JPS63116568A - Clipped image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily retrieve a clipped image by jointing the intersections between border lines available from border line position data and scan lines for outputting and taking them for a clipping line. CONSTITUTION:Fetched image data is stored in a memory 6. It is thinned, retrieved and entirely displayed on a monitor 14. One point of the border line lon the entire display image is specified through a position input means, and a prescribed range is expanded and displayed on the monitor 14 with the specified point as a center. By tracing the border line of the expanded and displayed image, the positions of the border line l are inputted, which are stored as border line data P1-P4 in the memory 6. Then the border line data is read out, and the intersections between the border lines available from the data and the scan lines used at the time of reading image data are obtained. Those intersections are sequentially jointed together, thereby obtaining clipped data. Thus the image data can be easily clipped.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming cutout images.

(Prior Art) When it is desired to use only a part of document image data captured using a scanner, for example, there is a case where it is desired to extract only a person from image data consisting of a person and a background.

Conventionally, in such cases, a mask is formed to hide the background portion, and the film is exposed using this mask.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In order to expose an image to film in this way, it is quite complicated to take the trouble to form a mask, set it, and perform film exposure, and it is a task that requires skill. There was also the problem of the shrine fee being charged.

The object of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can easily extract a cutout image without using a mask.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the second objective, the present invention enlarges and displays image data captured in advance on a monitor, and traces the outline in this displayed image to find its position. The present invention provides an apparatus that inputs data, finds intersections between a contour line obtained from this contour line position data and each scanning line for outputting the image, and obtains a cutout line formed by connecting these intersection points.

(Function) Stores the captured image data in memory. This stored data is thinned out and taken out and displayed as an entire image on a monitor.

One point on the contour line on this entire display image is designated by the position input means. A predetermined range is enlarged and displayed on the monitor with this designated point as the center. The position of the contour line is input while tracing the contour line of this enlarged display image with the position input means.

This input data is stored in memory as contour data.

Next, the contour data is read out, and the intersection point between the contour line obtained from this contour data and the scanning line obtained without reading out the image data is determined. Cutout data is obtained by sequentially joining these intersection points. This cutout data is stored in memory.

As a result, image data and cutout data for extracting a portion of this image data are stored in the memory. Therefore, by using both of these data, it is possible to cut out the image data.

(Effect of the invention) By appropriately combining and extracting image data and cutout data, for example, in the case of an image consisting of a person and a background, only the person or only the background can be extracted and extracted.
There is no need for complicated work such as preparing masks as in the past.

(Examples) The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a layout scanner incorporating a device according to the present invention. 1 is a scanning drum of the scanner, a document is attached to the circumferential surface, image data is taken out, and a color calculation circuit is used. 2, 4 debt items C, M, Y, B
, and is further digitized by the AD conversion circuit 3 and stored in the memory 6 via the interface 4 and computer 5.

A monitor 14 and a mouse 15 are connected to the computer 5 so that the image data stored in the memory 6 can be displayed and the outline of the displayed image can be specified, and this outline data is stored in the memory 6. You can also do that.

Further, the image data stored in the memory 6 is provided by the computer 5 to the halftone dot generation circuit 8 via the output interface 7, so that a halftone dot signal S is formed.

On the other hand, the link data stored in the memory 6 is stored in the computer 5.
is applied to the line image generating circuit 9 to form a halftone dot signal C and a mask signal. Here, the signal synthesis circuit 10 is supplied with a halftone dot signal S, a halftone dot signal C, and a mask signal, and the halftone dot signal or the halftone dot signal C is selectively given to the exposure device drive circuit 11 according to the mask signal. The film on the exposure drum 12 is exposed to light.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a detailed configuration of the signal synthesis circuit 0 in FIG. 1, and this circuit 10 is composed of six gate circuits 10a to 10f in this case. Then, when the mask signal MSK is L, the halftone dot signal S from the halftone dot generation circuit 8 is applied to the exposure device drive circuit 11,
When S K is H, the halftone dot signal C from the line drawing generation circuit 9
is applied to the exposure device drive circuit 11, and the 6
Control the book's exposure beam. Although the number of beams varies depending on the type of scanner, it is assumed here that there are six beams for convenience of explanation.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 show a method of cutting out specific image data.

First, Figure 3 shows an image of the monitor screen.For the sake of simplicity, the contour data is assumed to consist of four points p, , p2, P3, and P4, and an image forming a trapezoid connecting these four points is used. Let the line be the outline. Here, an example is shown in which the outline is a trapezoidal image. This contour is defined as P,(X,) with the lower left corner of the image as its origin.

Yl), P2 (X2.Y2), P3 (X3°Y3)
, P4 (X4.Y4) is a trapezoid with each vertex. Then, each vertex position information of this image is from the origin in the X direction and in the Y direction.
It is given in distance (mm) with respect to the direction. This distance needs to be converted to the number of dots for later processing.
This conversion is done by indicating the number of dots per halftone dot.

As another processing example, the number of scanner outputs is 70 halftone dots/
cm, 2 pixels per halftone dot (6 dots per pixel) in the direction of drum rotation, 2 rotations (6 dots per rotation) in the driving direction.
dots) to form halftone dots. And 2Pl of the above four vertices.

Assuming that the position coordinates for P2 are X1=b mm, X2-30+n+n, Y2-40++++a, each point P1. The exposure start coordinates of P2 are as follows. However, 2 is the exposure pixel density in the circumferential direction and the feeding direction.

If one halftone dot is formed by two rotations and 2=2, then the following equation is obtained.

FIG. 4 shows the positional relationship between the straight line defined by the above coordinates and the scanning line in the two-part picture.

This straight line is marked with two points P1. It connects P2 and corresponds to the outline of the image, and is called Ω. The scanning line that intersects with this contour line corresponds to the scanning direction of the exposure drum of the scanner. Each intersection between the contour line ρ and each scanning line is calculated by the computer 5 and corresponds to a cutout line of the picture, and the dots on each of these intersections successively form the cutout line.

Other points p3. The above calculation is also performed for p4.

FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show halftone dot signals S, C and mask signals regarding the picture pattern and scanning line. In FIG. 4(a), g indicates the straight line in FIG. 4, and assuming a scanning line that intersects with this cutout line Ω, the halftone dot signal S is obtained.

The C and mask signals are as shown in FIG. 5(b).

That is, a mask signal is formed corresponding to the part where the scanning line is on the pattern, and when this mask signal is L, the halftone dot signal S
is taken out, and when it is H, a halftone dot signal C is taken out.

6(a) and 6(b) show an image based on the output of the halftone dot generation circuit (FIG. 6(a)) and an image based on data processed by the signal synthesis circuit (FIG. 6(a)) to show the processing contents according to the present invention. (b)) is shown in comparison.

The cutout line ρ extends diagonally from the lower left to the right as shown in the figure, and the point P1 is on the lower left extension and the point P2 is on the upper right extension, and the dot shown by the broken line is The pattern on the right side of the constituent cutout line ρ shall be reproduced. It is most desirable that the cutout line g forms a link to the picture. It is desirable that there be no dots on the left side of this cutout line ρ. Therefore, for example, dots that overlap the cutout line Ω are made black, dots on the right side of the cutout line Ω are also made black, but dots on the left side are made white.

As a result, as is clear from the comparison between Figure 6(a) and Figure 6(b), the pattern with the part protruding from the cutout line β as in Figure 6(a) is different from the pattern in Figure 6(b). This results in a pattern that contains almost no protruding parts from the cutout line ρ.

Such processing is similarly performed for other links. Therefore, the image link Nikkidora l-1, 11
Although the processing is close to the ideal, the cropped image is finished beautifully.

FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams showing the contents of image processing operations for specific images. FIG. 7(a) shows the original image, and FIG. This shows how to input location data.

The original image stored in the memory 6 in advance has a person in the center, a mountain on the left, and a tree on the right, and it is assumed that the image of the person is to be cut out. Before the cutting operation, the entire image is displayed on the monitor 14 by thinning out and reading out the image data from the memory 6. A specific point P in this entire image. When is specified with the mouse 15, image data centered on one point Po on this link is provided from the memory 7 to the monitor 14 without thinning out, that is, in pixel correspondence. In other words, an enlarged image as shown in FIG. 7(b) is displayed on the monitor 14.

In this case, this enlarged image is the right elbow of the person, and is a point P. corresponds to the bending apex of the elbow. By using the mouse along the outline of this enlarged display image, the position indicated by the black circle is input.

Since the enlarged image is only a small part of the entire image, when the manual positioning in the enlarged image is completed, the position of the adjacent part is input. To do this, the user moves the image by pointing to any part outside the image on the monitor 14 that is displaying the enlarged image. In other words, choose one of the eight arrow directions shown. As a result, the next image appears, and the position is input in the same way. The operation is then repeated until the contour becomes one closed loop.

Once the closed loop is completed, input the loop portion between the person's right arm and torso in the same way.

As a result, the contour position data is stored in the memory 6. If this contour data is available, a contour line can be obtained by the method shown in FIG. 4, and the intersection of this contour line and the scanning line shown in FIG. 4 can also be found. This series of intersections is a cutout line. Therefore, this data is stored in the memory 6 as cutout data.

FIG. 8 shows the operation contents explained in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) in flowchart 1.

Since the operation contents have already been explained, I will avoid repeating them and will briefly explain them. In the figure, a box surrounded by a single line represents the operation of the device, and a box surrounded by a double line represents an operation performed by the operator.

First, a certain image in the memory 6 is specified in step S1, and the entire image of this specified image is displayed on the monitor 14 (step S2). Next, one point P on the link. Specify and display an enlarged image of that part on monitor 14'' (
Step S3→S4).

A position is input by tracing the outline on this enlarged image with a mouse (step S5). This is performed while moving the displayed image until all contours are completed (step S7). In step S, the contour data obtained by this is stored in the memory 6.
8) Find the intersection between the contour line obtained from the contour data and the scanning line (step S9), and store the resulting cutout data in the memory 6 (step 5IO).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a layout scanner incorporating the device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the signal synthesis circuit in the device of FIG. 1, and FIG. An explanatory diagram showing the split (=J image) on the layout mount, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the straight lines and scanning lines that make up the layout image, and Figures 5 (a) and (b) are the patterns and scanning lines. FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are explanatory diagrams of the processing contents according to the present invention, and FIGS. 7(a) and (b) are illustrations of the output image signal and mask signal according to the present invention using specific images. An explanatory diagram of the processing contents by the apparatus, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the same processing contents. 6...Memory, 14...Monitor, 15...Mouse. P...Point, ρ...Line. Applicant's agent: Osamu Sato Figure 7 procedural amendment December 8, 1986

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A memory in which data including image data to be processed is stored; a monitor for receiving and displaying data including the image data; and a monitor operable to indicate a desired point on the monitor. an input means for inputting contour data of an image to be cropped in the image data and for instructing an operation menu; supplying data stored in the memory to the monitor; controlling display content on a monitor; providing contour data provided by the input means on the monitor to the memory; determining a contour line using the contour data stored in the memory; and calculating the contour line and the image. A device for forming a cutout image, comprising a device for determining an intersection point with each scanning line for outputting data and providing it to the memory.