JPH0652276A - Image enlargement display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain easily visible enlargement display by displaying an enlargement object in the vicinity of a reference coordinate in an enlargement display area while moving the enlargement display area, based on the reference coordinate inputted by a pointing device. CONSTITUTION:Based on a reference coordinate P obtained by a mouse, an enlargement display area LR and an object area OR are determined. Accordingly, when this reference coordinate P moved, the enlargement display area LR and the object area OR move simultaneously. In this case, the reference coordinate P becomes the center of the enlargement display area LR an the object area OR, and width WL and length HL of the enlargement display area LR become two times a width WO and length HO of the object area OR. Also, point PO (XO, YO), and a point PL (XL, YL) are the left upper point of the object area OR, and the left upper point of the enlargement display area LR, respectively. A command of an enlargement display is also generated by the mouse, and when the reference coordinate P is moved by the mouse, the display screen can be observed visually as if it is looked at through a moving magnifier.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for enlarging and displaying an image, and more specifically, for a user of an image information retrieval device to view an image in which a part of image information in a display window is enlarged without moving a viewpoint. The invention relates to an enlarged image display method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image information retrieval apparatus represented by an electronic filing apparatus has been put into practical use. This is necessary to read image information contained in a large amount of documents with a scanner etc., add attributes such as document name to the read image information, and register it in an external storage medium (eg optical disk). Depending on the attribute, required image information is retrieved from the registered image information and output to the display screen of the display means.

Such an image information retrieval apparatus reads from a scanner or a storage medium,
One page of original image information is temporarily stored in the page buffer memory and processed. Of course, this image information retrieval device is equipped with display means such as a CRT display and display control means for controlling this display means. The image information stored in the page buffer memory can be displayed on this display means.

Here, the resolution of the display means is generally much lower than the resolution of the image information stored in the page buffer memory. To give a specific example, JIS
When reading A4 size portrait paper at a resolution of 200 DPI, page buffer memory is 1680 dots x 237
While it has a storage area of 6 lines, the resolution of the display means is only 960 dots × 1280 lines. That is, the display means cannot collectively display the original image information (for one page) stored in the page buffer memory with the high resolution.

Therefore, usually, the original image information on the page buffer memory is thinned out, and the size of the image is further reduced to a size that can be collectively displayed on the display screen before being displayed. Note that the thinning processing includes a hardware size conversion circuit and software. In the case of the above specific example,
The image is reduced by 1/2 in the length direction and displayed.

However, when such processing is performed, if the original image information includes small characters, etc., these small characters are further reduced and crushed, and in many cases they are no longer readable on the display screen.

Conventionally, the following means have been taken as a measure against the problem that the display is difficult to see.

FIG. 8 shows a display screen by this conventional means. In FIG. 8, 1a is a display screen of a display means such as a CRT display, 1W is a display window provided in the display screen 1a, and F1 to F8 are image information items displayed in a display area VA of the display window 1W. Is an element.
LR is an enlarged display area provided outside the display area VA, OR
Is a target area for designating a target to be enlarged and displayed.

In this conventional means, the coordinate position of the target area OR is designated by a pointing device such as a mouse. Of course, when the pointing device is moved on the display screen 1a, this target area OR also moves. Then, when the target area OR reaches the desired position, a display command is given by pressing a mouse button or the like to enlarge the image information in the target area OR and display it in the enlarged display area LR outside the display window 1W. It is supposed to do. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the target area OR is aligned with the character F3 of “C”, and the character F3 is enlarged in the display area LR.
Is displayed. However, actually, the image information after the thinning-out process (what is displayed on the display screen 1a)
Instead of enlarging a part of the image as it is and displaying it in the enlarged display region LR, it is displayed in the enlarged display region LR based on the original image information stored in the page buffer memory or the like. .

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional means, the objects in the object area are enlarged and displayed only after the display command is given, and even when it is desired to successively display the consecutive objects one after another. , You can only magnify the display in a choppy manner. Further, since the user sees the enlarged display appearing in the enlarged display area outside the display area while moving the target area within the display area, the viewpoint must be moved between the target area and the enlarged display area. . Further, since the enlarged display area is provided outside the display area, there is a problem that the display area is narrowed to secure the enlarged display area and the display becomes more difficult to see.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention is an enlarged image display in which the enlarged display area does not occupy the space of the display area, and the required enlarged display can be performed at the position of the viewpoint, so that an easy-to-see display can be obtained. The purpose is to provide a method.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, the present invention moves an enlarged display area on a display screen where image information is displayed in the display area, based on reference coordinates input by a pointing device. While, the enlargement target displayed in the vicinity of the reference coordinates is displayed in the enlarged display area.

[0013]

With the above structure, the enlarged display area moves within the display area as the reference coordinates move. Then, the enlargement target is displayed easily in this enlarged display area. At this time, the user only needs to adjust the viewpoint to the vicinity of the reference coordinates, and the user can see the image as if he or she is looking through the magnifying glass on the display screen.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image information retrieving apparatus using an image enlarging display method according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method, FIG. 3 is an exemplary view of a display screen, and FIGS. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an enlarged display area and the like, FIG. 6 is a relationship diagram of original image information and an enlarged display area, and FIG. 7 is a processing explanatory diagram accompanying movement of the enlarged display area.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a display means having a display screen 1a (see FIG. 3) such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display, 2 is a display control means for controlling the display state of the display means 1, and 3 is an image. A CPU that controls the entire information retrieval apparatus as a whole, and the image enlargement display method of this means is executed by the CPU 3 by executing software stored in the main storage means 4 including a ROM or a RAM and according to the flowchart of FIG. It is realized by doing.

Reference numeral 5 is an input / output control means including an interface, 6 is a mouse as a pointing device for inputting reference coordinates on the display screen 1a, 7 is a scanner for taking image information from the paper into the above apparatus, and 8 is a printer. ,
The mouse 6, scanner 7 and printer 8 are connected to the input / output control means 5. Reference numeral 9 is a magneto-optical disk device as an external storage means, and 10 is a magneto-optical disk mounted as an external storage medium in the device 9. Again 11
Is a page buffer memory capable of storing at least one page of image information in the main storage means 4 as high resolution, and 12 is the image information displayed on the display screen 1a (low resolution image information in normal display). VRAM stored,
Reference numeral 13 is a work memory having a storage area equal to the VRAM 12, and the low resolution image information stored in the VRAM 12 is copied and stored in the work memory 13.

Then, the original image information is read by the scanner 7 into the image information retrieval apparatus, and this image information is stored in the page buffer memory 11 while keeping the high resolution. At the same time, this image information is written on the magneto-optical disk 10 with attributes by the magneto-optical disk device 9 while keeping the high resolution.

The display means 1, while being controlled by the display control means 2, displays the high resolution image information stored in the page buffer memory 11 while reducing the size to 1/2 and reducing the resolution. This is the thinning processing described in the section of the prior art for high resolution image information,
This is because the resulting low-resolution image information is transferred to the VRAM 12 and the work memory 13, and the image information in the VRAM 12 is displayed on the display screen 1a of the display unit 1.

FIG. 3 shows a display example before the enlarged display. Figure 3
In FIG. 8, the same parts as those in FIG. 8 showing the conventional means are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Also, F9 to F
12 is also each element of the image information, the point O (0, 0) is the origin of the display window 1W, the point E (Xw, Yw) is the opposite point of the origin O, the X axis and the Y axis are the horizontal axis and the vertical axis, VA is a display area in the display window 1W. With this means, it is not necessary to provide the enlarged display area LR (see a partially enlarged view in FIG. 4) outside the display area VA, so that the display area VA can be made wider than in the example of FIG. Then, with the mouse 6, the point P
An instruction for magnified display is issued starting with the instruction of (Xp, Yp) (reference coordinates). At this time, VRAM before the start of enlarged display
The contents of 12 are copied to the work memory 13.

The operation will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, based on the acquired reference coordinates P, as shown in FIG. 4, the enlarged display region LR and the target region (OR) (hatched portion) are determined (steps 1 to 3). Therefore, if the reference coordinates P move, the enlarged display area LR and the target area OR move at the same time. Here, in the present embodiment, in principle, the reference coordinate P is the center of the enlarged display region LR and the target region OR (both are rectangular regions), and the enlarged display region L is assumed.
The width WL and the length HL of R are twice the width Wo and the length Ho of the target area OR. Also point PO (Xo, Yo)
Is the upper left point of the target area OR, and the point PL (XL, YL) is the upper left point of the enlarged display area LR. Then, the width WL of the enlarged display region LR is as much as possible to the standard width Lx, and the length HL is the standard length L.
It is set to y. However, these relationships can be changed for convenience, and the present means is not limited to this.

When the reference coordinates Xp are located within the chain line range S1, the enlarged display area LR can be displayed within the display area LA so as to have the standard width Lx and the standard length Ly. However, when the reference coordinate Xp is located outside the chain line range S1, if it is similar to the above, it cannot be correctly displayed in the display area VA. Therefore, in step 2, the enlarged display area LR is defined by (Equation 1).

[0023]

[Equation 1]

In the Y direction, similarly, YL, H
L can be defined. Next, in step 3, the target area OR is determined. This decision is based on (Equation 2).

[0025]

[Equation 2]

Similarly, in the Y direction, Yo, Ho
Can be determined. Next, in step 4, the target area OR
The original image information (high resolution) of the portion corresponding to is extracted.
The crosshatched portions in FIG. 6 indicate the corresponding portions of the original image information. In the present embodiment, the coordinates of the upper left point a of this portion are displayed as (2 (X
o-Xmin), 2 (Yo-Ymin)). Since the enlarged display region LR doubles the target region OR, the width of the above portion matches WL and the length thereof matches HL.

Next, the extracted original image information is subjected to similar scaling processing so as to be included in the enlarged display area LR and displayed. In the present embodiment, the size of the enlarged display area LR and the size of the above portion are the same, so the original image information of the above portion is directly applied to the enlarged display area L.
It is enough to display it in R.

Next, at step 6, when the reference coordinates Xp and the enlarged display area LR are moved, the display of the area outside the enlarged display area LR is returned to the normal display. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the magnified display area LR moves from the chain line position to the solid line position as the reference coordinate Xp moves from the point P1 to the point P2, the magnified display area LR before the magnified display only corresponds to the shaded area. The image information is transferred from the work memory 13 to the VRAM 12 and displayed. In this way, the display screen 1a does not flicker and the enlarged display region LR can be moved smoothly.

Then, in step 7, every time the reference coordinate Xp is input from the mouse 6, the processes of steps 1 to 6 are repeated until there is an instruction to end the enlarged display.

The present means can be applied even when the display image is rotated and displayed on the display screen, and it is possible to reduce or enlarge the original image information on the display screen. It can be used regardless of the enlargement ratio at the time of performing.

[0031]

According to the present invention, image information is displayed in the vicinity of the reference coordinates while moving the enlarged display area based on the reference coordinates input by the pointing device on the display screen in which the image information is displayed. Since the enlargement target is displayed in this enlargement display area, the enlargement display area moves together with the reference coordinates, and the user can obtain an enlarged display that is easy to see while keeping the viewpoint close to the reference coordinates. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a space dedicated to the enlarged display area on the display area, the display area can be widened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image information search device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a display example diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of area determination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5A is an explanatory diagram of area determination according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram of area determination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a relationship diagram of original image information and display image information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of conventional means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Display screen 6 Pointing device (mouse) VA Display area Xp Reference coordinates LR Enlarged display area F3 Enlarged object

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An enlargement target displayed in the vicinity of the reference coordinates while moving the enlargement display area based on reference coordinates input by a pointing device on a display screen in which image information is displayed in the display area. Is displayed in the enlarged display area. 2. The image enlarging display method according to claim 1, wherein an area outside the enlarging display area is returned to the display state before the enlarging display along with the movement of the enlarging display area.