JPH10198696A - Device, method for retrieving image and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To retrieve a desired image out of plural images through easy operation by possessing designated color information quantity and selecting an object color image out of plural color images stored based on the result. SOLUTION: A retrieval mode is set by scanning the retrieval key of key input part 10, and color designation is performed by selecting any arbitrary icon out of plural color designating icons. Then, the 1st color image data are read out of a flash memory 8 according to the count value of counter, and the total quantity of information in the designated color, namely, the total sum of gradation information in the designated color at respective pixels is found. Next, all the color image data stored in the RAM 12 are rearranged in order from most designated color information quantity, afterwards, the number of color image data having the most designated color information quantity at the head of that arrangement is selected and these color image data are read out of the flash memory 8, extended by a compressing/extending part 7, expanded and stored on a VRAM 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image retrieval apparatus and method suitable for retrieving any one of a plurality of color image data which is photographed by a digital still camera and stored in a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in addition to a camera for taking a normal silver halide photograph, a digital image photographed by using a CCD element is stored in a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, and the stored image is transmitted through a video output terminal. Digital still cameras that display images on a television receiver or capture image information into a personal computer via a serial input / output terminal are widely and widely used.

[0003] In this type of digital still camera, as a method of searching for an arbitrary one from a plurality of stored images, a method of searching for a series of images while confirming the contents in the order of storage, or one method. A method of searching for a plurality of images by dividing the screen and displaying the images collectively, a method of adding file information such as a size, an extension, and a date to an image in advance and designating the file information may be considered.

[0004]

However, a method of searching for a series of images while confirming the contents in the stored order, or a method of dividing one screen and displaying a plurality of images collectively is required. Must also select the desired image after confirming the contents of the image by display.
It takes time and effort.

Further, the method of adding file information to the image in advance and designating the file information requires a time-consuming and time-consuming input of the file information when recording the image, and a complicated key for inputting the file information. An input unit and the like are also required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image retrieval apparatus capable of retrieving a desired image from a plurality of images by a very simple operation. And a method.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A storage unit for storing a plurality of color images, a designation unit for designating a color, and an acquisition unit for acquiring a color information amount designated by the designation unit for each of the plurality of color images stored in the storage unit; Selecting means for selecting a target color image from the plurality of color images stored in the storage means based on the result of the obtaining means.

With such a configuration, a color image containing a large amount of color information is automatically selected only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image. It is possible to search for a desired image from a plurality of images with a very simple operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the color designation means designates one of primary color information constituting a color image stored in the storage means. And

With this configuration, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain the designated color information amount of the color image, thereby shortening the time required for the search. A desired image can be obtained more quickly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the selecting means selects the target color image in the order of color information amount based on the result of the obtaining means. Features.

With this configuration, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to more quickly retrieve a color image having a particularly large amount of designated color information. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the selecting means selects a color image whose color information amount exceeds a certain threshold based on a result of the obtaining means. Features.

With this configuration, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, in particular, a color image whose designated color information amount does not reach a certain standard is deleted from a target.
You can search quickly.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image retrieval method for retrieving a desired color image from a medium storing a plurality of color images, comprising: a designation step of designating a color; An acquisition step of acquiring the color information amount designated in the designation step for each color image, and selecting a target color image from a plurality of color images stored in the medium based on a result of the acquisition step And a selecting step.

According to such a method, only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image, a color image containing much color information is automatically selected. It is possible to search for a desired image from a plurality of images with a very simple operation.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program for retrieving a desired color image from a medium storing a plurality of color images, comprising: a designation step of designating a color; An acquisition step of acquiring the amount of color information designated in the designation step for each of the plurality of stored color images, and a plurality of color images stored in the medium based on the result of the acquisition step. A program having a selecting step of selecting a color image is stored.

With the above program configuration, a color image containing a large amount of color information is automatically selected only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image. Therefore, a desired one can be searched from a plurality of images by a very simple operation.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital still camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the circuit configuration. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CCD, which converts a still image formed through a lens (not shown) into an electric signal.

The electric signal from the CCD 1 is supplied to a buffer 2 where it is amplified to a predetermined level.
It is supplied to the D conversion unit 3. The A / D converter 3 converts a still image signal into digital data (hereinafter, referred to as image data), and converts the image data into TG (Timing).
(Generator) 4.

TG 4 is a driving circuit 5 for driving CCD 1
Is generated, and the timing signal is supplied to the drive circuit 5 and the image data is taken in according to the timing signal.

The TG 4 is connected with a DRAM (dynamic memory) 6, a compression / decompression unit 7, and a flash memory (image memory) 8. The DRAM 6 is a storage medium for temporarily storing image data captured according to the timing signal of the TG 4. Further, in the DRAM 6, a C
Under the control of the PU 9, the image data is read out at the time when the shooting of one screen is completed, and a color operation process for separating the luminance signal and the color difference signal is performed.

The compression / decompression unit 7 converts the luminance signal and the color difference signal separated by the color operation processing into, for example, JPEG (Joi).
nt Photographic Coding Ex
In addition, compression is performed by a compression method such as a “parts Group” method, and processing for expanding compressed compressed image data is performed.

The flash memory 8 stores compressed image data (luminance signal and color difference signal). In this case, the flash memory 8 has a storage area divided into a plurality of blocks, and stores image data and the like for each block.

On the other hand, reference numeral 9 denotes a CPU.
In addition to the above-described TG 4, DRAM 6, compression / decompression unit 7, flash memory 8, key input unit 10, ROM 11, RA
M12 and SG (Signal Generator:
Video signal generator) 13 is connected.

The CPU 9 controls the operation of each unit according to the control program in the ROM 11 and the state of the key switches of the key input unit 10. RAM 12 is a CPU
9 working area.

The key input unit 10 is composed of key switches such as an operation mode (image capture key, reproduction mode key, search key), a color designation key, a next candidate key, and a selection key. The key operation state of the key input unit 10 is taken into the CPU 9.

The SG 13 superimposes a color difference signal on the luminance signal expanded by the compression / expansion unit 7 and adds a synchronization signal to create a digital video signal. The SG 13 is connected to a VRAM (video RAM) 14 and a D / A converter 15, and an output terminal 17 and an LCD (liquid crystal display panel) 18 are connected to the D / A converter 15 via a buffer 16.

The VRAM 14 is a storage medium for expanding and temporarily storing digital video signals. The D / A converter 15 converts the digital video signal output from the SG 13 into an analog signal (hereinafter, referred to as an “analog video signal”).
Is output from an output terminal 17 via a buffer 16 and supplied to an LCD 18. L
The CD 18 displays an image in accordance with an analog video signal supplied via the buffer 16, and has a backlight (not shown).

A serial I / O 20 is connected to the CPU 9 via an I / O port 19. The I / O port 19 functions as an interface for inputting and outputting image data converted into a serial signal.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows the contents of processing performed by the CPU 9 based on the control program stored in the ROM 11 when searching for an arbitrary one of a plurality of color image data stored in the flash memory 8. At the beginning, a search mode is set by scanning a search key of the key input unit 10 and a plurality of, for example, R, displayed on the LCD 18 with the search menu screen displayed on the screen.
Color designation is performed by selecting an arbitrary one of three kinds of color designation icons (red), G (green), and B (blue) (step A1).

When a color is designated, a counter (shown as "CNT" in the figure) provided in the RAM 12 for counting the number of the color image stored in the flash memory 8 is set to an initial value "1". Above (Step A
2) The first color image data is read from the flash memory 8 in accordance with the count value of this counter, expanded and stored in the VRAM 14 by the compression / expansion unit 7, and then expanded and stored. Total information amount of the specified color, that is, the sum total of the gradation information of the specified color in each pixel (step A).
3).

Then, after the data of the obtained designated color information amount is temporarily stored in the RAM 12 together with the number of the color image data (step A4), the content of the count is stored in the color image data already stored in the flash memory 8. It is determined whether or not the final number has been reached, that is, whether or not the acquisition of the designated color information amounts of all the color image data stored in the flash memory 8 has been completed (step A).
5).

Here, when it is determined that the content of the count is not the final number of the color image data and the acquisition of the designated color information amount of all the color image data has not been completed, the value of the counter is updated to "+1". After the setting (Step A6), the process returns to Step A3 again to repeat the acquisition and storage of the designated color information amount of the next color image data.

When the compressed color image is stored, if the R, G, and B color information amounts are stored as the attribute information of the color image, the designated color information amount of each color image may be read. The process of expanding the compressed color image by the compression / expansion unit 7 and the process of obtaining the total information amount of the specified color in the color image data by the CPU 9, that is, the sum of the gradation information of the specified color in each pixel can be omitted.

In this way, the processes of steps A3 to A6 are performed to complete the acquisition and storage of the designated color information amounts of all the color image data stored in the flash memory 8, and the contents of the count are stored in the flash memory 8. If it is determined that the last number of the color image data is present, all the color image data stored in the RAM 12 are rearranged in the order of the designated color information amount (step A7), and then the top designated The number of the color image data having a large amount of color information is selected (step A8), the color image data is read out from the flash memory 8, expanded and stored on the VRAM 14 by the compression / expansion unit 7, and expanded and stored. The data is displayed on the LCD 18 (step A9).

In this display state, it is determined whether or not the next candidate key for selecting the next candidate provided in the key input unit 10 is operated within a predetermined time (step A10). When it is determined that the color image data has been processed, the number of the color image data having the next largest amount of designated color information is selected from the RAM 12 (step A11), and the process again proceeds to step A9 where the color image data is read from the flash memory 8 and To display.

Thereafter, similarly, the color image data is
When the next candidate key is operated within a certain period of time while being displayed at D18, color image data having the next largest amount of designated color information is read from the flash memory 8 and displayed on the LCD 18 each time. If the next candidate key has not been operated within a certain period of time, it is determined that the color image data being displayed at that time is the desired one, and the search process is terminated.

(Second Embodiment) A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital still camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The circuit configuration is basically the same as that of FIG. 1, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and their illustration and description are omitted. Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the contents of the processing executed by the CPU 9 based on the control program stored in the ROM 11 when searching for any one of a plurality of color image data stored in the flash memory 8. Initially, a search mode is set by scanning a search key of the key input unit 10 and a plurality of, for example, R () displayed on the LCD 18 with the search menu screen displayed on the screen. Color designation is performed by selecting an arbitrary one of three color designation icons of red, G (green), and B (blue) (step B1).

When a color is designated, a counter (indicated as "CNT" in the figure) provided in the RAM 12 for counting the number of the color image stored in the flash memory 8 is set to an initial value "1". (Step B
2) The first color image data is read from the flash memory 8 in accordance with the count value of this counter, expanded and stored in the VRAM 14 by the compression / expansion unit 7, and then expanded and stored. The total information amount of the specified color, that is, the sum of the gradation information of the specified color in each pixel is obtained (step B).
3).

Then, it is determined whether or not the obtained data of the designated color information amount is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value (step B4). Only when it is determined that the data is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the color image data of the color image data is determined. The number is temporarily stored in the RAM 12 (step B5).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the content of the count is the last number of the color image data already stored in the flash memory 8, ie, the designated color information amount of all the color image data stored in the flash memory 8. It is determined whether or not the acquisition has been completed (step B6).

Here, if it is determined that the content of the count is not the final number of the color image data and the acquisition of the designated color information amount of all the color image data has not yet been completed, the value of the counter is updated to "+1". After the setting (Step B7), the process returns to Step B3 again, and the acquisition of the designated color information amount of the next color image data and the storage thereof are repeated as appropriate.

If the R, G, and B color information amounts are stored as attribute information of the compressed color image when the compressed color image is stored, the designated color information amount of each color image is read to determine whether or not the color information amount exceeds the threshold value. Is determined, and the total amount of information of the designated color in the color image data by the CPU 9 and the expansion of the compressed color image by the compression / expansion unit 7, that is, the sum of the gradation information of the specified color in each pixel is obtained. Processing can be omitted.

In this way, the processing of steps B3 to B7 is performed to complete the acquisition and storage of the designated color information amounts of all the color image data stored in the flash memory 8, and the contents of the count are stored in the flash memory 8. If it is determined that the final number of the color image data is the last number, then the head number is selected from the numbers of the color image data stored in the RAM 12 and having the designated color information amount equal to or larger than the threshold (step B8). Read out the color image data from the flash memory 8 and
The color image data is displayed on the LCD 18 (step B9).

In this display state, it is determined whether or not an operation of a next candidate key for selecting a next candidate provided in the key input unit 10 is performed within a predetermined time (step B10). If it is determined that the specified color information amount is equal to or larger than the threshold, the next number of the color image data whose designated color information amount is equal to or larger than the threshold is selected (step B11).
Proceeding again to step B9, the color image data is read from the flash memory 8 and displayed on the LCD 18.

Thereafter, similarly, the color image data is
When the next candidate key is operated within a certain period of time while being displayed at D18, color image data whose designated color information amount is equal to or larger than a threshold is sequentially read from the flash memory 8 and displayed on the LCD 18 each time. If the next candidate key is not operated within a certain period of time, it is determined that the color image data being displayed at that time is the desired one, and the search process is terminated.

In each of the first and second embodiments, when the color image data is stored in the flash memory 8, it is separated into a luminance signal and a color difference signal and compressed. Signal and color difference signal, not RGB
If the signals are compressed after being separated into the respective signals, the CPU 9 stores the color information corresponding to the case where any of R, G, and B is designated in the color designation in the steps A1 and B1. Since the data can be read directly from the data, the specified color information amount can be calculated more quickly.

In the second embodiment, the color image data whose designated color information amount is equal to or larger than the threshold value is sequentially displayed and selected in accordance with the number stored in the flash memory 8. Similarly to the embodiment, only the color image data having the designated color information amount equal to or larger than the threshold may be sequentially displayed and selected in the descending order of the designated color information amount.

Further, the processing contents shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are controlled by a control program stored in the ROM 11.
Although the control program is executed by the PU 9, such a control program reads and uses a program stored in an external recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, or a recording medium including a semiconductor memory such as a flash EEPROM. Alternatively, the data transmitted from outside by data communication may be stored in some recording medium.

Further, the color is specified by R, G, B, but may be specified by an intermediate color. In this case, the designated color information amount is the ratio of the combination of R, G, and B. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0054]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image, a color image containing much color information is automatically selected. Thus, it is possible to search for a desired image from a plurality of images by relying on ambiguous memory of a person by a very simple operation.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain the designated color information amount of the color image, thereby shortening the time required for the search. Thus, a desired image can be obtained more quickly.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to more quickly retrieve a color image having a particularly large amount of designated color information. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, in particular, a color image whose specified color information amount does not reach a certain standard is deleted from the target, so that a quick search is performed. Can be.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image, a color image containing a large amount of the color information is automatically selected. Therefore, a desired one can be searched from a plurality of images by a very simple operation.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, only by designating a characteristic color used in a desired color image, a color image containing a large amount of the color information is automatically selected. Therefore, a desired one can be searched from a plurality of images by a very simple operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing contents according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing contents according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CCD 2 ... Buffer 3 ... A / D conversion part 4 ... TG (timing generator) 5 ... Driving circuit 6 ... DRAM (dynamic memory) 7 ... Compression / decompression part 8 ... Flash memory (image memory) 9 ... CPU 10 ... Key input section 11 ROM 12 RAM 13 SG (video signal generator) 14 VRAM (video RAM) 15 D / A converter 16 buffer 17 output terminal 18 LCD (liquid crystal display panel) 19 I / O port 20 ... Serial I / O

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 9/79 K

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing a plurality of color images, a specification unit for specifying a color, and a color information amount specified by the specification unit for each of the plurality of color images stored in the storage unit. An image retrieval apparatus, comprising: an acquisition unit that performs the above operation; and a selection unit that selects a target color image from the plurality of color images stored in the storage unit based on a result of the acquisition unit. 2. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color designation means designates one of primary color information constituting a color image stored in said storage means. 3. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection means selects a target color image in an order of a large amount of color information based on a result of said acquisition means. 4. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection means selects a color image whose color information amount exceeds a predetermined threshold based on a result of the acquisition means. 5. An image retrieval method for retrieving a desired color image from a medium storing a plurality of color images, comprising: a designation step of designating a color;
An acquisition step of acquiring the color information amount designated in the designation step; and a selection step of selecting a target color image from a plurality of color images stored in the medium based on a result of the acquisition step. An image search method characterized by the following. 6. A recording medium storing a program for retrieving a desired color image from a medium storing a plurality of color images, comprising: a designation step of designating a color; and a plurality of colors stored in the medium. For each image,
An obtaining step of obtaining the amount of color information specified in the specifying step; and a selecting step of selecting a target color image from a plurality of color images stored in the medium based on a result of the obtaining step. A recording medium storing a program.