JPH03116381A - Picture storage device and store picture retrieving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain sufficient high retrieving speed and to eliminate flickering by preparing pictures, for which a picture from a supplying means is changed to a size and resolution for displaying it in a display means, and storing the changed pictures and the picture from the supplying means. CONSTITUTION:An electronic filing device is equipped with a control module 10, memory module 12, picture processing module 14, communication control module 16, scanner 18, optical disk device 22 and CRT display device 24, etc. When the picture is registered, the pictures exclusive for paging are prepared with the fixed size and resolution matched for the display size and resolution of the CRT display device and the pictures for paging and the source picture are stored in an optical disk 20. When pages are turned to execute high-speed retrieval, the picture is displayed at high speed by using the pictures for page turning. Thus, when pages are turned, a sufficient retrieving speed can be obtained and a time required for displaying one picture can always be fixed. Then, the flickering can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image storage device and an image storage retrieval device, such as an image filing device that performs image registration, retrieval, etc., for example.

(Prior Art) In recent years, images such as documents, which are generated in large quantities, are read by a scanner (two-dimensional scanning device), the read images are stored on an optical disk, and any stored image is searched and read out. An image filing device has been put into practical use that outputs the image so that it can be viewed by an output device such as a CRT display device or a recording device.

With such devices, high-speed continuous search (discrete turning)
In other words, page turning is performed at high speed by sequentially displaying every six pages of a plurality of documents on a CRT display device.

However, this kind of disjointed flipping causes the search image to be CR
When displaying on a T-display device, images are read out one by one from an optical disk and displayed, and if the images are displayed continuously, it is not fast enough, and this display speed is a drawback when searching for the desired image. It has become.

In particular, on optical disks, A5 size, A1 size,
Various sizes such as B5 size, Bl size, or 2
Images with various resolutions such as 00 dp i and 400 dp i are recorded, and images of small size or low resolution can be displayed at high speed, but images of large size or high resolution take time to display. It has the disadvantage that it takes a lot of time. Further, when the image is continuously turned over in a piecemeal manner, there is a drawback that the time required to display one image varies and flickering occurs.

Therefore, when searching for images of large size or high resolution when sequentially flipping images in pieces, the search speed is slow, it is not possible to obtain sufficient search speed, and
This has the disadvantage that the time required to display an image varies, causing flickering.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, when searching and displaying arbitrary multiple images sequentially, the search speed becomes slow when searching for large size or high resolution images, This method eliminates the disadvantages of not being able to obtain a high search speed, and also causing flickering due to variations in the time required to display one image, and allows arbitrary multiple images to be sequentially searched and displayed. An object of the present invention is to provide an image storage device and an image storage and retrieval device that can obtain sufficient search speed, keep the time required to display one image constant, and prevent flickering. shall be.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problem) The image storage device of the present invention includes a supply means for supplying an image;
A display means for displaying an image, a creation means for creating a modified image whose size and resolution are changed to display the image from the supply means on the display means, and a modified image created by the creation means and an image from the supply means. It consists of a storage means for storing the information.

The image storage and retrieval device of the present invention stores a plurality of images in a storage means, and stores search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images in the storage means,
A desired image is retrieved from the storage means and displayed on the display means based on the designation of the stored search information, a supply means for supplying the image, a size for displaying the image from the supply means on the display means; creating means for creating a modified image whose resolution has been changed; first processing means for storing the modified image created by the creating means and the image from the supplying means in correspondence with each other in the storage means; and specifying the search information. When searching for a plurality of images, the second processing means sequentially reads changed images stored corresponding to the images from the storage means and displays them on the display means.

(Operation) This invention creates a modified image in which the image from the supply means for supplying the image is changed to a size and resolution that are displayed on the display means, and stores the created modified image and the image from the supply means. This is how it was done.

This invention stores a plurality of images in a storage means, stores search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images in the storage means, and specifies the stored search information to search for a desired image. In the apparatus for retrieving an image from the storage means and displaying it on the display means, a modified image is created by changing the image from the supply means for supplying the image to a size and resolution that are displayed on the display means, and the created modified image is and the image from the supply means are stored in the storage means in correspondence, and when a plurality of images are searched by specifying the search information, the changed images stored corresponding to the images are sequentially stored in the storage means. The information is read out from the means and displayed on the display means.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of an image storage device and an image storage retrieval device, such as an electronic filing device, according to the present invention. That is, the electronic filing device includes a control module 10. Memory module 12, image processing module 14, communication control module 16, scanner device 18, optical disk (storage means) 20, and optical disk device 22,
Keyboard 23, CRT display device (display means)
24, printer device 25, magnetic disk 26 and magnetic disk device 27, mouse 29, system bus 30. and an image bus 32.

The control module 10 includes a CPU 34 that performs various controls for image storage, search, and editing processing, and an interface circuit 36 that connects the optical disk device 22, magnetic disk device 27, and CPU 34.

The CPU 34 also includes a keyboard 23 and a mouse 2.
9 is connected.

The memory module 12 includes a main memory 38 that stores various control programs such as image storage, search, and editing, management information, etc., and a page memory as an image memory having a storage capacity corresponding to images of several pages of an A4 size document. 40
, and display memory 4 as a display interface
2, a display control section 44, and the like. A buffer memory area 40a is provided in a part of the page memory 40. The page memory 40 includes, for example, the optical disc 2
This is a memory that temporarily stores images stored in the optical disc 20 and images read from the optical disc 20.

The display memory 42 is for temporarily storing images displayed by the CRT display device 24. This display memory 42 stores images that are actually displayed within the display window of the CRT display device 24, such as images from the page memory 40 or images from the buffer memory 40a. An image that has undergone black-and-white inversion or the like is stored.

The image processing module 14 includes an enlargement/reduction circuit 46 that performs image enlargement and reduction processing, an aspect conversion circuit 48 that performs image rotation processing, and an encoding processing that performs image compression (reducing redundancy) and decompression. A compression/decompression circuit (COD) that performs decoding processing (restores reduced redundancy)
EC) Connecting the scanner interface 52 for the 50° scanner device 18, the printer interface 54 for the printer device 25, the scaling circuit 46, and the vertical/horizontal conversion circuit 48 with the compression/expansion circuit 50, scanner interface 52, and printer interface 54. It is constituted by an internal bus 56.

The compression/decompression circuit 50
'f'man) method or M R (Modlf')
Bandwidth compression or band expansion is performed using the fedRead method or the like.

The communication control module 16 is, for example, a BCP (Bus Communica LIo) connected to a LAN.
Communication interface 5 such as nProcessor)
It is composed of 8. The communication control module 16 also includes an FCP (Facsimile Connection Mechanism) and a UCP (Universal Communicator) that is connected to external devices such as a personal computer via an interface.
cationProcessor) may be provided.

The system bus 30 is a bus for control signals of various devices, and connects the control module 10, the memory module 12, the image processing module 14, and the communication control module 16. Further, the image bus 32 is a bus for images, and connects the memory module 12 and the image processing module 14.
, and the communication control module 16.

The scanner device 18 is, for example, a two-dimensional scanning device, and is a document (
By scanning the document (document) two-dimensionally with a laser beam, an electrical signal corresponding to the image on the document is obtained.

The optical disk device 22 sequentially stores images read by the scanner device 18 on an optical disk 20. It also searches the optical disc 20 for an image corresponding to search information specified using the keyboard 23 or the like.

The keyboard 23 is used to input unique search information corresponding to the image to be stored on the optical disc 20 and various operation commands such as storage, search, and editing processing. Also mouse 2
9 displays the position of the cursor by arbitrarily moving the cursor (not shown) displayed on the display window of the CRT display device 24 vertically and horizontally and giving an instruction at a desired position. It is used to select or instruct contents (various operation modes, area designation for image editing, icons, etc.).

The CRT display device (cathode ray tube display device) 24 is
Images read by the scanner device 18 and the optical disc 2
The image searched from 0 is displayed, and for example, the display size is "A4" and the resolution is 200 dpi. Icons and the like are displayed at the top, bottom, and right ends of the display window of the CRT display device 24.

Further, the CRT display device 24 is a multi-window type display device that can display images simultaneously using one, two, or four windows.

Editing processes such as enlarging, reducing, rotating, scrolling, etc. are performed on the images displayed in each display window independently. The CRT display device 24 is designed to display page turning as a means of high-speed search during a search.

Page turning is a process of rapidly displaying page by page pages and documents in document order starting from the image currently being searched and displayed among a group of candidate documents during a search.

The printer device 25 prints out (hard copy) an image read by the scanner device 18, an image retrieved from the optical disk 20, or an image displayed on the CRT display device 24.

The magnetic disk device 27 stores various control programs on the magnetic disk 26 installed in the magnetic disk device 27.
In addition to memorizing the search information entered from the keyboard 23 and the original image corresponding to this search information, the storage address on the optical disk 20, image size, search frequency,
It stores search data consisting of storage addresses on the optical disk 20 of images for page turning, etc.

The above search data is managed by a document management table in the magnetic disk 26, and this document management table is composed of a title management table 26a, a page management table 26b1, and a record management table 26c. The title management table 26a stores one document number corresponding to each piece of search information (image name) consisting of a plurality of search keys. The page management table 26b stores record numbers for each page of one document, and one record number is stored for each page. The record management table 26c includes record numbers (
Storage address (storage start position) and document size (image size) of the original image on the optical disk 20 for each image number)
The storage address (starting position of 'tB'rA) of the page-turning image on the optical disc 20 is stored.

The storage address is a logical address, from which a physical track address and a physical sector address are calculated at the time of access.

The document management system in this embodiment has four hierarchies: cabinet, binder, document, and page, and the cabinet corresponds to one side of the optical disc 20. A maximum of 8 binders can be defined in a cabinet, and a maximum of 30,000 documents can be stored in a binder. Each document has a title, and its structure is defined for each binder. The above document is the basic unit of a file, and in addition to the title, annotations (explanation of the document) can be added. Further, a document is composed of up to 4095 pages.

Next, the operation of image storage and retrieval processing in the electronic filing device with such a configuration will be described. First, image storage processing will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. For example, if the keyboard 23 is used to select and set the registration mode, the optical disc 2
Enter the search information for the image to be stored in 0. This search information is composed of search keys for multiple items,
The contents of this search key item are set in advance. The CPU 34 checks the validity of the input search information according to a predefined format. Further, the search information is compared with the search information already registered on the optical disc 20 to check for double registration. The input search information is stored in the main memory 13 according to the result of this check.

Next, the original is set on the scanner device 18, and the CPU 34
operates the optical disk device 22 and scanner device 18. The scanner device 18 two-dimensionally scans and photoelectrically converts an image of a set document or the like. The line information of this photoelectrically converted image is sequentially stored in the page memory 40. The image stored in the page memory 40 is enlarged or reduced by the enlargement/reduction circuit 46 in accordance with the display size of the CRT display device 2°4, and then stored in the display memory 42 and displayed on the CRT display device 24. . At this time, the resolution of the image is changed using a VRAM (not shown) or the like to match the resolution of the CRT display device 24 and is stored in the display memory 42.

The user checks the skew, density, resolution, etc. of the image displayed on the CRT display device 24, and when the displayed image is satisfactory, inputs a memory key (not shown). Then, the CPU 34 converts the original image stored in the page memory 40 into a compression/decompression circuit (COD) for each line information.
EC) 50, the well-known MR (Modif'led
Encoding processing is performed by band compression using a method such as Read). This encoded original image is supplied to the optical disc device 22 and stored on the optical disc 20.

When the storage of the original image on the optical disk 20 is completed, the CPU 3
4 stores in the main memory 38 the physical track address where the original image is stored, the logical address determined from the physical sector address, the image length expressed by block length, image attributes, etc. in correspondence with the search code (search information). .

Next, the CPU 34 compresses and expands the image stored in the display memory 42, that is, the page-turning image that has been changed to match the display size (A4) and resolution (200 dpi) of the CRT display device 24, for each line information. (CODEC) 50, the well-known MR (Modif
'led Read) method etc. Encoding processing is performed by band compression. This encoded page-turning image is supplied to the optical disk device 22 and stored on the optical disk 20.

When the page-turning image has been stored on the optical disk 20, C
The PU 34 stores in the main memory 38 a logical address, that is, a storage address determined from the physical track address and physical sector address where the page-turning image is stored, in correspondence with the search code (search information).

Next, the CPU 34 supplies the search data stored in the main memory 38 to the magnetic disk device 27. Thereby, the magnetic disk device 27 stores the supplied search data in each of the tables 26a to 26c within the magnetic disk 26. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the record management table 26c includes the storage address (storage start position) of the original image on the optical disk 20, the document size (image size), and the storage address of the page-turning image on the optical disk 20. (memory start position) is stored.

Further, when storing an original image read from the scanner device 18 on the optical disk 20 without displaying the original image on the CRT display device 24, the number of pixels determined by the size and resolution of the original image and the CRT display device 24
The enlargement and reduction ratios are calculated from the number of display pixels, and the original image stored in the page memory 40 is enlarged or reduced by the enlargement/reduction circuit 46 using these enlargement and reduction ratios, and the image is used for page turning. is stored on the optical disc 20 as an image.

Next, a search process for images stored on the optical disc 20 will be explained. First, a search mode is set using the keyboard 23, and search information corresponding to the image desired to be searched is entered manually. The CPU 34 sequentially compares and collates the input search information with the search information stored in the title management table 26a of the magnetic disk 26, and sequentially checks whether or not search information that matches the input search information is stored. and extract the corresponding document number. As a result, C.P.
The U34 stores the document number of the extracted candidate in the main memory 38.
to be memorized.

Then, the CPU 34 refers to the candidate document numbers stored in the main memory 38, extracts all pages having the corresponding document numbers from the page management table 26b of the magnetic disk 26, and their record number information, and stores them in the main memory 38. Remember. As a result, the CPU 34 uses the main memory 38
Above, create a record call table consisting of record numbers.

In this case, the record numbers for each page correspond to the record number currently being searched and displayed in order from the top of the record call table.

Further, the CPU 34 sets the value of the pointer PTR for scanning the record call table to "1".

Then, the CPU 34 reads the record number "1" corresponding to the pointer PTR, and sets the storage address of the page-turning image corresponding to this record number "1" to the magnetic disk 2.
The physical track address and physical sector address corresponding to the storage address of this page-turning image are read out from the record management table 26c in the optical disk 20, and the optical disk device 22 uses these addresses to reproduce the page-turning image from the optical disk 20. Do it with

That is, the CPU 34 supplies the image (compressed information) for each scanning line supplied from the optical disk device 22 to the compression/expansion circuit 50, performs band expansion processing, and stores the image in the display memory 42.
sequentially supplied to As a result, the page turning image stored in the display memory 42 is displayed on the CRT display device 24.

Next, the CPU 34 sets the value of the pointer PTH to r+IJ.
L r2J, read the record number "2" corresponding to this pointer 2, read the storage address of the page turning image corresponding to this record number "2" from the record management table 26c in the magnetic disk 26, and read this page turning image. A physical track address and a physical sector address corresponding to the storage address of the image are calculated, and based on these addresses, the page-turning image from the optical disk 20 is reproduced by the optical disk device 22 and displayed by the CRT display device 24.

Thereafter, each time an image is displayed on the CRT display device 24, the pointer PTR is incremented by "+1" and the page-turning image of the next page is displayed in sequence.

When the desired image is displayed with such page turning display, an instruction is given from the keyboard 23 to stop page turning.

Here, when an instruction to display or print a detailed image is given, the CPU 34 stores the storage address and image size of the original image corresponding to the instructed record number on the magnetic disk 2.
6, the physical track address and physical sector address corresponding to the storage address of this original image are calculated, and the optical disk device 22 uses these addresses to play back the page-turning image from the optical disk 20. is executed, stored on the page memory 40, and stored on the CRT.
The details are displayed on the display device 24 or printed out on the printer device 25.

That is, the CPU 34 supplies the image (compressed information) for each scanning line supplied from the optical disk device 22 to the compression/expansion circuit 50, performs band expansion processing, and stores the image in the page memory 4.
0 sequentially. The original image stored in this camera sled 40 is outputted as it is to the display memory 42, and is displayed on the CRT.
The details are displayed on the display device 24 or the printer device 2 is displayed via the printer interface 54.
5, and the detailed image is printed out by the printer device 25.

As mentioned above, when registering an image, a page-turning image of a fixed size and resolution that matches the display size and resolution of the CRT display device is created, and this page-turning image and the original image are stored on an optical disk. , when pages are turned for high-speed search, images for page-turning are used to display images at high speed. As a result, sufficient search speed can be obtained when turning pages, the time required to display one image can be kept constant, and flickering can be prevented. Therefore, it has good operability and is easy to see.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a sufficient search speed when sequentially searching and displaying a plurality of arbitrary images, and it is possible to obtain a sufficient search speed when displaying a single image. It is possible to provide an image storage device and an image storage retrieval device that can always keep the required time constant and prevent flickering.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the main parts of the storage operation, FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electronic filing device, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a storage example of a record management table. 20... Optical disk (storage means), 18... Scanner device, 22... Optical disk device, 23... Keyboard, 24... CRT display device, 25...
Printer device, 26... magnetic disk (storage means),
26c... Record management table, 27... Magnetic disk device, 34... CPU, 38... Main memory, 40... Page memory, 40a... Buffer memory, 42... Display memory, 44...display control unit,
46... Enlargement/reduction circuit, 50... Compression/expansion circuit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A supply means for supplying an image; a display means for displaying an image; a creation means for creating a modified image in which the image from the supply means is changed in size and resolution to be displayed on the display means; and this creation means 1. An image storage device comprising: storage means for storing the modified image created by the above-mentioned image storage means and the image from the supply means. (2) A plurality of images are stored in the storage means, and search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images is stored in the storage means, and a desired image is retrieved by specifying the stored search information. an image storage and retrieval device that retrieves the image from the storage means and displays it on the display means, comprising a supply means for supplying the image; and a modified image that is changed in size and resolution to display the image from the supply means on the display means. a first processing means for storing, in the storage means, a modified image created by the creation means and an image from the supply means in correspondence with each other; and a first processing means for retrieving a plurality of images by specifying the search information. an image storage and retrieval device comprising: second processing means for sequentially reading changed images stored corresponding to the image from the storage means and displaying them on the display means.