further, when the display position of the graphic frame 122 is moved, the confirmation of editing is instructed even if the graphic frame 122 is continuously displayed at the display position of the graphic frame 122 when the confirmation of editing is instructed. Sometimes, the image and the graphic frame 122 may be displayed at the original display position of the graphic frame 122 without changing the image displayed in the graphic frame 122.
[0036]
In the above description, the case where the mouse 24 is used as the instruction unit has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various pointing devices such as a light pen and a digitizer can be used. It is also possible to use the keyboard 28 as instruction means.
[0037]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments include embodiments of technical matters as described below in addition to the technical terms described in the claims.
[0038]
(1) The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the contour display means displays the contour of the original image only when the display range once designated by the designation means is designated again by the designation means.
[0039]
As described above, the outline of the original image is displayed only when the position of the predetermined portion once designated by the operator via the instruction means is corrected by the operator again through the instruction means. There is an effect that the outline of the image is not displayed, and the display in the display screen becomes more concise and clear.
[0040]
(2) The contour display means determines the virtual position and size of the original image based on the size of the original image, the position of the range designated by the designation means on the original image, and the display magnification of the image in the window. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the contour of the original image located outside the window is displayed.
[0041]
In the present invention, the display magnification of the image in the window may be fixed. However, when the display magnification can be changed, the original image is taken into consideration in the display magnification in the window of the image as described above. By determining the virtual position and size, it is possible to accurately display the contour of the original image.
[0042]
(3) When the contour display means displays the contour of the original image, the designation means displays a capture frame representing a range to be displayed in the window with reference to the position of the original image represented by the contour, and the image display 2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means displays an image corresponding to a range represented by the capture frame in the window and changes an image displayed in the window in accordance with the movement of the capture frame.
[0043]
According to the above, since the image displayed in the window is changed in so-called real time according to the movement of the capture frame, the operator can further easily specify the range to be cut out from the original image and displayed in the window. The effect that it can be performed is acquired.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention displays the partial image in the original image corresponding to the range designated by the designation unit in the window based on the image data stored in the storage unit, and the display position of the window, Based on the position and size of the partial image on the original image, the position and size of the original image when the specified range of the original image is located within the window are calculated, and the outline of the original image located outside the window is calculated. Since the contour display means displays the image so as to be visible, an excellent effect can be obtained that the range to be cut out from the original image and displayed in the window can be easily specified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image display apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a detailed structure of a document displayed on a mount.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are plan views showing a state in which a plurality of graphic frames are generated on one mount and image editing is performed for each frame.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which a mount is displayed on the screen.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a screen when a reference point on the mount is designated with a mouse.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which a character input window for performing character editing is displayed.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which a character string is displayed in a sentence frame.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state where editing of a text frame is confirmed.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a state where an instruction to change the image capture position in the graphic frame is given as editing of the graphic frame.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which an outline of an original image is displayed.
FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state where the display position of the capture frame is moved to change the capture position.
FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a state in which editing of a graphic frame is confirmed by an instruction to confirm editing.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of an image capture position change process as an operation of the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 PC 24 Mouse 120 Capture frame 122 Graphic frame 124 Frame line

Claims (5)

Window display means for displaying a window indicating the boundary of the image display range on the display screen;
Storage means for storing image data representing an original image;
A designation means for designating a range to be displayed in the window in the original image;
Image display means for displaying a partial image corresponding to the range designated by the designation means in the window based on the image data stored in the storage means;
Based on the display position of the window and the position and size of the partial image on the original image, the position and size of the original image when the specified range of the original image is located in the window are calculated. And an outline display means for displaying the outline of the original image located outside the window so as to be visible,
An image display device. The window display means displays a mount for displaying the window on the display screen, and displays the window on the displayed mount in an editable manner.
The image display device according to claim 1. The window includes a window for displaying an image corresponding to a range specified by the specifying means, and a window for displaying character data.
The image display device according to claim 2. Based on the size of the original image, the position of the range specified by the specifying means on the original image, and the display magnification of the image in the window, the contour display means Judging the size and displaying the outline of the original image located outside the window;
The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is an image display device. The designating unit designates a range to be displayed in the window in the original image by designating a position of the contour of the displayed original image with respect to the window;
The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is an image display device.

Images