Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yuji Katsuta

Sakuharu Takano

Sumio Kita

Hiroshi Kamada

Toshiki Nishibori

Hiroshi Kamata

Disclosed is an electronic information retrieval apparatus in the apparatus when a retrieval instruction is supplied to the electronic information retrieval apparatus, broad sort names are read from storage (8) and are displayed on a CRT display. Within the displayed sort names, a desired one is designated by a keyboard (1), so that detailed sort names corresponding to the designated sort name are read from the storage (8) and are displayed on the CRT display (2). When an object detailed sort name is displayed and selected by the keyboard (1), corresponding picture information is displayed on the CRT display (2). This allows the user to efficiently retrieve stored information.

Electronic information retrieval apparatus for image information using

An image signal binarization system for documents containing a mixture of two level and multiple level tone areas, such as characters and photographs, would provide an improved output if the system could distinguish between the two areas and respond accordingly. The proposed system distinguishes between the two types of areas by examining the density of a target point in relation to the average density of the surrounding points. If the density of the target point falls within a predetermined range the area is determined to be a multi-tone section otherwise the area is determined to be a two-tone section. The binarization system upon determining a given section to be a two tone section forces the output to one or zero. For a multi-tone section the output is based upon the mean density.

Two tone and multiple image discrimination and signal binarization system

In an information registering and retrieving apparatus, primary information of image signals converted from an original document or documents is registered by adding secondary information to the primary information and any desired primary information is retrieved by utilizing the secondary information. The apparatus is provided with a first output reservation device for storing, in a storage device, desired secondary information designated in the entire secondary information retrieved on the basis of any given retrieval condition and for interrupting an output of the desired primary information corresponding to the designated secondary information on a display and by a printer. It is further provided with a second output reservation device for storing, in the storage device, desired primary information designated in the entire primary information corresponding to the retrieved secondary information and for interrupting an output of the desired primary information by the printer. In this apparatus, upon completion of retrieval processing, the primary information which has not been outputted yet is outputted on the basis of the information stored in the storage device.

Method and apparatus for registering and retrieving primary information

An image signal binary encoder for converting analog image signals into binary output signals, including an arithmetic circuit which calculates, when a predetermined area of a matrix having m rows and n columns and containing mxn points P.sub.a, b (a=i,---, i-m+1; b=j,---, j-n+1) is given so as to be enclosed by the points P.sub.i, j, P.sub.i-m+1, j, P.sub.i, j-n+1 and P.sub.i-m+1, j-n+1 where characters i, j, m and n denote natural numbers, respectively, an average of densities of the mxn points P.sub.a, b by calculating, on the supposition that characters x.sub.a, b denote the densities of the mxn points P.sub.a, b, respectively, a sum s.sub.i, j of n values from x.sub.i, j to x.sub.i, j-n+1 by the equation: s.sub.i, j =s.sub.i, j-1 +x.sub.i, j -x.sub.i, j-n and calculting a sum S.sub.i, j of m values from s.sub.i, j to s.sub.i-m+1, j by the equation: S.sub. i, j =S.sub.i-1, j +s.sub.i, j -s.sub.i-m, j and calculating an average A.sub.i, j of mxn values from x.sub.i, j to x.sub.i-m+1, j-n+1 by the equation: A.sub.i, j =S.sub.i, j /(mxn) such that the analog image signals are converted into the binary output signals by using the average A.sub.i, j obtained by the arithmetic circuit.

Image signal binary encoder

An image compressing device is described, which includes a circuit for dividing the binary signal into predetermined areas and for converting the binary signal into codes corresponding to predetermined patterns one for each predetermined area. It further includes a circuit for detecting a difference between the pattern corresponding to the code and the binary image signal, a multi-digit compressing circuit for compressing the code, and a binary compressing circuit for compressing the difference.

Image signal compressing device

In an information filing apparatus, a portion of an image read by a scanner is immediately displayed on a display screen, even though the display screen is smaller than the entire image to be read. When the display image corresponding to the image portion which has just been read by the scanner reaches a predetermined location of the display screen, the display image is scrolled in synchronism with an image reading operation of the scanner. The image portion which has just been read by the scanner is then displayed on the predetermined location of the display screen.

Method of reading and displaying an image in an information filing

An image signal binary encoder converts a document image photoelectrically into analog signals and then into digital image signals by an analog-to-digital converter. A small area is considered around each point of interest and the average density value of the area is compared with the density value of the point of interest. A choice is made between an ordinary binary conversion method and a dither method according to the result of this comparison.

An apparatus for cataloging and retrieving image data is programmed to store not only image data obtained by scanning each original but also reduced image data obtained by thinning these image data and search data used for the convenience in search operations. In a search operation, a plurality of reduced image data may be displayed simultaneously or sequentially with corresponding search data. Image data may be stored in a compressed form so that an increased amount of data can be stored. The apparatus may be programmed such that stored reduced image data are sequentially displayed while a specified key is depressed and particular image data corresponding to the data displayed when the key is released are displayed.

Apparatus for cataloging and retrieving image data

An information record/retrieval device registers information by storing retrieval information formed thereon and searches desired information by using the stored retrieval information. Retrieval information is formed in a specified format which can be entered through an image input device which feeds image information to a control processing unit.

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Yamatokoriyama, Japan

Yuji Katsuta