JP5955080B2 - Information retrieval apparatus and control method and program thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information search apparatus and a control method and program thereof, and more particularly, to an information search apparatus and a control method and program thereof for searching information data with its attribute data.

  Conventionally, an information search for searching various information data with the attribute data has been performed. For example, when a person name is selected from a person list, an image with the person name (attribute data) is searched (see Patent Document 1). In this prior art, when a person name is selected from a person list displayed on the screen, an image to which the person name is added is searched, and thumbnails of the searched images are displayed in a list. This makes it possible to search for an image of a person without inputting the name of the person.

JP 2011-60245 A

  However, in the prior art, the person names once registered in the person list are displayed in a list continuously thereafter. For example, the names of people whose search opportunities have decreased due to estrangement and who no longer take images of the people have been displayed in the list. For this reason, the number of person names displayed in the person list continues to increase, making it difficult to find the names of people who frequently search from the list.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art, displays only a list of search conditions that have a certain number of opportunities for use in a search, and quickly adds a search condition for which a search opportunity has occurred to the list display. An object is to provide an information retrieval apparatus.

  According to the present invention, the information search apparatus displays a list of stored attribute data, storage means for storing a plurality of information data to be searched, and attribute data associated with each information data, Based on the association between each attribute data displayed in a list and the display means for displaying the information data read from the storage means in accordance with the association with each attribute data, the information data associated with the attribute data is stored in the storage means. When a search means for searching from a plurality of stored information data and information data processing relating to each attribute data displayed in a list is not performed for a preset time or longer, the corresponding attribute data Display control means for hiding display in the list display.

  According to the present invention, display management of search conditions corresponding to the frequency of search opportunities is facilitated, and selection of search conditions is facilitated.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information search device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the display control operation | movement of a person list display by the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the display control operation | movement by the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention, when the image in which a person name was written in the header is taken in. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the display control operation | movement by the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention when a person name is input into a text search box. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the display control operation | movement by the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention when a person name is added to an image. It is a figure showing an example of the display screen of the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen displayed when the display control of the person list display in the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention is performed. It is a figure which shows the other example of the screen displayed when the display control of the person list display in the information search device which concerns on 1st Example of this invention is performed. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the display control operation | movement of a person list display which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an information search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although the present embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a search device that searches image data obtained by photographing a person by a person name, the present invention is not limited to this. Like the person name (attribute data) that is the search condition of this embodiment and the image (plural information data) that is the search target, the frequency of use of the search condition depends on various cases such as the user and the living environment. It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to retrieval of information data that changes.

  In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a CPU that controls the entire system in accordance with a control program stored in a memory (not shown). Reference numeral 104 denotes a primary storage device such as a RAM, and reference numeral 105 denotes a secondary storage device such as a hard disk. The secondary storage device 102 stores a database in which image data to be searched, registered person name data, and associations between images and person names are written. Reference numeral 102 denotes a display unit for displaying searched image data and the like, and reference numeral 103 denotes an operation unit such as a mouse or a keyboard. Reference numeral 106 denotes an external connection device that connects a digital camera or the like such as USB and captures image data and the like, and enables connection to the external device. The image transmitted from the external connection device is stored in the secondary storage device.

  First, a search screen of the information search apparatus according to this embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the search screen of this embodiment. This screen is displayed on the display unit 102 under the control of the CPU 101. In the figure, reference numeral 604 denotes a list display of registered personal name data. Here, 10 person names from A to J are registered. Reference numeral 602 denotes a button for registering a person name. When this button is clicked, a dialog or the like (not shown) is displayed. When a person name is input there, it is registered in the database and displayed in the person list 604. It is also possible to associate the person name with the image and store the association in a database by various known operations. The present embodiment also includes another known method for registering person names in the list display. That is, when an image with a person name written in the header is taken into the information search apparatus of this embodiment, the person is automatically registered and displayed in the person list, and the association between the person and the image is stored in the database. save. Image data in which a person name is written in the header is generated by recognizing the person and writing the name of the person in the header of the image data when shooting with a digital camera.

  Reference numeral 603 denotes a selection frame representing the selected person. This figure shows that Mr. A is selected. When a person name is clicked from the person list, a selection frame 603 is displayed for the person name, and an image associated with the person is displayed. Reference numeral 605 denotes an image display area. In this figure, an image associated with Mr. A with a selection frame 603 is displayed. Reference numeral 606 denotes a text search box, and reference numeral 607 denotes a search button. When a person name is input to the text search box 606 and the search button 607 is clicked, an image associated with the person name is searched and displayed in the image display area 605.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a search screen that is displayed in accordance with the display control of the person list of this embodiment when no operation is continuously performed for a certain person for a certain period of time. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG.

  In the display of FIG. 7, the image data processing (information data processing) operation is performed for at least a predetermined period of time for seven persons from D to J displayed in the person list on the search screen of FIG. Indicates that it was not done. Here, the operations that were not performed include an operation of selecting a person name from the person list and performing a search, an operation of inputting a person name in a text search box, an operation of associating the person name with an image, and a person name in the header. This includes operations such as importing written images. In addition, various operations related to the person information such as various attribute information of the person (birthday, etc.) and a name change are included. If these operations are not performed for a certain period of time, it is expected that there will be no exchange or contact with the person, and the search by the person name is less likely to occur. Hide the person name from the person list.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of a search screen displayed when predetermined information data processing is performed in the state of FIG. In the case of this embodiment, the predetermined processing is capturing an image in which the person name is written in the header, searching by inputting the person name into the text search box 606, or adding the person name to the image. The illustrated example shows a case where the person name is Mr. D. The predetermined process is not limited to this, and may be another process related to a person name. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG.

  In FIG. 8, Mr. D's name is displayed again in the person list, and the image of Mr. D can be searched from the person names in the person list.

  Next, the display control operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention performed to display the search screen will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a display control operation for hiding some person names in the person list.

  Referring to the figure, in S201, the CPU 101 activates a timer (time measuring means) for each registered person name, and starts measuring whether or not a certain period such as one month has elapsed. During this measurement, first, in S202, the CPU 101 determines whether or not an image in which the name of the person to be measured is written in the header is captured. If so, the process returns to S201 to reset the elapsed time of the timer relating to the person name and restart the measurement. If not, in step S203, the CPU 101 determines whether or not a search has been performed using the person name to be measured. If the search has been performed, the process returns to S201 to reset the elapsed time of the timer relating to the person name and restart the measurement. If the search is not performed, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the timer has measured a certain period in S204. If it has continued for a certain time or longer, in S205, the CPU 101 hides the corresponding person name from display in the person list. If not, the process returns to S202, and the CPU 101 repeatedly executes S202 and S203 until a certain time is measured for the person name to be measured. Here, in S205, the CPU 101 simply hides the person name from the list display, and keeps the information of the person name in the database holding the association between the person name and the image. Therefore, if the user inputs a person name in the text search box 606, it is possible to search for an image associated with the person name.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a display control operation according to the present embodiment when, for example, the display of the person list is in the state shown in FIG.

  In the figure, in S301, the CPU 101 determines whether a person name is added to the header of the captured image. If it is not added, this operation is terminated without doing anything. If it has been added, the process proceeds to S302, and the CPU 101 determines whether or not the person name has already been registered in the person list. If not registered, the process proceeds to S305, in which the CPU 101 registers the person name, displays it on the person list, and associates the person name with the image in the database.

  If registered, the process advances to step S303, and the CPU 101 determines whether or not the person name is hidden in the person list by the display control operation of FIG. If not displayed, in step S304, the CPU 101 displays the person name again in the person list and associates the person name with the image. As a result, once there is no AC or contact with a person, AC or contact occurs again, and if the person is photographed with a digital camera, an image with the person's name written in the header is captured. Thus, the person name is displayed again in the person list. Therefore, after that, it is possible to easily search for an image by selecting a person name from the person list.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the display control operation according to the present embodiment when, for example, when the display control of the person list is in the state shown in FIG. Indicates.

  In the figure, in step S401, the CPU 101 determines whether a search is instructed by inputting a person name in the text search box 606. If not instructed, the operation is terminated without doing anything. If instructed, the process advances to step S402, and the CPU 101 determines whether the input person name is already registered in the person list. If not registered, the process advances to step S405, and the CPU 101 registers the person name and displays it in the person list. If registered, the process proceeds to S403, and the CPU 101 determines whether or not the person name is hidden in the person list by the display control operation of FIG. If it is not displayed, in step S404, the CPU 101 sets up the person name to be displayed again on the person list. As a result, when there is no exchange or contact with a person once, and the exchange or contact occurs again and the previous image of that person is searched, the person's name will be displayed again in the person list. Makes it easy to search for images by selecting a person name from the person list.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a display control operation in the case where a person name is added later to an image captured without adding a person name.

  In FIG. 5, in S501, the CPU 101 determines whether a person name is added to the image. If nothing is added, nothing is done. If added, the process advances to step S502, and the CPU 101 determines whether the person name has already been registered in the person list. If not registered, the process advances to step S505, and the CPU 101 registers the person name and displays it on the person list, and associates the person name with the image. If registered, the process advances to step S503, and the CPU 101 determines whether the person name is hidden in the person list by the display control operation of FIG. If it is not displayed, in step S504, the CPU 101 displays the person name again in the person list and associates the person name with the image. As a result, when there is no AC or contact once with a person, AC or contact occurs again, and when the person was photographed with a digital camera but the person was not authenticated with the digital camera, the image was later By adding a person name to, the image can be searched. Further, since the person name is displayed again from the person list, it is possible to easily search for an image simply by selecting the person name from the person list.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, a person whose opportunity to search has decreased, or a person who has stopped taking an image of that person is no longer displayed in the person list. It becomes easier to find the target person name from the list. Furthermore, since the person names are not displayed in a list and are not deleted from the internal database, the search by another means such as text search can be continued. After that, if you take a picture of a person name that is no longer displayed in the list and capture the image, or perform another search such as text search using that person name, the person name will be displayed in the list again. Become so. Therefore, even if the relationship with a person who has been estranged for a while begins again, the list of the person names will be displayed again, and it will be easy to search by simply selecting the person name from the list display. Become.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the display / non-display of the person name is controlled based on the elapsed time measured by the timer activated for each person name. In the present embodiment, for example, the last time when a search based on a certain attribute or the acquisition of image data having that attribute is performed is stored in association with the attribute, and the final time is compared with the current time. Based on this, the elapsed time is measured to determine whether to display or not.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of the display control operation of the present embodiment. The display control operation of the present embodiment is performed in the information search apparatus shown in FIG. 1 as in the first embodiment, and the display forms related to the display control are the same as those in FIGS. Therefore, the description of the information search device and the display form is omitted here unless it is necessary.
In FIG. 2, in step S900, the CPU 101 determines whether information data processing such as a search based on a certain attribute or capturing of image data having the attribute has been performed on the displayed person name. The information data processing to be determined is the same as the processing mentioned in the description of FIG.
When it is determined in step S900 that the information data processing has been performed, the CPU 101 determines in step S901 that the time at that time is the final time and the secondary storage device 102 in relation to the person name related to the information data processing that has been performed. To remember. If there is an already stored time, it is updated. When the information data processing is not performed, step S900 is repeated.
In step S902, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the difference between the final time stored in step S901 and the current time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. If it is not less than the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S904, and if not, the process proceeds to step S903.
In step S904, the CPU 101 hides the display of the list of person names related to the last time determined in step S902.
In step S903, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the information data processing related to the person name related to the final time determined in step S902 has been performed after the final time. If it is not performed or if the information data processing is related to another person name, the process returns to step S902 to continue the determination of the elapsed time. If so, the process returns to step S901 to update the final time and continue to determine the elapsed time in step S902.
The CPU 101 performs the above processing for each person name, and manages display / non-display of each person name in a list display. Further, when the information data processing related to the person name hidden in the processing of FIG. 2 is performed, the operations according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 can be performed as in the first embodiment. In this case, by updating the final time according to the information data processing that has been performed, even if the name of the person who has been hidden is displayed, it can be hidden by the operation of FIG. .
In addition, the last time can be recorded and updated for, for example, different attribute information and operations belonging to the same person name, and can be hidden at a timing according to the situation by setting different predetermined times for them. It becomes.
According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to realize display and non-display management that is convenient for the operator, and it is possible to provide a more convenient information search apparatus.
As described above, it is apparent from the above description that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be applied to a search for a database of other information. In that case, the process for displaying the non-display in the list display may be appropriately set in the information search apparatus. In the above-described embodiment, the information data processing other than the processing of FIGS. 3 to 5 can also be configured to display non-display in the list display of the present invention.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. A part of the above-described embodiments may be appropriately combined. Also, when a software program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied from a recording medium directly to a system or apparatus having a computer that can execute the program using wired / wireless communication, and the program is executed Are also included in the present invention. Accordingly, the program code itself supplied and installed in the computer in order to implement the functional processing of the present invention by the computer also realizes the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention is also included in the present invention. In this case, the program may be in any form as long as it has a program function, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to the OS. The recording medium for storing and supplying the program may be, for example, a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk or a magnetic tape, an optical / magneto-optical storage medium, or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory. As a program supply method, a computer program that forms the present invention is stored in a server on a computer network, and a connected client computer downloads and programs the computer program.

Claims (16)

Storage means for storing a plurality of information data to be searched and attribute data associated with each information data;
A list of attribute data stored in the storage means, and a display means for displaying the information data read from the storage means according to the association with each attribute data;
Search means for searching information data associated with the attribute data from a plurality of information data stored in the storage means based on the association with each attribute data displayed in the list;
Display control means for hiding the display of the corresponding attribute data in the list display when the information data processing related to each attribute data displayed in the list has not been performed for a preset time or longer An information retrieval apparatus comprising: The display control means determines whether at least one of retrieval of information data and retrieval of information data having the attribute data displayed in the list has been performed as the information data processing,
The display control means includes a measuring means for measuring the time, and resets the measuring means when it is determined that the information data processing has been performed before the measured time reaches the preset fixed time. The information search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time measurement is resumed.   The display control means determines whether or not the information data processing related to the attribute data whose display in the list display is hidden according to the measurement of the predetermined time, and when it is determined that the information data processing has been performed, 3. The information search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein attribute data is displayed on the list display.   When the display control means determines that the information data having attribute data has been taken into the information search device, the display control means determines whether the attribute data is the attribute data already stored in the storage means, The attribute data included in the taken-in information data is stored in the storage unit and displayed in the list display when the attribute data is not attributed data. The information retrieval device described.   The display control means determines whether or not predetermined information data processing has been performed, and when it is determined that the display control means has performed, the display control means does not display attribute data relating to the predetermined information data processing in the list display. Whether or not the attribute data is non-displayed attribute data is determined, and the non-displayed attribute data is displayed in a list display when the attribute data is non-displayed attribute data. Information retrieval device.   When the attribute data related to the predetermined information data processing is neither hidden nor displayed attribute data in the list display, the display control means stores the attribute data in the storage means and displays the list data in the list display. The information search apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information search apparatus is displayed.   The search means includes input means for inputting attribute data, and the display control means is stored in the storage means based on at least attribute data input by the input means as the predetermined information data processing. Any one of a process of searching a plurality of information data, a process of associating attribute data with the information data stored in the storage means without being associated with attribute data, and a process of capturing information data having attribute data The information search apparatus according to claim 5, wherein it is determined whether or not it has been performed.   The information search apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the measuring unit is a timer that is activated by storing the information data.   The measuring means updates and records the time when the information data processing was performed, compares the stored time with the current time, measures the time, and the display control means measures the measured time. 3. The display in the list display of corresponding attribute data is hidden when the information data processing is not performed before the time reaches the preset time. The information search device according to any one of claims 7 to 9.   The information search according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a connection unit that enables connection with an external device, wherein the information search device takes in the information data through the connection unit. apparatus. Storage means for storing a plurality of image data and data of a person name associated with each image data;
A list of personal name data stored in the storage means, and a display means for displaying the image data read from the storage means according to the association with the data of each person name;
Search means for searching image data associated with the data of the person name from a plurality of image data stored in the storage means based on the association with the data of each person name displayed in the list;
When the time during which image data processing relating to the data of each person name displayed in the list is not performed continues for a preset time or longer, the display of the corresponding person name data in the list display is hidden. An information search apparatus comprising: a display control means for performing the operation. In an information search method for searching the information data associated with each attribute data from a storage means for storing a plurality of information data to be searched and attribute data associated with each information data,
Displaying the attribute data stored in the storage means as a list on the display means, and displaying the information data read from the storage means according to the association with each attribute data on the display means;
A search step of searching information data associated with the attribute data from a plurality of information data stored in the storage unit based on association with each attribute data displayed in the list;
A display control step of hiding the display of the corresponding attribute data in the list display when the time during which the information data processing related to each attribute data displayed in the list is not performed for a preset time or longer An information search method comprising: A program for causing a computer to execute the information search method according to claim 12 .   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 13 is recorded.   A program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the information search device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.   A recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the information search device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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