JPH1097546A - Reduced picture read system and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save the trouble of generating a reduced picture list and to reduce the error of picture retrieval by returning a reduced picture to a picture retrieval control part, and generating the reduced picture list when an original picture is updated and rereading, reducing and holding the original picture. SOLUTION: A reduced picture control part 1 retrieves the reduced picture list 2 in accordance with a reduced picture input request based on a file name from a picture retrieval control part 6, which is issued after the open request of the reduced picture list 2. When the pertinent picture exists, it is returned to the picture retrieval control part 6 being the request source. When the pertinent picture does not exist, or when it is updated, the reduced picture is generated in a picture read processing part 3 from actual input devices 51-53, and it is registered in the reduced picture list 2. Then, it is returned to the picture retrieval control part 6 being the request source. The reduced picture control part 1 aligns (closes elimination data and makes the system of only valid data without a gap) the reduced picture list 2 in accordance with a close request from the picture retrieval control part 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading system and method, and more particularly to a reduced image reading system and method for reading a reduced image of an image to be processed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional technique for reading a reduced image, a reduced image is generated and displayed in a list, and a desired image is selected from among the displayed images, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-243176. Searching.

[0003]

A problem of the above-mentioned prior art is that it is not possible to search in the latest state. The reason is that when the original image is updated, the reduced image is not automatically updated. Further, when the original image is added or deleted, the reduced image is not automatically added or deleted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to dynamically create, save, and display a reduced image in a target image selection of a system for performing image processing and image organization, thereby saving the trouble of creating a reduced image list, and The goal is to make the search easier to reduce errors.

[0004]

A first reduced image reading system according to the present invention comprises: an image reading processing unit for reading an original image from various devices and a medium; A reduced image creation processing unit that creates an image, a reduced image list that stores information related to the reduced image, an image search control unit that searches for the reduced image, and a search performed by the image search control unit. A reduced image display unit that displays the reduced image, and upon request of the image search control unit, returns the reduced image to the image search control unit, and creates the reduced image list if the original image has been updated. And a reduced image control unit for controlling to read, reduce, and save the original image.

[0005] A method for opening a reduced image list according to the present invention comprises:
A method for opening a reduced image list for a reduced image reading system, comprising: (a) a first step of confirming whether a target reduced image list exists; and (b) the reduced image in the first step. If the list does not exist, a second step of newly creating the reduced image list; and (c) the directory path described in the reduced image list and the directory path in which the reduced image list actually exists (D) if the directory paths are not equal in the third step, all image information in the reduced image list is deleted data, and the actual directory path is set. (E) a fifth step of counting the number of image files in the device, and (f) the fifth step.
A sixth step of checking whether the reduced image list is of a sufficient size from the results counted in the steps of
(G) if the size is not sufficient in the sixth step, a seventh step of expanding the reduced image list to a required size; and (h) converting the image information expanded in the seventh step into deletion data. An eighth step of (i)
A ninth step in which, of the image information in the reduced image list, information that has been deleted in the actual device is set as deletion data.

A reduced image input method according to the present invention is a reduced image input method for a reduced image reading system,
(A) a first step of checking whether or not a designated image exists in the opened reduced image list; and (b) if the designated image does not exist in the first step, A second step of finding deleted data; (c) a third step of registering a file name of the designated image at a position of the deleted data found in the second step; and (d) a first step. If there is a specified image in step 4, a fourth step of checking whether the image file update date and time of the corresponding image information is equal to the actual image file update date and time, and (e) specifying the specified image in the first step If no exists, or if the update date and time are not equal in the fourth step, a fifth step of reading the original image, and (f) the original image read in the fifth step A sixth step of creating a reduced image from the image; (g) a seventh step of registering the reduced image created in the sixth step in the image information portion of the corresponding reduced image list; And 8) returning the reduced image created in the sixth step to a request source.

[0007] The reduced image list closing method of the present invention comprises:
A reduced image list closing method for a reduced image reading system, comprising: (a) a first step of setting a head of image information in a reduced image list to a deletion search position;
(B) a second step of setting the end of the image information in the reduced image list to an effective search position, and (c) a third step of checking whether or not deleted data exists after the deleted search position. And (d) if the deleted data does not exist in the third step, a fourth step of setting a position next to the valid search position to the deleted search position; and (e) the third step. If the deleted data exists in the step, a fifth step of setting the position of the deleted data to the deleted search position; and (f) a sixth step of checking whether valid data exists before the valid search position.
(G) if the valid data is present in the sixth step, a seventh step of setting the position of the valid data to the valid search position; and (h) the deletion search position is An eighth step of checking whether or not the valid search position is located before the valid search position; and (i) if the deleted search position is located before the valid search position in the eighth step, A ninth step of copying the image information to the image information at the deletion search position, and (j) a tenth step of reducing the size of the reduced image list by reducing the size after the deletion search position. .

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a reduced image reading system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a reduced image reading system according to the present invention includes a reduced image control unit 1, a reduced image list 2, and a reduced image creation processing unit 3.
An image reading processing unit 4, a fixed disk 51 on which actual images are stored, and a removable disk 52
, A digital camera 53 (hereinafter collectively referred to as input devices 51 to 53), an image search control unit 6, and a reduced image display unit 7.

First, the meaning of “open” and “input” used in the following description will be briefly described. Opening is a process for making a reduced image list 2 in which a plurality of reduced images and their information are stored available. The input is a process of extracting an actual reduced image from the opened reduced image list 2.

The reduced image control unit 1 determines the presence or absence of the reduced image list 2 in response to a request to open the reduced image list 2 based on the type of the input devices 51 to 53 and the directory path from the image search control unit 6. Investigation is performed, and if there is, it is opened, and if not, a new reduced image list 2 is created. At this time, the inside of the reduced image list 2 is checked, and if a file that has already been deleted exists in the actual input devices 51 to 53, a deletion flag is set in the information. At this time, the actual number of image files is checked, and if the size of the reduced image list 2 is not enough to store all of them, the reduced image list 2 is expanded. A deletion flag is set for the information of the extended part. The reduced image control unit 1
Is searched in the reduced image list 2 in response to a reduced image input request based on the file name from the image search control unit 6 issued after the request to open the reduced image list 2, and if there is a corresponding image, Is returned to the requesting image search control unit 6,
If the corresponding image does not exist or has been updated, the original image is read by the image reading processing unit 4 from the actual input devices 51 to 53, the reduced image is created by the reduced image creation processing unit 3, and registered in the reduced image list 2. After that, this is returned to the image search control unit 6 of the request source. Further, the reduced image control unit 1 performs alignment of the reduced image list 2 (to reduce the deleted data so that there is no gap of only valid data) in response to a close request from the image search control unit 6.

The reduced image list 2 includes input devices 51 to 53
Differs in location and content. When the input device is the fixed disk 51, the reduced image list 2 is created for each directory in which an image is to be searched, and when the input device is the removable disk 52 or the digital camera 53, the device is created. In some cases, it is not possible to directly write the reduced image list on the fixed disk 51, or it is not preferable to write the reduced image list for the operation of the user.

When the input device is the fixed disk 51, the contents of the reduced image list 2 include the directory path of the reduced image list 2 as a header, the number of reduced images in the reduced image list 2, and the image information. A flag indicating whether the image information is valid data or deleted data, a file name, an update date and time, and a reduced image. When the input device is a removable disk 52 or a digital camera 53, a reduced image of a header portion is displayed. A device type for identifying a device is stored instead of a certain directory path in List 2.

The reduced image creation processing section 3 performs processing for reducing the original image to a certain size. Since the processing is performed to make the aspect ratio uniform, a margin may be generated in the vertical or horizontal direction. In such a case, a process of filling the margin with white is also performed.

The image reading processing unit 4 includes input devices 51-51.
The image file stored in 53 is read and converted into a form that can be processed.

The image retrieval control unit 6 bridges data and commands between the reduced image display unit 7 and the reduced image control unit 1.

The reduced image display section 7 displays a plurality of reduced images, displays scroll buttons for cases where the images cannot be displayed all at once, and displays buttons for selecting devices and directories.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the reduced image list 2 according to the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the open operation of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the input operation of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the closing operation of the embodiment of FIG.

For the common part, the input source device will be described with respect to the fixed disk 51. First, the configuration of the reduced image list 2 will be described. The reduced image list 2 mainly includes a header section and an image information section. The header part is always present in the reduced image list 2 and an identifier 200 for identifying whether the reduced image list 2 is correct (a directory path when the input device is the fixed disk 51, and a removable In the case of the disk 52 or the digital camera 53, the type is the device type), and the number of registered reduced images 20
And 1. The image information section is configured to include 201 pieces of image information of the number of registered reduced images in the header section.
Each image information includes a valid / delete flag 202 indicating whether the image information is valid data or deleted data, an image file name 203 of the original image, and an update date / time 2 of the file.
04 and a reduced image 205.

An image search control unit 6 based on the information of the device and the directory path specified in the reduced image display unit 7
Requests the reduced image control unit 1 to open the corresponding reduced image list 2. Next, the open operation will be described. The reduced image control unit 1 checks whether or not the corresponding reduced image list 2 exists from the information on the device type and the directory path (S300 in FIG. 3). If the corresponding reduced image list 2 does not exist, it is newly created (S301 in FIG. 3). In this new creation, reduced image list 2
, The contents of which are “NULL” for the directory path and “0” for the number of registered reduced images.
Is set. Next, the directory path information in the header part is compared with the actual directory path to check whether they are the same (S302 in FIG. 3). If the directory paths are not the same, it is determined that the reduced image list 2 is erroneous, a deletion flag is set for all image information existing in the reduced image list 2 at that time, and the actual directory path is set in the header portion. (FIG. 3S303). Next, the number of actual image files in the designated device and directory is checked (S304 in FIG. 3), and the number is compared with the currently registered number of reduced images in the reduced image list 2 in the header of the reduced image list 2 (S304). If the actual number of image files is large, the reduced image list 2 is extended (S306 in FIG. 3). A deletion flag is set for all image information of the extended part (S307 in FIG. 3). Finally, the file names of the image information registered in the reduced image list 2 are searched one by one in the actual directory, and if the actual image file has been deleted, a deletion flag is set in the image information. (S308 in FIG. 3).

When the opening of the reduced image list 2 is completed, the image search control unit 6 searches the directories of the corresponding devices in order, and inputs the reduced images one by one based on the file name. Request to. The reduced images returned from the reduced image control unit 1 to the image search control unit 6 are sequentially displayed on the reduced image display unit 7.

Next, the operation of inputting a reduced image will be described. The reduced image control unit 1 searches the reduced image list 2 based on the file name and confirms whether there is corresponding image information (S400 in FIG. 4). If there is such image information, the update date and time of the image file registered as the image information is compared with the update date and time of the actual image file (S401 in FIG. 4). If the update dates and times are the same, the registered reduced image is assumed to be correct, and the reduced image is returned to the image search control unit 6 (S407 in FIG. 4). If the update dates and times are different, the image reading processing unit 4 reads the original image from the directory of the corresponding input device based on the directory path information in the header part of the reduced image list 2 (S404 in FIG. 4).

Next, the read original image is reduced by the reduced image creation processing unit 3 so as to fit in a predetermined size (S405 in FIG. 4). After the completed reduced image is registered in the corresponding image information portion of the reduced image list 2 (S406 in FIG. 4), the image search control unit 6
(S407 in FIG. 4). When the reduced image is registered, the update date and time are also registered at the same time. If there is no corresponding image information in the reduced image list 2, a deletion flag is searched (S402 in FIG. 4), and a file name is set in the found image information (S403 in FIG. 4). Thereafter, the same processing as when the update date and time are different is performed, and registration in the reduced image list 2 and return of the reduced image to the image search control unit 6 are performed (S404, S405, S406, S407 in FIG. 4).

The processing up to this point is repeated until all the areas of the reduced image display section 7 are filled or all the image files in the corresponding directory are displayed.

When the image search is completed, the reduced image display unit 7
When a different directory or device is selected in the above, the image search control unit 6 requests the reduced image control unit 6 to close the reduced image list 2.

Next, the closing operation will be described.
In the close mode, a process of reducing deleted data in the middle of the reduced image list 2 is performed to make the reduced image list 2 appropriate. First, the position of the first image information is set to the deletion search position (S500 in FIG. 5), and the position of the last image information is set to the effective search position (S501 in FIG. 5). Next, it is confirmed whether or not there is deleted data after the delete search position (S502 in FIG. 5). If there is no deletion data after the deletion search position, the effective search position + 1 is set at the deletion search position (S503 in FIG. 5), and the size of the reduced image list 2 is reduced by narrowing down the positions after the deletion search position (S509 in FIG. 5). The closing process ends. If there is deleted data after the deleted search position, the position of the deleted data is set to the deleted search position (S504 in FIG. 5). Next, it is confirmed whether there is valid data before the valid search position (S505 in FIG. 5). If there is no valid data before the valid search position, the size of the reduced image list 2 is reduced by narrowing the data after the delete search position (S50 in FIG. 5).
9), the close processing ends. If there is valid data before the valid search position, the position of the valid data is set to the valid search position (S506 in FIG. 5). Next, the deleted search position is compared with the valid search position (S507 in FIG. 5). If the deletion search position is after the effective search position, the size of the reduced image list 2 is reduced by narrowing the deletion search position and thereafter (S5 in FIG. 5).
09), the close process ends. If the deleted search position is before the valid search position, the image information of the valid search position is copied to the image information of the deleted search position (S508 in FIG. 5).

Next, differences between the fixed disk 51, the removable disk 52, and the digital camera 53 will be described. Removable disk 52 or digital camera 5
In 3, the reduced image list 2 cannot be directly created in the apparatus or it is not desirable to create the reduced image list 2 in the operation of the user. Therefore, the reduced image list 2 is created in a predetermined directory of the fixed disk 51. Since the reduced image list 2 for the fixed disk 51 may be created in the directory, the file names of the reduced image lists 2 of these devices are changed so that the devices can be identified. For example, the fixed disk 51, the removable disk 52, and the digital camera 53 are each assigned an HD. th
m, CD. thm, CAM. thm.
In the header section, the volume name of the removable disk 52, the type of the digital camera 53, and the like are set instead of the directory path information, and identification is performed within the same apparatus.

[0027]

The effect of the present invention is as follows. In selecting a target image of a system for performing image processing and image arrangement, a reduced image is dynamically created, stored, and displayed, thereby enabling a reduced image list creation. This is to save time and easily reduce errors in image search. The reason is that, even if the contents of the reduced image list and the contents of the actual image file are changed by addition, update, or deletion of the original image, the rereading is automatically performed, so that it is not necessary to maintain the reduced image list.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a reduced image list according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an open operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an input operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a closing operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 reduced image control unit 2 reduced image list 3 reduced image creation processing unit 4 image reading processing unit 6 image search control unit 7 reduced image display unit 51 fixed disk 52 removable disk 53 digital camera

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image reading processing unit for reading an original image from various devices and media, a reduced image creating processing unit for reducing the read image to a certain size to create a reduced image, A reduced image list that stores information to be searched, an image search control unit that searches for the reduced image, a reduced image display unit that displays the reduced image searched by the image search control unit, and the image search control. At the request of the unit, returns the reduced image to the image search control unit,
A reduced image reading system, comprising: a reduced image control unit configured to create the reduced image list if the original image has been updated, and to read, reduce, and save the original image. 2. A method for opening a reduced image list for a reduced image reading system, comprising: (a) a first step of confirming whether a target reduced image list exists; If the reduced image list does not exist in the step, a second step of newly creating the reduced image list; and (c) the directory path described in the reduced image list and the actual existence of the reduced image list (D) if the directory paths are not equal in the third step, all the image information of the reduced image list is changed to deleted data, and the actual directory A fourth step of setting a path, (e) a fifth step of counting the number of image files in the device,
(F) checking whether the size of the reduced image list is sufficient from the result counted in the fifth step;
(G) if the size is not sufficient in the sixth step, a seventh step of expanding the reduced image list to a required size; and (h) image information expanded in the seventh step. An eighth step of converting the image information into deletion data; and (i) among image information in the reduced image list,
A reduced image list opening method, comprising: a ninth step of converting deleted data into deleted data in an actual device. 3. A reduced image input method for a reduced image reading system, comprising: (a) a first step of confirming whether or not a specified image exists in an opened reduced image list; If the designated image does not exist in the first step, a second step of finding deleted data in the reduced image list; and (c) the designated image is located at the position of the deleted data found in the second step. A third step of registering the file name of the image information, and (d) if the specified image exists in the first step, whether the image file update date and time of the corresponding image information is equal to the actual image file update date And (e) if the designated image does not exist in the first step, or if the update date and time are not equal in the fourth step, the original image is A fifth step of reading;
(F) a sixth step of creating a reduced image from the original image read in the fifth step, and (g) an image of the reduced image list corresponding to the reduced image created in the sixth step. A reduced image input method, comprising: a seventh step of registering information in the information portion; and (h) an eighth step of returning the reduced image created in the sixth step to a request source. 4. A reduced image list closing method for a reduced image reading system, comprising: (a) setting a head of image information in a reduced image list to a deletion search position;
(B) a second step of setting the end of the image information in the reduced image list to an effective search position, and (c) confirming whether or not deleted data exists after the deleted search position. (D) if the deleted data does not exist in the third step,
A fourth step of setting the position next to the valid search position to the delete search position; and (e) if the delete data exists in the third step, the position of the delete data is set to the delete search position. A fifth step of setting
(F) a sixth step of checking whether valid data exists before the valid search position; and (g) if the valid data exists in the sixth step, the position of the valid data is set to the valid position. A seventh step of setting the search position; and (h) an eighth step of checking whether the deleted search position is before the valid search position.
(I) copying the image information at the valid search position to the image information at the delete search position if the delete search position is located before the valid search position in the eighth step; (J) a tenth step of reducing the size of the reduced image list by reducing the position after the deletion search position.
And a step of closing the reduced image list.