JPH0578866B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an information retrieval device that detects marks on a microfilm using a detection means to retrieve desired image information.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, search devices built into film readers and the like use film with search marks attached to the sides of each frame of the film, optically detect the marks, and count the marks. By doing this, the desired frame in the film is automatically searched.

The above search device illuminates the mark on the film with a lamp, uses a mark detector to detect changes in the light blocked by the mark when the film is transferred, and counts the output signal of this mark detector with a counter. Then, a comparator circuit compares the count of this counter with the frame number of the desired image frame input from a keyboard, etc., and when the two match, a stop signal is issued from the comparator circuit to the drive control circuit, and the film is transferred. The drive system for the image is stopped, and the desired frame is brought to rest at a predetermined position where it will be projected onto the screen.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a conventional example, the film transport speed was controlled only by counting the output signal of the mark detector with a counter, that is, by counting the number of frames. When using microfilm with various frame spacings, such as those with short or long mark intervals, the microfilm can be filmed at high speed without knowing whether the image at the desired address is near or far from the predetermined projection position. When transporting the film, unnecessary film transport time such as overrun and return time is required after the mark of the desired address is detected, resulting in a problem that the search time becomes longer or longer.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, and its purpose is to calculate the distance to a desired address even if various microfilms with different frame intervals are used. An object of the present invention is to provide an information retrieval device that can perform search operations efficiently.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a microfilm having a large number of image frames and a mark attached to each image frame is transported, and the mark is detected. In an information retrieval device that searches for a desired image by counting marks detected by a means, a conveyance means for conveying a microfilm across an illumination section and a distance between the marks detected by the mark detection means. and a calculating means for calculating the distance to a desired image frame based on the distance between the marks measured by the measuring means and the number of frames up to the desired image frame. The present invention is constructed by controlling the microfilm transport speed when searching for a desired image based on the calculated distance.

(Function) In the present invention having the above configuration, while the microfilm is running, the length of the marks on the microfilm and the length of the space between the marks are measured by the measuring means, and these are stored. By doing so, even if the mark length and space length vary, the distance to the desired address can be calculated, and subsequent search operations can be performed efficiently.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on the illustrated example. FIG. 6 shows a film feeding section of a film reader with a search device to which the present invention is applied, and in the same figure, numeral 1 denotes a film feeding cartridge for storing a long microfilm F as an information recording medium in the form of a roll; 2 is a capstan roller for feeding out the microfilm F in the cartridge 1;
M1 is a motor that drives the capstan roller 2;
M2 is a film rewinding motor for rotating the film spool in the cartridge, SOL1 is a solenoid that brings the capstan roller 2 into contact with the microfilm F via the support arm 3, and 4 is the support arm 3, plunger 3a, and carrier. The spring SOL2 which moves the capstan roller 2 to separate it from the microfilm is a brake solenoid for the film rewinding motor M2, and when this brake solenoid SOL2 is not activated, the motor M2 can rotate. brake solenoid
When SOL2 is activated (turned on), it attracts the brake plate 5 fixed to the motor shaft to prevent rotation of the motor.

6 and 7 are film guide rollers, 8 is a take-up reel, M3 is a film take-up motor for rotating the take-up reel 8, and SOL3 is the motor M3.
Brake solenoid for

Although not shown, a guide plate is provided for guiding the film along the film feeding path between the cartridge 1 and the take-up reel 8.

14 is a lamp that illuminates the microfilm F;
15 is a condenser lens; 16 is a projection lens for enlarging and projecting the image of the film F illuminated by the lamp 14 onto a screen (not shown); and 17 is a counting mark provided on the side of each frame of the microfilm F. Mark as a detection means to detect m.
It is a space detector.

The mark/space detector 17 has a photoelectric conversion element, and when the film F is transferred, the light beam from the lamp 14 is interrupted by the mark m to generate a mark detection signal, and this mark detection signal is transmitted to the search device. It is counted with a counter. Since the details of the search device are publicly known, their explanation will be omitted.

When the frame number A of a desired image frame is input into the input device of the above-mentioned search device, the motor M1 is driven.
And solenoid SOL1 is activated. As a result, the capstan roller 2 comes into contact with the microfilm F coming out of the cartridge 1, and the microfilm F is pulled out from the cartridge 1, and its leading end is fed toward the take-up reel 8. When the tip of the microfilm approaches the take-up reel 8,
When the take-up motor M3 is driven and the tip of the microfilm is wound around the take-up reel 8, the motor M1 and solenoid SOL1 are deactivated, but the microfilm F is continued to be fed by the rotation of the take-up reel 8.

The number B of motors m detected by the mark/space detector 17 during microfilm feeding is compared with the numerical value A of the frame number input in advance, and if they match, a stop signal is generated and the brake solenoid SOL3 is activated to stop the winding shaft. 11, and the same SOL2 also brakes motor M2.
The shaft is braked to stop the rotation of the feed spool due to inertia, the feeding of the film is stopped, and the image of the frame of desired number A is projected onto the screen via the projection lens.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of FIG. 6. In the same figure, 20 is a microprocessor, and the microprocessor 20 detects the motor m and spaces on the film F by the mark/space detector 17. A counting section 21 that counts the output at the time of detection and the value of the detected transport amount at that time, a control section 22 that controls film transport, and a memory 24 that serves as a storage means for storing the lengths of the mark m and the space. and,
It is comprised of a calculation section 23 that calculates the amount of film transport to a desired image frame based on the length of the marks and spaces stored in the memory 24, that is, the distance between the marks. Reference numeral 25 denotes an input device for inputting the address of an image frame using keys or the like. 26 is a motor drive control circuit for transporting and stopping the film F based on control signals from the control section 22; 27 is a display for displaying the address of the image frame, etc.;

Figure 5 shows the microfilm F in this example.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for measuring the mark length and space length. 5 and 6, a conveyance amount detector 28 as a measuring means for measuring the conveyance amount of the microfilm F is attached to the shaft of the guide roller 7, and an encoder that generates pulses in synchronization with the microfilm F is attached to the shaft of the guide roller 7. It consists of Fourth
In the figure, m ₁ and m ₂ are marks placed on the microfilm F, and the mark lengths are l _n1 and m 2 , respectively.
l _n2 ..., the space lengths are l _s1 , l _s2 ..., and the summed lengths of these are l ₁ , l ₂ ....

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the mark length and space length reading and storage operations according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the mark m is received, it is determined in step whether it is a mark m or a space s, and if it is mark m, the length l _n of mark m is measured from the value of the conveyance amount detector 28 in step The length of the mark m is stored in the memory 24 in a step by counting the addresses according to the address. If the space is S in the step, the space length l _s is measured in the step and stored in the memory 24 in the step.

Then, when I try to perform a search operation,
First, by adding the memorized mark length _ln and the space _ls to the distance between one frame, l, and multiplying it by the number of frames to the destination address in the arithmetic unit 23, the transport distance to the destination position is calculated. Ru. Therefore, if the transport speed of the microfilm F is controlled based on the result of this calculation, the transport of the film can be stopped at a desired image position while performing appropriate position control.

That is, if as a result of the calculation, the position of the desired image frame is far away from the detection position of the mark/space detector 17 (the calculated transport distance is long), the film transport speed is initially increased, and the desired image frame is When the film approaches , the film is conveyed at a low speed, and when the detector 17 detects the mark of the desired image frame, the film is stopped.

On the other hand, if the calculation result is that the position of the desired image frame is close to the detection position of the mark/space detector 17 (the calculated transport distance is short), the film transport speed is set to a low speed from the beginning and the position of the desired image frame is When the mark is detected by the detector 17, the film is stopped. Therefore, even if various microfilms having different frame intervals are used, a desired image can be stopped at a predetermined position without overrunning the film, and the search time can be shortened.

In the above embodiment, the absolute values of the length of mark m and the length of space S are not necessarily stored, but only the difference between the length of mark m and space S that came last or first is stored. You can also do this. Further, the capacity of the memory 24 can be reduced by setting the lengths of the mark m and the space S as references and storing only the difference therebetween.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention. First, in step, when the current address is n, the mark length l _no and the space length l _so of the address are added in step, Advance address n in steps. Step until the current address n matches the destination address,
, is repeated (step), and the integrated value of the distance to reach the target address is accurately determined based on actual measurements (step).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the present invention.
After assuming that is 0, the mark length and space length for a frame are added in steps ~, and the total distance x is divided by a to average the length l for one frame. Next, in a step, the number of frames Z to the destination address is calculated, and in a step, the length l of one frame is multiplied by the number of frames Z, thereby obtaining the distance y to the destination address. As in this embodiment, the average distance between marks on the microfilm is calculated from the number of marks passed from an arbitrary mark and the distance between each mark passed from the arbitrary mark, and Since the transport speed of the microfilm is controlled based on the distance between marks, optimal speed control can be performed automatically regardless of the type of microfilm or the variation in the distance between marks.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the image frames of the microfilm F were simplex, but the present invention is also applicable to duplex or dual mode image frames.

(Effects of the Invention) The information retrieval device according to the present invention has the above-described configuration and operation, and when performing a search, even if various microfilms with different frame intervals are used, the distance to the mark position of the desired address is small. It is possible to reach the desired mark in the shortest possible time, and as a result, the search time can be significantly shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of the first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the same embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the invention. , FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the microfilm and encoder waveform used in each embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a film search of a film reader to which the present invention is applied. FIG. Explanation of symbols, 17...Mark space detector (detection means), 23...Calculation section, 24...Memory (storage means), 26...Motor drive control circuit, 28
...Conveyance amount detector (measuring means), F...Micro film (information recording medium), m...Mark, l _n ...
…Length of mark, l _s …Length of space.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Information for searching for a desired image by transporting a microfilm having a large number of image frames and marks attached to each image frame, and counting the marks detected by a mark detection means. The retrieval device includes: a conveying means for conveying the microfilm across the illumination section; a measuring means for measuring the distance between the marks detected by the mark detecting means during conveyance of the microfilm; and a distance measured by the measuring means. a calculation means for calculating a distance to a desired image frame from the distance between the marks and the number of frames to the desired image frame; An information retrieval device characterized in that the film transport speed is controlled. 2. The number of marks passed from an arbitrary mark detected by the mark detection means and the distance between each mark of the marks passed from the arbitrary mark measured by the measuring means, the microfilm is determined. The first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the average distance between the marks is calculated, and the distance to the desired image frame is calculated based on the calculated average distance between the marks and the number of frames up to the desired image frame. Information retrieval device as described in section. 3. The information retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means calculates the distance between the marks by measuring the length of the marks and the length of the space between the marks.