JPH09245054A - Still image reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a user friendly operation for performing retrieval capable of intuitively recognizing the images in a still image reproducing device for storing plural still images and reading the images. SOLUTION: The still image stored in the image storage part 3a of a video output device 3 is read and displayed at a high-vision monitor 4, the image of the feature part of the image is extracted and the image is made into an icon. Then, the image made into the icon and the still image are related, and when the icon is selected, the still image is read and displayed at the high-vision monitor 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a still picture reproducing apparatus capable of performing a search using an image from an image file in which a large amount of image data is stored.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the image quality of television receivers has been improved, but in the current NTSC television broadcasting system, the image quality is limited. So NT
A television system called high-definition high-definition broadcasting, which has higher image quality than the SC system, has been proposed.

The number of scanning lines in this high-definition broadcast is NT
Since it is about twice as large as that of the SC system, and a clearer image can be obtained, it is useful not only for broadcasting a moving image but also for a still image that is sufficiently clear.

Therefore, it is possible to shoot a picture or an exhibit as a still image as a high-definition image, and display the taken still image on a high-vision monitor for display. As such a still image reproducing device, the applicant has proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3030176/1990.

In such a still image reproducing apparatus, a plurality of images are stored in the image storage section and the images are output by the operation of the operator. In addition, such an operation generally uses a button for showing a plurality of images formed on the screen, and the button may be an icon such as a character or an abstracted graphic. I was using it.

FIG. 4 shows the concrete display method.
That is, first, if you set the mode to search for images,
For example, the related images among the plurality of stored images are classified into “Western mansion”, “lakeside house”, “yacht”, “airplane”, “sculpture related”, “motorcycle related”, “Europe”, “lighthouse related”. The classified images are represented by characters and eight buttons are displayed on the screen. When the displayed button is selected with a mouse or the like, the image is selected and displayed on the monitor. If you select "Return", you will return to the initial screen. In this way, a desired image can be selected from the plurality of images.

However, with such an icon such as a character or an abstracted button, there is no choice but to guess the image of the image, and it is necessary for the image to know what kind of image the image is. It is necessary to display more specifically what is meant by adding a descriptive text such as characters. In addition, since it is difficult to display characters, it is difficult to guess the image of the image because it is represented by an abstracted icon or the like. As described above, conventionally, when operating this system, there is a drawback in that the operator must remember the image of the image and the icon to improve the learning effect of the operator.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and in a still image reproducing apparatus that stores a plurality of still image images and reads the images, the image of the images is intuitively obtained. The purpose is to be able to perform user-friendly operations that perform a search that can be understood.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image storage unit for storing a plurality of still images, a video output unit for outputting the still images read from the image storage unit, and the video output unit. Means for displaying an output image from the display unit, a read control unit for performing read control of the still image, an operation unit for giving an instruction command to the control unit, and an image for extracting a characteristic portion of the still image. Extracting means, icon means for iconifying the characteristic image extracted by the image extracting means, associating means for associating and linking the iconified image with the corresponding still image, and the iconized image Is specified by the operation unit, the control unit operates so that the corresponding still image is displayed on the monitor unit.
The present invention is a still image reproducing apparatus characterized in that when the control means selects an icon of a characteristic image extracted by the image extracting means, the entire image of the characteristic image is also displayed. is there.

The present invention is also a still picture reproducing apparatus characterized in that only the characteristic image iconized by the icon means is changed in brightness.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a flow chart diagram.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an operation device formed by a mouse or keyboard, 2 is operation control means formed by a personal computer, and 3 is a high-definition still image which is stored and output. Then, a video output device for outputting on-screen display output for operation, 3a is an image storage unit for storing still image images and on-screen display images, 3b is a control unit for performing various controls of the image storage unit 3a, 3c. Is a video signal processor, and 4 is a high-definition monitor.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1 and the flowchart of FIG. First, the operator controls the device controller 2 to read the still image stored in the image storage unit 3a from the device controller 2 by operating the operation device 1. Then, the image storage unit 3a
The still image stored from is output to the high-definition monitor 4 via the video signal processing unit 3c (S1).

The operator designates the characteristic portion of the image output by the video signal processing unit 3c by the operating device 1 (S2). In this designation, for example, a display portion represented by the high-definition monitor 4 is used as coordinates, and the coordinates are designated as points to designate a characteristic portion.

Then, the portion of the image having the designated characteristic is extracted and stored in the image storage section 3a, and the stored image is made into an icon (S3). The iconified image is associated with the base image, and the icon and the base image are linked (S4). Subsequently, the operator continuously reads out the base image and performs the same operation. When the association with the icon of the data image ends, this operation ends (S5).

Next, when calling the data image, for example, a list of characteristic image portions is displayed as icons as shown in FIG. 5, and a desired iconized image (FIG. 5a) is selected from the list. Then, the selected base image is displayed on the high-definition monitor 4. Further, from the selected iconized image (FIG. 5a), it is also possible to display an image showing the overall state of the image (FIG. 5b).
This makes it easier to recognize visually.

As another embodiment, the following method can be considered. That is, if a detailed image of a part of the entire image is used as the base image, a part of the entire image is raised by changing the contrast and the like, and when that part is specified, the base image is obtained. To be able to This operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, similarly to the method described above, the base image is read out (S6), and if there is a detailed base image for a part of the image, a part of the image is selected. Specify as icon (S
7). In order to make the selected partial image an icon, only the selected partial image is changed in contrast and brightness. For example, the part where the contrast and brightness are related to the partial image is made brighter than the others. In this way, the same operation is repeated in the same manner, and the icon is associated with the base image (S
8). When the iconification work is completed, the process ends (S9).

By doing so, a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed, and when the raised image (A, B, C, D, E) is clicked, the base image associated with the image is displayed on the high-definition monitor 4. It Although the display method as shown in FIG. 6 is adopted as an example, it goes without saying that only the image may be contrasted to make it stand out.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the base image is not stored, it is possible to search the database such that the base image can be intuitively recognized. Further, it is possible to construct a database that allows intuitive recognition of the type of search, route, etc. without special learning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional base image search screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a screen for searching a base image according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a base image search screen according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation device 2 Device control means 3 Video output device 3a Image storage unit 3b Control unit 3c Video signal processing unit 4 Hi-vision monitor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image storage unit for storing a plurality of still images, a video output unit for outputting the still images read from the image storage unit, and an image output from the video output unit. Monitor unit, a read control unit that controls reading of the still image, an operation unit that gives an instruction command to the control unit, an image extracting unit that extracts a characteristic portion of the still image, and the image extracting unit. An icon means for iconifying the characteristic image extracted in step 1, an associating means for associating and linking the iconified image with the corresponding still image, and designating the iconified image by the operation unit. A still image reproducing apparatus comprising: a control unit that operates so that the still image is displayed on the monitor unit. 2. The still image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the control means selects an icon of the characteristic image extracted by the image extracting means, the entire image of the characteristic image is also displayed. A still image reproducing device characterized by the above. 3. The still image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brightness of only the characteristic image iconized by the icon means is changed.