JPH11142119A - Microfilm retrieving equipment and interframe dimension-detecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable detection of high precision, by a method in which the amount of a light which is introduced in one side of a pair of optical fibers and made to enter the other side is detected with an optical sensor, a density signal outputted from the sensor is binarized, and the obtained interframe dimention is corrected short on the bright side of the signal, and long on the dark side. SOLUTION: When a film 1 is sent to the left side, an end surface 3 is relatively moved to the right. The light receiving amount of an optical sensor at this time is changed like a density signal (a). The density signal (a) is brinarized by a specific threshold (b) and shown by a signal (c). A light cast from the end surface 3 of an optical fiber to the film 1 has extension of area (diameter is about 0.5 mm) of the end surface 3. A slight gap exists between the end surface 3 and the film 1, and a light outputted from the end surface 3 permeates the film 1 while diffusing. At an edge 4, a bright part of the signal (a) slightly extends to the dark side. This phenomenon also occurs at the rear edge 5. When binarization is performed by using the signal (a), a frame dimension A becomes smaller than the actual dimension B. Accurate frame dimension is obtained by correcting the above difference of the dimensions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of detecting a frame size or a frame size from a change in density in a running direction of a microfilm, and a microfilm search for judging the presence or absence of a frame from the frame size and performing a search. It relates to a device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to search for microfilms,
A device is known in which a search mark (blip) is attached to each frame at a position that does not overlap with the width of the running axis trace of the frame, and the blip is detected and searched.

On the other hand, it has been considered that a search is performed by detecting the presence or absence of a frame instead of the blip. That is, a density sensor is provided within the width of the running axis trace of a frame, and the presence or absence of a frame is determined from a change in film density detected by the density sensor.

[0004]

In order to detect the presence or absence of a frame as described above, a pair or a plurality of pairs of optical fibers whose end faces are opposed to each other with a microfilm interposed therebetween are provided. It has been considered that the light transmitted through the film is received by the other optical fiber, and the amount of the received light is detected by an optical sensor. In this case, a frame or a frame interval (between frames) is determined by binarizing a signal (density signal) indicating the film density detected by the optical sensor with a predetermined threshold value. For example, in the case of a negative film, the frame is black and the space between the frames is white (transparent), so that the density signal is black for the frame and white (transparent) for the frame, and the binarized signals are logical " 0 ”(L level),“ 1 ”(H level)
Level).

Therefore, it is determined that the portion where the binary signal becomes logic "0" is a frame and the portion where the binary signal becomes logic "1" is between frames. That is, these logic "0" or "1"
During this period, the sampling signal, which is the output of the encoder, is integrated, and the length on the film at which the logic becomes "0" or "1" is detected. And the detected length (frame size,
The presence / absence of a frame can be determined by comparing the size between frames with a predetermined set value (set range).

However, the diameter of the optical fiber is finite and cannot be reduced to infinity, and the light emitted from one of the optical fibers is diffused. It turned out that the dimension between frames could not be determined accurately. For this reason, it is difficult to determine the presence / absence of a frame with high accuracy, and there has been a problem that the search accuracy is reduced.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a microfilm is inserted between opposing end faces of a pair of optical fibers, and the presence or absence of a frame is determined from a change in the amount of light transmitted through the microfilm. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting a frame-to-frame size of a microfilm search device capable of detecting a frame size or a frame-to-frame size with high accuracy. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a microfilm search apparatus capable of determining the presence or absence of a frame with high accuracy using this method and improving the search accuracy.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a first object is to provide a method for detecting a frame-to-frame size used in a microfilm search apparatus for determining the presence or absence of a frame from a change in density in the running direction of the microfilm. The light is guided to one of a pair of optical fibers whose end faces face each other, and the amount of light incident on the other optical fiber is detected by an optical sensor, and the density signal output by this optical sensor is binarized to obtain a frame size or frame. This is achieved by a method for detecting a frame-to-frame size of a microfilm search device, wherein the space size is corrected to be short on the light side and long on the dark side of the density signal.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a microfilm retrieving apparatus for judging the presence or absence of a frame based on a change in density in the running direction of the microfilm. A pair of optical fibers whose end faces face each other across the microfilm within the trajectory width, a light source that guides light to one optical fiber, an optical sensor that detects the amount of light incident on the other optical fiber, and the output of this optical sensor A binarizing unit for binarizing a density signal in synchronism with the sampling signal, detecting a dimension of a frame or a dimension between frames based on the binarized signal, and comparing these dimensions with a set value. A determination unit that determines the presence or absence of a frame and outputs a determination signal; and a search unit that searches for a frame based on the determination signal. It is achieved by microfilm search device characterized by being shorter corrected by long dark side in the light side of the concentration signal than the dimension between the actual frame size or frame value.

Here, the determination section may correct the frame size or the frame size detected from the binarized signal instead of correcting the set value. Of course, both of these, that is, both the set value and the frame-to-frame dimension may be corrected. The set value may be a range having a predetermined width, that is, a set range.

[0011]

[Principle] The principle of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 7 shows a case where a negative film is used. In FIG. 7A, reference numeral 1 denotes a negative film, and 2 denotes a frame imprinted thereon. Accordingly, in frame 2, the white background of the document is printed on black, and the characters and images in the document are printed on white (transparent).

Reference numeral 3 denotes the position of the end face of the optical fiber for detecting the density of the film 1. The optical fibers are a pair, and the respective end faces 3 face each other with the film 1 interposed therebetween. Light guided from one optical fiber impinges on one surface of the film 1, and light transmitted through the film 1 enters the other optical fiber. This incident light amount is detected by the optical sensor.

In FIG. 7B, a indicates a density signal which is an output of the optical sensor at this time. Assuming now that the film 1 is fed to the left side in the drawing, the end face 3 moves relatively to the right, and the amount of light received by the optical sensor at this time is the density signal a.
It changes like This density signal a has a predetermined threshold value b.
Is binarized. c is the binarized signal (2
Value signal).

[0014] From one end face 3 of the optical fiber to the film 1
The light emitted toward the end face 3 has an area (about 0.5 mm in diameter) of the end face 3. End face 3 and film 1
And there is a very small interval between them, and the light exiting the end face 3 is transmitted through the film 1 while diffusing. For this reason, light emitted from one end face goes around from the bright area to the dark area side at the front edge 4 of the frame 2. As a result, in the density signal a, the light portion slightly spreads to the dark portion side at the edge 4.

This phenomenon occurs not only at the leading edge 4 of the top 2 but also at the trailing edge 5. Therefore, when binarization is performed using this density signal a, the obtained frame size A becomes smaller than the actual frame size B. In the present invention, this difference in dimensions (BA)
Is corrected to obtain an accurate frame size. In this case, the detected frame size A may be corrected so as to be longer. Similarly, when the inter-frame dimension C (see FIG. 7A) is obtained, it is corrected so as to shorten it.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the positive film 1A is used. At this time, the operation is the reverse of the case of FIG. That is, in the density signal a1, the bright portion extends from the frame 2A to the surrounding dark frame side. Therefore, when binarized by the threshold value b1 (set to the same level as b), the binarized signal c1 spreads outside the actual dimension B of the frame 2A. Therefore, the frame size D obtained from the binary signal c1 is larger than the actual frame size B.

In the present invention, the frame size D obtained in this case is shortened by correction. That is, in the present invention, the cases of FIG. 7 and FIG.
The correction is performed so that the frame sizes A and D or the frame-to-frame size obtained from 1 are shortened on the light side of the density signals a and a1 and lengthened on the dark side. This correction amount may be (BA) or (DB) as is clear from the above description. Instead of correcting the detected frame dimensions A and D, a set value to be compared with these dimensions A and D may be corrected.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a use state of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a scanner used here, FIG. 3 is a side view showing an arrangement of main parts of the scanner, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a line sensor driving unit, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part, and FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining an example of arrangement of optical sensors.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a computer main body, which incorporates a CPU and the like. Reference numeral 12 denotes a display means such as a CRT or a liquid crystal plate, and 14 denotes a keyboard, which are placed on a desk 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a scanner housed under the desk 16, which incorporates the microfilm search device of the present invention. Reference numeral 20 denotes a printer placed beside the desk 16.

The scanner 18 has a cartridge insertion port 22 at the upper part of the front surface thereof.
4 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the image of the micro-roll film 26 having a width of 16 mm is read at a low density. The read image is subjected to predetermined image processing by a CPU or the like in the computer main body 10 and then displayed on the display unit 12.

This image reading is performed while the line sensor 96 described below is stopped and only the film 26 is running.
In the meantime, the display means 12 of the CRT displays the read image while changing it continuously in synchronization with the running of the film 26. Therefore, the display on the display means 12 moves in synchronization with the running of the film 26, and an image substantially similar to that projected on the screen can be displayed on the display means 12.

At the time of a manual search, the operator looks at the image on the display means 12 and instructs output for an image that requires print output. Based on this output instruction, the scanner 18 sets the position of the frame to a correct position and reads the entire image with high-density image quality. The high-density image is printed out to the printer 20, stored in a hard disk or the like, or transferred to an external processing device.

At the time of automatic search, the address of the target frame is input from the keyboard 14. In this automatic search, a target frame is searched by detecting frames and counting the number of frames. This frame search is performed by using the determination result of the determination unit 112 described later indicating the presence or absence of the frame, and
16 is performed.

Next, the configuration of the scanner 18 will be described. The scanner 18 has a vertically long housing 28, and a supply-side reel drive unit 30 is provided above a front portion of the housing 28, and a take-up reel drive unit 32 is provided below the front portion. The supply-side reel drive unit 30 inserts the cartridge 2 into the cartridge insertion slot 22.
When the cartridge 4 is inserted, the cartridge 24 is automatically moved to engage the reel 24A with the rotating shaft. Further, the leading end of the film 26 is pulled out, sent downward, and guided to the take-up reel 32A of the take-up reel drive unit 32.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the film 26 passes behind the gap between the reel drive units 30 and 32, that is, passes through the back side when viewed from the front of the housing 28. In FIG. 3, 34, 34,
36, 36 are guide rollers for the film 26. Accordingly, a space 38 is formed between the gap and the front panel 28A of the housing 28, and a light source unit 52 described later is accommodated therein.

The take-up reel drive unit 32 has a drive belt 40 that runs in contact with the reel 32A as shown in FIG. This drive belt 40 is a guide roller 4
2, 44, a drive roller 46, an encoder 48, and a tension roller 50, and are driven by the drive roller 46 to travel in the film winding direction (the direction of the arrow). The encoder 48 controls a constant feed amount of the film 26 (for example, 0.1 m
m) to output a sampling signal.

Numeral 52 is a light source unit accommodated in the space 38 between the reel driving units 30 and 32,
It includes a reflecting mirror 56, a condenser lens 58, an appropriate filter, and the like. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 60 denotes a power supply circuit, and 62 denotes a power control circuit such as a motor.

Next, the line sensor driving section 64 will be described.
The line sensor driving section 64 is integrated with the projection lens 66. That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the frame (rotating frame) 68 of the line sensor driving unit 64 is integrally formed with a cylindrical portion 70 for holding the projection lens 66.
The projection lens 66 held by the cylindrical portion 70 has a fixed focal point and a magnification of about twice. The cylindrical portion 70 is rotatably held by a frame (fixed frame) 72 fixed to the housing 28 so that the inclination of the image to be read can be corrected. Here, the cylinder 70 rotates about an optical axis 74 perpendicular to the film 26.

The cylindrical portion 70 of the rotating frame 68 and the pulley 76 of the servomotor 76 attached to the fixed frame 72
A belt 78 is wound around A. The rotation frame 68 is rotatable around the optical axis 74 by the rotation of the motor 76.

As shown in FIG. 4, a movable base 80 is attached to the rotating frame 68 on the surface opposite to the cylindrical portion 70. That is, the movable base 80 is provided with a pair of guide rods 82, 82.
Slidably held by the optical axis 74 near the opening of the cylindrical portion 70.
Can be reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to.

A belt 86 wound around pulleys 84, 84 is provided on the rotating frame 68 in parallel with the reciprocating direction of the movable table 80.
And one side of the movable table 80 is fixed to the belt 86. One pulley 84 has a servo motor 8
The rotation of 8 is transmitted via the belt 90. As a result, by rotating the servo motor 88 forward and backward, the movable table 8 is rotated.
0 can be reciprocated on a plane orthogonal to the optical axis 74.

The movable table 80 has guide rods 82, 82
A long window 92 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the movable table 80, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the movable table 80. This long window 92
Is located on the optical axis 74 in the longitudinal direction. A printed wiring board 94 is fixed to the rear surface of the movable base 80, that is, the surface opposite to the cylindrical portion 70 so as to be orthogonal to the optical axis 74.

A CCD line sensor 96 facing the long window 92 is fixed to the substrate 94 (FIG. 3). The substrate 94 is also provided with a preamplifier for amplifying the output of the line sensor 96. CCD line sensor 9
Of course, the light receiving surface of No. 6 coincides with the image forming surface of the projection image of the projection lens 66.

Next, an apparatus for detecting a frame will be described with reference to FIG. The upstream side of the image reading position of the microfilm 26, that is, the position of the optical axis 74 (the supply reel 24A side)
The film 26 is traversed in the width direction and the film 26
A pair of optical fiber holding blocks 100 and 102 facing each other with a slight gap therebetween are provided. Nine optical fibers 104 and 106 arranged in the film width direction are inserted through these blocks 100 and 102.

The optical fibers 104 and 106 are arranged perpendicular to the film 26 so that the blocks 100 and 10
2 and these end faces face each other with the film 26 interposed therebetween. That is, the end faces of the nine optical fibers 104 face the end faces of the nine optical fibers 106, respectively. As a result, nine combinations in which the end faces face each other with the film 26 interposed therebetween can be obtained.

The nine optical fibers 104 held by the block 100 are bundled and guided to the vicinity of the lamp 54 of the light source 52. Therefore, light enters the nine optical fibers 104 from the lamp 54 and is guided to one surface (the surface on the block 100 side) of the film 26.

Light emitted from the nine optical fibers 104 opposed to each other enters the nine optical fibers 106 held by the block 102 via the film 26. 9
The optical fibers 106 are guided from the block 102 to the optical sensors 108, respectively. The density signals output from the nine optical sensors 108 are separately input to a binarization unit 110, where they are binarized in synchronization with a sampling signal output from the encoder 48.

Each of the nine binarized signals is determined by the decision unit 112.
The determination result of the presence or absence of a frame is obtained based on the output of each optical sensor 108 here. This determination unit 112
In FIG. 7, the frame dimensions A and D obtained from the binarized signal (FIG. 7)
(B), see FIG. 8B) or the inter-frame size is corrected as described above. Instead of the frame dimensions A and D and the dimension between frames, a set value to be compared with these may be corrected. These correction values are separately input. For example, keyboard 14
(FIG. 1). These correction values are read by reading the frame size and the frame-to-frame size whose length is determined in advance, and at this time, the correct size between the frames and the frame is also input from the keyboard 14, so that the judgment unit 112 automatically calculates the correction value. And may be stored.

The determination unit 112 determines the presence or absence of a frame by comparing the obtained frame size or frame size or the corrected frame size or frame size with a corrected set value or an uncorrected set value. .

The determination unit 112 also includes the sensor selection unit 1
Fourteen signals are input. This sensor selection unit 114
The optical fiber 106 whose end face is located within the width of the running axis trace of the frame corresponding to the film shooting method, and the optical sensor 108 connected thereto are selected. The determination unit 112 selects only the determination result of the sensor 108 selected by the sensor selection unit 114 from these nine determination results, and determines the presence or absence of a frame according to a shooting method such as simplex, duplex, or duo.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the end faces of the nine optical fibers 104 and 106 are on a straight line perpendicular to the running direction of the film 26 and at different positions in the width direction of the film 26. is there. In this embodiment, since the optical sensor 108 detects the amount of incident light on the optical fiber 106,
This is substantially the same as the optical sensor 108 located at a position where the end face of the optical fiber 106 faces the film 26. Therefore, FIG. 6 illustrates that the optical sensor 108 is located at the end face position of the optical fiber 106 on the film 26 side.

These nine optical sensors 108 are positioned in the film width direction so that a plurality of optical sensors 108 always pass through one frame even when the film photographing method is different. FIG. 6A shows the case of the simplex system, in which case the determination unit 112 determines whether the sensor selection unit 1
The frame is detected by the eight optical sensors 108 (A) based on the output of No. 14 and the blip 1 is detected by the other optical sensor 108B.
18 is detected. Therefore, the determination unit 112 determines the presence or absence of a frame using the binarized signals output from the eight binarization units 110. For example, if a majority or a certain percentage or more of the determination results is black, it is determined that a frame exists. The presence or absence of a frame may be determined using the logical product or logical sum of the determination results. In this case, it is also possible to search using the output of the optical sensor 108B that detects the blip 118.

FIG. 6B shows the case of the duplex system, in which the front and back of a document are simultaneously photographed on the upper and lower channels, and there is an optical sensor 108C which does not detect a frame between both channels. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 11
2 detects the frame of each channel based on the output of the sensor selection unit 114, using the output of each of the three optical sensors 108D and 108E passing within the width of the upper and lower channels except for the output of the optical sensor 108C. I do.

FIG. 6C shows the case of the duo system.
The center optical sensor 108F does not detect a frame. For this reason, based on the output of the sensor selection unit 114, the determination unit 112 detects the frame of each channel by four optical sensors 108G and 108H included in the two groups divided into the upper and lower groups. The search unit 116 searches for a target frame by integrating the determination signals output from the determination unit 112.

In this embodiment, the optical fiber 1
04, 106, the narrow film 26
The end faces of these optical fibers 104 and 106 can be arranged close to each other in the width direction. In addition, since light is guided to each optical fiber 104 using the light source unit 52 for image capturing, there is an advantage that the light source can be simplified. However, another light source may be used, or light may be guided to each optical fiber 104 using a plurality of light sources. However, the present invention may use only a pair of optical fibers.

In this embodiment, since the density sensors (optical sensors) are arranged on a straight line perpendicular to the running direction of the film, the presence or absence of a frame can be detected at the same timing. Therefore, a plurality of density sensors (optical sensors)
Is not necessary to correct the output timing of each density sensor (optical sensor) as in the case of disposing them in the running direction of the film, thereby simplifying the circuit configuration.

[0047]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the transmitted light of the film is made incident on the optical fiber and the amount of incident light is detected by the optical sensor, the density signal which is the output of the optical sensor is converted into a binary signal. The top dimension or top dimension obtained by
Since the correction is performed short on the light side and long on the dark side of the density signal, the frame size and the frame size can be detected with high accuracy.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the set value to be compared with the frame size and frame size obtained from the binary signal is
Since the correction is made longer on the light side and shorter on the dark side of the density signal than the actual frame size or the frame size between frames, the presence or absence of a frame can be determined with high accuracy, and search accuracy can be improved. According to the third aspect of the invention, instead of correcting the set value, the frame size or the frame size obtained from the binarized signal is corrected to be shorter on the light side and longer on the dark side of the density signal. The same effect as that of the invention is obtained. In these cases, the set value may be a set range having a width (claim 4).

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a scanner used here in a see-through manner;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the arrangement of the main part.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a line sensor driving unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of optical sensors.

FIG. 7 illustrates the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates the principle of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1, 1A, 26 Microfilm 2, 2A frame 3 End face of optical fiber 4 Leading edge of frame 5 Trailing edge of frame 52 Light source unit 104, 106 Optical fiber 108 Optical sensor constituting density sensor 110 Binarization unit 112 Judgment unit 114 Sensor selection unit 116 Search unit a, a1 density signal b, b1 threshold value c, c1 binarized signal A, D detected frame size B actual frame size C frame-to-frame size

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for detecting the size of a frame between frames, which is used in a microfilm search device for determining the presence or absence of a frame from a density change in a running direction of the microfilm, wherein one of a pair of optical fibers having end faces opposed to each other across the microfilm. The light amount incident on the other optical fiber is detected by an optical sensor, and the frame size or frame size obtained by binarizing the density signal output from the optical sensor is calculated on the light side of the density signal. A method for detecting a frame-to-frame dimension of a microfilm search device, wherein the correction is made short and long on the dark side. 2. A microfilm search apparatus for determining the presence or absence of a frame from a density change in the running direction of a microfilm, comprising: an encoder for outputting a sampling signal for each predetermined feed amount of the microfilm; A pair of optical fibers whose end faces face each other across a film, a light source that guides light to one optical fiber, an optical sensor that detects the amount of light incident on the other optical fiber, and a density signal that is the output of this optical sensor A binarizing section for binarizing in synchronism with the sampling signal, detecting the size of a frame or the size between frames based on the binarized signal, and comparing these dimensions with a set value to determine the presence or absence of a frame; And a search unit that searches for frames based on the determination signal, wherein the determination unit determines the set value in an actual frame. Microfilm searching device characterized by than the dimension between the law or frames and shorter corrected by long dark side in the light side of the concentration signal. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the determining unit corrects the frame size or the frame size obtained from the binarized signal in a shorter direction on the light side and a longer time in the dark side of the density signal instead of correcting the set value. A microfilm search device that determines the presence / absence of a frame by comparing each with a predetermined set value. 4. The microfilm search device according to claim 2, wherein the set value is a set range having a predetermined width.