JPS6019275A - Picture retrieving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To extract easily the desired one of a large quantity of picture information by abstracting the picture data in an input mode of pictures to produce a linear graphic data and using this data as a key word. CONSTITUTION:When an original picture is read, it is stored in an original picture memory 9. At the same time, a linear graphic containing a point detected as a changing point and set at ''1'' through a reduction circuit 10 and a changing point detection circuit 11 is stored to a linear graphic memory 12 in its scan direction. Then the memory 9 is read out in the direction orthogonal to the storing direction of the memory 9 after the original picture is read and stored. The point corresponding to a changing point on the memory 12 is set at ''1'', through the reduction circuit 10 and the changing point detection circuit 11 and the original picture is turned into a linear pattern. This linear graphic data is stored to a large-capacity file through a compression circuit 13 to not increase memory capacity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to an image retrieval device whose keywords include line figures that are abstractions of original images.

Prior Art Image data in a conventional information processing device consists of seven numerical characters,
The amount of data is enormous compared to data such as vectorized figures, and this makes it difficult to search for content. Therefore, storage and retrieval devices M are not widely used.

However, in recent years, large-capacity storage devices such as optical discs have been put into practical use for image data, and high-resolution displays for displaying images have also been put into practical use, making it easier to store and search image data. The device is also being put into practical use.

In conventional image information file devices, a method has been adopted in which numerical or character keys are registered at the time of image data registration, and the image data is called using this as a keyword. However, since the data itself is not used as a keyword, there is little association between images and keywords, and users are forced to refer to the keyword book when searching.

On the other hand, there is currently a strong need for data manipulation by integrating image data with nine numerical characters, vectorized figures, etc. in design support systems, medical diagnosis systems, and the like.

Purpose The object of the present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional art. Image data is abstracted into a line diagram, and this is used as a keyword with good association to the user. An object of the present invention is to provide an image retrieval device that enables retrieval using integrated data retrieval operations similar to data such as vectorized figures.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image search device showing an embodiment of the present invention. The overall operational flow is shown in FIG. (In the explanation, S1 to S8 are shown so that the operation flow in Fig. 6 can be compared.) In Fig. 1, ■ indicates the CP that controls the whole
U, and has memory for data processing. 2 is an operation console (hereinafter referred to as TW) used by the user to give instructions to the image search device.
). In accordance with the input from TW2, images input from Image League (hereinafter referred to as IR-) 4 are stored and stored in large capacity file device (hereinafter referred to as EF) 5. This stored image is displayed on a high-resolution display (
It is possible to display the image on a CRT (hereinafter referred to as CRT) 3 or output it to an image printer (hereinafter referred to as PR) 6 (Sl).

With the above configuration, two numerical characters, one vectorized figure, and image data can be input, stored in the EF5, and managed in an integrated manner.

7 in Figure 2 is a display example in which the original image input from the IR4 is displayed on the CRT3, and 8 in Figure 3 is a display example in which several dozen line figures that are abstractions of the original image data are displayed on the CRT3. .

Figure 4 shows the CP for creating this abstract line figure.
This is the internal configuration of the UI, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the overall control flow executed by the CPU. 9 is a memory for storing the original image data read in step 1 of FIG. 5; 12 is a memory for storing line figures;
Access is possible both horizontally and vertically. 10.1
1 are a reduction circuit and a change point detection circuit, respectively, and IR4
For the scanning direction, a line figure is constructed from the data transferred from the IR 4 and stored in the memory 12. For changes in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction that cannot be detected in one direction, the original data is read from the memory 9 and the reduction circuit 1O1 change point detection circuit 1
1 and then stored in 12 (S2). The original image data and line figure data are stored in the EF5, but at this time, the line figure is compressed via a compression circuit I3 such as a run length conversion circuit (S3). At this time, compressing the line figure has a very effective effect, and creating the reduced figure does not impose much load on the memory capacity.

With this configuration, the image data and abstracted line figures input from the IR4 are stored in the EF5 (S4). Next, when the user issues an instruction from TW2 (S5), the line figure is restored and displayed as shown in FIG. 3 (S6). The user estimates and selects the original image from this line figure (S7). According to the selection, an image corresponding to the line figure is displayed as shown in FIG. 2 (S8).

Furthermore, the display data amount and file data amount of this line graphic data is close to that of 7 numerical characters and vector I-) converted graphic data, and normal data management can be performed in an integrated manner. Therefore, this results in increased flexibility in searching and updating data.

Figure 6 shows information searched from images and text data,
This is an example of searching and displaying information about a lake. As can be seen from the figure, it is easy to select one of the images. Similarly, it is also easy to manage related numerical data, vector graphic data, etc. as a code. Add more data.

Deletion, rewriting, etc. can be performed in the same way as normal numerical one-character data.

FIG. 7 shows a control flow for extracting line figures from an original image. When the original image is read in step S10, it is stored in the original image storage memory 9 and passed through the reduction circuit change point detection circuit in the scanning direction of the original image, and a line figure with the point detected as a change point as 1 is stored as a line figure. The data is stored in the memory 12 in the scanning direction. After reading and storing the original image in this way, in step S11, the original image storage memory is read out in a direction perpendicular to the storing direction, and passed through the reduction circuit 10 and the change point detection circuit 11.
Assuming that the point on the line figure storage memory corresponding to the change point is 1,
Convert the original image into a line shape.

Effects As explained above, according to the present invention, when inputting an image, the image data is abstracted, line figure data is created, and this is set as a keyword, and the content of the image can be searched using this line figure keyword. becomes possible. This is very effective as a means for easily extracting requestable image information from a large amount of image information as an image information file device.

Furthermore, by using line graphic data as a keyword, it is possible to handle single numerical characters and vectorized graphic data in an integrated manner, making it possible to unify the display method and filing method, making it effective for introducing images into various fields of information processing equipment. It becomes a means.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an image search device, FIG. 2 is an example of displaying images, and FIG. 3 is an example of displaying abstracted line figures. Fig. 4 is an internal configuration diagram of the CPU for creating line figures, Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the CPU, Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of displaying line figures integrated with character data, Fig. 7 The figure is a flowchart showing a control flow for extracting line figures from an original image. In the figure, 1...CPU, 2...Operation console (TW), 3
...Display (CRT), 4...Image League (IR), 5...Large capacity file (EF), 6...
・Printer (PR), 7... Original image display example, 8...
・Example of line-shaped image, 9...Original image storage memory, 10
... Reduction circuit, 11... Change point detection circuit, 12...
- Line figure storage memory, 13... Compression circuit. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 7, Figure 4 2 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image search device comprising an image input device, a file for storing the image input from the image input device, and a display device for displaying the image stored in the file, the original image input from the image input device described in 111 1. An image retrieval device characterized in that the image retrieval device is provided with one stage of conversion for converting the image into an abstracted line figure, and the line figure converted by the conversion means 11i is used as a keyword for a search.