JPS62243069A - Image file device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the multi-page display of a header image at high speed, by displaying only a part of an original image at the time of retrieving an image, without executing the generation, accumulation and management of the header image at all. CONSTITUTION:When a multi-page retrieval command is inputted from a command input device 18, a retrieval control device 19 determines a read-out image, and makes an optical disk driver 12 start to read out an image. An image data read out is sent to a compressed image segmenting circuit 13, and the circuit 13 outputs to an expanding circuit, only when an input data is within the range of a threshold value. The circuit 14 extends the input data and sends it to an extended image segmenting circuit 15, and the circuit 15 outputs to a write control circuit 16, only when the number of picture elements of the input data is within the range of a threshold level. The circuit 15 generates a new write address and writes it to an image memory 17, and the written data is displayed by a display device 111.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention provides a method for extracting data from a large amount of compressed image files.
The present invention relates to an image file device that searches for arbitrary images, and particularly relates to an image file device that can perform searches using images.

(Prior art and its problems) In recent years, image file devices have been put into practical use, and various search methods have been studied. Among these methods, the method of searching using the image itself as an index (heading) is important because it allows the user to search even if he or she has forgotten a keyword or has only a vague memory of the image. In an image search, it is desirable from the viewpoint of search efficiency to display a plurality of images in a multi-page display and select a desired image from among them. At the same time, each image displayed on the multipage must be effective as a clue for searching.

Conventionally, for this purpose, a method has been considered in which a portion of the image is extracted in advance as a headline image and managed separately. For example, in patent application No. 59-148133 entitled "Image File Registration and Search Device", a device as shown in FIG. 9 was proposed. In the figure, 101 is an image input device, 102 is an image memo IJ, 103 is an image display device, 104 is a command input device, 105 is a command processing device, 106 is a screen instruction device, 107 is a central processing unit, 1
08 is an image processing device, 109-1 is a magnetic disk device,
109-2 is an optical disk interface device, 109-
3 is an optical disk device.

In this device, when registering a document image, the user uses the screen instruction device 106 to designate the entire registered image or a rectangular portion as a heading image. The designated area is enlarged or reduced in size by the image processing device 108, and is stored in the optical disk device 109-3 separately from the original image to be registered. At the same time, a file management table that describes the correspondence between the original image and the index image and the relationship with other index images is created or updated and stored in the magnetic disk device 109-1. FIG. 8 shows the structure of the file management table. n-Ln, n+1
is a number assigned to a registered image, where a is the original image address, b is the headline image address, and c and tl are the addresses of the headline images that are related before or after the registered headline image. This context is, for example, the order of registration. This is schematically shown in FIG. The headline image of image A is B, and the headline image registered immediately before C1 is D. a, b, c,
Each tl is an address.

When searching for images, when a user enters a search command,
The central processing unit 107 refers to the created file management table, sequentially reads out a plurality of headline images, and displays them on the image display device 103.

A problem with the conventional techniques typified by the above example is that in order to obtain index images that are effective for searching, index images must be created one by one in advance and stored and managed separately. For images that are filed without creating index images for search, input images with factor ξ, etc.
Conventional methods cannot cope with this problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to create a headline image (##--) in advance.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image file device that can inexpensively realize high-speed multi-page display of index images effective for searching.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, there is provided an image file device for searching for an arbitrary image from image files in which a large amount of compressed images are stored. a file means for accumulating image data; an image storage means for storing decompressed image data; an image reading means for reading image data from the file means; an end-of-line signal of the compressed image data output from the image reading means; and based on preset thresholds,
a compressed image cutting means for outputting only a part of the image data; a decompression means for decompressing the image data outputted from the compressed image cutting means; and a pixel number of the image data output from the decompression means. and a decompressed image cutting means for counting and outputting only a part of the decompressed image data based on a preset threshold value; generating a write address of the image storage means and cutting out the decompressed image according to the address; an image writing means for writing the image data cut out by the means into the image storage means; a display means for displaying the image written in the image storage means; a command input means for inputting a search-related command; file management information storage means for storing management information of stored image data; image search processing by referring to commands input from the command input means marked with # and the file management information stored in the file management information storage means; It is possible to realize an image file device characterized by having a search control means for causing the image reading means, compressed image cutting means, decompression means, decompressed image cutting means, and image writing means to perform the following.

(Function) In the present invention, a multi-page search is realized by displaying only a part of the original image at the time of image search without performing all the creation, storage, and management of index images. less than,
The effect of this invention will be shown.

■ When performing multi-page display, the user inputs a multi-page search command using the command input means. After decoding this, the search control means outputs an initialization signal for multi-page display to the compressed image cutting means and the expanded image cutting means, and subsequently causes the image reading means to read the file image. As for the original image management method, conventional technology will be used. For example, a conventional file management table is used. However, the table describes the interrelationship of the original images.

(2) The image reading means outputs the read image data to the compressed image cutting means. The compressed image cutting means counts the number of lines based on the end-of-line signal of the input data and compares it with a threshold value determined by initialization. The count value is also output to the image writing means in order to generate a write address. The threshold has a lower limit and an upper limit, and when the number of lines of input data reaches the lower limit, the compressed image cutting means starts outputting data to the decompressing means. The decompression means decompresses the input data and outputs it to the decompressed image cutting means.

(2) The decompressed image cutting means counts the number of pixels of the decompressed input data and compares it with a threshold value determined by initialization. The count value is for writing address generation.
It is also output to the image writing means. The threshold value has a lower limit and an upper limit, and the decompressed image cutting means outputs data to the image writing means only when the counted number of pixels is within the lower limit and upper limit. The decompressed image cutting means also stores the number of pixels of one line, and resets the count value when 1247 pixels have been counted, in preparation for inputting the next line. The image writing means generates an address of the image storage means from each counting output of the compressed image cutting means and the decompressed image cutting means, and writes data to the image storage means. ■ The processing of ■ and ■ above is for pressure motion image cutting. In the means, the number of lines is repeated until the upper limit is reached. When the number of lines exceeds the upper limit, the compressed image cutting means forcibly ends the output to the decompression means, outputs an end signal to the search control means, and resets the line count value. The stretching means also
When the last data expansion is completed, a completion signal is output to the search control means.

(2) Upon receiving these, the search control means resets the image reading means. If the image reading means were continuing to read out the current image, this is interrupted. Subsequently, the search control means determines the next readout image and causes the image readout means to start reading out the next image. The read image data is sent again to the compressed image cutting means.

As before, the compressed image cutting means outputs to the decompression means only when the input data is within the threshold range. The decompression means decompresses the input data and sends it to the decompressed image cutting means. As before, the decompressed image cutting means outputs to the image writing means only when the number of pixels of the input data is within the threshold range. The image writing means generates a new write address and writes the image data into the image storage means. The reading of images from the file means and the writing to the image storage means are repeated only for the circuits stored in the search control means. The image written in the image storage means is displayed by the display means.

As described above, even if the index images for multi-page display are not separately managed, multi-page display of search images can be performed at high speed.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image file device according to the present invention.

In the figure, 11 is an optical disk, 12 is an optical disk driver, 13 is a compressed image extraction circuit, 14 is an expansion circuit,
15 is an expanded image cutting circuit, 16 is a write control circuit, 17 is an image memo IJ, 18 is a command input device, 19
1 is a search control device, 110 is a magnetic disk, and 111 is a display device. Here, the original disk 11 is a file means, the optical disk driver 12 is an image reading means,
The magnetic disk 110 corresponds to file management information storage means.

The multi-page search procedure will be explained below. As an example, assume that the size of one sheet of image data and the image memo 1J17 are both 2M bits x 5N lines. The X and Y coordinates are taken on the image plane as shown in FIG. 2, and the Y coordinate value is the number of scanning lines, and the X coordinate value is the number of pixels from the left end of the line. The 8th pixel in the second life in the plane is (a, b)
It is expressed as

Now, (+1.L+1) to (K+M) shown in FIG.

Let us cut out a rectangular range of L+N). For this purpose, the threshold value set in the compressed image cutting circuit 13 is
The lower limit is L+1, the upper limit is L+N, and the threshold value provided by the expanded image cutting circuit 15 is set to +1 as the lower limit and +M as the upper limit.

When the user inputs a multi-page search command from the command input device 18, the search control device 19 decodes it and sends an initialization signal and an initial value for write address calculation to the write control circuit 16 and to the compressed image cutting circuit 13. The initialization signal, the lower and upper thresholds, and the initialization signal, the lower and upper thresholds, and the number of pixels in one line are also transmitted to the decompressed image cutout circuit 15. Subsequently, the search control device 19 refers to the file management information stored in the magnetic disk 110 and collectively stores the storage addresses of the images to be displayed in multi-page form. Format of file management information,
And the display image determination method is performed using conventional technology. For example, if a file management table corresponding to the conventional example shown in FIG. 8 is used, the table shown in FIG. 3 can be considered. In the figure, 1.2.3... in the first column is the 8th column.
The number assigned to the original image similar to the one shown in the figure, a in the second column.
, ba, d are numbers 1. 2. The addresses of the original images corresponding to as 4, the third column, and the fourth column are the addresses of the images associated with the images before and after each number, respectively. This is schematically shown in FIG.

A, B, C, D are images, a, b, a,
6 is the corresponding address. When displaying multi-pages, it is sufficient to read A, B, C, D, etc. in the order of context. Now, the search control device 19 sends the optical disc driver 12 the following information: 1 - life expectancy, and r. The image data is read out from the optical disk 11 by transmitting the L address of the main character. Since the amount of image data is quite large even when compressed, disk access for reading the image is generally performed multiple times. The optical disk driver 12 is
The data read in one access is sequentially output to the compressed image cutting circuit 13.

The compressed image cutting circuit 13 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 5, for example. In the figure, 51 is a line detector, 52 is a line counter, 53 is a comparator, 54 is a gate circuit, and 55
is a code generator. Now, the initial value of the line counter 52 is set to 1, and the upper and lower limits of the threshold values are stored in the comparator 53. When the line detector 51 detects an end-of-line signal in the input signal, it sets the line counter 52 to 1.
are added. The line count value of lie/color/li 52 is sent to a comparator 53. It is also sent to the write control circuit 16 to generate a write address. Now, assuming that the line count value is j, the comparator 53 opens the gate circuit 54 and outputs data to the expansion circuit 14 only when L=j≦L+N. If L=Q, the first data will be output. Here, when j=L0N, as will be described later, it is decided to create a boundary line between the images adjacent in the Y direction in the image memory 17, and the code representing the boundary line and the end of data are sent to the code generator 55. Memorize the code and output it instead of the input data.

The decompression circuit 14 decompresses the input data and outputs it to the decompressed image cutting circuit 15 . The decompressed image cutting circuit 15 is
For example, the configuration is as shown in FIG.

In the figure, 61 is a pixel counter, 62 is a comparator, and 63 is a pixel counter.
is a reset circuit, and 64 is a gate circuit.

The pixel counter 61 is initialized with O. Here, we assume that the input comes in parallel with m bits each, and as shown earlier,
M is multiplied by K=klXm, M=kxm (kl is an integer). In the following, kl and k are used for determination instead of M. That is, the comparator 62 uses kl as the lower and upper thresholds.

kl-)-k. Each time the pixel counter 61 is input, 1 is added to count the number of pixels/m.

The reset circuit 63 stores the number of pixels per 1 line/min/m (2M/m=2k in this embodiment), and resets the pixel counter 61 when the count reaches this value.

The pixel count value of the pixel counter 61 after data input is sent to the comparator 62 and compared with a threshold value.

It is also sent to the write control circuit 16 for write address generation. Here, if we write the pixel count value as 1, we get
When kl+1≦kl+, the comparator 62 opens the gate circuit 64 and outputs the input data to the write control circuit 16. If kl=0, the output will start from the first input. However, when 1==kl-1-, the gate circuit 64 makes the last pit of the input m pits the boundary with the image adjacent in the X direction in the image memory 17, so the gate circuit 64 is forced to respond. data (e.g.
If the background is a white pixel, it is converted to a black pixel) and output. At other times, comparator 62 closes gate circuit 64 and does not output data.

The write control circuit 16 sequentially writes the decompressed data into the image memo 117 and updates the address. Here, the line count value j of the compressed image cutout circuit 13 and the pixel count value 1 of the decompressed image cutout circuit 15 are sent to the sequential write control circuit 16. Now, it is assumed that addressing is possible in units of m bits, and a write address is generated as follows. When writing the write address of the image cut out p+1st time (p≧0) as p=2Xq+r (r is 0 or 1), (i-k l-1)+(j-L-1+NX(1)+kxr in X2 The search control device 19 sequentially gives +q*1'' to 2 as an initial value before starting the cutting process of a new image. In the -th cutting, the write address is (i-k 1-1) +(j-L-1)X2.

Now, when the line count value reaches the upper limit (L-1-N), the compressed image cutout circuit 13 ignores the input signal of this line, and the decompression circuit 14 stores the input signal in the code generator 55. A code indicating the border line (for example, if the background pixel is a white pixel, a code for 1 line/all black pixels) and an engineering op data code are output in this order. This results in
The last line written to the image memory 17 becomes the boundary line with the adjacent image in the Y direction. The comparator 53 outputs an end signal to the search control device 19 and
Reset. Furthermore, the decompression circuit 14 that has detected the end-of-data signal and completed the decompression process is also connected to the search control device 1.
A termination signal is output at 9.

Upon receiving these termination signals, the search control device 19 interrupts the optical disk driver 12 and resets it. If the optical disk driver 12 is performing the next disk access, it cancels it and enters a state in which it waits for input of a new read command. The search control device 19 outputs an image read command and a read address of the next image to be displayed to the optical disk driver 12. Image reading and cutting processing are performed in the same manner as in the previous case. This time, the write control circuit 16 sets the write address to (1-kl
-1)+(j-L-1) Create + on X2. As a result, the second cutout image (q=0.r=1) is stored adjacent to the first image in the X direction in the image memory 17.

The above image cutting process is repeated 10 times.

In this way, image data for M bits×N lines is written into the image memory 16 ten times. Image memo, S16
The contents are displayed on the display device 111. At this point, there are 10 windows on the display device 111, as shown in FIG.
The range from ~(K+M, L+N) is cut out. Numbers 1 to 10 in the figure indicate the order in which they were written. If information that is useful as a search key, such as the title of a document or literature, is written in this area, the search will be much more effective than displaying the entire screen in a multi-page display. Even if the search key is only partially visible in the cropped image, searching for a document from a partial perspective is something we do every day with paper files, and it feels strange. There isn't. Additionally, when searching for a large number of documents with a fixed format, you can perform an effective multi-page search by setting the cropping position to display keys that identify individual documents (in addition to titles, signatures, dates, etc.). Ru. These keys are often located at the top of the document. Therefore, the number of accesses to the optical disk for cutting out can be reduced, and high-speed multi-page display can be performed. Even if you don't want to display a specific feature, you can cut out the top part of the document and search for multiple pages, so you can just open the drawer with the document in it and search for the paper document with only the top part visible. It is very effective because it can be done with exactly the same feeling.

Now, the encoding method for image compression is a one-dimensional encoding method (for example, MH encoding method) that uses pixels on the same line as the pixel of interest to be encoded, or a pixel on the same line as the pixel of interest to be encoded. There is also a two-dimensional encoding method (eg, MR encoding method) that uses pixels on a line scanned before that, and the present invention is applicable to either of them.

Since the former method encodes each negative line separately, this embodiment applies to the eleventh method. Even when multiple lines are encoded all at once or sequentially, as in the latter method, the number of lines to be encoded at the same time is generally limited, or One-dimensional encoding is inserted into the . In the embodiment, it is easy to count these as one unit and obtain the number of lines.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is easy to perform a single image search. Specifically, the lower threshold is set to (1, 1
), and the upper threshold value may be set as (2MI5N). Furthermore, the generation of the write address in the write control circuit 16 can be performed independently by the write control circuit 16 without using the count output of the number of lines from the compressed image cutout circuit 13 or the count output of the number of pixels from the decompressed image cutout circuit 15. This can be realized by having a counter in the decompression image cutting circuit 15 and counting the number of pixels output from the expanded image cutting circuit 15. Furthermore, combinations with known search techniques such as keywords are of course possible. All of the above variations are included in the present invention.

(Effects of the Invention) With the image file device described above, high-speed multi-page display of index images can be easily realized even if index images for search are not separately created and stored and managed. Moreover, the display format can be provided in a natural manner that is close to the search activity that users have traditionally performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image file device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing coordinate axes and variables on the image data plane used in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the original images shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing details of the compressed image extraction circuit in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. , FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing details of the decompressed image extraction circuit in the embodiment of FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the multi-page display format of the headline image provided by the embodiment of FIG. Figure 9 shows the structure of a file management table provided by the prior art, Figure 9 shows the relationship between the original image and the index image shown in Figure @8, and Figure 10 shows an example of a conventional image file device. FIG. In the figure, 11 is an optical disk, 12 is an optical disk driver, 13 is a compressed image extraction circuit, 14 is an expansion circuit,
15 is an expanded image cutting circuit, 16 is a write control circuit, 17 is a one-page image memory, 18 is a command input device, 19
110 is a magnetic disk, 111 is a display device, 51 is a line detector, 52 is a line counter, 53 is a comparator, 54 is a gate circuit, 55 is a code generator, 61 is a pixel color/receiver, 62 is a comparator, 63 is a reset circuit, 64 is a gate circuit, 101 is an image input device i7, 102 is an image memo L103 is an image display device, 10
4 is a command input device, 105 is a command processing device, 1
06 is a screen instruction bag fTi, 107 is a central processing unit, 10
8 is an image processing device, 109-1 is a magnetic disk device [,1
09-2 is an optical disc player/Tough Ace device, 109-3
is an optical disk device. Agent Patent Attorney Shinsuke Honjo Y Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Procedural amendment (voluntary) (To the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office 01, Indication of the case 1985 Patent Application No. 86818 2, Name of the invention image file device
(3. Person making the amendment
Relationship with the case of patent applicant
(Representative: Tadahiro Sekimoto 4, Agent: 20 Minaminaka 2-chome, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220
No. 2 to 5, Subject of amendment Detailed explanation of the invention in the specification and Drawing 6, Contents of amendment Figure 9” 1
10”. 2) In the fourth line of page 5 of the specification, “Figure 8” has been replaced with “Figure 9.”
Correct it to "Fig." 3) The word "circuit" on the first line of page 11 of the specification is corrected to "number of times." 4) The word "L=j" on the first line of page 15 of the specification is changed to "L.
Correct as <j”. 5) In the 17th page, line 12 of the specification, the word "tokakutoki" is corrected to "tototo".

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image file device for searching for an arbitrary image from image files in which a large amount of images are data-compressed and stored, there are: a file means for storing a large amount of compressed image data; and an image storing expanded image data. storage means; image reading means for reading image data from the file means; counting end-of-line signals of the compressed image data output from the image reading means, and reading a portion of the image data based on a preset threshold; a compressed image cutting means for outputting only the compressed image data; a decompressing means for decompressing and outputting the image data output from the compressed image cutting means; and a decompressing means for counting and presetting the number of pixels of the image data output from the decompressing means. a decompressed image cutting means for outputting only a part of the decompressed image data based on the threshold value; generating a write address of the image storage means, and according to this address, the decompressed image cutting means an image writing means for writing the image data written into the image storage means; a display means for displaying the image written in the image storage means; a command input means for inputting a search-related command; and an image stored in the file means. file management information storage means for storing data management information; performs an image search process on the image reading by referring to the command input from the command input means and the file management information stored in the file management information storage means; means, compressed image cutting means,
An image file device comprising a decompression means, a decompressed image cutting means, and a search control means for causing the image writing means to perform the search.