JPH07152902A - Large-screen image data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the image data processor which can reproduce partial image data of large-screen image data, filed divisionally in small screens, fast continuously in an optional area and is reduced in the capacity of a memory. CONSTITUTION:Small-screen image data recorded in a file 7 are read out and rearranged, and temporarily stored in a image memory 8, and image data based upon read area specification from a display control unit 10 are expanded by an image data expander 9 and stored in an image display memory 14. Under the command of a display controller 13, the display control unit 10 reads display data out of the stored image data and displays the data as an HDTV image signal 11 on a display 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a large-screen image data processing device, and more particularly to a large image part for cutting out a partial image of an entire image having an image area larger than the image size of HDTV or the like for display or printing. The present invention relates to a screen image data processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when displaying large-screen image data, generally, a standard image size is set, and the original whole image is reduced, enlarged, or partially cut to fit within the set size. Image size processing such as screen division is performed, and the processed image data is displayed and printed.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of an apparatus for performing the above-mentioned image data processing, in which the existing paper surface information such as a painting, a calligraphy, a photograph, and a map is used as a material 1 by using a high definition image scanner 2 or the like. , Which is converted to digital large screen image data 4. In such image data, it is actually difficult to limit the number of pixels forming an image to an appropriate fixed size, but in general, a display device for expressing an image has a finite number of pixels, for example, in the case of HDTV. Is defined by 1920 pixels in the horizontal direction and 1035 pixels in the vertical direction, and therefore, some image processing means is required to effectively display an image on the display 12.

However, when the image size once acquired from the material 1 is processed by the preprocessing as described above, creating an image having different specifications from the processed image may cause a loss of image information. For example, the resolution is lost and the seams of the image appear, which is not a satisfactory level.

However, recently, due to the high density of the medium for capturing image data and the development of image compression technology, it becomes possible to store more image information in a disk or the like, and the large screen image data 4 is processed into a small size. It became possible to accommodate without doing. Some discs containing the compressed image data are commercially available. For example, high-definition still image discs are on the market based on the technical guidelines of "Exhibition-type high-definition still image disc system" established by the Hi-Vision popularization support center.

When a large amount of still images can be accommodated in this way, there is little need to preprocess the image and then store it on a disk. The original whole image data is stored in the file as it is, and later, if necessary. It is also possible to process it.

Conventionally, when the image processing load on the reproducing apparatus side is large, there are problems such as complicated handling and high cost, but recently, the large capacity of the image memory is low. Along with the price reduction and improvement of image control technology, it is becoming possible to cut out a desired portion from the whole image and use it by post-processing easily.

On the other hand, a display for displaying an image has been made high definition, and a display device capable of faithfully reproducing HDTV image information is commercially available. These devices are constructed and operated in an optimal system according to their purpose of use. For example, in the case of map information or the like, a display device with a higher definition is required, and it is necessary to reproduce the information in the highest definition on a large screen. In this case, the whole image is divided into a plurality of standard images and stored on a disc and used as one individual image. Of course, after combining a plurality of images to restore the whole image, A method of cutting out an image of a required area and displaying a partial image has been considered.

In this way, when the display image is created by temporarily storing the divided images in the disc and post-processing the read image data when necessary, how clear the image data amount of the entire image is The number of divided images to be divided into one standard image is determined depending on whether or not the image is displayed. Further, in the case of the above map, the divided image data is reconstructed into the data of the whole image, and then the desired partial image is cut out and displayed. For this purpose, it is essential that the entire image be neatly and seamlessly matched at the stage of post-processing, and a large-scale image memory is required for post-processing of this data.

[0010] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-22176 relates to the processing of a large screen image that has been conventionally proposed.

[0011]

However, in the conventional apparatus as described above, the whole image compressed by the image data compressor 5 is divided into standard images by the image data divider 6 and the divided images are imaged. It is accommodated in the data file 7. Read standard image data from this file 7,
Image display memory 11 after decompression by the image data decompressor 9
4, it is necessary to reconstruct the entire image on this image memory and then cut out the partial image. The image display memory 114 has a problem that it requires a large capacity in proportion to the number of images into which the entire image is divided into standard images.

For example, the large screen input image data [X, Y] having an image area of X pixels in the horizontal direction and Y pixels in the vertical direction is converted to standard image data [x, y] having a fixed area (where x <
In the case of multiple division into X and y <Y), (X / x) · (Y /
When y) = N is set, it indicates that the large-screen input image data needs to be divided into N with the standard image size. This N
When taking in the divided images of one sheet into the image display memory 114, it is necessary to prepare a memory capacity for accommodating the image data of N sheets. It is not practical from the economical viewpoint to equip a general image data processing device with such a large-capacity image memory.

According to the present invention, partial image data of large screen image data divided into small screens and filed can be reproduced continuously and at high speed in an arbitrary area, and an inexpensive image can be obtained with a small capacity memory. An object is to provide a processing device.

[0014]

To achieve the above object, a large screen image data processing apparatus of the present invention compresses large screen image data having an image area of horizontal pixel number X and vertical pixel number Y. However, the number of pixels in each of the horizontal and vertical directions of the large screen image data after the data compression is x.
A large-screen image in which image data is reproduced from a file in which small-screen image data having a relationship of x <X, y <Y is divided by y and y, and the divided small-screen image data is recorded as one image unit. A first image storage unit, which is a data processing device and has a storage capacity capable of temporarily storing image data of at least two images of small screen image data read from a file, and the first image storage unit stores the first image storage unit. Read-out control means for controlling the read-out of the partial image data of the image data, and compressed image expansion means for expanding the partial image data read by the read-out control means, and the horizontal pixel number x ′ and the vertical pixel number. In y ′, the partial image data of an arbitrary area of the large screen image data having the relationship of x ′ ≦ X, y ′ ≦ Y is displayed on the large screen image regardless of the area of the image divided into the small screen image data. It is characterized in that partial image data in an arbitrary area can be reproduced as in the case of dividing / extracting from data.

[0015]

According to the large screen image data processing apparatus of the present invention,
The image data of at least two images of the small screen image data read from the file is temporarily stored, the image data divided into the small screens is reconstructed, and the image data of the necessary part is read out from the reconstructed image data and expanded. By doing so, regardless of the area of the image divided into small-screen image data,
It is possible to reproduce partial image data of an arbitrary area as well as division / extraction from large screen image data.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a large screen image data processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a large screen image data processing device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the same functional units as those in the block diagram of the conventional large-screen image display device of FIG.
The same reference numerals are used.

The large-screen image data processing apparatus of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a material 1, an image scanner 2, a pre-image processor 3, an image data compressor 5, an image data divider 6, an image data file 7, an image. Memory 8, image data decompressor 9,
Display controller 10, image display memory 14, display 1
2 and the display controller 13.

The material 1 is a source of large-screen image data and has too much information to be expressed by a normal HDTV still image signal, for example, aerial photographs, picture scrolls, scrolls,
Maps etc. correspond to this.

The image scanner 2 is a device that reads the entire image of the material 1 described above, converts the read image data into digital data, and outputs the digital data. The image scanner 2 used in this embodiment is, for example, a drum type device having high-definition reading characteristics.

The front screen processor 3 is a circuit section for processing the digital image data output from the image scanner 2 such as processing and correction, and outputting it as large screen image data 4 of HDTV signal structure. The image data of this circuit is H
Image processing is performed so that the performance as a DTV signal can be sufficiently exhibited, and the large screen image data 4 is output.

The image data compressor 5 is a circuit section for compressing / reducing the amount of image data forming the large screen image data 4. The JPEG method (IS
O / IEC). This method is widely used,
This is a method in which input data is divided into block units of an appropriate size and then high-efficiency image coding is performed for each block unit. In this way, the image data compressor 5 compresses the input large screen image data 4. The pre-image-processed image data may be directly used as the large-screen image data 4, but in general, the amount of data read by the image scanner 2 is enormous, so an appropriate value, for example, 1/1
Compress to about 0.

The image data divider 6 divides the image data of the block unit output from the image data compressor 5 into the minimum divided data unit, and the HDTV frame data into one division target. Here, one block based on a general JPEG method is composed of 8 pixels in the horizontal direction and 8 pixels in the vertical direction. Therefore, the divided data amount may not be an accurate HDTV standard. For example, if the number of pixels in the vertical direction is 1032 or 1040
As described above, there may be a division that does not meet the HDTV standard. However, in principle, the division that destroys one block of the minimum unit formed by the data compressor 5 is not performed until the expansion of the compressed data is completed.

The image data file 7 is a device for filing and storing image data. This image data file 7 is, for example, a 10-inch HDTV compressed image compressed to about 1/10 when a 5-inch type magneto-optical disk is used.
It is possible to store 100 to 1500 sheets. Relative division position information is added to the image data of the divided images output from the image data divider 6, and as described above, the HDTV image data is written and stored as one unit. The image data file 7 may be the same file as the image data file used in the computer field.

The image memory 8 inputs the file data read from the image data file 7, and the image data is stored in the memory area of each predetermined address based on the relative division position information described above. As a result, the large-screen image data 4 based on the compressed image data is restored on the main memory 8 in units of one image before division, as shown in FIG. The stored image data is controlled by the display controller 10, which will be described later, and outputs the image data of the designated address area 81. The area of the output image data is arbitrary except that one block is the minimum unit.

The image data decompressor 9 is a circuit unit that decompresses the image data read from the image memory 8 into the same size as the image data before compression in block units. The compressed image signal output from the image memory 8 is input, decompression processing is performed, and the decompressed image data is output to the display controller 10.

The display controller 10 is a circuit section for controlling display. This display is performed in response to a command for the display position and the display screen size for the entire image output from the display controller 13. The display controller 10 outputs the read address of the image data to the image memory 8 based on this signal. The image signal based on this address is output from the image data decompressor 9, and the output image signal is recorded in the image display memory 14. The shift of the image display position corresponding to less than one block unit is performed by the display controller 13
The size of the display image is finely controlled in pixel units based on the command signal from By this control, the image data is cut out from the image memory 8 in block units, but the display can set the region in pixel units.

The HDTV display 12 is a device for displaying the HDTV image signal output from the display controller 10 as a visible image.

The display controller 13 is a device for controlling the form of display displayed on the HDTV display 12. The display controller 13 is connected to the display controller 10 and controls the display via this controller.

The image display memory 14 is a backup memory for display, and is a memory for displaying an image and moving the display position in pixel units. Display controller 10
H to be displayed on the display 12 based on the control from
The DTV image signal 11 is generated. Image display memory 1
The display controller 10 controls recording to the image data 4 and reading from the image display memory 14.

The flow of image signals in the large-screen image display device having the above structure is as follows. The image scanner 2 reads the image of the material 1, the pre-image processor 3 processes the read image data into an optimum signal as an HDTV signal, and the created image signal is converted into the large screen image data 4
Output as.

The large screen image data 4 is compressed by the image data compressor 5, and the compressed image data is substantially HDT.
The image data divider 6 divides the image data into V frame units. The image data file 7 records the divided image data in a file such as an optical disk.

The image data read from the file in units of substantially HDTV frames are reconstructed in the image memory 8 in units of large screen image data.

The display controller 10 includes a display controller 11
Based on the display command from 3, the image data in block units is cut out from the large screen image data stored in the image memory 8 and output. This cutting is performed based on the following procedure.

FIG. 2 conceptually shows a state in which a large screen image stored in the image memory 8 is composed of 18 pieces of image data [# 1 to # 18]. On the image memory 8,
The image data read from the image file 7 is rearranged based on the relative image position information added by the image data divider 6. Arbitrary image data in block units can be read from the image memory 8. The dotted line frame 81 in FIG. 2 represents an example of the reading area. Image # 8,
Dotted frame 8 extending over image # 9, image # 11, and image # 12
The reading of the partial image indicated by 1 from the image memory 8 or the movement of this reading area in block units can be easily performed by designating the read address of the image memory 8 in block units.

The output image data is decompressed by the image data decompressor 10 and stored in the image display memory 14. The display controller 10 outputs, as the HDTV image signal 11, the image data of the pixel unit area designated for display by the display controller 13 among the image data stored in the image display memory 14.

The HDTV display 12 displays the HDTV image signal 11 output from the display controller 10.
This display can display a position in arbitrary pixel units in a large screen image.

By using the image memory 8 for writing and reading compressed image data in this way, it is possible to reduce the image memory by the amount of image compression. Further, the address of the image memory 8 can be controlled to process data at high speed. When the partial image data is directly read from the image data file 7 and the image is displayed without interposing the image memory 8 used in this embodiment, a high-speed response when changing the cut-out position of the image cannot be expected. . In addition, as described above, when the image is divided into multiple divided images,
There is a problem in image restoration.

The memory capacity of the image memory 8 does not necessarily have to be the total capacity in which the large screen image data is compressed. The capacity of the image memory 8 may be determined as an appropriate value according to the system to be used, the usage pattern, and the like. However, it is necessary to secure address information in the entire area of the large screen image data 4. A system that can withstand practical use can be constructed by properly looking at the range of images to be handled.

As described above, according to the present invention, the image memory 8 is installed at the output of the image data file 7 and the image data is decompressed in the image memory 8 or later by managing the image data in block units. be able to. Therefore, the image display memory 14 after decompressing the image data can be reduced to a minimum, and the image display memory 14 required for cutting out a partial image from a large screen image can be significantly reduced. Further, the display response speed in the present invention causes a processing time of the image data decompressor 9 which is not present in the conventional system, but is not a problematic level in terms of the quality of the image display system. According to the present invention, it is possible to easily solve the problem of the conventional large-screen image display system which is very expensive.

Although the above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0041]

As is apparent from the above description, the large screen image data processing apparatus of the present invention temporarily stores the image data of at least two images read from the file and reconstructs the small screen image data. By reading out a necessary part from the reconstructed image data and decompressing it, it is possible to reproduce the partial image data in an arbitrary area of the divided large screen image data. With this circuit configuration, continuous images can be reproduced regardless of the area, high-speed reproduction is possible, and the memory capacity required for reproduction and display backup can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an embodiment of a large screen image data processing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a configuration example of large screen image data temporarily stored in the image memory of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a large screen image data processing device based on a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Material 2 Image Scanner 3 Pre-Image Processor 4 Large Screen Image Data 5 Image Data Compressor 6 Image Data Divider 7 Image Data File 8 Image Memory 9 Image Data Decompressor 10 Display Controller 11 HDTV Image Signal 12 HDTV Display 13 Display Controller 14 Image display memory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Large-screen image data having an image region of horizontal pixel number X and vertical pixel number Y is data-compressed, and the large-screen image data after the data compression is pixel in each of the horizontal and vertical directions. For numbers x and y, x <X, y <
In a large-screen image data processing device that divides small-screen image data having a relationship of Y and reproduces image data from a file in which the divided small-screen image data is recorded as one image unit, the processing device is A first image storage unit having a storage capacity capable of temporarily storing image data of at least two images of the small screen image data read from the file, and an image stored in the first image storage unit It has a reading control means for controlling the reading of the partial image data of the data and a compressed image decompressing means for decompressing the partial image data read by the reading control means, and has a horizontal pixel number x ′ and a vertical pixel number y ′. , The partial image data of an arbitrary area of the large screen image data having the relationship of x ′ ≦ X, y ′ ≦ Y is related to the area of the image divided into the small screen image data. The large-screen image data processing device is characterized in that the partial image data of the arbitrary area can be reproduced similarly to the case of dividing / extracting from the large-screen image data. 2. The data compression of the large screen image data is performed in block units each having a predetermined number of horizontal pixels and vertical pixels, and the number of pixels of each small screen image data in each direction. x and y are integer multiples of the respective predetermined numbers, and further have a second image storage means, and the control means makes the partial image data expanded by the compressed image expansion means the second image data. It has a function of temporarily storing in the image storage means and a function of controlling the reading of the temporarily stored partial image data, and the control means stores any area temporarily stored in the second image storage means. The image data of each pixel can be displayed by reading out the image data of, even if the small-screen image data is configured in the block unit. Screen image data processing apparatus. 3. The number of horizontal pixels x ′ and the number of vertical pixels y ′ constituting the partial image data are integer multiples of respective predetermined numbers constituting the block unit. Alternatively, the large screen image data processing device described in 2. 4. The control means is capable of reading out image data of an arbitrary image size from the second image storage means and displaying the image data of the pixel unit. The large-screen image data processing device according to any one of 1. 5. The storage capacity of the second storage means is larger than the data capacity of the image data for display, and the image data stored in the first image storage means is compressed by the compressed image decompression means. Is less than or equal to the capacity for storing image data when expanded, and when the display position of the display moves, the range of the movement exceeds the area of the image data temporarily stored in the second image storage means. Changes the read-out area of the image data stored in the first image storage means on a block-by-block basis, and temporarily stores the read-out area in the second image storage means when the area of the image data is not exceeded. 5. The large screen image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the read area within the range of the image data being displayed.