Image information retrieval network system

• US 5,325,483 A
• Filed: 04/04/1990
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ise, Hirotoshi, Takeda, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US07/504,303
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 364/518, 364/521, 364/522, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/930, 364/493, 340/747, 340/750, 395/162, 395/163, 395/164, 395/147, 345/113, 345/115, 345/116
• US Class Current: 345/501
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/327 Initiating, continuing or ending a single-mode communication; Handshaking therefor H04N1/32614 takes precedence

Abstract

In an image information retrieval network system having a file station storing a plurality of images to be searched in the form of compressed data by means of coding and at least one terminal station connected to the file station via a transmission line, the file station includes a processor for decoding compressed image data read from an image file to restore an original image, an image processor for processing the restored image data such as extracting a partial area thereof, and a coding processor for data-compressing the processed image data by means of coding. When a user at the terminal station designates a search condition, display mode, and control information for image processing, the file station reads the images satisfying the search condition from the image file, and causes the searched images to be subjected to the image processing designated by the control information. The processed image data are transmitted to the terminal station in the form of compressed data by means of coding.

Claims

1. An image information retrieval network system comprising a file station and at least one terminal station connected to said file station via a transmission line,

said file station comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of pages of images in a form of compressed image data having a data length shortened through data coding;

means for reading out page by page from said storage means said compressed image data requested by said terminal station;

first decoding means for decoding page by page said compressed image data read out from said storage means to restore said compressed image data to original image data;

image processing means for processing restored original image data received from said first decoding means page by page to convert said restored original image data into image data having a form requested by said terminal station;

coding means for compressing said processed image data through data coding; and

first communication means for transmitting as searched images said compressed image data read out from said storage means or said processed image data compressed by said coding means to said terminal station via said transmission line, and for receiving control information transmitted from said terminal station via said transmission line;

said terminal station comprising;

display means for displaying searched images;

input means operated by an user for designating first control information and second control information, said first control information representing a condition of image search to be executed at said file station, and said second control information including information for designating a display mode used in displaying said searched images on said display means and information for specifying image processing to be executed at said file station;

second communication means for transmitting said first control information and said second control information to said file station via said transmission line and for receiving read out or processed compressed image data transmitted from said file station;

second decoding means for decoding each of said read out or processed compressed image data received by said second communication means to restore said original image data to said searched images; and

means for outputting said image data restored by said decoding means to said display means;

wherein at said file station said image data is red out from said storage means in accordance with said first control information, and image processing by said image processing means and transmission of said read out or processed image data are executed in accordance with said second control information.

2. An image information retrieval network system according to claim 1, wherein

said image processing means of said file station includes means for extracting a partial image area specified by said second control information by an user at said terminal station, from said image data restored by said first decoding means,

whereby said compressed image data corresponding to said partial image are transmitted from said file station to said terminal station.

3. An image information retrieval network system according to claim 1, wherein

said file station further comprises control means for controlling image data reading means, said first decoding means, said image processing means, said coding means and said first communication means,

said control means rendering said plurality of controlled means to operate in a predetermined sequence and sequentially transmit said read or processed compressed image data to said terminal station, if user at said terminal station designates a consecutive transmission of a plurality of searched images with display mode designation information in said second control information.

4. An image information retrieval network system according to claim 3, wherein said control means includes means for controlling at least two of said image data reading means, said first decoding means, said image processing means, said coding means and transmission means to operate in parallel, if an user at said terminal station designates said consecutive image transmission mode.

5. An image data retrieval method for an image retrieval system including a file station with an image file which stores a plurality of images to be searched in a form of compressed image data having a data length shortened through data coding and at least one terminal station connected to the file station via a transmission line and having a display screen for displaying searched images, said method comprising the steps of:

indicating to said file station a search condition, a process mode which designates an image processing to be executed on searched images, and a display mode which designates a mode of outputting image data to said display screen;

reading out at said file station said compressed image data of image satisfying said search condition from said image file;

decoding at said file station each one of read-out compressed image data to restore said compressed image data to original image data;

subjecting at said file station each one of restored image data to an image processing designated by said process mode designated by said terminal station;

compressing at said file station each one of processed image data by data coding;

transmitting each one of processed, compressed image data from said file station to said terminal station in timings determined by said display mode;

decoding at said terminal station each one of said image data received from said file station; and

outputting at said terminal station said decoded image data on said display screen successively.

6. An image data retrieval method according to claim 5, wherein said file station extracts in said subjecting step a partial image area designated by said process mode from each one of said image data whereby compressed image data of partial images are transmitted from said file station to said terminal station.

7. A document image retrieval system comprising a file station and at least one terminal station connected to said file station via a transmission line, said file station comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of pages of document images in a form of compressed image data having a shortened data length resulting from data coding;

means for retrieving from said storage means said plurality of pages of document images;

first decoding means for converting each one of retrieved document images in said form of compressed image data into an original image data form through data decoding;

image processing means for processing each one of document images, each one of said document images having said original image data form, to obtain output document image data having a form designated by said terminal station;

coding means for converting said output document image data into a compressed image data form through said data coding; and

first communication means for transmitting said each one of retrieved document image data of said retrieved document images and said compressed image data to said terminal station via said transmission line, and for receiving control information transmitted from said terminal station via said transmission line;

said terminal station comprising;

display means for displaying a plurality of searched images successively;

input means for inputting by an user said control information to designate a condition of an image search to be executed at said file station, a display mode of said searched images on said display means and process parameters for specifying an image process operation to be executed at said file station;

second communication means for transmitting said control information to said file station via said transmission line and for receiving said retrieved document image data or said compressed image data transmitted from said file station;

second decoding means for converting each one of said retrieved document image data received by said second communication means into an original image data form through data decoding; and

means for successively outputting decoded document image data to said display means;

wherein at said file station document image data is retrieved from said storage means in accordance with said designated search condition, and image processing by said image processing means and transmission of said document image data from said file station are executed in accordance with said designated process parameters and display mode, respectively.

8. A document image retrieval system according to claim 7, wherein said image processing means of said file station includes means for extracting a partial image area specified by said process parameters from said document image restored by said first decoding means, thereby to deliver said searched images to said terminal station immediately.