JPH05274424A - Image information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the amount of image data to be sent out to a network from an image file server. CONSTITUTION:When it is decided that the image data read out of an optical disk 11a can not be processed in the image memory 12e of a terminal device 12 for retrieval, the image data are converted into a live image through a compressing and expanding circuit 11c. This obtained live image is thinned out by a thinning-out processing circuit 11d corresponding to image size and density that the terminal device 12 requests. Then, the data are compressed through the compressing and expanding circuit 11c again and transferred to the terminal device 12 for retrieval through the LAN 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information processing apparatus such as an electronic filing apparatus which is network-connected to an image processing terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an electronic filing device has been used as an image file server, and image data (images) can be exchanged between this server and a search terminal device as an image processing terminal connected via a LAN (local area network). A system has been devised for performing a search process of (information).
In this system, code data (for example, various commands and title information as search information uniquely attached to each image data) and image data are transmitted and received.

In the conventional system, the image data stored in the optical disk of the image file server in a compressed state in advance is transferred to the search terminal device as it is (in a compressed state) via the LAN. Then, it is decompressed by the terminal device and used for output processing such as display and printing.

However, in the above-mentioned configuration, when the transfer of large-sized image data is taken into consideration, it is necessary to prepare an image memory equivalent to the image file server in the terminal device, resulting in high cost. There was a flaw. Further, since a large amount of data flows on the LAN, there is a problem that the amount of traffic increases and transfer also takes time.

[0005]

As described above, in the past, the image data was transferred to the search terminal device in a compressed state and the decompression and thinning processing was performed at the terminal device. However, the cost of the terminal device has been increased, and the speed of the search process has been hindered.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image information processing apparatus capable of constructing a cheaper system and reducing the time required for the search processing.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the image information processing apparatus of the present invention, in the case of being connected to an image processing terminal via a network, Receiving means for receiving a search request for image information, converting means for converting corresponding image information according to size designation information based on the search request received by the receiving means, and the image information converted by the converting means. It is composed of a transmitting means for transmitting to the image processing terminal.

Further, in the image information processing apparatus of the present invention, the storage means for storing the image information in a compressed state, the receiving means for receiving the image information search request from the image processing terminal, and the receiving means. Reading means for reading the image information based on the search request received by the means from the storage means, and judging means for judging whether the image information read by the reading means matches the size designation information included in the search request. When the determination means does not determine a match, the expanding means for expanding the image information read by the reading means, the converting means for converting the image information expanded by the expanding means in accordance with the size designation information, and the converting means. It comprises a compression means for compressing the converted image information and a transmission means for transmitting the image information compressed by the compression means to the image processing terminal. That.

Further, in the image information processing apparatus of the present invention, in the case of being connected to the image processing terminal via the network, the receiving means for receiving the image information search request from the image processing terminal, and the receiving means. It is composed of a conversion means for converting the corresponding image information according to the size designation information based on the search request received by the reception means, and an output means for outputting the image information converted by the conversion means.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since the image information can be converted (decimated) according to the size and density designation of the image processing terminal in advance by the above means, the amount of image information flowing on the network can be reduced. It is possible.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a processing system according to the present invention.

This processing system has a structure in which at least one image file server 11 and a search terminal device (image processing terminal) 12 are connected on a LAN 10.

The image file server 11 stores / manages image data (image information). For example, an optical disk 11a storing image data, a buffer memory 11b, a compression / expansion circuit 11c, a thinning processing circuit 11d, and an image memory 11e. , CRT display 11
f, an image printer 11g, a CPU 11h, and the like, which are known electronic filing devices.

The retrieval terminal device 12 retrieves the image data stored in the image file server 11 according to the user's operation. For example, the buffer memory 12b, the compression / expansion circuit 12c and the image memory 1 are used.
2e, CRT display 12f, image printer 1
2g and CPU12h etc. are comprised.

The search terminal device 12 may be composed of a well-known electronic filing device like the image file server 11 described above, or may be an EWS (engineering) such as a personal computer or a CAD terminal. -Work station). Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 2 shows the flow of processing relating to image data search processing in the image file server 11. For example, assume that a search request for image data is received from the search terminal device 12.

Then, the corresponding image data is searched according to the title information specified by the search request, and is read from the optical disk 11a. The read image data is stored in the buffer memory 11b in the compressed state.

The image size and density of the read image data are compared with the information (size designation information) designating the image size and density included in the search request. In this case, the title information for each image data stored in the optical disc 11a, the optical disc 1
CP on the address on 1a and the image size and density
It can be easily implemented by managing with U11h.

If it is determined by this comparison that the size of the read image data is the same as or smaller than the specified image size and the density is the same as or smaller than the specified density, then in the buffer memory 11b. The image data stored in is directly transferred to the search terminal device 12 via the LAN 10.

The image data thus sent to the search terminal device 12 is sent to the compression / expansion circuit 12c via the buffer memory 12b and expanded there. Then, the decompressed image data is converted into the required image size and density and stored in the image memory 12e, and is used for output processing such as display by the CRT display 12f or printing by the image printer 12g.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the size of the read image data is larger than the specified image size and the density is smaller than the specified density, the image data stored in the buffer memory 11b. Is sent to the compression / expansion circuit 11c, where it is expanded.

The image data converted into a raw image by passing through the compression / expansion circuit 11c is temporarily
After being stored in the image memory 11e, the thinning processing circuit 1
The thinning process is performed by 1d. As a result, the image data is converted into the density specified by the search request.

The image data converted to the specified density is temporarily stored in the image memory 11e, and then again.
It is passed through the compression / expansion circuit 11c and compressed. And
The data is transferred from the buffer memory 11b to the search terminal device 12 via the LAN 10.

The image data thus sent to the search terminal device 12 is sent to the compression / expansion circuit 12c via the buffer memory 12b and expanded there. Then, the decompressed image data is stored in the image memory 12e, so that it is used for output processing such as display by the CRT display 12f or printing by the image printer 12g.

In this case, since the image data is already converted and transmitted according to the image size and density required by the terminal device 12, it is simply compressed / compressed.
It is possible to use for various output processing only by decompressing with the decompression circuit 12c. As described above, the image data can be converted in advance according to the size and density designation required by the search terminal device.

That is, when it is determined that the image data read from the optical disk cannot be processed by the image memory of the terminal device, the image file server performs thinning processing and transmits it to the terminal device. As a result, the amount of image data (traffic amount) flowing on the network can be reduced, and high-speed transfer becomes possible. Therefore, it is possible to more efficiently perform consistent search processing from request to output in a short time without preparing a large image memory.

Particularly, in the case of a terminal device in which image processing is performed by an application (APL), since the processing takes time, high-speed processing can be performed on the server side so that there is no waste of processing. In addition, output failure (occurrence of an image that cannot be output) due to insufficient image memory is not caused.

In the above embodiment, the read image data is retrieved via the LAN 10 from the search terminal device 1
Although the case of transferring to 2 has been described, it is not limited to this,
For example, it can also be applied to a case where output processing is performed using the CRT display 11f or the image printer 11g of the server 11 in response to a request from the terminal device 12. Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0028]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image information processing apparatus capable of constructing a cheaper system and reducing the time required for the search processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart similarly shown for explaining the operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... LAN, 11 ... Image file server, 11a
... optical disk, 11b ... buffer memory, 11c ... compression / expansion circuit, 11d ... thinning processing circuit, 11e ... image memory, 11f ... CRT display, 11g ... image printer, 11h ... CPU, 12 ... search terminal device, 1
2b ... buffer memory, 12c ... compression / expansion circuit, 12
e ... Image memory, 12f ... CRT display, 12g
Image printer, 12h CPU.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image information processing apparatus connected to an image processing terminal via a network, comprising: receiving means for receiving a search request for image information from the image processing terminal; and a search request received by the receiving means. An image information processing apparatus comprising: a conversion unit that converts corresponding image information according to size designation information; and a transmission unit that transmits the image information converted by the conversion unit to the image processing terminal. . 2. Storage means for storing image information in a compressed state, receiving means for receiving a search request for image information from an image processing terminal, and image information based on the search request received by the receiving means. Reading means for reading from the storage means, judging means for judging whether the image information read by the reading means matches the size designation information included in the search request; and when the judging means does not judge the coincidence, the reading means Decompression means for decompressing the image information read by the means, conversion means for converting the image information decompressed by the decompression means according to the size designation information, and compression means for compressing the image information converted by the conversion means. An image information processing apparatus comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the image information compressed by the compression unit to the image processing terminal. 3. An image information processing apparatus connected to an image processing terminal via a network, the receiving means receiving a search request for image information from the image processing terminal, and the search request received by the receiving means. An image information processing apparatus comprising: a conversion unit that converts corresponding image information according to size designation information; and an output unit that outputs the image information converted by the conversion unit.