JP3333893B2 - Image display method in electronic editing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic editing system used in the field of printing and plate making, when displaying high-resolution continuous tone image data and line drawing data on a display device by appropriately switching the resolution. The present invention relates to a method for displaying a useful image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a digital editing system, high-resolution continuous tone image data and line drawing data have been input as images.
When displaying on a display device by appropriately switching the resolution, the following three types of display methods have been mainly used.
First, in the first display method, a binary image is inputted at a high resolution from the original line drawing data, an automatic recognition process of a closed region is performed on the high-resolution binary image data, and a boundary of the high-resolution region is obtained. Is generated and stored. In this method, when a display request is issued, the above-described high-resolution vector data is read, converted to a designated display resolution, and displayed on a display device. Next, in the second display method, the high-resolution vector data is subjected to a vector data thinning process at a preset thinning rate, and thinned vector data is generated and stored as display vector data. deep. Then, when there is a display request, the above-described display thinning vector data is read,
This is a method of converting to a specified display resolution and displaying it. Further, in the third display method, the display master graphic is stored as high-resolution bitmap data for a continuous tone image, and when a display request is issued, the above-mentioned display graphic is adapted to conform to the designated display resolution. This is a method in which display data is generated by enlarging / reducing bitmap data.

[0003]

Each of the conventional methods for displaying line drawing data has the following problems.
That is, in the method of reading out the first high-resolution vector data every time, converting the data into a predetermined display resolution and displaying the converted data, the number of these vector data points is usually from several thousand to several hundred thousand. For this reason, it takes time to convert the resolution, and the waiting time until the end of the display increases.
In the method of converting to the display resolution based on the second thinned-out vector data, the conversion time is shortened. However, when the display resolution is increased and the display is enlarged, the error increases and the quality of the screen deteriorates. Would. Further, in the method of storing a master figure as the third bitmap data, an enormous amount of high-resolution continuous tone image data is read out every time, and bitmap arithmetic processing for enlargement / reduction to a designated display resolution is performed. Must wait for the display to be completed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital editing system for inputting and displaying high-resolution image data.
The high-resolution continuous tone image data and binary image data are thinned out at a plurality of thinning rates set in advance and stored as hierarchical structure data, and when a display request is issued, the hierarchy closest to the display resolution is requested. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for displaying high-resolution image data in which structure data is read out and output to a display device, and data closest to a required resolution is reproduced in a short time.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for displaying an image in an electronic editing system in which a high-resolution image is input, electronically edited and stored.
A first step of inputting a high-resolution continuous tone image, sequentially thinning out the continuous tone image based on a first thinning table including a plurality of thinning rates set in advance, and storing the thinned continuous tone image as first hierarchical structure data. A hierarchical structure data generating step, a high-resolution binary image is input, and the binary images are sequentially thinned based on a second thinning table including a plurality of thinning rates set in advance. A second hierarchical structure data generating step of storing the data as data, sequentially reading the second hierarchical structure data, automatically performing a closed region automatic recognition process on the read binary image, and approximating the generated boundary points by a polygonal line; A third hierarchical structure data generating step of storing each closed region as third hierarchical structure data composed of a polygonal line vector, and generating the first to third hierarchical structure data based on a preset display magnification. An image synthesis display step of performing read / read, image synthesis, output to a display device, correction / update processing of a synthesized image in response to correction / update processing of the first to third hierarchical structure data, and output to the display device And an electronic editing step of electronically editing the first to third hierarchical structure data while viewing the composite image.

[0006]

According to the present invention, continuous tone image data, binary image data, and vector image data input at high resolution in an electronic editing system are thinned out at a plurality of thinning rates set in advance and stored as hierarchical structure data. Therefore, when an image display request is issued, even if the display resolution is changed, the hierarchical structure data closest to the requested display resolution is read out, and a predetermined enlargement / reduction conversion is performed and displayed. Image data that can be output to the device and is closest to the original high-resolution input image in a short time,
It can be faithfully reproduced and expressed.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image processing system on which the present invention is based will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of an image processing system, in which a plurality of editing workstations 10 are provided.
Are connected to each other via Ethernet, and one of the workstations 10 is connected to a galley printer 20 for performing galley printing with relatively low image quality. Further, a workstation 30 for a server having a data server and a recorder server function is connected to the Ethernet. The server workstation 30 has a mount input device 40 for reading and inputting a layout sheet for printing. A plurality of color scanners 50, 50 which are connected via the input controller 40A and read and input a color image or a monochrome image such as a picture, a character, a figure, or the like by color separation and input, via the plurality of input controllers 50A, 50A. It is connected. Further, the server workstation 30 has an output synchronizing buffer 70 for synchronizing with the functions of decompression, halftone printing, merging (for line drawing and continuous tone (monotone) image), and buffering.
And a film printer 60 that outputs a high-quality image through the printer.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which a plurality of editing workstations 10 and one server workstation 30 are systematically connected. As shown in FIG. 2, one editing / server workstation 30A is provided. It is also possible to use a stand-alone configuration. Each workstation is further provided with other information (eg, LAN (Lo) from outside.
cal Area Network), information from another computer system, and the like. Although the output synchronization buffer 70 is interposed between the server workstation 30 and the film printer 60 in the configuration examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the output synchronization buffer 70 may be built in the film printer 60. .

The editing workstation 10 and the server workstation 30 can take various forms depending on the system configuration. For convenience, an example of the same hardware configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The workstation 30 (or 10) is a CPU 301 that performs overall control.
And a hard disk 302 for storing necessary information, a CRT 303 as display means, and a pointing means such as a keyboard 304 and a mouse 305, a digitizer 306, a trackball, and a joystick as input operation means. A floppy disk (FD) 307 as a means can be loaded.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the system shown in FIG. 1. The board information KS (1 bit) read by the board input device 40 is transmitted to the workstation 30 via the input controller 40A. It has become
C of four colors read by a plurality of color scanners 50, 50
MYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
w, Black) color information CL1, CL2 (= 3
2 bits; or K monocolor information = 8 bits) is sent to the workstation 30 via the input controllers 50A, 50A. Input controller 40A (50A)
Is designed to simultaneously perform high-density data processing for high image quality processing and coarse-density data processing for display etc. in parallel, realizing high speed overall and efficient data processing. Has been realized. Input controller 40A,
50A has the same configuration, and the thinning section 401 repeatedly thins out in a feedback manner, for example, 1/2, 1 /
The input data KS (CL1, CL2) is thinned out at an integer ratio such as 3,..., 1/6,..., 1 / n, but of course high-density data required for high-quality output is thinned out. Not executed. In the input controller 40A (50A), the data compression is performed by the compression unit 402 together with the data thinning, and the thinned and compressed data is temporarily stored in a buffer (not shown).

The data (1 bit (line drawing information), 8 bits (mono color), 32 bits (full color)) temporarily stored in the input controller 40A (50A) are input to the server workstation 30 as input information INS. External information EXS from another personal computer or the like connected to the external system is also input to the server workstation 30. The server workstation 30 has a scan server 320 for converting the format of each input information and registering an image, and further has a recorder server 310 for managing an output job, and assigning information from the recorder server 310. (Characters, figures, tables,
Information for specifying the layout and size of photos, etc.) PSD
Is input to the raster image processing unit (PSRIP) 312. The server workstation 30 has a data disk 311 for storing image data, and the image data IGS read from the data disk 311 is stored in an image replacement unit (Open PrePress Int).
interface 313). Image replacement unit 3
13 is input to the raster image processing unit 312, and the raster image processing unit 312
At 12, a raster image is formed into a raster image, and a picture or the like in the image data is converted to a halftone dot. If necessary, the raster data RD which has been compressed is input to the output synchronization buffer 70. The output synchronizing buffer 70 synchronizes the data output with the printing speed of the film printer 60, performs necessary decompression on the data that has been compressed, and transmits the data to the film printer 60 after performing merging or halftone printing. I do.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed software configuration of the server workstation 30, and includes input information INS.
The external information EXS and the external information EXS are input to a format conversion unit 321 in the scan server 320, and the format-converted data is used to generate a display image (display image) by a display image generation unit 322, and further an icon image (icon image). ) Is created, and the image registration unit 324 performs an image registration process. Display image and icon image registration data SS output from scan server 320
D is input to the database manager 330 and stored therein, while the image data IG is stored in the data disk 311.
To the layout data (PostScript D)
ata) PS is input to the recorder server 310 which manages output jobs. Database manager 330
Includes a large pasting module 340 for imposing each page, an image processing module 350 for performing line drawing pre-processing (noise removal, rotation, etc.), retouching and clipping processing of a continuous tone image, A plate collection module 36 for collecting image data such as image arrangement, figure generation, and halftone printing.
0, a data management module 370 that performs output job management, data management, and the like, and an operation data control module 380 that performs color editing, hatching editing, land registration, and the like are connected by software.

Here, the processing operation of the database manager 330 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. When registration data SSD such as a mount and a component image transmitted from the scan server 320 is input (step S1). Is stored in the data disk 311 as image data IG via the database manager 330 (step S2). At the time of data correction, the database manager 330 reads out image data from the data disk 311, and performs retouching (correction work for correcting colors, gradations, scratches, etc.), dust removal, clipping, and the like with the image processing module 350, Manager 330
(Step S3). Next, the database manager 330 performs a plate collection process (by arranging the mount, arranging each component along the mount, and performing character processing, thereby synthesizing components such as characters, figures, images, and the like according to the designated layout). First, the database manager 330 reads out the image data IG from the data disk 311, performs the plate collection operation by the plate collection module 360, and then transfers the processed data to the data disk 311 via the database manager 330. Store. And furthermore, data disk 3
Read image data IG from 11 and paste large module 3
The user performs an imposition instruction and work by using the database 40, stores the imposition data in the data disk 311 via the database manager 330, and performs the imposition (Step S).
5) Next, the data is taken out from the data disk 311 to the database manager 330 and the recorder server 310 is retrieved.
Output processing (step S6). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing data and functions of which the operator is conscious of the relationship between the target of input data (binary data, layout information, bitmap data, and continuous tone image) and the process (input, plate collection / edit, output). Binary data such as line drawings and mounts are read by the mount input device 40 or the color scanner 50 and subjected to dust removal, retouching, rotation, enlargement / reduction processing, and become image editing data. Information is R
IP (Raster Image Processo)
r; expands data expressed in a page description language such as PostScript and converts it into bitmap data or the like) to become image editing data. The bitmap data is format-converted by a filter into image editing data, and the continuous tone image is read by the color scanner 50 or directly input and subjected to retouching, clipping, and image processing to be image editing data. . Keywords as data management information, image names, and job names are also taken into the image editing data. Image editing data is subjected to processing such as backing (automatic recognition of closed areas), drawing, object editing, compositing, deformation, rotation, half-tone dot / attribute change, layout, photo embedding, history image display change, distributed editing , Data storage is executed. After each of the above processes, separation, special color printing, and trapping are performed, and imposition on a page-by-page basis is performed to complete plate collection / editing. "Special color version"
Is a plate for printing with inks other than ordinary CMYK, for example, (1) “gold red” of black and gold in two-color printing, (2) gold and silver, (3) photograph When expressing the color of a woman's lipstick in a color, the lipstick portion is made into a separate version, and is used in addition to ordinary CMYK, for example, and overlaid with ink. In addition, the term “trapping” specifically refers to overlapping little by little in order to prevent white spots due to printing misalignment when arranging the pieces by pulling out the hairs. The data collected / edited by the server workstation 30 is output to the galley printer 20 by the galley printer 20 and the PDL (Pag
e Description Language (for example, PostScript) output or a film output from the film printer 60.

FIG. 8 corresponding to FIG. 5 shows the relationship of the database network between the database manager 330 and the recorder server 310, the non-document processing modules 600a to 600m, and the document processing modules 500a to 500n. The numbered devices perform the same function and the recorder server 310
Has a PSRIP 312 built therein, and the recorder server 310 performs network communication via a database network and a database communication unit 550. In the recorder server 310, the output data transferred from the network is stored in the spooler 7.
20, the print arrangement to the file or the like is reconstructed by the rearrangement processing unit 730,
The print data is expanded into actual print image data by the RIP 312 and stored on the OPI disk 313 as an output spool. Thus, when the print image data is ready,
The print image data is output to the output processing synchronization buffers 701 to 70k via the print control units 740a to 740k, and the print image is output to the galley printer 20 and the film printer 60. The processes from the process of receiving output data from the network to the process of transmitting print image data to the output processing synchronization buffer are sequentially executed based on the control of the job management unit 710. I have.

The database network has one or more document processing modules 500a to 500n.
As shown in FIG. 9, each document processing module includes an operation input processing unit 510 for processing mouse operations and key inputs, and a document management unit for controlling communication with a database network. 540, a data processing unit 520 that performs actual data processing, and a display processing unit 5 that displays the processed result on the display devices 700a to 700n.
30 are provided. Thus, the data processing unit 52
In 0, a processing history management unit 650 that records and reproduces the history of data processing, a closed region recognition processing unit 640, a CT image boundary extraction unit 660, a PDL generation unit 670, and an edit target are managed as tree-type data. Path management unit 620 and image cache management unit 630 that processes continuous tone image data
An object management unit 610 and the like are provided, and these data processing unit components have a software configuration that can be used alone or in combination with a plurality of them as appropriate. Note that a typical example of the document processing module is a plate collection module 360 shown in FIG.

Further, the database network includes 1
One or more non-document processing modules 600a to 600
As shown in FIG. 10, each non-document processing module includes an operation input processing unit 510 for processing mouse operation and key input, and a database for controlling communication with a database network. Communication unit 5
50 and a data processing unit 520 for performing actual data processing
And a display processing unit 530 for displaying the processing result on the display device 700 or the like. Thus, the data processing unit 520 includes a processing history management unit 650 that records and reproduces a history of data processing, a closed region recognition processing unit 640, a CT image boundary extraction unit 660, a PDL generation unit 670, and an editing target. An object management unit 610 including a path management unit 620 that manages the data as tree-type data and an image cache management unit 630 that processes the continuous tone image data is provided. It has a software configuration that can be used in appropriate combinations. Note that the non-document processing modules include a large attachment module 340, an image processing module 350, and a cutout module shown in FIG.

The above-mentioned document management modules 500a to 500n and non-document processing modules 600a to 600
The difference from m is that communication with the database network is performed via the document management unit 540 or the database communication unit 55
0, the database communication unit 55
The main difference is that only a normal connection process can be executed when connecting to the network via the network management server 0, but a distributed editing process can be executed when connecting to the network via the document management unit 540.

In such a configuration, the image display method of the present invention, which is effective when electronically editing high-resolution image data in the document processing module 500a or the non-document processing module 600, will be described in further detail. FIG. 11 corresponding to FIG. 8 shows the main hardware and software components related to the image display processing of the present invention extracted from the electronic editing system. 8 carry out the same functions, and the document processing module 5
00 or the non-document processing module 600 includes an operation input processing unit 510 for inputting an operator's setting operation or activation operation.
A data processing unit 520 that performs general data processing, a display processing unit 530 that converts a result of the data processing into data that can be displayed on the display device 700 and reproduces the data, and a document management unit that controls communication with the database manager 330. Part 540
Alternatively, a database communication unit 550 is provided. Further, inside the operation input processing unit 510, a display resolution setting unit 512 related to the image display method of the present invention is provided as one of the components,
The data processing unit 520 includes a closed area recognition processing unit 640, a path management unit 620 that manages vector objects, and an image cache management unit 630 that manages continuous tone image objects or binary image objects. An object management unit 610 is provided. Further, inside the display processing unit 530, a display control information input unit 532 for inputting a display range, an object number, a display resolution, and the like from the data processing unit 520, and display hierarchical data for reproducing a display image from the object number A selection reproduction unit 534 and a display image memory 536 are provided. When a new object is read into the object management unit 610 or an object stored in the object management unit 610 is corrected or deleted, the object update information is updated. The information is transmitted to the display control information input unit 532.

Next, the image display operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the document processing module 500 or the non-document processing module 600
Prior to the image display processing in, the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data, the binary image hierarchical structure data, and the vector image hierarchical structure data are generated in the following procedure and stored in the data disk 311 respectively.

First, in the process of creating the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data, the original of the continuous tone image is set on the color scanner 50 shown in FIG. 8 and converted into a high resolution continuous tone image. The data is temporarily stored in a storage unit (not shown) built in the controller 50A. Next, when the scan server 320 is operated by the operator and the main menu D2 as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the display device of the scan server 320, when the "option" menu is selected by operating the mouse, the display screen is displayed. 1
5 and a list of "option" menus appears. Then, when the image input setting command D140 is selected from the menu, an image input setting dialogue D160 appears on the display screen, so that the control parameter setting operation for the continuous tone image is performed. In this operation, first, the original resolution of the color scanner 50 is input as a numerical value into the input resolution D162. Subsequently, after appropriately setting the compression switch D164 and the compression method D166, the thinning table D1 is set.
70 is set. In this thinning table setting operation, first, the number of thinning times D172 is input as a numerical value.
A desired thinning-out rate is numerically input or selected and set in each column of D174 of the thinning-out rate 1 to D188 of the thinning-out rate n. Thereafter, when the operator confirms that each setting data is correct and presses the execute button D190, the control parameters for the continuous tone image are registered in the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 shown in FIG. 18, and the input setting operation is completed. .

Subsequently, returning to the main menu D2 in FIG. 14, when the "File" menu is selected, a "File" menu list as shown in FIG. 16 appears. From this menu, select the image read command D8. Then
A read dialog D21 as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the screen. Therefore, the filter D22, the directory D24
When a desired file name is generated in the selection D28 by appropriately selecting each parameter of the file D26 or inputting characters from the keyboard, after confirming that the file name is correct, pressing the execution button D30 in FIG. The generation processing of the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data is started.

In the generation processing of the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data, first, the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 as shown in FIG. 18 is transferred from the scan server 320 of FIG. 8 to the input controller 50A of FIG. Then, the control information of the input controller 50A (not shown) decodes these control information, and the thinning table 1100 in FIG.
Is selected. Subsequently, the above-described high-resolution continuous tone image temporarily stored from the storage unit incorporated in the input controller 50A is read out, thinned out at a thinning rate of 1, and returned to the storage unit again as a first thinned image. It is saved additionally. Next, the thinning rate 2 registered in the thinning table 1100 is selected. If the image with the thinning rate 2 can be generated by thinning the first thinned image, the first thinned image is output. If it cannot be generated from one thinned image, the original high-resolution continuous tone image is read out from the above-mentioned storage means, thinned out at a thinning rate of 2 and added to the above-mentioned storage means as a second thinned image. You. Hereinafter, similarly, the above-described thinning process for the continuous tone image is repeated the number of times specified by the thinning frequency 1110, and when all the thinned image generation processes are completed, the database manager is input from the input controller 50A via the scan server 320. The above-described continuous-tone image hierarchical structure data is transferred collectively to 330, and is stored in the hierarchical structure data 800 of the data disk 311 shown in FIG. When the input image is a color high-resolution continuous tone image, for example, the above-described thinning process is performed on three types of high-resolution continuous tone images of filter red, filter green, and filter blue, respectively. Repeated times. Thus, the process of generating the continuous-tone image hierarchical structure data ends (step S12 in FIG. 12).

Next, the process of creating the binary image hierarchical structure data will be described. First, a line drawing document is set on the mount input device 40 shown in FIG. After being converted to
A is temporarily stored in a storage unit (not shown) built in A. Subsequently, the scan server 32 is operated by the operator.
0 is operated, and the display device of the scan server 320
When the main menu D2 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed, the same operation as the above continuous tone image input setting operation is performed to select the "option" menu, and then the image input setting as shown in FIG. When command D140 is selected,
Since the image input setting dialog D160 appears on the display screen, the control parameter setting operation for binary image input is executed in the same manner as the control parameter setting operation for continuous tone image. When the operator confirms that the setting data is correct and presses the execution button D190 of the dialog D160 after the thinning table D170 and the like are appropriately set, the binary image control parameters are changed to the hierarchical structure data shown in FIG. The information is registered in the control information 1000, and the input setting operation ends. Subsequently, returning to the main menu D2 of FIG.
When the "File" menu is selected, a file menu list as shown in FIG. 16 appears. When the mount image read command D6 is selected from the list, a read dialog D21 as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the screen. Therefore, if the parameters of the filter D22, the directory D24 and the file name D26 are appropriately selected or characters are input from the keyboard, a desired file name is generated and displayed in the selection D28. After confirming that the file name is correct, When the execution button D30 in FIG. 17 is pressed, the generation processing of the binary image hierarchical structure data is started.

In the process of generating the binary image hierarchical structure data, first, the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 as shown in FIG. 18 is transferred from the scan server 320 of FIG. 8 to the input controller roller 40A of FIG. Then, the control means of the input controller 40A (not shown) decodes these control information, and the thinning table 110 of FIG.
The thinning rate 1 registered in 0 is selected. continue,
The above-described high-resolution binary image temporarily stored is read out from a storage unit incorporated in the input controller 40A,
The thinning process is performed at the thinning rate of 1, and the image is additionally stored again in the storage unit in the input controller roller 40A as the first thinned binary image. Next, the thinning rate 2 registered in the thinning table 1100 is selected.
If the value image can be generated by thinning out the first thinned image, the first thinned binary image is generated. If the value image cannot be generated from the first thinned image, the original high-resolution binary image is generated. Is read out from the storage means and subjected to the thinning-out processing at the thinning-out rate 2, and is additionally stored in the storage means as a second thinned-out binary image. Hereinafter, in the same manner, the number of thinning is 1
The thinning process for the binary image described above is repeated the number of times designated at 110, and when all the thinned binary image generation processes are completed, the binary controller described above is sent from the input controller 40 A to the database manager 330 via the scan server 320. The image hierarchical structure data is transferred collectively, and the hierarchical structure data 81 of the data disk 311 shown in FIG.
0 is stored. Thus, the process of generating the binary image hierarchical structure data ends (step S14 in FIG. 12).

Finally, the process of creating the vector image hierarchical structure data will be described. First, the binary image hierarchical structure data 8
After the file 10 is stored in the data disk 311, the operator selects the document processing module 500 or the non-document processing character module 600 shown in FIG.
When the main menu D2 as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed at 00, selecting the "File" menu from the menu causes a "File" menu list as shown in FIG. 16 to appear. When the vector hierarchical structure generation command D19 is selected, a vector hierarchical structure generation dialogue D280 as shown in FIG. 19 is displayed on the screen. Then, by pressing the button D25, first, input processing of the source file name for the binary image hierarchical structure data is performed. After pressing button D25 with this source file name, file D22, directory D24 and file name D26
Is selected or characters are input from the keyboard, a desired binary image hierarchical structure data file name is generated and displayed in the source D28. Next, button D
When the user presses the button 27 and appropriately selects the parameters of the file D22, the directory D24, and the file name D26 or inputs characters from the keyboard, the destination D2 is displayed.
9, a desired vector image hierarchical structure data file name is generated and displayed. Then, after confirming that these file names are correct, when the execute button D30 in FIG. 19 is pressed, the generation processing of the vector image hierarchical structure data is started.

In the process of generating the vector image hierarchical structure data, first, the operation input processing unit 510 shown in FIG. 11 sends the binary image hierarchical structure data file name indicating the storage source of the input binary image to the data processing unit 520, , The file name for the vector image hierarchical structure data for storing the generated vector image is transferred. Next, the binary image file name is transferred from the data processing unit 520 to the database manager 330, and the binary image having the predetermined file name stored in the binary image hierarchical structure data 810 is transferred from the data disk 311. The high-resolution binary images are sequentially read out and written to the image cache management unit 630 provided inside the data processing unit 520 (step S2 in FIG. 12).
2). Subsequently, the closed region recognition processing unit 640 is activated, performs closed region recognition processing on the high-resolution binary image in the image cache management unit 630, and sequentially performs boundary management of each automatically recognized closed region. Stored in the unit 620. Thus, when the closed region recognition processing for the high-resolution binary image is completed, the thinned-out binary image is read out from the binary image resolution structure data 810 of the data disk 311 with the thinning rate of 1 with the predetermined file name, and the image is read again. Cache management unit 63
Written to 0. After that, the closed area recognition processing unit 640 is activated, the closed area recognition processing is performed on the thinned binary image with the thinning rate of 1, and the boundary points of the automatically recognized closed areas are sequentially added to the path management unit 620. Will be saved. Thus, when the closed region recognition processing for the thinned-out binary image with the thinning-out rate 1 is completed, the binary images with the thinning-out rate 2, the thinning-out rate 3,... Then, the closed area recognition processing is executed, and the boundary points of the automatically recognized closed areas are sequentially added to the path management unit 620 and stored (step S24 in FIG. 12). In this way, binary images having a predetermined file name are sequentially read from the binary image hierarchical structure data 810, are recognized as closed regions, and are stored in the path management unit 620 as a sequence of boundary points. Then, it is converted into a vector image in which the number of boundary points is reduced (Step S26 in FIG. 12). As a method of converting such a closed region boundary point into a polygonal polygon, there are, for example, a minimax direct approximation method, a kurozumi method, a ramel method, a Skransky method, and the like, which are included in the image processing program “SPIDER”. . In this way, after the boundary point sequence of the closed area is linearly approximated and converted into a vector image, the data disk 31 is given a predetermined file name.
1 is written into the vector image hierarchical structure data 820 (step S28 in FIG. 12), and the generation processing of the vector image hierarchical structure data ends.

As described above, the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data 80
The 0 and binary image hierarchical structure data 810 and the vector image hierarchical structure data 820 are generated and stored in the data disk 311 respectively.

Next, the document processing module 5 shown in FIG.
The display operation of an image during a normal electronic editing operation in the 00 or non-document processing module 600 will be described. First, in the reading and displaying process of the continuous tone image, the display device 70
When the "File" menu is selected from the main menu D2 shown in FIG. 14 displayed on the upper part of the screen of FIG. 0, a list of file menus as shown in FIG. 16 appears. When the command D8 is selected, a cursor D8 as shown in FIG.
1 appears. Therefore, the reading range setting operation of the continuous tone image is performed as follows (step S42 in FIG. 12). First,
The cursor D81 described above is moved by mouse operation, and one end of a desired reading range (the position of point P30 in the example of FIG. 20).
If the left mouse button is released after moving the cursor D81 to the other end of the reading range (the position of the point 32 in the example of FIG. 20) while pressing the left mouse button, the mouse D is released. , The reading range D310 of the continuous tone image can be set. After this, the file read button D3 in FIG.
When the user presses "04", a dialog for reading an image as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed at another position on the screen, so that the filter D22, directory D24 and file name D26 shown in FIG.
Is selected or characters are input from the keyboard, a desired file name is generated and displayed in the selection D28 (step S44 in FIG. 12). Therefore, after confirming that this file name is correct, FIG.
When the execute button D30 is pressed, the reading and displaying process of the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data is started (Step S46 in FIG. 12). In the reading and displaying process of the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data, first, the operation of FIG. The coordinates of the display range D310 in FIG. 20 and the file name of the continuous tone image set in the selection D28 are input from the input processing unit 510 to the data processing unit 520.
Is forwarded to Subsequently, the file name set in the selection D28 is transferred from the data processing unit 520 to the database manager 330, and the image hierarchy corresponding to the transferred file name from the continuous tone image hierarchy structure data 800 of the data disk 311 is transferred. The structure data control information (FIG. 18) is read and written into the object management unit 610 of the data processing unit 520. Then, a display request is sent from the object management unit 610 to the display control information input unit 532 of the display management unit 530 along with the display range D310 shown in FIG.
And the hierarchical structure data control information of the continuous tone image read from the data disk 311 are output. Thus, a display request is output to the display processing unit 530 (FIG. 13).
In step S50), it is checked whether the control information transferred by the display control information input unit 532 is a display resolution update request (step S52 in FIG. 13). The information is sent to the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534. Subsequently, the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534 selects the thinning table 1 from the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 as shown in FIG.
100 are extracted (step S56 in FIG. 13), and the readout hierarchical level of the continuous tone image is calculated as follows.

That is, the display resolution is sequentially compared with the input image resolution 1010 stored in the hierarchical structure data control information and the input image resolution calculated from the thinning rates 1 to n. If there is, a request for reading a continuous tone image of the corresponding hierarchical level is output from the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534 to the object management unit 610. If the display resolution and the input image resolution calculated from the thinning rate in the hierarchical structure data control information do not match, the coarsest hierarchical level among the hierarchical levels indicating the input resolution larger than the display resolution is used. May be read. Further, when the display resolution does not match the above-described input image resolution, a continuous-tone image of a hierarchical level indicating the input image resolution closest to the display resolution may be read. Thus,
When the read hierarchy level of the continuous tone image is determined (step S58 in FIG. 13), the read request of the designated hierarchical level of the continuous tone image is transferred from the object management unit 610 to the database manager 330, and these images are transferred. Data is sequentially read from the data disk 311 and written into the image cache management unit 630 (step S60 in FIG. 13).

When the reading of the continuous tone image of the designated hierarchical level is completed, the object management unit 61
From 0, a read end signal is output to the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534, and the display hierarchy data selection / reproduction unit 534 calculates the cut-out range of the continuous tone image corresponding to the display range D310 in FIG. 20 (FIG. 13). Step S6
2), continuous tone images within the cut-out range are sequentially read from the image cache management unit 630, subjected to thinning / interpolation arithmetic processing, and overwritten on the display image memory 536 (step S64 in FIG. 13). Thus, the reading and displaying process of the continuous tone image hierarchical structure data is completed.

Next, the reading and displaying process of the binary image will be described. When the "File" menu is selected from the main menu D2 as shown in FIG. A list of the file menu as shown in FIG. 16 appears. If the user selects the mount image read command D6 from the list, the screen shown in FIG.
A cursor D81 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the reading range setting operation of the binary image is performed as follows. First, the cursor D81 is moved by the mouse operation to the one end of the desired reading range. If the cursor D81 is moved to the other end of the reading range while pressing the left mouse button, the cursor D81 is moved to the other end of the reading range. Then, when you release the left mouse button,
The reading range of the value image can be set. To change the read range once set to another location, press the area release button D302 in FIG. 20 and then press the area set button D300, and the read range setting cursor D81 appears on the screen again. Therefore, the above operation may be repeated.

After that, the file read button D shown in FIG.
When a button 304 is pressed, a dialog for reading an image as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed. When parameters of the filter D22, directory D24 and file name D26 in FIG. A desired file name is generated and displayed. Then, after confirming that the file name is correct, when the execute button D30 in FIG. 17 is pressed, the readout display processing of the binary image hierarchical structure data is started.

In the reading and displaying process of the binary image hierarchical structure data, first, the coordinates indicating the binary image display range and the file name of the binary image set in the selection D28 from the operation input processing unit 510 in FIG. The data is transferred to the processing unit 520. Subsequently, the binary image file name of the selection D28 is transferred from the data processing unit 520 to the database manager 330, and the hierarchical structure of the image corresponding to the transferred file name from the binary image hierarchical structure data 810 of the data disk 311 is transferred. Data control information 1000 (FIG. 1)
8) is read and written to the object management unit 610 in the data processing unit 520. Then, the coordinates and the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 on the display range of the binary image are output from the object management unit 610 to the display control information input unit 532 of the display processing unit 530 together with the display request. Thus, when the display request is received by the display control information input unit 532, it is checked whether or not the control information received at the same time is a request for updating the display resolution (step S in FIG. 13).
52), if it is not a display resolution update request, the received control information 1000 as shown in FIG. 18 is sent to the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534. Subsequently, in the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534, the thinning table 1100 is extracted from the control information 1000 as shown in FIG. 18 (step S56 in FIG. 13). Is calculated.

That is, the display resolution and the control information 10
00, the input image resolution 1010 and the binary image resolutions calculated from the thinning rates 1 to n are sequentially compared, and if a matching image resolution exists, a binary image reading request at the corresponding hierarchical level is requested. Is output from the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534 to the object management unit 610. If the display resolution and the binary image resolution calculated from the control information 1000 do not match, a thinning process is performed to reproduce the binary image. In the image of
A binary image at the coarsest hierarchical level may be read. Furthermore, when the display resolution does not match the binary image resolution calculated from the control information 1000, the binary image is reproduced by performing the thinning / interpolation processing, so that the binary image resolution closest to the display resolution is used. May be read. Thus, when the read-out hierarchical level of the binary image is determined (step S58 in FIG. 13), a read request of the designated hierarchical level of the binary image is output from the object management unit 610 to the database manager 330, and these binary images are output. Data is sequentially read from the data disk 311 and written into the image cache management unit 630 (step S60 in FIG. 13).

When the reading of the binary image at the designated hierarchical level is completed, a read end signal is output from the object managing section 610 to the display hierarchical data selecting / reproducing section 534, and the display hierarchical data selecting / reproducing section 534 outputs the read end signal.
An area corresponding to the display range of the value image is calculated as a cutout range (step S62 in FIG. 13), and the binary images in this cutout range are sequentially read from the image cache management 630 and subjected to the thinning process or the thinning / interpolation process. Is overwritten on the display image memory 536 (step S in FIG. 13).
64). Thus, the readout display processing of the binary image hierarchical structure data ends.

Next, the readout display processing of the vector image will be described. As in the readout display processing of the continuous tone image and the binary image, the "file" menu is selected from the main menu D2 as shown in FIG. When selected,
A list of file menus as shown in FIG. 16 appears. If a vector image read command D7 is further selected from the list, a cursor D8 as shown in FIG.
1 appears. Therefore, the reading range setting operation of the vector image is performed as follows. First, the cursor D81 is moved by operating the mouse to move one end of the desired reading range (FIG. 20).
After the cursor D81 is moved to the other end of the reading range (the position of the point P36 in the example of FIG. 20) while pressing the left mouse button, the cursor is moved to the point P34 in the example of FIG. By releasing the left mouse button, the reading range D320 of the vector image can be set. To change the read range once set to another location, press the area release button D302 in FIG.
When the button is pressed, the reading range setting cursor D81 appears again on the screen, so that the above operation may be repeated.

After that, the file read button D shown in FIG.
When the user presses 304, an image reading dialog as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed. If appropriate parameters of the filter D22, directory D24 and file name D26 shown in FIG. Is generated and displayed.
Then, after confirming that the file name is correct, when the execute button D30 in FIG. 17 is pressed, the readout display processing of the vector image hierarchical structure data is started.

In the reading and displaying process of the vector image hierarchical structure data, first, the coordinates of the vector image display range D320 and the file name of the vector image set in the selection D28 are inputted from the operation input processing unit 510 in FIG. Is forwarded to Subsequently, the data processing unit 5
20, the vector image file name of the selection D28 is transferred to the database manager 330, and the hierarchical structure data control information 1000 of the image corresponding to the transferred file name from the vector image hierarchical structure data 820 of the data disk 311 (FIG. 8). Is read and written into the object management unit 610 in the data processing unit 520. Then, together with a display request from the object management unit 610 to the display control information input unit 532 of the display processing unit 530,
The coordinate and hierarchical structure data control information 1000 relating to the display range D320 of the vector image are output. Thus,
When the display request is received, the display control information input unit 532 checks whether the received control information is a display resolution update request (step S52 in FIG. 13). The received control information 1000 as shown in FIG. 18 is sent to the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534. Subsequently, the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534 extracts the thinning-out table 1100 from the control information 1000 (step S56 in FIG. 13), and calculates the read-out hierarchical level of the vector image as follows.

That is, the display resolution is sequentially compared with the input image resolution 1010 stored in the above-described control information 1000 and the vector image resolution calculated from the thinning rates 1 to n. Then, a request for reading the vector image of the corresponding hierarchical level is output from the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534 to the object management unit 610. If the display resolution does not match the vector image resolution calculated from the control information 1000, a reduction process is performed to reproduce the vector image. Among them, the vector image of the coarsest hierarchical level may be read.

Further, the display resolution and control information 10
If the vector image resolution calculated from 00 does not match, in order to reproduce the vector image by performing reduction / enlargement processing, a hierarchical level vector image indicating the vector image resolution closest to the display resolution may be read. Thus, when the readout hierarchy level of the vector image is determined (step S58 in FIG. 13), the object management unit 610
, A read request of the designated hierarchical level of the vector image is output to the database manager 330, and these vector image data are sequentially read from the data disk 311 and written to the path management unit 620 (step S60 in FIG. 13).

When the reading of the vector image of the designated hierarchical level is completed, the object management unit 610
Outputs a read end signal to the display hierarchical data selection / reproduction unit 534, and the display hierarchy data selection / reproduction unit 534 calculates an area corresponding to the display range D320 of the vector image as a cutout range (step S6 in FIG. 13).
2) The vector images within the cut-out range are sequentially read from the path management unit 620, subjected to reduction processing or reduction / enlargement processing, and overwritten on the display image memory 536.

(Step S64 in FIG. 13). Thus,
The process of reading and displaying the vector image hierarchical structure data ends.

Next, the operation for changing the display parameters will be described. The display parameters include a rotation angle and a resolution. When these parameters are changed during electronic editing, first, a main menu D shown in FIG.
When the "display" menu is selected from the menu items 2, a list of display menus as shown in FIG. 21 appears. For example, when the rotation command D50 is further selected from the list, a rotation button D52 appears. Therefore, this rotation button D52
Each time is pressed, the display image rotates clockwise by 90 °. When the display resolution command D54 is selected from the list of the display menu, dialogs D200 and D22 are displayed.
0 and D240 are displayed for the continuous hierarchy image, the binary image, and the vector image, respectively. Therefore, in the display resolution setting columns D202, D222, and D242, a desired numerical value is selected from the resolution menu in the lower column, or a numerical value is directly input from the keyboard, and an execution button D218,
When D238 or D258 is pressed, the display resolution updating process starts. In the display resolution updating process, first, the values of the display resolution setting columns D202, D222, and D242 are transferred from the operation input processing unit 510 of FIG. 11 to the data processing unit 520, and then displayed from the data processing unit 520. Display resolutions D202, D222, and D242 are input to the display control information input unit 532 of the processing unit 530.
Are transferred together with the update request. Then, the display control information input unit 532 checks whether the received control information is a display resolution update request (step S <b> 1 in FIG. 13).
52), if the display resolution is to be updated, the received resolution is reset for the continuous tone image, the binary image, and the vector image, respectively (step S54 in FIG. 13). When the display resolution updating process is completed, the hierarchical rank of the hierarchical structure data is calculated with the new display resolution updated from the next display request.

[0045]

As described above, according to the image display method of the present invention, in an electronic editing system, a plurality of continuous tone images, binary images or vector images input at a high resolution are set in advance. Since the thinning process is performed at the thinning rate and stored as hierarchical structure data,
When an image display request is issued, the image data of the hierarchical rank most suitable for the requested display resolution is read out, subjected to a predetermined enlargement or reduction conversion, reproduced and output to the display device, and can be output to the display device. An image most suitable for a high-resolution input image can be faithfully reproduced and displayed in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an electronic editing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of another system configuration of the electronic editing system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of hardware of an editing workstation used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a software configuration of the electronic editing system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a server workstation of the electronic editing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of the entire editing work of the electronic editing system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between data to be edited and a software process in the electronic editing system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of database communication in the electronic editing system of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a document processing module used in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a non-document processing module used in the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration example of an image display system according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the display processing unit.

FIG. 14 is an example of a main menu display screen of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an example of an “option” menu screen of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an example of a “file” menu screen of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an example of a file read dialog screen of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a data structure of hierarchical structure data control information of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is an example of a vector image generation dialog screen of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a continuous tone image reading operation of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is an example of a “display” menu screen of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 30, 30A Workstation 40 Board input device 50 Color scanner 40A, 50A Input controller 60 Film printer 70, 70a,... 70k Output synchronization buffer 310 Recorder server 311, 313 Data disk 312 Raster image processing device (PSRIP) 320 Scan server 330 Database manager 500a, 500b, ..., 500n Document processing module 600a, 600b, ..., 600m Non-document processing module 700a, 700b, ..., 700n Display device 510, 510a, 510b, ..., 510n Operation input Processing unit 520, 520a, 520b,..., 520n Data processing unit 530, 530a, 530b,..., 530n Display processing unit 540, 540a, 540b,. n Document management unit 550, 550a, 550b,..., 550n Database communication unit 610 Object management unit 640 Closed area recognition processing unit 650 Processing history management unit 660 CT image boundary extraction unit 670 PDL generation unit 710 Job management unit 720 Spooler 730 Re Arrangement processing unit 740a, ..., 740k Printer control unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06T 1/00 G06T 11/60-17/50 H04N 1/38-1/393 G09G 5/00-5 / 40 G06F 3/00 G06F 3/14-3/153

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electronic editing system for inputting a high-resolution image, electronically editing and storing a high-resolution continuous tone image based on a first thinning table including a plurality of thinning rates set in advance. A first hierarchical structure data generating step of sequentially thinning the continuous tone image and storing it as first hierarchical structure data; and a high resolution binary image input and a plurality of preset thinning rates. A second hierarchical structure data generating step of sequentially thinning the binary image based on a second thinning table and storing the same as second hierarchical structure data; and sequentially reading and reading the second hierarchical structure data A third hierarchical structure data in which the generated binary images are sequentially subjected to automatic closed region recognition processing, the generated boundary points are approximated by broken lines, and each closed region is stored as third hierarchical structure data composed of broken line vectors. Data generating step, reading out the first to third hierarchical structure data based on a preset display magnification, synthesizing the image, outputting the synthesized data to the display device, and correcting / modifying the first to third hierarchical structure data. An image synthesizing and displaying step of performing a correction / update processing of a composite image in response to the update processing and outputting the result to a display device; and an electronic editing step of electronically editing the first to third hierarchical structure data while viewing the composite image And a method for displaying an image in an electronic editing system. 2. In the image synthesis and display step, when a resolution calculated from a display magnification set for each of the hierarchical structure data does not match a resolution calculated from a thinning rate of the thinning table, 2. The image display method in the electronic editing system according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchical structure data having a higher resolution than the resolution calculated from the display magnification is read out, a thinned image is generated, and a display image is synthesized. 3. In the image synthesis and display step, when a resolution calculated from a display magnification set for each of the hierarchical structure data and a resolution calculated from a thinning rate of the thinning table do not match, 2. The image display method in the electronic editing system according to claim 1, wherein hierarchical configuration data having a resolution closest to the resolution calculated from the display magnification is read out, a thinned image is generated, and a display image is synthesized. 4. The image display method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous tone image is a color continuous tone image.