Image information search network system
First Claim
1. An image information search network system comprising:
- a communication network;
a bank station coupled to said communication network, said bank station including;
bank station storing means for storing a plurality of image information files in compressed form, andbank station control means for reading out of said bank station storing means and supplying onto said communication network at least one designated page of a designated image information file among the plurality of image information files stored therein in response to input search information;
a first search station coupled to said communication network and including;
directory means for storing management information on each page of the plurality of image information files stored in said bank station,search station processing means for expanding designated compressed image information file pages input thereto from said communication network into uncompressed form,first search station storing means for receiving and storing said expanded pages,first search station terminal means for generating search page input thereto from said first search station storing means, andfirst search station control means comprising;
means for reading out of said first search station storing means and supplying to said first search station terminal means said designated expanded page in response to a first search instruction from said first search station terminal means,means for referring to said directory means to obtain the management information on a designated page previous to or next to the designated expanded page presently being displayed in said first search station terminal means in response to said first search instruction,means for generating and outputting to said bank station control means via said communication network search information in accordance with said management information,means for receiving via said communication network and outputting to said search station processing means the designated page in compressed form, andmeans for receiving from said search station processing means and storing in said search station storing means the expanded designated page; and
a second search station coupled to said communication network and including;
second search station storing means for storing a second group of expanded pages,second search station terminal means for generating a second search instruction and for displaying a second designated expanded page input thereto, andsecond search station control means comprising;
means responsive to the second search instruction from said second search station terminal means for reading out of said second search station storing means and supplying to said second terminal means the second designated expanded page among the second group of expanded pages, andmeans for receiving from said second search station control means and storing in said second search station storing means the second expanded designated page,wherein said second search station control means further comprises means responsive to the second search instruction request for referring to said directory means to obtain the management information on the designated page previous to or subsequent to the second designated expanded page, and receiving from said search station control means the expanded page.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an image information search network system of the invention, image information file storing units of search stations installed at a plurality of different locations relatively distant from each other can commonly receive image information. Each image information file storing unit stores image information for a predetermined number of pages and an AWS (advanced work station) serving as a search terminal stores and displays image information for a designated page. File directory units for storing management information for searching image information are provided to some search stations, and are also used by the other search stations. An image information processing unit can be connected not only to a terminal control unit but also directly to the AWS. The terminal control unit is of a distributed processing type, and executes search processing for the respective AWSs. The terminal control unit can execute image file transfer processing and printing processing independently of the search processing. This allows independent control of the AWSs, a printer, and the image information file storing unit.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An image information search network system comprising:
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a communication network; a bank station coupled to said communication network, said bank station including; bank station storing means for storing a plurality of image information files in compressed form, and bank station control means for reading out of said bank station storing means and supplying onto said communication network at least one designated page of a designated image information file among the plurality of image information files stored therein in response to input search information; a first search station coupled to said communication network and including; directory means for storing management information on each page of the plurality of image information files stored in said bank station, search station processing means for expanding designated compressed image information file pages input thereto from said communication network into uncompressed form, first search station storing means for receiving and storing said expanded pages, first search station terminal means for generating search page input thereto from said first search station storing means, and first search station control means comprising; means for reading out of said first search station storing means and supplying to said first search station terminal means said designated expanded page in response to a first search instruction from said first search station terminal means, means for referring to said directory means to obtain the management information on a designated page previous to or next to the designated expanded page presently being displayed in said first search station terminal means in response to said first search instruction, means for generating and outputting to said bank station control means via said communication network search information in accordance with said management information, means for receiving via said communication network and outputting to said search station processing means the designated page in compressed form, and means for receiving from said search station processing means and storing in said search station storing means the expanded designated page; and a second search station coupled to said communication network and including; second search station storing means for storing a second group of expanded pages, second search station terminal means for generating a second search instruction and for displaying a second designated expanded page input thereto, and second search station control means comprising; means responsive to the second search instruction from said second search station terminal means for reading out of said second search station storing means and supplying to said second terminal means the second designated expanded page among the second group of expanded pages, and means for receiving from said second search station control means and storing in said second search station storing means the second expanded designated page, wherein said second search station control means further comprises means responsive to the second search instruction request for referring to said directory means to obtain the management information on the designated page previous to or subsequent to the second designated expanded page, and receiving from said search station control means the expanded page. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for searching an image information file comprising:
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generating a first search instruction in a first search station; referring to a file directory in response to the first search instruction to obtain management information regarding a designated page previous to or subsequent to a designated expanded page; generating search information in accordance with said management information; reading out from a bank station via a network at least one designated page of a designated image information file among a plurality of image information files in compressed form in response to said search information; expanding the designated image information file page; storing the expanded page in a first page buffer; reading out from the first buffer and displaying a designated expanded page among the expanded pages stored in the page buffer in response to the search instruction; generating a second search instruction in a second search station; referring to the file directory in response to the second search instruction to obtain the management information on a second designated page previous to or subsequent to a second designated expanded page; and transferring via the network and storing in a second page buffer the expanded page. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification