JPH0546758B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image creation device that handles video text codes consisting of time-series geometric codes that sequentially represent each image region of an image as a geometric figure, and in particular, relates to an image creation device that handles video text codes consisting of time-series geometric codes that sequentially represent each image region of an image as a geometric figure. The present invention relates to a video text image creation device having a function of specifying an arbitrary image area of an image and performing video text code correction processing on the area. [Prior Art] In recent years, with the development of the information society, digital services such as videotex and teletex that transmit various image information using telephone lines and wireless lines have become so-called new media services for transmitting various image information. Development and practical application of image information transmission systems are progressing in various countries, and Japanese captains and
Three systems have been adopted as international standards: the CAPTAIN PLPS system, which is based on the PLPS system, the NAPLPS system, which is derived from Canada's Theridon and has become the North American standard system, and the CEPT PLPS system, which is based on the UK's Prestel. By the way, the videotex code adopted in the NAPLPS (Teridon) system is a video text code consisting of a geometric code that treats one image as a set of geometric image areas and represents each image area as a geometric figure, and a time-series code of its attribute code. This method of transmitting image information is highly regarded as having extremely high transmission efficiency compared to other methods in which image information corresponds to mosaic picture elements or is represented by character codes. In the above NAPLPS method, five types of geometric codes, namely PID (Picture Description
Instructin) code [POINT], [LINE],
[ARC], [RECTANGLE], and [POLYGON] are defined, as well as attribute codes (pel size, color, texture, etc.) for specifying the line thickness, hue, tone, etc. of the figure drawn using the above geometric code. , furthermore, operands (coordinate values, etc.) are defined for specifying the position of the figure to be drawn using the above-mentioned geometric code. The above geometric code [POINT] sets the plotting start point or plots the point P ₀ at any coordinate position x ₀ , y ₀ specified by the above operand on the display screen as shown in FIG. 8A, and The geometric code [LINE] draws a line segment connecting two points P ₁ and P ₂ at arbitrary coordinate positions indicated by the operands as shown in FIG. 8B. Furthermore, the above geometric code [ARC]
Now, as shown in Fig. 8C, draw an arc connecting three points P ₁ , P ₂ , and P ₃ at arbitrary coordinate positions on the display screen specified by the above operand,
Alternatively, as shown by the broken line in the figure, a chord is drawn connecting the two points P ₁ and P ₃ at both ends of the arc. Also,
In the above geometric code [RECTANGLE], Figure 8D
As shown in the figure, the outline of a rectangle whose diagonal vertices are two points P ₁ and P ₂ at arbitrary coordinate positions indicated by the above operand is drawn. Furthermore, the geometric code [POLYGON] draws the outline of a polygon connecting multiple points P ₁ , P _{2 .} . . Pn at arbitrary coordinate positions indicated by the operands, as shown in FIG. 8E. In the above NAPLPS method, for example, the first
Assuming that the time series code data in the order shown in the table is given, it has the attributes of pel size 1 specified in order 1, color 1 specified in order 2, and texture 1 specified in order 3. Then, the outline of the rectangle specified by the geometric code [RECTANGLE] of order 4 is drawn at the coordinate position specified by operands 1 and 2 of orders 5 and 6, and then
A rectangular outline is also drawn at the coordinate position indicated by operands 3 and 4. Next, specify the color 2 specified in order 9, the pel size 1 specified in order 1 above, and the texture 1 specified in order 3 above with the geometric code [POLYGON] in order 10. The pentagons are in order 11,
12, 13, 14, 15 operands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
is drawn at the coordinate position indicated by .

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, in a digital image information transmission system that adopts the NAPLPS method, which transmits time-series videotext code data as image information, it is possible to greatly reduce the amount of image information to be transmitted, and it is possible to transmit images with high transmission efficiency. In addition, the image drawn using the video text code above can be drawn by overlaying the figure on top of the figure, for example, by drawing the bird figure one after another and overpainting, as if it were the above-mentioned image. It is possible to create the effect of a bird flying, but since the geometric code is information that depends on other attribute codes and operand data, it is necessary to change the order in which the above geometric codes are given, or change the attribute code. It requires extremely complicated operations to change the image, and it takes a lot of effort and time to create the image information that represents the single image that is actually transmitted. It is extremely difficult to select and modify a figure that is hidden by an upper figure in the image. Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has been made to
It handles a videotext code consisting of a time-series geometric code that represents each area of the image as a geometric figure, and selects the figure hidden by the upper figure in an image drawn by overlapping a figure on top of the figure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a video text code image creation device having a novel configuration that allows operations such as corrections to be easily performed. [Means for solving the problems] The videotex image creation device according to the present invention has the following features:
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image creation device that handles videotext codes consisting of time-series geometric codes that sequentially represent each image region of an image as a geometric figure, Means for selecting an arbitrary intermediate screen of an image consisting of a graphical area and reproducing it on a monitor screen, and a process for specifying an arbitrary graphical area in the image reproduced on the monitor screen and correcting the video text code for the area. The invention is characterized in that it is provided with means for applying. [Operation] In the videotext image creation device according to the present invention, an arbitrarily selected intermediate screen is reproduced on the monitor screen for an image consisting of each graphical area represented by a series of videotext codes. By specifying an arbitrary graphic area in the image reproduced on the monitor screen and applying video text code correction processing to the area, the above figure can be created with respect to the image drawn by overlapping the figure on top of the figure. It is possible to easily perform correction processing on video text images, such as selectively correcting figures hidden by images. [Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the videotext image creation apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate the present invention.
This is applied to a videotex image creation device for image input in a digital image information transmission system using the NAPLPS method. A signal or a color television signal of a standard television system is input, a color image for one frame shown by this input is treated as a set of geometric figure areas, and a geometric code and a color image representing the color image as a geometric figure are generated. Video text code data consisting of time-series codes of the attribute codes is automatically generated by the microcomputer 100 and outputted through the data bus. In the block diagram of FIG. 1 showing the overall configuration of the video text image creation apparatus of this embodiment,
The NTSC color television signal is supplied to the NTSC/RGB converter 5 and the synchronization separation circuit 6 via the first signal input terminal 1, and the RGB color signal is supplied to the input selection circuit via the second signal input terminal 2. 10. The input selection circuit 10 receives an RGB color signal obtained by converting the color television signal supplied from the first signal input terminal 1 via the NTSC/RGB converter 5 or supplies the RGB color signal from the second signal input terminal 2. One of the RGB color signals is selected and one of the RGB color signals is supplied to an analog/digital (A/D) converter 20. Further, the synchronization separation circuit 6 separates the synchronization signal in the color television signal supplied from the first signal input terminal 1 and supplies the synchronization signal to the synchronization switching circuit 15 . This synchronous switching circuit 15
is supplied to the second signal input terminal 2.
A synchronization signal corresponding to the RGB color signal is supplied from the third signal input terminal 3, and the synchronization signal corresponding to the RGB color signal supplied to the A/D converter 20 is supplied to the address data generation block 30. , the selection operation is performed in conjunction with the input selection circuit 10. The address data generation block 30 consists of a PLL oscillator 31 and a counter circuit 32.
By counting the oscillation output pulses in the counter circuit 32, address data synchronized with the synchronization signal is formed, and this address data is supplied to the address selection circuit 35. The address selection circuit 35 selects the address data supplied via the address bus of the microcomputer 100 and the address data supplied from the address data generation block 30,
One address data is supplied to first to fourth frame memories 41, 42, 43, 44, cursor memory 45 and character generator 46. Further, the first to fourth frame memories 41, 42, 43, 44, cursor memory 45
The character generator 46 is configured to exchange various data through the data bus of the microcomputer 100. The first frame memory 41 is a memory for storing original image data, and input color image data obtained by digitizing RGB color signals by the A/D converter 20 is converted into address data from the address data generation block 30. Based on RGB
are written for each color. The input color image data stored in the first frame memory 41 can be read out at any time and used as a digital/analog D/
The A converter 61 converts it into an analog RGB color signal and sends it to the first output selection circuit 71 via the first output selection circuit 71.
It is possible to monitor the original color image by supplying it to the RGB monitor device 81. Further, the second to fourth frame memories 4
2, 43, 44 are the first frame memories 4;
This memory is used as a general-purpose memory for various data processing such as color processing and redundant data reduction processing for the original image data stored in step 1, and various image data in various processing steps described below are written/read through the data bus. Ru. The processed image data stored in the second frame memory 42 is converted into color data in the color table memory 52 and returned to analog RGB color signals via the D/A converter 63. The data-processed color image is supplied to the second output selection circuits 71 and 72 and output to the first or second RGB
It can be monitored using monitor devices 81 and 82. Further, the processed image data stored in the third frame memory 43 is converted into color data in the color table memory 53 and converted into analog data via the D/A converter 64.
The second output selection circuit 7 returns to RGB color signals.
2, and the data-processed color image can be monitored by the second RGB monitor device 82. Further, the fourth frame memory 44 converts the original image data stored in the first frame memory 41 into analog RGB color signals using the D/A converter 61, and then converts the original image data stored in the first frame memory 41 into analog RGB color signals using the RGB/Y converter 68. The black and white image data of the original image obtained by converting it into a signal and further digitizing it via the A/D converter 69 is written. The black and white image data after redundant data reduction processing etc. are performed on the black and white image data is transferred to the color table memory 53 and the D/A.
The signal is converted back to an analog RGB color signal via the converter 63 and supplied to the signal synthesis circuit 70. The signal synthesis circuit 70 is supplied with a cursor display signal from the cursor memory 45, and character data for displaying various control commands of the system is supplied from the character generator 46 to the color table memory 53 in analog RGB colors. An image based on image data converted into a signal and stored in the fourth frame memory 44, a cursor image based on a cursor display signal from the cursor memory 45, and character data from the character generator 46. Combines and outputs RGB color signals that are superimposed with the image.
The image based on the RGB color signals obtained by the signal synthesis circuit 70 is transmitted to the second RGB monitor device 8.
In addition, the RGB color signal can be converted into a luminance Y signal by an RGB/Y converter 80 and monitored by a monochrome monitor device 83. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the microcomputer 100 functions as a system controller that controls the operation of the entire device, and its data bus and address bus include ROM and
An auxiliary memory 90 such as RAM, a floppy disk controller 91, an input/output interface circuit 93, a high-speed arithmetic processing circuit 200, etc. are connected. Incidentally, a tablet 94 and its monitor device 95 are connected to the input/output interface circuit 93 for inputting various data during manual editing processing. The apparatus of this embodiment performs image processing according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, and automatically converts the input color image data supplied to the first frame memory 41 into a geometric command string. The data is then output via the data bus. That is, in this embodiment, input color image data is first written into the first frame memory 41 and stored as original image data. Here, the input color image data can be changed to an NTSC color television signal or an NTSC color television signal by switching the input selection circuit 10 and the synchronization switching circuit
You can select either RGB color signals.
Further, the original image data stored in the first frame memory 41 is converted into black and white image data by an RGB/Y converter 68, and is also stored in the fourth frame memory 44. Next, the first and fourth frame memories 4
Color processing is performed on the input color image data based on the image data stored in 1 and 44, and further redundant data reduction processing is performed to finally convert it into a geometric command sequence without losing the characteristics of the original image. Automatically generate image data suitable for Here, in the above color processing, the top n colors with high frequency in the original color image indicated by the input color image data stored in the first frame memory 41 are automatically selected, and the above n colors are applied to the pixels. The process of assigning one of the colors is carried out in the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, in this color processing, for the input color image data stored in the first frame memory 41, the high-speed arithmetic processing circuit 200 first creates a histogram of each color data, and then selects the top n colors of this histogram. Select automatically.
Next, for each image area shown with the same brightness in the black and white image represented by the black and white image data stored in the fourth frame memory 44, the n colors closest to the color of the original color image are selected. Assign a color to each pixel and create color table data so that the deviation is minimized. The color table data formed by the high-speed arithmetic processing circuit 200 is stored in each color table memory 51, 5.
2,53. Further, color-processed image data in which the n colors are assigned to each of the image areas is written into the second frame memory 42. Further, in this embodiment, for the input color image data stored in the first frame memory 41 as described above, the top n colors of the histogram of each color data are automatically selected, and n colors are added to each image area. In color processing, the histogram of each color data of the input color image data is divided into a plurality of parts in order of hue, and the representative colors of the top n divisions with the largest area are selected as the n colors and assigned to each image area. It is now possible to specify. That is, for example, when selecting 16 colors from 4096 colors in which red R, green G, and blue B are each represented by 4 bits as each color data of the input color image data, the color data in the original image represented by the input color image data When there is a background part that occupies a large area, if you directly select the top n colors from the histogram of each color data, the colors will be specified to accurately represent the hue of the background part that occupies a large area, Since necessary image colors may be specified roughly, in this embodiment, the histogram of each color data is divided into N sections in the order of hue, as shown in FIG. 4, and the n colors are selected. Here, R, G, and B are each represented by 4 bits.
For example, when selecting 16 colors from 4096 colors, N=64
To specify a color as
It is sufficient to form a histogram using the bit data as valid data and determine the top n categories.In this way, the histogram of each color data is divided into N sections in order of hue, and the above n colors are selected.
By varying according to the content of the original image,
Optimal color specification can be performed. The color image subjected to the color processing can be obtained by reading out each color data from the first frame memory 41 using the image data stored in the second frame memory 42 as address data. RGB monitor device 81,
Monitored at 82. In addition, in the redundant data reduction process, redundant data unnecessary for the conversion process to the next geometry command is removed to reduce the information amount.
Then, each image data stored in the fourth frame memories 42 and 44 is subjected to noise cancel processing, halftone removal processing, small area deletion processing, etc. In the conversion process to geometric commands, for the image represented by the variously processed color image data as described above, command data that expresses each image area one by one using geometric commands is converted into the following steps. Formed by In this conversion process to a geometric command, first, the boundary of each image area is traced by the high-speed arithmetic processing circuit 200, the position coordinates of each vertex are detected, and each position coordinate is determined as a vertex position of a geometric figure. Assuming this, it is converted into a geometry command using the above-mentioned PID code, and the necessary vertex position coordinate values, etc. are given as the above-mentioned operands. Note that attribute data such as pel size and color indicating the thickness of the boundary line of the geometric figure are given in advance. Furthermore, in this embodiment, addition of a new motif, movement or deletion of figures, change of color, etc. are artificially added to the color image represented by the series of geometric code strings formed as described above. Manual editing is now possible. This manual editing process is the same as the second one above.
This is carried out as follows using a transparent tablet 94 provided on the screen of the RGB monitor device 82 or a so-called mouse (not shown). That is, the second RGB monitor device 82
On the screen, character information images for displaying various control commands necessary for manual editing processing are provided by the character generator 46, and a cursor indicating position information input from the tablet 94 is displayed. A cursor image for display is provided in the cursor memory 45, and when the operator corrects the image using the pen attached to the tablet 94, the correction results are displayed in real time. It's getting old. In this manual editing process, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5A, it is first determined whether or not geometric code addition processing has been specified.
Add a geometric code that indicates the new shape input by the operation. Further, if the result of the above determination is NO, that is, the additional processing of the geometric code is not specified, or if the additional processing of the geometric code is performed, then it is determined whether or not image correction processing is specified, When a modification process is designated, a graphic to be modified is designated by operating the tablet 94, and the necessary modification process is applied to this graphic. Add geometry code to indicate the new geometry being input. Furthermore, if the result of the above judgment is NO, that is, the figure correction process is not specified, or if the above figure correction process has been performed, then it is judged whether or not the drawing work is finished, and the end mode is set. , or returns to determining whether the geometric code addition process has been designated, and repeats the above-described operations. Here, the operation of specifying the figure to be corrected is performed according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5B. That is, first, the second
It is determined whether or not a figure to be corrected appears on the screen of the RGB monitor device 82, and if there is a figure to be corrected on the screen, the tablet 9 is immediately
Specify the shape by performing step 4. In addition, when the figure to be corrected does not appear on the screen, perform the selection operation on the intermediate screen until the figure to be corrected appears on the screen, and then press the tablet 9.
Specify the shape by performing step 4. Once the figure to be corrected is designated by operating the tablet 94, the process proceeds to the above-mentioned correction process. Furthermore, the selection operation of the intermediate screen is performed in accordance with the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5C. That is, when entering the intermediate screen selection operation mode, the microcomputer 100 once clears the image displayed on the screen of the second RGB monitor device 82, and then clears the image displayed on the screen of the second RGB monitor device 82 by operating the tablet 94. It works by reproducing each image in turn in the order in which they were processed. Note that the designation of the images by operating the tablet 94 is not limited to sequentially designating one image at a time, but may also be designation to move forward or backward in units of multiple images. As in this example, if in manual editing processing, each image is reproduced in order in the order in which it has been processed up to that point, and any intermediate screen can be selected, the images input later can be Even if a figure is hidden, you can specify it with a simple operation and perform the necessary corrections. Further, in this embodiment, the data to be handled, ie, the above-mentioned geometric code, attribute code, etc., is managed by a management system having a configuration as schematically shown in FIG. That is, the management system in this embodiment is configured to handle video text codes via the video text code scratch buffer 101, which temporarily stores the video text codes created as described above. a video text code scratch buffer 101; and the video text code scratch buffer 101.
Code Analyzer 1 that analyzes time-series video text codes stored in and breaks them down into easy-to-manage formats.
02, an attribute buffer 103 that holds attribute code data at the current time in chronological order when the video text code is analyzed by the code analyzer 102, and an attribute buffer 103 that stores the attribute code data of the video text code in order and the order of the attribute code portion of the video text code, which will be described later. an order table 105 that manages pointers to entries in the attribute table 106 and data table 107 and various flags indicating the drawing status; an attribute table 106 that manages the attribute codes; and data that manages the indefinite length operands of the geometric code. It consists of a table 107 and a code generator 104 which generates a video text code to the video text code scratch buffer 101 from data given in the order table 105, attribute table 106 and data table 107. As shown schematically in FIG. 7A, the order table 105 includes a geometric code column 105A indicating a drawing code, and the attribute table 1.
Attribute pointer field 10 that holds a pointer to 06
5B, a data pointer column 105C that holds a pointer to the data table 107, and a flag column 105D that indicates various flags necessary for drawing, and various data are entered in the order of the geometric code part of the video text code. It is becoming more and more common. In addition, the above attribute table 106
As the configuration is schematically shown in FIG. 7B, there is a pel size column 106A indicating the thickness of the drawing brush.
It consists of a color data column 106B indicating the color, and a texture column 106C indicating the pattern, and various data are entered in the order of the pointers shown in the attribute pointer column 105B of the order table 105. . Furthermore, as the structure of the data table 107 is schematically shown in FIG. and an operand field 107B in which are entered, and various data are entered in the order of the pointers shown in the data pointer field 105C of the order table 105. In this embodiment, when handling existing video text code data, the video text code is temporarily stored in the video text code scratch buffer 101, and when it is stored in the video text code scratch buffer 101, the video text code is temporarily stored in the video text code scratch buffer 101. A series of video text code data is sequentially decomposed into significant units by the code analyzer 102, and if it is simply a change in attribute code such as pel size, color or texture, the contents of the attribute buffer 103 are changed. Further, if the result of decomposition by the code analyzer 102 is a geometric code for drawing, that geometric code is registered in the geometric code field 105A of the order table 105, and the operand part of this code is determined by calculating the data length and using the above-mentioned data. Register this entry number in the data length field 107A and operand field 107B of the table 107, and also register this entry number in the order table 107 above.
5 in the data pointer field 105C. Furthermore, at this time, one entry is created in the attribute table 106 using the data in the attribute buffer 103, and this entry number is registered in the attribute pointer column 105B of the order table 105. After completing the above series of registration operations, the code analyzer 102 again disassembles the contents of the video text code scratch buffer 101 and repeats the above series of registration operations. Here, in the series of registration operations described above, if the contents of the attribute buffer 103 have not been changed, the entry number indicating the same attribute previously registered is used without creating a new entry in the attribute table 106. It is designed to be registered in the attribute pointer field 105B of the order table 105. In this way, each of the above tables 105, 10
When generating time-series video text code data from each data registered in 6, 107 in the order in which they were entered in the order table 105, the data is first indicated by the attribute pointer column 105B of the order table 105. Attribute table 10
Attribute codes for changing pel size, color, texture, etc. according to the contents of step 6 are generated in the video text code scratch buffer 101. next,
Geometric code column 105 of the above order table 105
A geometric code given by A is generated, and operand data of the entry in the data table 107 indicated by the data pointer column 105C is added to this geometric code. By repeating this series of operations, video text code data for drawing the same image as that at the time of registration is generated. At this time, the content of the attribute pointer field 105B corresponding to the content of the geometric code field 105A of the order table 105 in which the geometric code generated immediately before is registered is the same as the content of the attribute pointer field 105B in the order table 105 in which the geometric code to be generated this time is registered. Attribute pointer field 1 corresponding to the contents of the geometric code field 105A
If the content is the same as that of 05B, there is no need to generate a code to change the attribute. Furthermore, even if they are different, if part of the contents of the two entries in the attribute table 106 are the same, generation of an attribute change code for that entry can be omitted to generate a more efficient code. I can do it. [Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the description of the embodiments described above, the videotext image creation device according to the present invention reproduces on the monitor screen an image consisting of each graphic area represented by a series of videotext codes. By specifying an arbitrary graphic area in an image of an arbitrarily selected intermediate screen and applying video text code correction processing to the area, the above graphic It is possible to easily perform correction processing on a video text image, such as selectively correcting figures hidden by images, and the intended purpose can be fully achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a videotext image creation device in a NAPLPS digital image information transmission system. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the image processing procedure in the above embodiment, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the color processing procedure, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the color processing operation. It is. FIG. 5A is a flowchart showing the procedure of manual editing processing in the above embodiment,
FIG. 5B is a flowchart showing the operation procedure for specifying a figure in the manual editing process, and FIG. 5C is a flowchart showing the operation procedure for selecting an intermediate screen in the figure specification operation. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the management method of various data handled in the above embodiment, FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an order table in the above data management method, and FIG. 7B 7C is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an attribute table in the data management method described above, and FIG. 7C is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a data table in the data management method described above.
FIG. 8A, FIG. 8B, FIG. 8C, FIG. 8D, and FIG. 8E are schematic diagrams each schematically showing graphic processing using a PID code used in the NAPLPS system. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51,
52, 53, 54, 90...Memory, 81, 8
2,83...Monitor device, 100...Microcomputer 100, 101...Video text code scratch buffer, 102...Code analyzer, 103...Attribute buffer, 104...
Code generator, 105...Order table, 106...Attribute table, 107...Data table.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an image creation device that handles videotext codes consisting of time-series geometric codes that sequentially represent each image area of an image as a geometric figure, an arbitrary midway point of an image consisting of each geometric area represented by a series of videotext codes is used. The present invention includes means for selecting a screen and reproducing it on the monitor screen, and means for specifying an arbitrary graphical area in the image reproduced on the monitor screen and performing video text code correction processing on the area. Features of videotex image creation device.