JPH08185508A - Filing device for photographic image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a filing device for photographic image, with which a photographed picture can be easily managed and retrieved, concerning filing device for photographic image for filing image information and character information from a frame image in which the photographic image and the character information have been recorded. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with an image reading part 13 for reading image information from the photographic image composed of an image recording part and a character recording part and/or from a film, an image identifying part 14 for identifying an image from the image read by this image reading part 13, a character recognizing part 15 for recognizing a character from the image similarly read from the image reading part 13, and a file for separately storing these image recognized by the image identifying part 14 and character recognized by the character recognizing part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic image filing apparatus for filing image information and character information from a frame image in which a photographic image and character information are recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various cameras have been increasingly used by individuals, travelers, photographers and the like. Further, the development of car navigation has promoted the development of devices that handle GPS data (positional information). At the same time, in order to solve the desire to record the shooting conditions and shooting environment conditions of the camera together with the shot image, a camera (camera with information recording function) that can record each condition at the time of shooting together with the image has been proposed. .

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an external configuration example of a camera with an information recording function. In the figure, 1 is a camera body, 2 is a GPS receiver for detecting a position, 3 is an azimuth sensor for detecting an azimuth at an angle from magnetic north, and 4 is a tilt sensor for detecting a tilt angle of the camera. GPS receiver 2, direction sensor 3
The tilt sensor 4 is attached to the outside of the camera body 1. Reference numeral 5 is a control unit that controls the operation of the entire camera, and reference numeral 6 is a battery that supplies power to the circuit.

In the camera with the information recording function configured as described above, when a picture is taken, a partial area of a film frame is photographed in a light-shielded state, and when the frame is wound, the GPS receiver 2 is used. The detected position information, the angle from magnetic north detected by the azimuth sensor 3, the tilt angle of the camera detected by the tilt sensor 4, the date from the built-in clock, and the like are recorded by a light emitting means composed of a dot row of minute LEDs, for example, by a film frame. It is designed to be burned into the light-shielding area.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a photographed image photographed by the camera with an information recording function shown in FIG. As is clear from the figure, this photographed image is composed of an image recording section and a character recording section. The character recording section is provided at the end of the image recording section so that various information can be recorded. In the example shown in the figure, an image is displayed on the upper part and data is displayed on the lower end. The data is the date and time, is the latitude, is the longitude, is the direction of the camera expressed as an angle from magnetic north, is the elevation angle of the camera, is the rotation angle of the camera around the lens axis (L is counterclockwise, R is right). Around).
In this way, if it is possible to record various information such as position information in the captured image, it is necessary to capture the same location again from the same location at a later date (for example, when investigating vegetation at a certain location). Is effective).

[0006]

However, this type of camera with an information recording function has a problem of how to treat a captured image. The more photos that are taken, the more difficult it is to manage and retrieve those photos.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a filing device for a photographic image, which allows easy management and retrieval of photographed pictures.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention which solves the above-mentioned problems includes an image reading section for reading image information from a photographic image and / or a film which is composed of an image recording section and a character recording section, and an image reading section for reading the image information. The image recognition unit that identifies the image from the image, the character recognition unit that recognizes the character from the image similarly read from the image reading unit, the image recognized by these image recognition units and the character recognized by the character recognition unit. It is characterized by comprising a file to be stored separately.

In this case, it is preferable to provide means for using the recognized character group as a keyword of the image in order to easily retrieve the target image from the character group. Further, it is preferable to cut out the recognized character group according to a predetermined rule, and to provide a means for filing each of them into a file together with a photograph using the keyword as a keyword in order to detect the same image using various characters as a keyword.

Further, it is preferable to select one keyword from a combination of two or more kinds of keywords and to provide a means for filing this keyword together with the photograph in order to search the target image more easily.

[0011]

The image information is read from the photographic image and / or the film including the image recording section and the character recording section, the image and the character are separated, and each is stored in the file. As a result, it becomes easy to search for a target image using the characters stored in the file as a keyword, and it is also easy to manage the taken photographs.

In this case, by providing a means for using the recognized character group as a keyword of the image, the target image can be easily searched from the character group.

Further, by providing a means for cutting out from the recognized character group according to a predetermined rule and filing each of them as a keyword with a photograph into a file,
The same image can be prosecuted using various characters as keywords.

Further, by selecting one keyword from a combination of two or more kinds of keywords and providing a means for filing this keyword together with the photograph, the target image can be searched more easily.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a film in which images and character information are recorded for each frame as shown in FIG. 4, and 12 is a photograph in which images and character information are recorded as shown in FIG. An image reading unit 13 reads image information from the film 11 and / or the photograph 12. As the image reading unit 13, for example, an image scanner using a CCD or the like as an element is used.

An image identification unit 14 receives the output of the image reading unit 13 and identifies only the image portion from the read image.
A character recognition unit 5 receives the outputs of the image reading unit 13 and the image identification unit 14 and recognizes the character portion from the remaining area identified by the image identification unit 14. Reference numeral 20 is a file that stores the information recognized by the image identification unit 14 and the character recognition unit 15.
For example, a disk device is used. The file 20 is
A control unit (not shown) is provided so that necessary processing can be performed.

In the file 20, 20a is an image storage section for storing the image section identified by the image identification section 14, and 20b.
Is a character storage unit that stores the character unit recognized by the character recognition unit 15. These image storage unit 20a and character storage unit 20
b is stored in association with each other. 16 is a character storage unit 2
The character group stored in 0b is used for each time, latitude, longitude,
This is a keyword storage unit that divides the data into azimuth and elevation data and stores this as a keyword. Reference numeral 21 denotes an operation unit that gives various search information to the file 20, and for example, a keyboard or the like is used. A display unit 22 displays the image information searched by the operation unit 21. The operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described below.

When the developed film 11 or photograph 12 is loaded into the image reading section 13, the image reading section 13 starts reading an image from the loaded film and / or photograph. Here, a dot image is read as an image regardless of the image recording unit and the character information recording unit. The image identifying unit 14 identifies only the image portion from the image data read by the image reading unit 13 by a predetermined algorithm. On the other hand, the character recognition unit 15 recognizes a character from a portion other than the image area identified by the image identification unit 14. As a character recognition method, for example, a pattern recognition method is used.

In this way, the image data identified by the image identification unit 14 is stored in the image storage unit 20a in the file 20.
The character data stored in the character recognition unit 15 is stored in the character storage unit 20b in the file 20.
In this case, the image stored in the image storage unit 20a and the character data stored in the character storage unit 20b are always stored in a state of being associated with each other. The above operation is repeated for the number of frame images or the number of photographs recorded on the film 11. As a result, all the images are stored in the file 20 in a state of being separated into image data and character data. By storing the image data and the character data in a separated state, it is not necessary to take a space unlike when storing the recording paper photograph, and the photograph can be easily managed.

The stored image can be searched by a keyword. When the image data and the character data are stored in the file 20, the character to be the keyword is input from the operation unit 21. In the file 20, first, it is checked whether the input character data is stored in the character storage unit 20b. If it is not stored, the display unit 22 displays "There is no keyword of the corresponding character" to alert the operator. If the file is stored, the file 20 reads the image associated with the character from the image storage unit 20a and displays it on the display unit 22. When there are a plurality of images having the input character as a keyword, those images are sequentially displayed. Once the operator recognizes the required image, the operator can print the image from an output device (not shown). If needed,
It can be printed with the entered keyword or with all keywords associated with the corresponding image. Alternatively, when there are a plurality of images associated with the input keyword, images having the same keyword can be combined on one screen and index-printed.

In the above description, the case where the keyword is stored in the character storage unit 20b in advance has been taken as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a keyword can be appropriately added to each image later.
In this case, when an appropriate keyword is input from the operation unit 21, the file 20 registers the input character in the character storage unit 20b.

Further, the keyword (title) stored in the character storage section 20b is further divided into data of the above-mentioned various information (time, latitude, longitude, azimuth, elevation),
This can be newly stored in the keyword storage unit 16 as a keyword. To register this new keyword, the character recognition unit 15 finishes recognizing the character, and the file 2
When storing in the character storage unit 20b in 0, the file 2
0 automatically recognizes the input character, separates it, and stores it in the keyword storage unit 16.

Therefore, the characters stored in the keyword storage unit 16 can also be used as keywords. For example, the time of the various information shown in FIG.
When inputting from 1, the file 20 searches the keyword storage unit 16 for the same character, and if there is, the image (not limited to one) associated with the character is stored in the image. It is searched from the section 20a and displayed on the display section 22. If there is not, a message "There is no keyword of the corresponding character" is displayed on the display unit 22 to alert the operator.

Further, according to the present invention, for these keywords, the position information that has been read is automatically converted / stored into location information, or the position information and time information is converted into a new keyword. It can be stored as a keyword of the image. For example, 139 degrees east longitude
Add the keyword Hakone from the data of 02 minutes 00 seconds, latitude 35 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds, or longitude 139 degrees 46 minutes 40 seconds east longitude 3
The keyword of Harumi is added from 5 degrees 38 minutes 56 seconds, and the time
It is also possible to add the electronics show held at this time as a keyword in combination with 9410081530 (October 08, 1994). Conversion from this keyword to a keyword is possible using a conversion table.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the conversion table.
For example, in the case of latitude K1 and longitude Q1, one new keyword “Hakone” is given as the place, and in the case of latitude K2 and longitude Q2, one new keyword “Izu” is given as the place. To be Such a conversion table is stored in the file 20 or in the keyword storage unit 1.
6 is provided. Then, the operator operates the operation unit 21.
When a keyword “Hakone” is input from the file, the file 20 searches the file or the keyword storage unit 16 for a corresponding character, and if there is, the latitude corresponding to the character “Hakone”, The image corresponding to the longitude information is read from the image storage unit 20a, and the display unit 2
Display on 2. When a plurality of keywords are combined to form one keyword, it becomes easier to input the keyword for image search. In other words, until then, "Hakone"
In order to call up the image of, the operator needs to input the two keywords of latitude and longitude indicating "Hakone", whereas the operator can search for the target image by simply inputting "Hakone".

[0026]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, image information is read by reading image information from a photographic image and / or film consisting of an image recording section and a character recording section, and the image and the character are separated, respectively. By storing the image in the file, it becomes easy to search for the target image using the characters stored in the file as a keyword, and it is easy to manage the taken photographs.

In this case, by providing a means for using the recognized character group as a keyword of the image, the target image can be easily searched from the character group.

Further, by providing a means for cutting out from the recognized character group according to a predetermined rule and filing each of them as a keyword with a photograph into a file,
The same image can be prosecuted using various characters as keywords.

Further, by selecting one keyword from a combination of two or more kinds of keywords and providing a means for filing this keyword together with the photograph, the target image can be searched more easily.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a photographic image filing device which facilitates management and retrieval of photographed pictures.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a conversion table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an external configuration example of a camera with an information recording function.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a captured image.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 film 12 photograph 13 image reading unit 14 image identification unit 15 character recognition unit 16 keyword storage unit 20 file 20a image storage unit 20b character storage unit 21 operation unit 22 display unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Reference number within the agency FI Technical display location G06K 9/00 S 9061-5H (72) Inventor Masamasa Kawai 1 Sakura-cho, Hino-shi, Tokyo Konica Stock Company

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image reading unit for reading image information from a photographic image and / or a film, which comprises an image recording unit and a character recording unit, an image identifying unit for identifying the image from the image read by the image reading unit, and the same image. Filing of a photographic image including a character recognition unit that recognizes characters from an image read by the reading unit and a file that stores the image recognized by the image recognition unit and the character recognized by the character recognition unit separately. apparatus. 2. The photographic image filing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for using the recognized character group as a keyword of the image. 3. The filing apparatus for a photographic image according to claim 2, further comprising means for cutting out the recognized character group according to a predetermined rule and filing the file together with the photo as a keyword. 4. The filing device for photographic images according to claim 3, wherein one keyword is selected from a combination of two or more kinds of keywords, and a means for filing this keyword together with the photograph is also provided.