JPH0359776A - Image storage retrieving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent contents executed up to the way of operation executed by a certain operation from being canceled by another operator even when the initial operator leaves a device by storing the processing state of an execution means in accordance with an input inhibition command. CONSTITUTION:When the operator depresses an operation inhibit key 23a in the case of leaving the device on the way of editing operation, a CPU 34 decides the inhibition of operation and inhibits the reception of an input from a keyboard 23 or a mouse 29 to hold a non-operation state. Even when an optional key is depressed and the execution of an optional command is requested, application software does not apply any operation request to respective devices. Consequently, another operator's operation is not accepted and the processing being executed at present can be held.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is applicable to, for example, editing and registering image information,
The present invention relates to an image storage and retrieval device capable of retrieving and outputting registered image information.

(Prior Art) Recently, images such as documents, which are generated in large quantities, are read by optical two-dimensional scanning using a two-dimensional scanning device (scanner).
This read image or key-generated image is stored on an optical disk, and any stored image is searched and read out, and outputted to an output device such as a CRT display device or an image filing device that outputs it in a state that can be visually viewed with a printer. Image storage and retrieval devices have been put into practical use.

This type of equipment has the disadvantage that if the operator leaves the equipment in the middle of editing using the image editing function, all the partially completed content may be wasted due to operations by other operators. Ta.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) As mentioned above, during the editing work using the image editing function,
This eliminates the disadvantage that when an operator leaves the machine, all the partially completed content is wasted due to operations performed by other operators. To provide an image storage and retrieval device that can prevent partially completed contents from being wasted due to operations by other operators.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) An image storage and retrieval device of the present invention stores a plurality of images and also stores search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images. , in which a desired image is searched by designation of the stored search information, a manual means in which instructions for storing or retrieval processing of the image are given manually; and a storage or retrieval processing of images instructed by this input means. , an instructing means for instructing prohibition of input by the input means, and a holding means for holding the processing state of the executing means in accordance with instructions from the instructing means.

(Operation) This invention stores a plurality of images, stores search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images, and searches for a desired image by specifying this stored search information. In this case, an instruction for storing or retrieving the image, etc. is input manually by the input means, the storage or retrieval process, etc. for the image instructed by the manual means is executed by the execution means, and the prohibition of input by the input means is instructed. When the process is executed, the processing status of the execution means is maintained.

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

FIG. 1 shows an image filing device as an image storage and retrieval device of the present invention. In other words, the image filing device has a control module 10. Memory module 12, image processing module 14, communication control module 16, scanner device 18, optical disk 20 and optical disk device 22, keyboard 23, CRT display device 24, printer device 25, magnetic disk 26 and magnetic disk device 27, mouse 29, System bus 3
0, 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. When the printer device 25 prints an image retrieved from the optical disk 20 or an image supplied from the scanner device 18 and stored in a page memory 40 (to be described later), when the sizes of the images are significantly different, the CPU 34 controls the page memory 40. The image is enlarged/reduced by an enlargement/reduction circuit 46, which will be described later, and then stored in the page memory 4 again.
After storing the data to 0, the image is enlarged/reduced by an enlargement/reduction circuit 46, which will be described later, and outputted to the printer device 25.

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 the number of images for an A4 size document. 40,
and display memory 42 as a display interface
and a display control section 44. A buffer memory area 40a is provided in a part of the page memory 40. Writing and reading in this buffer memory area 40a are controlled by a counter (not shown). The page memory 40 is a memory that temporarily stores images stored on the optical disc 20 and images read from the optical disc 20, for example. The display memory 42 also stores images that are actually displayed within a display window (not shown) of the CRT display device 24, that is, images that are enlarged, reduced, rotated, inserted, or reversed in black and white. Images that have been subjected to such processing are stored.

The image processing module 14 includes an enlargement/reduction circuit 46 that enlarges/reduces an image, a vertical/horizontal conversion circuit 48 that rotates an image by converting the image vertically and horizontally, and compresses (reduces redundancy) and expands the image. A compression/expansion circuit (CO
DEC) 50, a scanner interface 52 for the scanner device 18, a printer interface 54 for the printer device 25, an enlargement/reduction circuit 46, and an aspect/horizontal conversion circuit 48 are connected to a compression/expansion circuit 50, a scanner interface 52, and a printer interface 54. It is constituted by an internal bus 56.

The communication control module 16 is, for example, a BCP (Bus CoIllmunicatlon) connected to a LAN.
Communication interface 5 such as
It is composed of 8. The communication control module 16 also includes an F CP (Facsimile Connection Mechanism) and a U CP (Universal Co., Ltd.) connected via an interface with external equipment such as a personal computer.
ation Processor) may also be provided.

This communication control module 16 supplies search information transmitted via a communication line to the main memory 38, and transmits an image corresponding to the transmitted search information.

Further, it supplies images stored on the optical disc 2o to the page memory 40, and also supplies search information corresponding to the images to the main memory 38.

The system bus 30 is a bus for control signals of various devices, and connects the control module 1o, 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 includes 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 tip, an electrical signal corresponding to the image on the document is obtained. This scanner device 18 has A3 size, A4 size, and B4 size.
Not only document size such as size, but also A1 size, A2 size
It is now possible to handle large-sized items such as drawings, etc.

The optical disk device 22 sequentially stores images read by the scanner device 18 on an optical disk 2o.

It also searches the optical disc 20 for image information 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 information to be stored on the optical disc 2o and various operation commands such as storage, search, and editing processing.

The mouse 29 also points to a mouse pointer (
By moving the mouse pointer (cursor) vertically, horizontally, and giving instructions at the desired position, you can select or specify the display content (various operation modes, icons, etc.) where the mouse pointer is located. .

The keyboard 23 also includes an operation prohibition key 23a.
is provided. This operation prohibition key 23a is
When an operator leaves the device in the middle of an editing process, etc., the operator inputs the command to enter a prohibited state in which no manual input of keys on the keyboard 23 or instructions from the mouse 29, that is, operations by other operators, are allowed, and the process currently being executed is retained. It is now possible to do so.

The CRT display device (cathode ray tube display device) 24 is
Images read by the scanner device 18 and the optical disc 2
It's a shame because it displays images searched from 0. This CR
The display area for displaying images of the T-display device 24 is
This is a multi-window display device that can display four images simultaneously using up to four windows (not shown).

The images displayed in each display window are subjected to editing processing such as image enlargement, reduction, rotation, and scrolling independently.

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

The magnetic disk device 27 stores various control programs on a magnetic disk 28 attached to the magnetic disk device 27, and also has an optical disk 2 in which search information manually entered from a mouse 29 and images corresponding to this search information are stored.
It stores search data consisting of storage addresses on 0, image sizes, etc.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. For example, if the operator leaves the apparatus in the middle of an editing operation, the operator presses the operation prohibition key 23a. Then,
Since the CPU 34 determines that the operation is prohibited and does not accept input from the keyboard 23 or the two mice, the non-operation state is maintained. For example, even if an arbitrary key is pressed and a request to execute an arbitrary command is made, the command is ignored by the program of the CPU 34, so that the application software does not issue any operation request to each device. As a result, operations by other operators are prohibited, and the process currently being executed is held.

At this time, the display on the CRT display device 24 may display the content being executed, or may be changed to a display indicating that the task is currently in progress.

Then, when the operation prohibition key 23a is pressed again, the CPU 34 releases the non-operation state, accepts input from the keyboard 23 or two mice, and returns to the normal usage state.

As described above, when you leave the device in the middle of image editing work, by placing it in a non-operational state, it is possible to prevent the contents of the work in progress from being erased by other operations.

In the above embodiment, the case of image editing work has been described, but it may also be done during other work. Further, the present invention is not limited to an image filing device, and may be a system in which a specific flow of work occurs, such as a CAD system for creating drawings, or a software development workstation.

In addition, when the operation prohibition key is input, the CPU prohibits the operation using a processing program, that is, software, but this is not limited to this, and the operation can be prohibited only by hardware without software intervention. You can do it like this.

For example, as shown in FIG.
34, there is a D-type catch circuit 61 as a circuit that allows mutual data to be kept constant, and this D-type catch circuit 61 transmits and receives data. A changeover switch 62 is provided for switching between the time and the time when the mutual data is kept constant. As a result, when the changeover switch 62 is set to the B side, the keyboard 23 and the CPU 34 are in a normal use state in which transmission and reception is possible, and when the changeover switch 62 is set to the A side, data from the keyboard 23 is Even if the data changes, the D-type catch circuit 61 maintains the data before the changeover switch 62 is changed, so that the CPU 34 does not change its operation at all. In this case, input to the mouse 29 may be prohibited in the same manner as described above using a switch that is switched in conjunction with the changeover switch 62.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, if the operator leaves the device during editing using the image editing function, the partially completed content will be wasted due to operations by other operators. It is possible to provide an image storage and retrieval device that can prevent this from occurring.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration, and FIG.
The figure is a flowchart for explaining the operation, and the third
The figure is a diagram for explaining the connection state between the D-type catch circuit and the changeover switch in another embodiment. 23... Keyboard, 23a... Operation prohibition key 29... Mouse, 34... CPU.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image that stores a plurality of images, stores search information for searching each image corresponding to each of these images, and searches for a desired image by specifying the stored search information. In the storage and retrieval device, an input means into which an instruction for image storage or retrieval processing, etc. is input; an execution means for executing the image storage or retrieval processing, etc. instructed by the input means; and input by the input means. An image storage and retrieval device comprising: an instruction means for instructing prohibition of the above; and a holding means for holding a processing state of the execution means in response to an instruction from the instruction means.