JPH07200629A - Image retrieval system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To retrieve the image filed in an optical disk of an image filing device with use of a general personal computer and with no extension of an expansion/ reduction circuit, a density converter circuit nor a main storage memory and also at a high speed equivalent to that of a terminal equipment used exclusively for image retrieval and even with no use of this terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:A personal computer 3 sends the retrieval conditions, the image resolution of a display part 3b and the screen size to an image filing device 1 via a communication circuit 2. The device 1 retrieves an image accordant with the retrieval conditions out of an optical disk 20. Then the device 1 decides the expansion/reduction rate and the conversion magnification of linear density which are acquired by the comparison carried out between the image resolution and the size of the retrieval image and those of the part 3b. Thus the retrieval image is magnified or reduced at the decided rate and converted at the conversion magnification of linear density. The device 1 sends the converted image to the computer 3 via the circuit 2 and shows the image at the part 3b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image search system including a terminal device such as a personal computer or a workstation connected via a communication line, and an image filing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image such as a large amount of documents is read by a scanner (two-dimensional scanning device), the read image is stored in an optical disk, and any stored image is searched and read out. Output it to an output device, eg C
2. Description of the Related Art An image filing device which outputs an RT display device or a recording device in a visually recognizable state has been put into practical use.

Conventionally, a dedicated communication terminal device or the like has been used as a device for retrieving image data recorded on an optical disc of such an image filing device from a remote location. However, the widespread use of personal computers (or workstations), high functionality, high performance, widespread use of networks, and high performance of public communication lines such as ISDN, and their widespread use combine these with personal computers as search terminals for image filing devices. Computer connectivity has become a demand.

When the personal computer is used as the terminal device for retrieval in this way, the screen size and the resolution of the image are different because the screen size of the image filing device and the personal computer are different from each other in the resolution (linear density) of the image to be handled. It was necessary to add a density conversion circuit and a memory for main memory for changing to the one handled by the personal computer side. Further, since the screen size and resolution are changed on the personal computer side, there is a problem that processing speed is high and it takes a long time to display on the display unit, which is slow and inconvenient.

For example, the image size of the search image from the image filing device is A1 size and the linear density is 400 dp.
In i (dots per inch), when the screen size of the personal computer was 10 inches and the linear density was 64 dpi (dots per inch), it took 1 to 2 minutes to retrieve one image. Therefore, even when a personal computer is connected as a search terminal, it is not necessary to add an enlargement / reduction circuit, a density conversion circuit, or a memory for main memory, and a search display capable of displaying at a speed as fast as a dedicated communication terminal device is demanded. ing.

[0006]

As described above, the present invention has a scaling circuit and a density even when a general personal computer or a workstation is connected as a search terminal without a dedicated communication terminal device or the like. It is desired that a conversion circuit and a memory for main memory be not added, and that search and display can be performed at a speed as fast as that of a dedicated communication terminal device. Even when a personal computer or workstation is connected as a search terminal, it is not necessary to add an enlargement / reduction circuit, a density conversion circuit, or a memory for main memory, and an image search system capable of searching and displaying as fast as a dedicated communication terminal device. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

The image search system of the present invention comprises first and second devices connected via a communication line, and the first device gives an instruction for specifying a search condition. Means, an output means for outputting an image at a desired resolution, a first transmitting means for transmitting the search condition designated by the designating means, the resolution and the output screen size of the output means to the second device, and the second means. And a processing means for outputting the search image received by the first receiving means by the output means, wherein the second device is the output means. Storage means for storing a plurality of images having a resolution higher than the resolution together with search information corresponding to each of these images, a second receiving means for receiving the search conditions from the first device, the resolution of the output means, and the output screen size. Means, a searching means for searching the storage means for an image corresponding to the search condition received by the second receiving means, a resolution and an output screen at which the search image searched by the searching means is received by the second receiving means. It is composed of a conversion unit for converting the image into a size image and a second transmission unit for transmitting the image converted by the conversion unit to the first device.

The image retrieval system of the present invention comprises first and second devices connected via a communication line, wherein the first device is an instructing means for instructing retrieval conditions, and has a desired resolution. Output means for outputting an image, first search means for transmitting the search condition designated by the designating means, resolution and output screen size of the output means to the second device, search image from the second device And a processing unit for outputting the search image received by the first receiving unit by the output unit.
Storage device for storing a plurality of images together with search information corresponding to each of these images, the resolution and the image size of each image, the search condition from the first device, the resolution of the output device and the output screen size. Second receiving means for receiving,
Retrieval means for retrieving an image corresponding to the retrieval condition received by the second receiving means from the storage means, resolution and image size corresponding to the retrieved image retrieved by the retrieving means, and received by the second receiving means. By comparing the resolution and the output screen size, the enlargement / reduction rate and the determination means for determining the conversion ratio of the linear density, and the enlargement / reduction rate determined by the determination means for the search image retrieved by the retrieval means. , A conversion unit for enlarging and reducing, and performing linear density conversion at the conversion magnification determined by the determination unit, and a second transmission unit for transmitting the image converted by the conversion unit to the first device. There is.

The image retrieval system of the present invention comprises a personal computer connected via a communication line and an image filing device, wherein the personal computer provides an instruction means for instructing retrieval conditions and an image at a desired resolution. Display means for displaying, search conditions designated by the designating means, resolution of the display means, and first transmitting means for transmitting the output screen size to the image filing apparatus, and a first receiving means for receiving the search image from the image filing apparatus. No. 1 receiving means and a processing means for displaying the search image received by the first receiving means on the display means, and the image filing apparatus provides a plurality of images with search information corresponding to each of these images and each image. Storage means for storing with the resolution and image size of, the search conditions from the personal computer A second receiving means for receiving the resolution and the output screen size of the output means, a searching means for searching the storage means for an image corresponding to the search condition received by the second receiving means, and a search means for searching by the searching means. The determination means for determining the conversion ratio of the linear density by comparing the resolution and the image size corresponding to the retrieved image with the resolution received by the second receiving means and the output screen size, the retrieval retrieved by the retrieval means A conversion unit for enlarging or reducing the image at the enlargement / reduction rate determined by the determination unit and performing linear density conversion at the conversion magnification determined by the determination unit, and the image converted by the conversion unit to the personal computer. It comprises a second transmitting means for transmitting.

The image retrieval system of the present invention is a storage means for storing a plurality of images together with retrieval information corresponding to each of these images, the resolution and the image size of each image, and retrieval transmitted from an external device via a communication line. Receiving means for receiving the conditions and the resolution and output screen size of the external device,
Retrieval means for retrieving an image corresponding to the retrieval conditional expression received by the receiving means from the storage means, resolution and image size corresponding to the retrieval image retrieved by the retrieving means, and resolution received by the second receiving means. By comparing the output screen size with the output screen size, the determination means for determining the conversion ratio of the linear density, the search image retrieved by the retrieval means is enlarged or reduced at the enlargement or reduction rate determined by the determination means. The conversion unit is configured to perform linear density conversion at the conversion magnification determined by the determination unit, and the transmission unit configured to transmit the image converted by the conversion unit to the external device via a communication line.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in the above-mentioned structure, the first and second devices are connected via the communication line, and the first device having the low-resolution output means is connected via the communication line. Transmitting the search condition and the resolution and screen size of the output means to the second device, the second device searches the optical disc for an image corresponding to the search condition, and the resolution and image size of the search image and the output device Judge the conversion ratio of the scaling ratio and linear density obtained by comparing the resolution and screen size, scale the search image at this scaling ratio, and perform linear density conversion at the linear density conversion ratio. The search image converted by the first device is transmitted via the communication line, and the converted search image is output by the first device.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a personal computer (personal computer) connected to an image retrieval apparatus of the present invention, for example, an image filing apparatus via a public line.

That is, the image filing device 1 is
It is connected to a personal computer 3 via a communication line 2 such as an AN. The personal computer 3 transmits the input search condition to the image filing apparatus 1 via the communication line 2 or displays the image transmitted from the image filing apparatus 1 via the communication line 2, for example. , Key input unit 3a, display unit 3b, transmission / reception unit 3c, compression / expansion unit 3d
And a CPU 3e that controls each unit.

For example, the screen resolution (image density) of the display section 3b is 72 dpi (dot per inch: 1
The number of pixels in inches), and the number of screen pixels (screen size) is 1000 pixels × 1000 pixels.
The key input unit 3a is for inputting a search condition for an image to be searched by a key. The transmission / reception unit 3c transmits the search condition of the image to be searched and the resolution (image density) and the screen size of the display unit 3b which are key-inputted by the key input unit 3a via the communication line 2, or via the communication line 2. The search image supplied is received.

The compression / expansion unit 3d is a MH (Modified Huffma).
Band compression or band expansion is performed by using the n) system or the MR (Modified Read) system. The CPU 3e controls each of the above units. The image filing device 1 includes a control module 10, a memory module 12, an image processing module 14, a communication control module 16, a scanner device (reading means) 18, an optical disk (storage means) 20, and an optical disk device 22,
It is composed of a keyboard 23a, a mouse 23b, a CRT display device 24, a printer device 25, a magnetic disk 26 and a magnetic disk device 27, a system bus 30, and an image bus 32.

The control module 10 is a CPU 34 that performs various controls for image storage, retrieval, editing processing, and the like.
The optical disk device 22, the magnetic disk device 27, the keyboard 23a, the mouse 23b, and the interface circuit 36 for connecting the CPU 34 are included.

The memory module 12 is a main memory 38 for storing various control programs for image storage, retrieval, editing, etc. and management information, and an image memory having a storage capacity corresponding to images of several pages of A4 size document. Page memory 40, a display memory 42 as a display interface, and a display controller 44. A buffer memory area 40a is provided in a part of the page memory 40. The page memory 40 is a memory that temporarily stores, for example, an image stored in the optical disc 20 or an image read from the optical disc 20.

The display memory 42 is for temporarily storing an image displayed by the CRT display device 24. In the display memory 42, an image actually displayed in the display window of the CRT display device 24, for example, an image from the page memory 40 or an image from the buffer memory 40a is enlarged, reduced, rotated, inserted or inserted. An image subjected to black-and-white reversal or the like is stored.

The image processing module 14 is provided with an enlarging / reducing circuit 46 for enlarging / reducing an image and also performing a linear density conversion, a vertical / horizontal converting circuit 48 for rotating an image,
A compression / decompression circuit (CODEC) 50 that performs an encoding process for compressing an image (reduces the redundancy) and a decoding process for expanding (recovering the reduced redundancy),
A scanner interface 52 for the scanner device 18,
A printer interface 54 for the printer device 25,
The internal bus 56 connects the enlarging / reducing circuit 46 and the vertical / horizontal converting circuit 48 with the compression / expansion circuit 50, the scanner interface 52, and the printer interface 54.

The compression / expansion circuit 50 includes an MH (Modified Huff).
Band compression or band expansion is performed by using the (man) system or MR (Modified Read) system, and is the same system as the compression / decompression unit 3d in the personal computer 3, for example. The communication control module 16 is composed of a communication interface 58 connected to the personal computer 3 via the communication line 2.

Further, the communication control module 16 includes an LA
BCP (Bus Com) connected to N via an interface
It may be provided with a munic-ation processor). The system bus 30 is a bus for control signals of various devices, and includes a control module 10, a memory module 12,
The image processing module 14 and the communication control module 16 are connected to each other. The image bus 32 is an image bus, and connects the memory module 12, the image processing module 14, and the communication control module 16.

The scanner device 18 is a two-dimensional scanning device which obtains an electric signal (image data) corresponding to an image on a document by scanning a document (document) two-dimensionally with a laser beam. The optical disk device 22 sequentially stores the images of the original read by the scanner device 18 on the optical disk 20. Further, the optical disc 20 is searched for an image corresponding to a search code designated by the keyboard 23a or the like.

The keyboard 23a is for inputting a unique search code corresponding to an image stored on the optical disk 20 and various operation commands for storage, search, edit processing and the like. In addition, the mouse 23b arbitrarily moves a cursor (not shown) displayed on the display window of the CRT display device 24 in the vertical and horizontal directions,
(Various operation modes, area designation or icon for image editing, etc.) are selected or instructed.

The CRT display device (cathode ray tube display device) 24 displays an image read by the scanner device 18 and an image retrieved from the optical disk 20. Icons and the like are displayed at the top, bottom, and right ends of this display window. For example, the screen resolution (image density) of the CRT display device 24 is 400 dpi, and the number of screen pixels (screen size) is 2000 pixels ×
It has 2000 pixels.

The printer device 25 prints out (hard copy) the image read by the scanner device 18, the image retrieved from the optical disk 20, or the image displayed on the CRT display device 24. The magnetic disk device 27 stores various control programs in the magnetic disk 26 mounted on the magnetic disk device 27, and stores the search code input from the keyboard 23a and the image corresponding to the search code.
The search data (search information) including the storage address of 0, the image size, and the like is stored.

The search data is managed by a document management table. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the document management table includes a title management table 26a and a page management table 26b. , And a record management table 26c. As shown in FIG. 2A, the title management table 26a stores one document number corresponding to each search code (image name) composed of a plurality of search keys. In the page management table 26b, as shown in FIG.
A record number is stored for each page of one document, and one record number is stored corresponding to each page. In the record management table 26c, as shown in FIG. 2C, the storage address (storage start position) of the image on the optical disc 19 for each record number,
The document size (image size) and the image density are stored. Image size is A4, A3, A2, A1
There are size, B4 size, etc., and the image density is 2
There are 00 dpi, 400 dpi, etc.

The storage address is a logical address, and the physical track address and the physical sector address are calculated from this at the time of access.
Next, in such a configuration, a corresponding image is searched from the image filing device 1 according to a search condition from the personal computer 3 and is transmitted to the personal computer 3, whereby the search image is displayed and output on the display unit 3b of the personal computer 3. The search processing to be performed will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

For example, now, the key input section 3a of the personal computer 3
Then, a keyword (consisting of a plurality of search keys) as a search condition is input (ST1). Then, the personal computer 3 displays the keyword as the search condition, and the display portion 3b of the personal computer 3
Resolution (image density) (72 dpi) and screen size (1
0 inch) is transmitted to the communication interface 58 of the image filing apparatus 1 via the communication line 2 (ST2).

When the communication interface 58 of the image filing apparatus 1 receives a keyword as a search condition from the personal computer 3, the CPU 34 receives the keyword, the resolution (image density) of the display section 3b of the personal computer 3, and the screen. The size is stored in the main memory 38 (ST3).

The CPU 34 sequentially compares and collates the stored keyword with the search code stored in the title management table 26a of the magnetic disk 26, and sequentially checks whether or not the search code related to the received keyword is stored. Then remove the relevant document number. As a result, the CPU 34 stores the extracted candidate document numbers in the main memory 38 (ST4).

If there is only one candidate document (ST
5) The CPU 34 refers to the candidate document number in the main memory 38, reads the record number corresponding to the document number using the page management table 26b of the magnetic disk 26, and corresponds to the read record number. The logical address to be read is read from the record management table 26c in the magnetic disk 26, the physical track address and the physical sector address corresponding to this address are calculated, and the optical disk device 22 reproduces the image from the optical disk 20 using these addresses. Perform (ST6).

Further, the CPU 34 supplies the image (compression information) for each scanning line supplied from the optical disk device 22 to the CODEC 50 via the buffer memory 40a, thereby performing the expansion processing and sequentially supplying the page memory 40. . As a result, the decompressed search image is stored in the page memory 40 (ST7).

Further, the CPU 34 uses the main memory 3
8 of the candidate document numbers, and the record number corresponding to the document number is assigned to the page management table 2 of the magnetic disk 26.
6b, the image size and resolution (image density) corresponding to the read record number are read from the record management table 26c in the magnetic disk 26, and the image size and resolution (image density) and the received data are received. Data indicating the resolution (image density) of the display unit 3b of the personal computer 3 and the screen size are compared to determine the enlargement / reduction ratio and the linear density conversion ratio (ST8).

As a result, the CPU 34 causes the page memory 4
By supplying the search image for each scanning line stored in 0 to the enlarging / reducing circuit 46, the enlarging / reducing process and the linear density conversion process are performed, and the result is sequentially supplied to the page memory 40 again and stored in another area. To do. As a result, the search image read from the optical disc 20 and expanded is converted into image data that matches the resolution (image density) and screen size of the display unit 3b of the personal computer 3 (ST9).

Next, the CPU 34 makes the page memory 40
By supplying the converted image data for each scanning line stored in the CODEC 50 to the CODEC 50, the compressed image data is compressed and sequentially supplied to the communication interface 58. As a result, the search image data as the converted image data compressed by the communication interface 58 is transferred to the communication line 2 as described above.
It is transmitted to the personal computer 3 via (ST10).

When the personal computer 3 receives the retrieved image data from the image filing apparatus 1, the personal computer 3 decompresses the received image data by the compression / decompression circuit 3b, and the display unit 3b.
Is displayed (ST11). If there are a plurality of candidate documents (ST5), the CPU 34 refers to the candidate document number in the main memory 38 and sets the search code (image name) corresponding to the document number to the title management table 2
6a, and the list data of a plurality of candidate documents composed of the read search code is output to the communication interface 58. The communication interface 58 transmits the list data of the document to the personal computer 3 via the communication line 2 (ST12).

When the personal computer 3 receives the document list data from the image filing apparatus 1, the personal computer 3 displays the received document list data on the display section 3b (ST1).
3). Then, by using the key input unit 3a, a search code for a desired document is specified from the document list data and transmitted to the communication interface 58 of the image filing apparatus 1 via the communication line 2 to request an image search. (ST
14).

When the communication interface 58 of the image filing apparatus 1 receives the search request from the personal computer 3, the CPU 34 uses the received search code as the search code stored in the title management table 26a of the magnetic disk 26. The documents are sequentially compared and collated, and it is sequentially checked whether or not the received search code is stored, and the corresponding document number is extracted. As a result, the CPU 34 stores the extracted candidate document numbers in the main memory 38 (S
T15).

Next, the process proceeds to ST6, and the same processes as described above are performed until ST11. As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the search condition, the resolution (image density) and the screen size of the display unit are displayed on the image filing apparatus from the personal computer having the display unit having the low resolution (image density) via the communication line. Then, the image filing device searches the optical disc for an image corresponding to the search condition, and compares the resolution (image density) and the image size of the searched image with the resolution (image density) of the display unit and the screen size to obtain an enlarged image. The reduction ratio and the conversion ratio of the linear density are judged, the search image is scaled up and down at this scaling ratio, the linear density is converted at the conversion ratio of the linear density, and the converted image is transmitted to the personal computer via the communication line. The personal computer is used to display the converted search image on the display unit.

This eliminates the need for image expansion such as image reduction processing and density conversion on the personal computer side.
Therefore, it is not necessary to additionally install image expanding hardware such as an enlarging / reducing circuit, a density converting circuit, and a main memory for the personal computer, and the time required for image expanding can be reduced. Further, when transmitting image data from the image filing apparatus, it is not necessary to transmit high resolution (high image density) data, so that the amount of data on the transmission path is reduced and the transmission time is shortened.

Therefore, when the image data filed on the optical disk of the image filing apparatus is searched, a general personal computer can be used for a dedicated image search even if there is no dedicated image search terminal device or the like. Images can be searched and displayed at a speed as fast as that of the terminal device. Such an effect is particularly remarkable when the image size is large in many cases such as A1 size and A2 size.

In the above embodiment, the case where the database in which the search data is stored is the magnetic disk has been described, but an area other than the area in which the image of the optical disk is stored is used as the database in which the search data is stored. You can Further, the case where the compression / expansion method of the image data of the optical disk and the compression / expansion method of the transfer data on the communication line are the same has been described, but the invention is not limited to this, and the compression / expansion method may be different. In this case, the image data retrieved from the optical disk is decompressed, then compressed by the compression / decompression method of the transfer data in the communication line, and then transmitted.

Although the page memory stores the search image from the optical disk and also stores the reduced image, the present invention is not limited to this. The search image from the optical disc and the reduced image are stored in separate memories. It may be stored in.

[0044]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention,
Even if you do not have a dedicated image search terminal device, even if you connect a general personal computer or workstation as a search terminal, you do not have to add an enlargement / reduction circuit, density conversion circuit, or main memory, It is possible to provide an image search system capable of searching and displaying at a speed as fast as that of the terminal device for image search.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an image filing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a storage example of a document management table stored in the magnetic disk of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a search process for outputting a search image.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Image filing device 2 ... Communication line 3 ... Personal computer 3b ... Display unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first and a second connected via a communication line.
In the image retrieval system including the above device, the first device includes an instruction unit for instructing a search condition, an output unit for outputting an image at a desired resolution, a search condition instructed by the instruction unit, and the output unit. For transmitting the resolution and the output screen size to the second device described above.
And a first receiving means for receiving the search image from the second device, and a processing means for outputting the search image received by the first receiving means by the output means. A second device for storing a plurality of images having a resolution higher than that of the output device together with search information corresponding to each of these images; a search condition from the first device and the resolution of the output device. And a second receiving means for receiving the output screen size, a searching means for searching the storage means for an image corresponding to the search condition received by the second receiving means, and a search image searched by the searching means. The conversion means converts the image having the resolution and the output screen size received by the second reception means, and the second transmission means for transmitting the image converted by the conversion means to the first device. Image retrieval system according to claim and. 2. A first and a second connected via a communication line.
In the image retrieval system including the above device, the first device includes an instruction unit for instructing a search condition, an output unit for outputting an image at a desired resolution, a search condition instructed by the instruction unit, and the output unit. For transmitting the resolution and the output screen size to the second device described above.
And a first receiving means for receiving the search image from the second device, and a processing means for outputting the search image received by the first receiving means by the output means. The second device stores a plurality of images together with search information corresponding to each of these images, the resolution and the image size of each image, the search condition from the first device, the resolution and the output of the output device. A second receiving means for receiving the screen size; a searching means for searching the storage means for an image corresponding to the search condition received by the second receiving means; and a search image searched by the searching means. By comparing the resolution, the image size, the resolution received by the second receiving means, and the output screen size, the determining means for determining the enlargement / reduction rate and the linear density conversion magnification, and the searching means. The search image searched for is enlarged or reduced at the enlargement / reduction rate determined by the determination means, and the linear density conversion is performed at the conversion magnification determined by the determination means, and the image converted by the conversion means is converted. An image retrieval system comprising: a second transmission unit that transmits to the first device. 3. An image search system comprising a personal computer connected via a communication line and an image filing device, wherein the personal computer has an instruction means for instructing search conditions and a display for displaying an image at a desired resolution. Means, first transmitting means for transmitting the search condition designated by the indicating means, resolution of the display means and output screen size to the image filing apparatus, and first receiving means for receiving the search image from the image filing apparatus And a processing means for displaying the search image received by the first receiving means on the display means, wherein the image filing device provides a plurality of images with search information corresponding to each of these images. Storage means for storing together with image resolution and image size, search conditions from the personal computer, and Second receiving means for receiving the resolution and output screen size of the output means, searching means for searching the image corresponding to the search condition received by the second receiving means from the storage means, and searching by the searching means The resolution and the image size corresponding to the retrieved search image are compared with the resolution received by the second receiving means and the output screen size to determine the conversion ratio of the linear density. The retrieval image is enlarged or reduced at the enlargement or reduction ratio determined by the determination means, and the linear density is converted at the conversion magnification determined by the determination means, and the image converted by the conversion means is converted into the personal image. An image retrieval system comprising: a second transmission means for transmitting to a computer. 4. A storage unit for storing a plurality of images together with search information corresponding to each of these images, a resolution and an image size of each image, a search condition transmitted from an external device through a communication line, and the external device. A receiving means for receiving the resolution and the output screen size at, a searching means for searching the image corresponding to the search condition expression received by the receiving means from the storing means, and a search image searched by the searching means. A determination means for determining the conversion ratio of the linear density by comparing the resolution and the image size with the resolution and the output screen size received by the second receiving means, and the search image searched by the searching means for the determining means. And a conversion unit that performs linear density conversion at the conversion magnification determined by the determination unit, while enlarging or reducing at the enlargement or reduction ratio determined by Image retrieval apparatus characterized by a more transformed image was and a transmitting means for transmitting via a communication line to the external device.