JP3870458B2 - Image data retrieval apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image data search apparatus and method, and more particularly to search data quickly by encoding search image data to extract important words and comparing them with important words of a plurality of images stored in a database. The present invention relates to an image data search apparatus and method that can be performed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recently, with the spread of computers, various types of information have been put into a database and used. For example, when creating an image into a database, it is conceivable to compress the image so that as many images as possible can be registered in the database. The compressed image can be restored to the original image by decompression processing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when images are compressed and converted into a database in this way, the decompression process takes time. Therefore, when a desired image is searched from a database in which many images are compressed, the images stored in the database are not stored. Since it is necessary to perform a process of decompressing and comparing with an image to be searched, there is a problem that it takes time to search.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and makes it possible to quickly search for a desired image.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The image data search device according to claim 1 is encoded by an acquisition means for acquiring search image data, an encoding means for encoding the acquired search image data by ADRC, and extracting a minimum value of the signal level. First reading means for reading the minimum value of each image from the minimum value of the signal level stored in advance in the database and the data of a plurality of images consisting of the dynamic range and quantization code corresponding to the minimum value; A comparison means for comparing the minimum value of the extracted search image with the minimum value read from the database;Corresponding to the comparison result, an image consisting of the minimum value is decoded and displayed, a designation means for designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value, and a dynamic range and quantization of the image consisting of the designated minimum value A second reading means for reading the code from the database; and decoding the minimum value, dynamic range and quantization code of the designated image to correspond to the image comprising the designated minimum valueOutput means for outputting image data of a database.
[0006]
  Claim2The image data search method described in 1) includes a capturing step of capturing search image data, an encoding step of encoding the captured search image data by ADRC, and extracting a minimum value of the signal level, and encoding the data into a database. Read the minimum value of each image from the minimum value of the signal level stored in advance and the data of multiple images consisting of the dynamic range and quantization code corresponding to the minimum value.FirstA comparison step for comparing the reading step with the minimum value of the extracted search image and the minimum value read from the database;Corresponding to the comparison result, an image consisting of the minimum value is decoded and displayed, a designation step for designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value, and a dynamic range and quantization of the image consisting of the designated minimum value A second reading step of reading the code from the database, and decoding the minimum value and dynamic range and quantization code of the specified image to correspond to the image consisting of the specified minimum valueAnd an output step of outputting image data of the database.
[0007]
  The image data search device according to claim 1 and claim2In the image data search method described in (1), the search image data is encoded, and the minimum value of the signal level is extracted. Also, the minimum value is read out from multiple images consisting of the minimum value of the signal level stored in the database and the dynamic range and quantization code corresponding to the minimum value, and compared with the minimum value of the search image. Is done.Then, an image consisting of the minimum value is decoded and displayed corresponding to the comparison result, a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value is designated, and the dynamic range and quantization code of the image consisting of the designated minimum value Are read from the database, the minimum value of the designated image, the dynamic range, and the quantization code are decoded, and the image data of the database corresponding to the image having the designated minimum value is output.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but in order to clarify the correspondence between each means of the invention described in the claims and the following embodiments, in parentheses after each means, The features of the present invention will be described with the corresponding embodiment (however, an example) added. However, of course, this description does not mean that each means is limited to the description.
[0009]
  The image data search apparatus according to claim 1 is an acquisition means (for example, step S11 in FIG. 6) for acquiring search image data, encodes the acquired search image data by ADRC, and sets a minimum value of the signal level. Encoding means for extraction (for example, step S12 in FIG. 6), a minimum value of the signal level encoded and stored in advance in the database, and a plurality of image data consisting of a dynamic range and a quantization code corresponding to the minimum value The first reading means for reading the minimum value of each image (for example, step S14 in FIG. 6) and the comparing means for comparing the extracted minimum value of the search image with the minimum value read from the database (for example, Step S15) in FIG.Corresponding to the comparison result, an image consisting of the minimum value is decoded and displayed, and designation means for designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value (for example, step S19 in FIG. 6), and the designated minimum value The second reading means (for example, step S20 in FIG. 6) for reading the dynamic range and quantization code of the image to be read from the database, and the specified minimum value, dynamic range and quantization code of the specified image are decoded and specified. Corresponds to an image consisting of the smallest valueOutput means for outputting database image data(For example, step S22 in FIG. 6)It is characterized by providing.
[0011]
  Claim2The image data search method described in 1) includes an acquisition step (for example, step S11 in FIG. 6) for acquiring search image data, an encoding for encoding the acquired search image data by ADRC, and extracting a minimum value of the signal level. From each step (for example, step S12 in FIG. 6), a minimum value of the encoded signal level stored in advance in the database, and a plurality of image data including a dynamic range and a quantization code corresponding to the minimum value. Read the minimum value of the imageFirstA reading step (for example, step S14 in FIG. 6), a comparison step (for example, step S15 in FIG. 6) for comparing the extracted minimum value of the search image with the minimum value read from the database;In response to the comparison result, an image consisting of the minimum value is decoded and displayed, a designation step (eg, step S19 in FIG. 6) for designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value, and the designated minimum value A second reading step (for example, step S20 in FIG. 6) for reading the dynamic range and quantization code of the image to be read from the database, and decoding the specified minimum value, dynamic range and quantization code of the specified image. Corresponds to an image consisting of the smallest valueOutput step for outputting database image data(For example, step S22 in FIG. 6)It is characterized by providing.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image data search apparatus according to the present invention. The image capturing device 1 is constituted by, for example, a scanner, a video tape recorder, a video camera, a video disk recorder, and the like. For example, in the case of a scanner, it scans an image such as a photograph and outputs it to the A / D conversion circuit 2. The A / D conversion circuit 2 performs A / D conversion on the input image signal and outputs it to the blocking circuit 3. The blocking circuit 3 blocks the input image data in units of scanning lines and outputs the blocked data to the maximum value detection circuit 4, the minimum value detection circuit 6, and the delay circuit 7.
[0013]
The maximum value detection circuit 4 detects the maximum value in the input block data and outputs the detected maximum value to the dynamic range detection circuit 5. The minimum value detection circuit 6 detects the minimum value from the input block data, and outputs the minimum value data to the dynamic range detection circuit 5, the subtraction circuit 8, and the buffer memory 9. The delay circuit 7 delays the input block data by a time corresponding to the processing time in the maximum value detection circuit 4 and the minimum value detection circuit 6, and then outputs it to the subtraction circuit 8.
[0014]
The dynamic range detection circuit 5 detects the dynamic range from the difference between the maximum value output from the maximum value detection circuit 4 and the minimum value output from the minimum value detection circuit 6, and adapts the data of the detected dynamic range to the buffer memory 9. To the type decoder 10. The subtraction circuit 8 subtracts the minimum value output from the minimum value detection circuit 6 from the output of the delay circuit 7 and outputs the result to the adaptive encoder 10. The adaptive encoder 10 is adapted to adaptively encode the data supplied from the subtraction circuit 8 and output the quantization code to the buffer memory 9 in accordance with the dynamic range output from the dynamic range detection circuit 5. Yes.
[0015]
The data stored in the buffer memory 9 is input to the format / deformat circuit 11, converted into data of a predetermined format, modulated by the recording / reproducing circuit 12 with a predetermined modulation method, and then recorded on the hard disk 13. It is made like that. The control circuit 14 controls the recording operation with respect to the hard disk 13 in response to the input from the input device 15.
[0016]
The control circuit 14 reads out data recorded on the hard disk 13 in response to a command from the input device 15, demodulates the data by the recording / reproducing circuit 12, and then deformats the data in the format / deformat circuit 11. And output to the buffer memory 9.
[0017]
The data written in the buffer memory 9 is controlled by the control circuit 14 and appropriately read out, the quantization code and the dynamic range thereof are supplied to the adaptive decoder 16, and the minimum value is supplied to the addition circuit 17. It is made like that. The adaptive decoder 16 adaptively performs decoding processing corresponding to the input quantization code and dynamic range, and outputs the decoded output to the adder circuit 17. The adder circuit 17 adds the output of the adaptive decoder 16 and the minimum value and outputs the result to the block decomposition circuit 18. The block decomposing circuit 18 performs a process of decomposing the input block unit data block and converting it into scan line unit data. The D / A conversion circuit 19 converts the output of the block decomposition circuit 18 from D / A conversion, and then outputs it to the display 20.
[0018]
Next, the operation will be described. When the recording of image data is instructed from the input device 15, the control circuit 14 executes an image data recording process according to the flowchart of FIG. That is, first, in step S1, an image data capturing process is executed. At this time, the image capturing device 1 scans a photograph and captures the image. Alternatively, image data is captured from the output of a video tape recorder, a video disk recorder, or the like.
[0019]
Next, in step S2, a process for encoding the captured image data by ADRC (Adaptive Dynamic Range Coding) is executed. That is, the A / D conversion circuit 2 performs A / D conversion on the image signal output from the image capturing device 1 and outputs the image signal to the blocking circuit 3. The blocking circuit 3 executes processing for blocking image data input in units of scanning lines as schematically shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 3, N × M pixel data for one screen is blocked for each n × m pixel data. In this example, the pixel data is blocked into nine blocks B1 to B9. ing.
[0020]
Data blocked by the block forming circuit 3 into blocks composed of n × m pixel data is output to the maximum value detection circuit 4, the minimum value detection circuit 6, and the delay circuit 7. The maximum value detection circuit 4 detects the maximum value (MAX) from the n × m pixel data of the input block, and the minimum value detection circuit 6 detects the minimum value (MIN). The dynamic range detection circuit 5 calculates the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the block, and outputs the difference to the buffer memory 9 as a dynamic range (for example, 8-bit data).
[0021]
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the n × m pixel data of the block has a level represented by, for example, an 8-bit code, and the difference between the minimum value and the maximum value is It is detected as a dynamic range in the block.
[0022]
On the other hand, the subtraction circuit 8 subtracts the minimum value supplied from the minimum value detection circuit 6 from the pixel data supplied from the delay circuit 7. That is, the difference signal output from the subtracting circuit 8 represents the pixel level when the minimum value in the block is set to the lowest level (0 level). The adaptive encoder 10 adaptively quantizes the level of the difference signal output from the subtracting circuit 8 corresponding to the dynamic range output from the dynamic range detecting circuit 5, for example, 4 bits, and outputs a quantization code Q. Execute the process. In this case, the adaptive encoder 10 performs the following calculation.
[0023]
Q = (x−MIN) / Δ
Here, x is pixel data, Δ = DR / 2^FourDR is a value (dynamic range) represented by the following equation.
DR = MAX-MIN + 1
[0024]
That is, the dynamic range DR in the block is obtained from the maximum value MAX and the minimum value MIN for each block, and the quantization step width Δ is obtained by dividing the dynamic range DR into 16. A 4-bit quantization code Q can be obtained by subtracting the minimum value MIN from the pixel data x and dividing the subtraction result by the quantization step width Δ.
[0025]
In this way, the buffer memory 9 stores the 4-bit quantization code Q encoded by ADRC and the 8-bit dynamic range DR together with the 8-bit minimum value MIN for each block.
[0026]
In step S3, the minimum value (important word) and other data (dynamic range and quantization code) are recorded in the database so that the minimum value can be separated (independently) and read. Executed. That is, the format / deformat circuit 11 reads the minimum value, quantization code, and dynamic range data stored in the buffer memory 9, formats them, and outputs them to the recording / reproducing circuit 12. The recording / reproducing circuit 12 modulates the input data by a predetermined method and records it in the database of the hard disk 13.
[0027]
FIG. 5 schematically shows a database formed on the hard disk 13. As shown in the figure, in this database, the minimum value, quantization code, and dynamic range of each block B1 to B9 of the image are recorded for each ID of the image. From this database, the minimum value (important word) of each image ID can be read out independently of other quantization codes and dynamic ranges (non-important words). That is, for example, only the minimum values of the blocks B1 to B9 of the image ID 0001 can be read, or only the minimum values of the blocks B1 to B9 of the image ID 0003 can be read.
[0028]
Next, when the input device 15 is operated to instruct a search for a predetermined search image, the control circuit 14 executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S11, a search image capturing process is executed. That is, at this time, the image capturing device 1 executes a process of capturing a photograph of a predetermined search image, for example. In step S12, the search image data is encoded by ADRC. At this time, in step S11, the search image data captured by the image capturing device 1 is processed in the same manner as in step S2 of the flowchart of FIG. 2, and encoded by ADRC. In step S13, the minimum value obtained in step S12 and other data (dynamic range and quantization code) are stored in the buffer memory 9.
[0029]
Next, in step S14, the control circuit 14 controls the hard disk 13 and executes a process of reading the minimum value of the first image recorded in the database. For example, the minimum value of each block of the image ID 0001 read from the hard disk 13 is input to the recording / reproducing circuit 12, demodulated, supplied to the format / deformat circuit 11, and deformatted. Then, the deformatted minimum value data is written in the buffer memory 9.
[0030]
Next, proceeding to step S15, it is determined whether or not the minimum value of the database image read in step S14 is a value approximate to the minimum value of the search image written in the buffer memory 9 in step S13. . That is, the control circuit 14 compares the minimum value of the search image stored in the buffer memory 9 with the minimum value of the image with the image ID 0001, and the error is within a predetermined reference value range set in advance. It is determined whether or not.
[0031]
When the difference between the minimum values of the two images is within a predetermined reference range set in advance, the process proceeds to step S16, and processing for displaying the image of the minimum value is executed. That is, at this time, the control circuit 14 reads the data of the minimum value of the database image ID 0001 written in the buffer memory 9 and causes the adding circuit 17 to output the data. At this time, since the quantization code and the dynamic range are not read, the adder circuit 17 supplies the minimum value to the block decomposition circuit 18 as it is.
[0032]
The block decomposition circuit 18 converts the pixel data of the input block unit into pixel data of the scanning line unit, performs D / A conversion by the D / A conversion circuit 19, and then outputs to the display 20 for display. As a result, the display 20 displays an image that is read from a database approximate to the search image and that is based on only the minimum value. Since this image is an image decoded based on only the minimum value, it is an image slightly different from the original accurate image, but this minimum value is data corresponding to the original image. Therefore, the user can sufficiently predict the original image from the minimum value image.
[0033]
If it is determined in step S15 that the difference between the minimum value of the image read from the database and the minimum value of the search image is not within a predetermined reference range, the process of step S16 is skipped. After step S15 or step S16, the process proceeds to step S17, where it is determined whether all images in the database have been searched. If there is an image that has not been searched yet in the database, the process returns to step S14, the minimum value of the next image, for example, the image with the image ID 0002, is read, and the same processing is executed.
[0034]
As described above, when it is determined in step S17 that all images in the database have been searched, the process proceeds to step S18, and it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of minimum value images displayed in step S16. . If it is determined that there are a plurality of images, the process proceeds to step S19, and a process for allowing the user to designate a predetermined image from the plurality of images is executed. That is, at this time, the control circuit 14 displays a predetermined message on the display 20 and designates a desired image from a plurality of minimum value images. In response to this message, the user operates the input device 15 and designates the minimum value image that is determined to be close to the search image.
[0035]
If it is determined in step S18 that there are not a plurality of displayed images, the process of step S19 is skipped. Then, after the process of step S18 or S19, the process proceeds to step S20 to read out the minimum value image designated by the user or other data (dynamic range and quantization code) of only one minimum value image displayed. Processing is executed. That is, at this time, the control circuit 14 causes the dynamic range and the quantization code corresponding to the designated image stored in the hard disk 13 to be read. In step S21, a decoding process by ADRC is executed. That is, the quantization code and dynamic range read from the hard disk 13 are supplied from the buffer memory 9 to the adaptive decoder 16. The adaptive decoder 16 calculates the following equation.
x_D0= (Q + 1/2) × Δ
[0036]
The adder circuit 17 is supplied with x from the adaptive decoder 16._D0And the following expression for adding the minimum value MIN.
x_D= X_D0+ MIN = (Q + 1/2) × Δ + MIN
[0037]
In other words, the image data that has been compressed and recorded in the database is decompressed and decoded.
[0038]
In step S22, image output processing is executed. That is, at this time, the block unit data output from the adder circuit 17 is converted into scan line unit data, D / A converted by the D / A converter circuit 19, and then output to the display 20 for display. The Thereby, the user can confirm the original image searched from the database.
[0039]
Thus, in this embodiment, instead of decoding the image in the database by ADRC and comparing the decoded image with the search image, the search image is encoded by ADRC and the minimum value is extracted. Since the minimum value is compared with the minimum value of the image in the database, it is possible to search quickly.
[0040]
In the above embodiment, the image is encoded or decoded by ADRC. However, it is also possible to encode or decode (compress and decompress) by DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform), for example. In this case, when the pixel data of each block is subjected to DCT processing, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the DCT coefficient is divided into a DC component and other AC components. It is possible to roughly discriminate an original image from an image using only the DC component.
[0041]
Therefore, this DC component is recorded in the database as an important word as in the case of the above-mentioned minimum value in a state where it can be separated independently from the AC component as a non-important word, and the search image is subjected to DCT processing, and the DC It is also possible to extract a component and perform a search by comparing the DC component of the search image with the DC component of the database image. Even in this case, as in the case described above, not only can a large number of images be compressed and recorded in the database, but also the search can be executed quickly.
[0042]
FIG. 8 shows a configuration example in this case. In FIG. 8, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. The image signal captured by the image capturing device 1 is A / D converted by the A / D conversion circuit 2, supplied to the frame memory 31 and stored therein. Image data stored in the frame memory 31 is read from the frame memory 31 and supplied to the DCT circuit 33 via the subtractor 32. The DCT circuit 33 converts the input data into DCT coefficients and then outputs them to the quantization circuit 34. The quantization circuit 34 quantizes the input DCT coefficient.
[0043]
The data output from the quantization circuit 34 is supplied to a VLC circuit (variable length coding circuit) 35, and is also supplied to an inverse quantum circuit 36, dequantized, and supplied to an IDCT circuit 37. ing. The IDCT circuit 37 performs inverse DCT processing on the input data and outputs it to the motion compensation circuit 39 via the adder 38. The motion compensation circuit 39 is configured to store the input data in the prediction memory 40 after performing motion compensation corresponding to the motion vector. The data stored in the prediction memory 40 is supplied to the subtracter 32 and is subtracted from the data supplied from the frame memory 31. An adder 38 adds the data to the data from the IDCT circuit 39.
[0044]
The motion vector detection circuit 41 detects the motion vector of the data output from the frame memory 31 and supplies the detection result to the motion compensation circuit 39.
[0045]
The output of the VLC circuit 35 is supplied to the buffer memory 9 and stored therein. The data stored in the buffer memory 9 is appropriately read out and recorded on the hard disk 13 via the format / deformat circuit 11 and the recording / reproducing circuit 12 as in the embodiment of FIG. Has been made. The recording / reproducing of the hard disk 13 is controlled by the control circuit 14 in response to a command from the input device 15.
[0046]
Data read from the buffer memory 9 is input to a VLD (variable length code decoding circuit) 61 and subjected to variable length decoding processing. The output of the VLD 61 is input to the inverse quantization circuit 62 and is inversely quantized. The output of the inverse quantization circuit 62 is supplied to the IDCT circuit 63 and subjected to IDCT processing.
[0047]
The adder 64 adds the data supplied from the IDCT circuit 63 and the predicted image data stored in advance in the prediction memory 66 and outputs the result to the display 20 via the D / A conversion circuit 19. Yes. The data output from the adder 64 is stored in the prediction memory 66 as a predicted image after motion compensation in the motion compensation circuit 65.
[0048]
Next, the operation will be described. When recording is instructed from the input device 15, an image capturing process is executed. The image signal captured by the image capturing device 1 is A / D converted by the A / D conversion circuit 2 and then stored in the frame memory 31. If the data read from the frame memory 31 is an I picture (if the captured image is a photographic image, each image is basically an I picture), the DCT circuit 33 is passed through the adder 32 as it is. To be supplied. On the other hand, in the case of a P picture or a B picture, a difference from the motion prediction image stored in the prediction memory 40 is obtained by the subtractor 32, and the difference data is supplied to the DCT circuit 33.
[0049]
The DCT circuit 33 converts the input data into DCT coefficients Coeff [u] [v] in block units of each macroblock. The quantization circuit 34 converts the DCT coefficient Coeff [u] [v] supplied from the DCT circuit 33 into a quantization level QF [u] [v]. Then, the quantization level QF [u] [v] is zigzag scanned.
[0050]
The inverse quantization circuit 36 inversely quantizes the data output from the quantization circuit 34. That is, a process reverse to the process in the quantization circuit 34 is performed. The data output from the inverse quantization circuit 36 is input to the IDCT circuit 37 and subjected to inverse DCT processing. That is, a process reverse to that in the DCT circuit 33 is performed.
[0051]
The output data from the IDCT circuit 37 is added to the predicted image data supplied from the prediction memory 40 in the adder 38, and is returned from the difference data to the original data. This data is input to the motion compensation circuit 39. A motion vector is input to the motion compensation circuit 39 from the motion vector detection circuit 41, and the motion compensation circuit 39 responds to the motion vector by the motion of the data input from the IDCT circuit 37 via the adder 38. Make compensation. Then, the data after the motion compensation is supplied to the prediction memory 40 and stored. In this way, the motion prediction image is stored in the prediction memory 40.
[0052]
On the other hand, the VLC circuit 35 converts the data of the quantization level QF [u] [v] input from the quantization circuit 34 into a variable length code. The data variable-length encoded by the VLC circuit 35 is stored in the buffer memory 9. As in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 1, this data is stored in the database of the hard disk 13 so that the DC component of each image block can be read out from the AC component in the same manner as described above. To be recorded.
[0053]
On the other hand, when a search for a predetermined image is instructed from the input device 15, the search image is captured by the image capture device 1, and the DC component and AC of the search image are stored in the buffer memory 9 in the same manner as described above. The component is stored.
[0054]
The control circuit 14 reads the DC component of the first image recorded in the database of the hard disk 13 and stores it in the buffer memory 9 via the recording / reproducing circuit 12 and the format / deformat circuit 11.
[0055]
The control circuit 14 calculates the difference between the DC component of the search image captured by the image capturing device 1 and the DC component read from the database of the hard disk 13, and the difference is a predetermined reference set in advance. It is determined whether the value is within the range. When it is within the predetermined reference value range, the DC component of the image read from the database is supplied to the VLD 61. The VLD 61 performs variable length decoding processing on the input data. The inverse quantization circuit 62 inversely quantizes the variable length decoded data input from the VLD 61 and outputs it to the IDCT circuit 63. The IDCT circuit 63 performs IDCT processing on the input data and outputs it to the adder 64. The adder 64 adds the predicted image data read from the prediction memory 66 and the data supplied from the IDCT circuit 63, performs D / A conversion by the D / A conversion circuit 19, and outputs the result to the display 20. To display.
[0056]
The data output from the adder 64 is motion-compensated by the motion compensation circuit 65, then supplied to the prediction memory 66, and stored as a predicted image. Note that the motion vector necessary for the motion compensation circuit 65 to perform motion compensation is separated and extracted from the database together with the DC component.
[0057]
As described above, the database image stored in the hard disk 13 and the search image are compared between the DC components and searched. When the user designates a predetermined image from the DC component images displayed on the display 20, the control circuit 14 reads the AC component of the corresponding image from the database of the hard disk 13 and supplies it to the buffer memory 9. , Remember. Thereafter, decoding processing is performed by the VLD 61 to the prediction memory 66 based on the direct current component and the alternating current component, and the original image is displayed on the display 20.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
  As described above, the image data retrieval device according to claim 1 and the claim2According to the image data search method described in the above, the minimum value of the signal level is extracted by encoding the search image data by ADRC, and the minimum value of the signal level, the dynamic range, and the quantization code stored in advance in the database Since the search is performed by comparing the minimum value with the minimum value of the image, it is possible not only to store more images in the database, but also to perform a quick search.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment of a data search apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation at the time of image data recording of the image data search apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the blocking circuit of FIG. 1;
4 is a diagram for explaining encoding by ADRC in step S2 of FIG. 2; FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a database.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation at the time of retrieval of the image data retrieval apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating DCT coefficients.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the embodiment of the data search device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image capture device, 3 Blocking circuit, 4 Maximum value detection circuit, 5 Dynamic range detection circuit, 6 Minimum value detection circuit, 9 Buffer memory, 10 Adaptive encoder, 13 Hard disk, 14 Control circuit, 16 Adaptive decoder, 17 addition circuit, 18 block decomposition circuit, 20 display

Claims (2)

Capture means for capturing search image data;
Encoding means for encoding the retrieved search image data by ADRC (Adaptive Dynamic Range Coding) and extracting a minimum signal level;
First reading means for reading the minimum value of each image from the minimum value of the signal level encoded and stored in advance in the database, and the data of a plurality of images consisting of the dynamic range and quantization code corresponding to the minimum value When,
Comparison means for comparing the extracted minimum value of the search image with the minimum value read from the database;
A designation means for decoding and displaying the image consisting of the minimum value corresponding to the comparison result, and designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value;
Second reading means for reading the dynamic range and quantization code of the image having the specified minimum value from the database;
Output means for decoding the specified minimum value, dynamic range, and quantization code of the specified image, and outputting image data of the database corresponding to the specified image of the minimum value , An image data retrieval device. In the image data search method of the image data search device for storing a plurality of image data consisting of a minimum value of the signal level, a dynamic range corresponding to the minimum value, and a quantization code as a database,
A capture step for retrieving search image data;
An encoding step of encoding the retrieved image data by ADRC and extracting a minimum signal level;
A first reading step of reading the minimum value of each image from the minimum value of the signal level encoded and stored in advance in the database, and the data of a plurality of images consisting of the dynamic range and quantization code corresponding to the minimum value When,
A comparison step of comparing a minimum value of the extracted search image with a minimum value read from the database;
A designation step for decoding and displaying the image consisting of the minimum value corresponding to the comparison result, and designating a predetermined one of the images consisting of the minimum value;
A second reading step of reading the dynamic range and quantization code of the image having the specified minimum value from the database;
An output step of decoding the specified minimum value, dynamic range, and quantization code of the specified image, and outputting data of the database image corresponding to the specified image of the minimum value; and Image data search method.

Images