JPS60256268A - Microfilm reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain ease of retrieval of a picture by providing a CCD reading and applying photoelectric conversion to a picture of microfilm, an optical device forming the image of the picture of the film on the CCD and a controller varying the magnification of the optical image to be formed. CONSTITUTION:Light from a lighting lamp 8 is condensed (9), a frame 7 of the microfilm 2 is lighted and the image is formed on the CCD12a by a lens 11a. In changing over the lens to a lens 11b, the image is formred on the CCD12 with a different magnification. The laser light modulated by an electric signal applied with photoelectric conversion by the CCD12 is scanned by a scanner 55 and the back face of a belt form photosensitivity body 58 is exposed. A developer 65 in which toner 68 is in contact with the surface of the photosensitivity body to the exposed position A is provided, a toner image is formed and fed to a display section 52 and the toner image is observed from the window hole 53. In this case, when a desired image is obtained while observing plural toner images by the lens 11b with the operation of the botton S, one magnified image is read as the lens 11a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a microfilm reading device that reads image information on a microfilm image surface and converts it into image information in the form of an electrical signal.

[Prior art]

Microfilm has generally been used in various fields as a large-capacity image information recording medium because it has generally excellent long-term preservation and mass reproduction ability of image information, and is also recognized as a legal evidence. ing.

A conventional microfilm reading device for reading this microfilm irradiates white light onto the image surface of the microfilm, and forms a transmitted light image on a screen surface l- to visually display the image. However, it has not been possible to input the image information on the microfilm image surface directly into a computer or the like.

Therefore, in view of the above points, the applicant has developed the following device as a replacement for the conventional microfilm reading device 1.

In short, this device reads image information on the microfilm surface using an image reading means consisting of a photoelectric conversion element such as a COD (charge-coupled device), converts it into an electrical signal, and outputs it to an external device. For example, a microfilm image surface is irradiated with white light, a transmitted light image is formed on a CCD, and the image information is converted into an electrical signal by COD and output to an external device. For this reason, COD
The image information read and converted into an electrical signal is output to an image display device such as a CRT display that visually displays image information according to the input electrical signal as a visible image, or to an optical disc or the like. It becomes possible to record on a large-capacity information recording medium, and furthermore, it becomes possible to perform necessary arithmetic processing using an electronic computer, an image processing device, etc. Furthermore, by connecting these various external devices to this device, it is also possible to configure an advanced image information processing system.

By the way, when using the above-mentioned microfilm reading device, an image display device is required to visually display the image impressions read by the COD and converted into electrical signals. In general, this type of image display device displays input image information converted into an electrical signal on a display section having a display area corresponding to one page of the image in a visible manner as a visible image.

However, when using such a conventional image display device,
The following inconveniences occur. That is, in general, on microfilm, a series of continuous image information is written on a frame-by-frame basis, but it is not easy to search for the desired image from this series using conventional image display devices. Instead, you have to display the images one by one on the image display device and check them while searching.
This method has the disadvantage that the operation is extremely complicated and the search time is long.

In addition, as one means of compensating for such drawbacks, a plurality of image display devices are used, each of which displays a plurality of consecutive frames of different images, and the desired image is selected from among the images. One possible method is to visually check the
According to such a method, a plurality of image display devices are required, so there is a problem that it becomes extremely expensive.

Furthermore, as a means of displaying images of multiple pages at once on a single image display device, image information of consecutive multiple frames read by the aforementioned microfilm reader is inputted into a storage device such as a magnetic memory. However, it is also possible to reduce each of these input images using an image editing circuit and display the reduced images as one screen image on the display section, but this method also reduces the size of each image per page. This method requires a memory having a storage capacity of 1-1 or more, an image editing circuit, etc., and therefore has the disadvantage of being extremely expensive.

〔the purpose〕

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a microfilm reader that can output and display image information of a plurality of consecutive frames of a microfilm on one image display device at a time, thereby facilitating one-image retrieval work. The goal is to provide equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a microfilm reading device that can realize the display function described above with an inexpensive and simple configuration that does not require an image editing circuit or memory.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of the optical system of the microfilm reading device of the present invention. Here, 1 is a microfilm cassette containing a microfilm 2, and the microfilm 2 pulled out from the cassette 1 is wound onto a take-up reel 6 via small rollers 3, 4, and 5. 7 is each frame part of microfilm 2, 8 is microfilm 2
This is an illumination lamp that illuminates frame 7. The frame 7 of the microfilm 2 is irradiated by the illumination light emitted from the illumination lamp 8 and condensed by the condensing lens 9, and the transmitted light image is transmitted through the reflection mirror 10 to the lens I which is the imaging means.
C0D 124], which is converted into an electrical signal by photoelectric conversion by the CCD 12 and read. At the time of image reading, the microfilm 2 is driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure by the winding motor 13 that rotates the winding wheel 6, so the images of each frame 7 of the microfilm 2 are all captured by the COD 12. It is scanned and read and becomes image information converted into electrical signals.

14 is a shaft rotatably provided with respect to the main body of the device; 15
a is the first rotary plate fixed to this shaft 14, +5b is the first
This is a second rotary plate fixed to the same shaft 14 at a predetermined distance from the rotary plate 15a. The above-mentioned first lens lla is fixed to the first rotary plate +5a, and a second lens lla having a different magnification from that of the second lens lla is attached to the second rotary plate +5b.
b is fixed.

18 is a stepping motor that rotates the shaft 14. The shaft 14 can be rotationally driven in the direction of arrow E in the figure by starting the stepping motor 18. Therefore, by driving the stepping motor 18, the shaft 14 is rotated by a predetermined angle, and the second lens Ilb is rotated in the direction of the first lens lla. It can be placed on the optical path instead.

lea is a small notch formed on the periphery of the first rotating plate 15a;
+7b is a small notch formed on the periphery of the second rotary plate +5b, If(a, +8b is a photo interrupter fixed to the main body of the device, respectively. Each small notch 1?a, l
? By stopping the stepping motor 19 at the position where b is detected by the 7t interleaving tabs 18a and l[lb, either the lens 11a or the second lens 11b can be placed on the optical path. Further, +8a is a large notch formed on the periphery of the first rotating plate +5a, and +8b is a large notch formed on the periphery of the second rotating plate 15b.These large notches +8a and 18b are provided so as not to block the optical path. There is.

When the second lens Ilb is placed on the optical path 1- by driving the motor 18, the optical image of the frame 7 of the microfilm 2 is focused on the CCD 12-F by the second lens Ilb.

Therefore, it is possible to read the image of frame 7 at a different magnification than when reading the image of frame 7 using IT lens lea. In this figure, the second lens llb is used more than the first lens lla. Since it is disposed near the CCD 12, when the second lens llb is used, the CCD 12 reads a smaller image than when the second lens lla is used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the internal configuration of an image display device according to the present invention that is electrically connected to the COD 12 of FIG.

In FIG. 2, 51 is a housing, 52 is a display part provided in the housing, 53 is a display window hole of the display part, and 54 is a rigid transparent member such as an acrylic plate or glass attached to the display window hole. . Further, 55 is a scanner that scans a laser beam, 56 is an f-θ lens, and 57 is a reflecting mirror. Reference numeral 58 denotes an endless belt-shaped photoreceptor (hereinafter referred to as belt photoreceptor), which is guided within the housing 51 by guide rollers 59, 60, 61 and B2, and is connected to at least one of the guide roller shafts. It is installed as an image carrier which is intermittently driven by means.

The output light of a semiconductor laser (not shown) modulated by an image electric signal is scanned in one direction by a scanner 55, and further transmitted through an f/θ lens 5B and a mirror 57 to the back surface of a double series of belt-shaped photoreceptors 58. to expose. This photoreceptor 5
8 is one in which a photoconductive layer is provided on, for example, a transparent conductive substrate.

A developing device 65 is provided opposite the surface of the belt-shaped photoreceptor 58 at the exposure position 1aA, and includes a sleeve 67 having a toner conveying magnet 68 inside thereof, which rotates in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Conductive and magnetic developer (toner) 68 supplied to the sleeve surface is uniformly regulated by a blade 69 and comes into contact with the photoreceptor surface. A DC voltage source (
(not shown) applies a DC voltage. Further, rollers 63 and 64 are provided near the positions where exposure and development are performed, and thereby keep the belt-shaped photoreceptor 58 in a flat shape, and maintain the distance between the surface of the photoreceptor 58 and the sleeve 67 of the developing device 65. is kept constant with high precision. The toner image thus written and formed on the surface of the belt-shaped photoreceptor 58 by beam light irradiation at the position A facing the developing device 65 is sent to the display section 52 .

This display section 52 has a rectangular window hole 5 on the front surface of the housing 51.
3, and is formed so that the toner image on the photoreceptor can be viewed directly from the outside through a transparent member 54 that covers this window hole 53. When a predetermined visible image area coincides with the position of the window hole 53, the photoreceptor 58 can be stopped for an arbitrary period of time automatically or by operating a switch. The toner image on the stationary surface of the photoreceptor can be visually observed through the transparent member 54 through the window hole 53.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a lamp for erasing the potential difference on the photoreceptor 58 caused by beam irradiation, and is disposed near the downstream side of the above-mentioned exposure position A, facing the back surface of the photoreceptor 58, and the belt-shaped photoreceptor 58 is It lights up only when you are moving and turns off when you stop. Further, H is an operation panel provided in the casing 51 at the bottom of the display section 52.
It has an operation button S for instructing the switching of b.

Note that the image forming method of the image display device shown in FIG. 2 is as follows.
JP-A-58-98748 or JP-A-1vI5B-
[The method disclosed in No. 748 can be used. 3(A) and 3(B) show display modes when image information is read by the microfilm reader shown in FIG. 1, converted into an electrical signal, and output to the display unit 52 of the image display device shown in FIG. 2. An example is shown below.

FIG. 3(A) shows the case where the second lens Ilb is used, and FIG. 3(B) shows the case where the second lens Ilb is used. Here, for example, if the ratio of the magnifications of the wlJ lens lla and the second lens llb in FIG.
The ratio of the scanning speed of the microfilm 2 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 when reading frame 7 of the microfilm using the lens la and when reading the 20th frame 7 of the microfilm using the second lens llb is set to l:n. Then, the aspect ratio of the image of frame 7 is maintained at 1:1, and it can be displayed on the display section 52 as shown in FIG.

In the example of FIG. 3, the value of n mentioned above is set to n=3. The shaded area in the display section 52 represents the display image portion of frame 7. In this way, when using the third lunzu lla, the third
As shown in FIG. 5A, one page (that is, one frame) of a microscopic image is displayed on the entire surface of the display section 52. Also,
When the second lens llb is used (b), Fig. 3 (B)
As shown in , the display section 52 displays three pages of images at a time (
In other words, three consecutive frames of microscopic images are displayed.

Therefore, in order to search for a desired frame image from a plurality of consecutive frames 7 of the microfilm 2, the motor 18 first sets the second lens llb on the optical axis, and then the motor 13 moves the microfilm 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1 to scan and read the image of frame 7 on the microfilm 2 with the CCD 12.
The image information read in step 12 is sequentially displayed on the image display device shown in FIG. As a result, the displayed image is successively scrolled every three pages in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 3(B). Therefore, the operator searches for the desired image in this reduced display state, and then presses the operation button S on the operation panel H.
By the operation, the lens used for reading is changed to the second lens l.
By switching from lb to lunz lla and scanning and reading the image found on the microfilm 2 through lunz lla, the necessary detailed image can be displayed on the display section 52 as shown in FIG. 3(A). It can be displayed on the front for visual viewing.

According to this example, the image forming time per page (one frame) of images sequentially displayed on the display unit 52 of the image display device when searching is performed using the second lens Ilb as shown in FIG. 3(B). is 1/3 compared to the case shown in FIG. 3(A), and the time required to search for a required image can be significantly shortened.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of the electric circuit system of the microfilm reading device shown in FIG. This is a lamp drive circuit that is driven according to a control signal of 71. 73 is a motor drive circuit, which is a winding motor 1 for winding the microfilm 2;
1) The rewind motor 20 for rewinding the microfilm 2 into the cassette l is driven in accordance with a control signal from the control circuit 71. EN is an encoder, and the rotation speed of the take-up motor 13 during image scanning is determined by this encoder EN.
is detected and fed back to the motor drive circuit 73. Therefore, the motor drive circuit 73 can control the rotational speed of the take-up motor 13.

74 is a stepping motor drive circuit;
The stepping motor 19 for accurately arranging the second lens lla or the second lens llb in the optical path]- is driven in accordance with the control signal of the control circuit 71, and the stepping motor 19 is driven in response to the notch detection signal of the photointerrupter If (a or 18b). Do.75
is a COD driving circuit, which drives the CCD 12 in response to a control signal from the control circuit 71, and causes the COD 12 to scan and read the image on the microfilm 2. 76 is an image processing circuit, which includes an A/D (analog-digital) conversion circuit for converting image information read by the CCD 12 and converted into an analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal, a dither circuit for halftone correction, and the like. do. Reference numeral 77 is an interface provided for communication between the present microfilm reading device and an external device.

When the read drive signal DST is input from an external device (for example, the image display device in FIG.
．． A control signal is output to 73 and 75, and the motor drive circuit 73
The take-up motor 13 or the rewind motor 20 is driven to send a predetermined frame 7 of the microfilm 2 to the exposure position of the lamp 8, and the lamp drive circuit 72 turns on the illumination lamp 8 to drive the take-up motor 13. Therefore, the frame 7 on the microfilm 2 is connected to the COD drive circuit 75.
read by C OD 12 driven by .

The image information read by the CCDI 2 is output to an external device via the image processing circuit 78 and the interface 77.

Next, when switching of the lens to be used is instructed by the operation button S of the operation panel H of the image display device shown in FIG. The stepping motor 18 is driven by the control signal via the stepping motor drive circuit 74. Thereafter, the stepping motor drive circuit 74 stops driving the stepping motor 19 in response to the detection signal input from the photointerrupter 113a or 16b. In this way, switching between lenses Ila and 11b is performed.

In this example, a roll film is used as the microfilm 2, but the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus for reading sheet-like microfiche, etc., and similar effects can be obtained. In addition, in this example, the first runz Il
The magnification of the image is made variable by using two lenses with different magnifications, a and the second lens llb, but the same effect can also be obtained by changing the magnification with a single zoom lens. is clear. Furthermore, in this example, the ratio of the magnifications of the two lenses is set to 3:1, but it goes without saying that other magnification ratios may be used.

〔effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when searching for a desired image, multiple pages of images are scrolled and displayed one after another on the display screen of the image display device.
It becomes easier to search for images, and operation is also extremely simple.

Furthermore, since it is not necessary to use a large memory or an image editing device to realize the dual functions, it can be provided with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the optical system of a microfilm reader device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3(A) is a side sectional view showing the internal configuration of the image display device used in the embodiment of the present invention, which is electrically connected to the device shown in the figure;
(B) shows an example of the display mode when the image information read by the microfilm reader shown in FIG. 1 is displayed on the image display device shown in FIG. 3(B) is a front view when using the second lens llb, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electric circuit system of the microfilm reader shown in FIG. 1. be. 1...Cassette, 2...Microfilm, 6...
・Take-up reel, 7... frame, 8... lighting lamp, 1
0...mirror, lla...runs, 11b...
Second lens, 12... CCD, 13... Winding motor, 15a... First rotating plate, +5b... Second rotating plate, +13a, 16b... Photo interrupter, 17a,
17b--Small notch, 19... Stepping motor, 20... Rewind motor, 52... Display section, 71
...Control circuit, 72~? 5... Drive circuit, 76...
- Image processing circuit, S... operation button.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] l) Image reading means for reading an image on a microfilm and converting it into image information in the form of an electrical signal, and forming an optical image from the image surface of the microfilm on the image reading means. What is claimed is: 1. A microfilm reading device, comprising: an imaging device that performs image forming; and a control device that varies the magnification of an optical image formed on the image reading device by the imaging device. 2) The microfilm according to claim 1, wherein the control means varies the image reading scanning speed according to the magnification of the optical image formed on the image reading means by the image forming means. reading device.