JP2653783B2 - Image processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for reading registered image data while referring to a desired image area in image data registered in a storage medium as an index image, and an image processing apparatus. It is about the method.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of apparatus, as one means for processing a document image, a search called an image index search in which a plurality of index images are simultaneously displayed on a display, and a target document is displayed by indicating a corresponding one of the index images is taken. I have.

A normal index image displays a reduced image obtained by thinning out the entire original image or approximately 2/3 of the pixels of the original image.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above method, if the format in which the document is described is characteristic, there is no problem because the document can be analogized in that format even if the written characters cannot be read because of the reduced size. In the case of the same shape, there is a problem that the character cannot be identified unless the character can be read.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem. A desired image area in image data to be registered is cut out as an index image having an optimal size for a display area, and storage management is performed together with the image data. Then, by expanding and displaying the index image data in accordance with the size of the display area, it is possible to efficiently search for desired image data while referring to an index image having an optimal size for the display area. It is an object to provide an image processing device and an image processing method.

[Means for solving the problem]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus that displays index image data in a predetermined area of a display unit and displays image data corresponding to the instructed index image data, and is displayed on the display unit. Designating means for designating a cutout area of image data, limiting means for limiting the size of the area designated by the designating means based on the size of the predetermined area, and image data of the area designated by the designating means Cutting means for cutting the image data as index image data, storage control means for storing the index image data and the image data in a storage means in association with each other, and a plurality of index image data from the index image data stored in the storage means. Reading the size of the read index image data and the size of the predetermined area. Based on the, the enlargement means for enlarging the read index image data, the index image data enlarged by said enlarging means, and has a display control means for displaying on said predetermined area.

An image processing method according to the present invention is an image processing method for displaying index image data in a predetermined area of a display unit and displaying image data corresponding to the designated index image data, wherein the image displayed on the display unit is displayed. Specify the cutout area of the data, determine whether the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, if the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, The image data of the designated area is cut out as index image data, the index image data and the image data are stored in a storage unit in association with each other, and a plurality of index image data stored in the storage unit is read, and the read index is read. Based on the size of the image data and the size of the predetermined area, the read index image Expanding the data, and displays the enlarged index image data in the predetermined region.

[Action]

In the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the instructing means designates the cutout area of the image data, the limiting means limits the size of the area designated by the designation means, and the cutting means designates the area designated by the designation means. When the image data is cut out as index image data, the storage control unit stores the index image data and the image data in association with each other, and stores a plurality of index image data from the index image data stored in the storage unit. Upon reading, the enlargement unit enlarges the read index image data based on the size of the index image data to be read and the size of the predetermined area, and the display control unit enlarges the enlarged index image data.
Displaying in the predetermined area, it is possible to specify an appropriate index image within the size of the display area displayed as the index image data, and the registered index image is enlarged according to the display area. Thus, the index image data can be easily determined.

The image processing method according to the present invention is an image processing method for displaying index image data in a predetermined area of the display means and displaying image data corresponding to the designated index image data, wherein the image data is displayed on the display means. Specify the cutout area of the image data, determine whether the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, and if the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, The image data of the designated area is cut out as index image data, the index image data and the image data are stored in a storage unit in association with each other, and a plurality of index image data stored in the storage unit are read and read. The read index is based on the size of the index image data and the size of the predetermined area. The index image data is enlarged, and the enlarged index image data is displayed in the predetermined area. When an area for the index image data is secured, the index image data is restricted so as not to exceed a predetermined size. When an index image specified by an area of an arbitrary size and specified by an area of an arbitrary size is displayed, it is possible to easily display the index image in an optimum size covering the entire display area.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows, for example, the case of a document image processing apparatus.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which controls each unit based on a program stored in a ROM unit 1a. Reference numeral 2 denotes a bitmap display (CRT display) for displaying a window and displaying an image in the window, for example, at a high resolution of eight lines per mm. Reference numeral 3 denotes a keyboard (KB) for inputting character data and functions. Reference numeral 4 denotes a RAM which is used as a work area for storing image data being displayed and for editing image index data. 5 is video RAM (VRAM)
The data displayed by the bitmap display 2 is stored in bit units. 6 is a disk device (DISK)
And stores management information and the like of files and image data stored in the optical disk (OD) 7. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pointing device (PD) which also serves as a designation unit of the present invention, and performs a position designation input on a display screen displayed on the bitmap display 2. Reference numeral 9 denotes a bus (BUS) for transferring data handled by the above 2 to 8 to the CPU 1 and transferring data processed by the CPU 1 to the 2 to 8 above. The CPU 1 also functions as the index image writing means of the present invention.

In the image processing apparatus thus configured, the designating means (pointing device 8) designates the cutout area of the image data, and the limiting means (performed by the CPU 1 by a program stored in the ROM unit 1a) is used by the designating means (pointing device). The size of the area specified by the device 8) is limited (into one area divided into eight when the window 11 is doubled vertically and horizontally), and a cutting means (the CPU 1 executes the program stored in the ROM unit 1a) When the image data of the area specified by the specifying means (pointing device 8) is cut out as index image data, the storage control means (CPU 1 executes the program stored in the ROM unit 1a) stores the index image data and the image The data is stored in the storage means (optical disc 7) in association with the data,
When reading out a plurality of pieces of index image data from the index image data stored in the storage means (optical disk 7), the enlargement means (performed by the CPU 1 using a program stored in the ROM unit 1a) reads out the index image data to be read. Based on the size and the size of the predetermined area (one area of the window 11 divided into eight), the read index image data is enlarged, and the display control means (CP
The index image data with the enlarged U1) is displayed in the predetermined area (one area divided into eight windows 11), and the size of the display area displayed as the index image data (eight divided windows 11) It is possible to specify an appropriate index image within one registered area), and enlarge the registered index image to fit the display area (one area divided into eight windows 11). The index image data can be easily identified.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the external appearance of the bitmap display 2 and the pointing device 8 shown in FIG. 1, where 11 is a window, and shows a state in which an arrow cursor 12 is displayed at the lower right of the window 11. It is. When a ball (not shown) arranged below the pointing device 8 rotates, the amount of rotation of the arrow cursor 12 is converted into a movement amount by the CPU 1, and as a result, the arrow cursor 12 is displayed while moving on the bitmap display 2. . Reference numeral 13 denotes a pick button. When the pick button 13 is pressed, the CPU 1 notifies the CPU 1 of the position coordinates of the bitmap display 2 indicated by the arrow cursor 12. CPU1 is a pick button
When the button 13 is pressed, the position coordinates indicated by the arrow cursor 12 and the pressed state of the pick button 13 are simultaneously recognized.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an index image registration operation according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this figure, 21 is a document, the diagonal index images 22 for the document 21 coordinates _{P 1 (x a, y a} ), P 2 (x b, y b)
Operate the pointing device 8 to move the arrow cursor 12
The state in which the area is displayed by the rectangle 23 instructed by.

Next, the cutout designation operation of the index image 22 will be described.

The rectangle 23 is the pick button 13 of the pointing device 8
There is generated when the user presses, while pressing the pick button 13, the first point pressed, rectangle 23 to the diagonal coordinates P ₂ diagonal coordinates P ₁ and the current arrow cursor 12 instructs the diagonal Is held. Therefore, when the diagonal coordinates P ₂ is changed, the rectangular 23 also re generated. If you stop pressing the pick button 13, the diagonal coordinates P ₂ arrow cursor 12 instructs secured (fixed), a region to be the index image 22 is determined.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an index image search according to the present invention, and the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this figure, reference numerals 31a to 31h denote index image areas (areas divided into eight parts by dotted lines), and show a state in which index images 32a to 32d are displayed in the respective index image areas 31a to 31d.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the correspondence between image data and index images stored on the optical disk 7 shown in FIG.

In this figure, reference numerals 41a and 41b denote image data, and index images 42a and 42b corresponding to the image data 41a and 41b are written in independent storage areas of the optical disc 7, respectively.

When there is a document including a plurality of pages, the index image is generated from the image data of the first page.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the file structure of the disk device 6 shown in FIG. 1. Reference numeral 51 denotes a document management file, which includes a keyword 51a, an index image storage position 51b, an index image size 51c, and a page information record. Is stored. Keyword 51a is for each document
Keyword information, for example, "KEY-A1" is stored. The index image storage position 51b indicates the first sector and the last sector indicating where the index image data is stored on the optical disk 7, for example, "S1, E1".
1 "and so on. Index image size 51c
The vertical and horizontal sizes of the index image are stored by the number of dots. The pointer 51d to the page information record stores information of each page of the document managed by the document management record 52 composed of a series of information of the keyword 51a, the index image storage position 51b, and the index image size 51c. Pointer to the current record.

As can be seen from this figure, the CPU 1 assigns a keyword 51a matching the condition specified by the operator to the document management file 51.
, The position and size at which the index image related to the keyword 51a is stored can be found by accessing the index image storage position 51b and the index image size 51c, and further information from page 1 to page n can be obtained. The configuration is such that the information of each page can be determined by repeating the operation with the pointer 51d to the page information record.

Next, an index image registration processing operation in an image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an index image registration processing procedure in an image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that (1) to (10) indicate each step. In this embodiment, the image data to be registered on the optical disk 7 is already stored in the RAM 4 at a resolution of 8 dots per mm. Furthermore, the size of the rectangle 23 is automatically set when the index image is designated so that the index image displayed on the bitmap display 2 at the time of index image search is not larger than the window 11 shown in FIG. It is configured to be restricted.

First, the user operates the pointing device 8 to input an upper left corner point of a rectangular area serving as an index image (1). That after the indicated diagonal coordinates P ₁ in the arrow cursor 12, presses the pick button 13. Next, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the pick button 13 is kept depressed (2). If the determination is NO, the process proceeds to step (8) and thereafter. If the determination is YES, the position coordinates indicated by the arrow cursor 12 on the current bitmap display 2 are input (3). Next, when a rectangle having a diagonal line connecting the upper left point input in step (1) and the lower right point input in step (3) is doubled vertically and horizontally, an index image is displayed in window 8-8. The CPU 1 determines whether it exceeds the divided area, that is, whether the rectangle is within the divided area (4). If the determination is NO, return to step (2),
If YES, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the coordinate position of the arrow cursor 12 input in step (3) has changed from the previous position (5). If the determination is YES, the process returns to step (2). If NO, the rectangle previously displayed on the bitmap display 2 is erased (6), and the input points of step (1) and step (3) are newly input. Then, a rectangle having a diagonal line connecting is drawn (7), and the process returns to step (2), and steps (2) to (7) are repeated while the pick button 13 of the pointing device 8 is pressed.

On the other hand, if the determination in step (2) is NO, that is, if the CPU 1 determines that the pressing of the pick button 13 has stopped, the portion of the image data in the RAM 4 corresponding to the rectangular area currently displayed on the bitmap display 2 Is 2
An index image enlarged by a factor of 2 is created in the RAM 4 (8). Next, the created index image is written on the optical disk 7 (9), and the index image storage position 51b and index image size 51c of the index image written on the optical disk 7 in the optical disk 7 are stored in the document management file 51 (FIG. 6). Write each data (document management record) in the disk device 6) (1
0).

Thus, according to the image processing method, the image processing method displays the index image data in a predetermined area of the display means (CRT display 2) and displays the image data corresponding to the specified index image data, A cut-out area of the image data displayed on the display means is designated, and it is determined whether or not the size of the designated area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area (step (4) in FIG. 7). Is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, the image data of the designated area is cut out as index image data, and the index image data and the image data are associated with each other and stored in storage means (optical disk 7). Reading a plurality of index image data stored in the storage means; When the read index image data is enlarged based on the size of the predetermined area, and the enlarged index image data is displayed in the predetermined area (see FIG. 4) to secure an area for the index image data. In addition, while limiting the size so that it does not exceed the preset size, when specifying in an area of any size, when displaying the index image specified in the area of any size, the entire display area This makes it possible to display the image in an optimal size that can be easily viewed.

Although the enlarged index image is written on the optical disk 7 in the above embodiment, an index image that is not enlarged may be written on the optical disk 7 and may be enlarged when the index image is displayed. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the explanation has been given on the assumption that registered image data of 8 dots per mm is stored in the RAM 4 for convenience, but the image data is stored in the RAM 4 of 16 dots per mm. It goes without saying that the enlarging process in step (8) shown in FIG. 7 may be omitted.

As described above, the present invention provides a designating unit for designating a cutout area of document image data displayed on a display device,
Index image writing means for enlarging the document image data in the cutout area designated by the designation means to an area size which divides the display area of the display into a predetermined number, and writing the index image of the document image data into the storage means; Is provided, even in the case of document image data having the same document format, particularly emphasized locations can be registered as index images, so that document image data having the same document format can be identified, and index image search efficiency can be greatly improved. . Also, since only the document image data in the designated area needs to be registered, the index image registration area can be set to a minimum, and there are excellent advantages such as a significant improvement in memory efficiency.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the specifying unit specifies the cutout area of the image data,
When the limiting means limits the size of the area specified by the specifying means, and the cutting means cuts out the image data of the area specified by the specifying means as index image data, the storage control means sets the index image data and the image When a plurality of index image data are read from the index image data stored in the storage unit, the size of the index image data read by the enlargement unit and the size of the predetermined area are stored. Based on the above, the read index image data is enlarged, and the display control means displays the enlarged index image data in the predetermined area, so that the display area is displayed within the size of the display area displayed as the index image data. In addition to specifying an appropriate index image, the registered index To expand to fit the box image in the display area, there is an effect that the index image data can be easily discriminated.

According to the image processing method of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method of displaying index image data in a predetermined area of a display unit and displaying image data corresponding to the designated index image data. Specify the cutout area of the image data, determine whether the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area,
If the size of the designated area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, the image data of the designated area is cut out as index image data, and the index image data and the image data are stored in the storage unit in association with each other. Reading a plurality of index image data stored in the storage means, expanding the read index image data based on the size of the read index image data and the size of the predetermined area, and Since it is displayed in a predetermined area,
When securing an area for index image data, specify an area of any size while restricting it so that it does not exceed a predetermined size, and specify an index specified by an area of any size. When displaying an image, there is an effect that even an index image cut out in a small size can be displayed in an optimal size covering the entire display area so as to be easily viewable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the appearance of the bitmap display and the pointing device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an index image registration operation according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an index image search according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the correspondence between image data and index images stored on the optical disk shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the file structure of the disk device shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an index image registration processing procedure in an image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a CPU, 1a is a ROM unit, 2 is a bit map display, 3 is a keyboard, 4 is RAM, 5 is VRAM, 6 is a disk device, 7 is an optical disk, 8 is a pointing device, and 9 is a bus.

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location G06F 15/62 330D

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for displaying index image data in a predetermined area of a display means and displaying image data corresponding to the designated index image data, wherein the image data is displayed on the display means. Specifying means for specifying an area; restricting means for restricting the size of the area specified by the specifying means based on the size of the predetermined area; and index image data for the image data of the area specified by the specifying means. Cutting means for cutting out, storage control means for storing the index image data and the image data in a storage means in association with each other, and reading and reading a plurality of index image data from the index image data stored in the storage means. Based on the size of the index image data and the size of the predetermined area, And enlarging means for enlarging only out index image data, the image processing device characterized by the index image data expanded by said expansion means, equipped with a, a display control means for displaying the predetermined region. 2. An image processing method for displaying index image data in a predetermined area of a display means and displaying image data corresponding to the specified index image data, wherein the cutout area of the image data displayed on the display means is provided. It is determined whether or not the size of the designated area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area. If the size of the specified area is smaller than the size of the predetermined area, Is cut out as index image data, the index image data and the image data are stored in a storage unit in association with each other, a plurality of index image data stored in the storage unit are read, and a size of the read index image data is read. And expands the read index image data based on the size of the predetermined area. An image processing method characterized by displaying an enlarged index image data in the predetermined region.