JP2005038164A - Manga editing device, manga editing program, manga editing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an editing system for generating an original while optimally correcting layouts of each frame of comics. <P>SOLUTION: An editor of comics stores image data of illustrations to be embedded in each frame of the comics into its own creator terminal 3 and accesses to a comic editing server device 1. Then, the image data to be embedded in the frames are transmitted after determining rough layouts though frame screens provided from the server device 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a manga editing device, and more particularly to an editing device that creates a manga manuscript by processing an illustration created by a manga artist.

Conventionally, attempts have been made to automate the editing of characters and images that are published in edited articles such as newspapers. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique that discloses a technique for supporting such an attempt. This document discloses a system for creating composition data for newspaper pages. According to this document, this system determines whether each object to be laid out on a paper is a headline, an embedded image, or another article. Then, a suitable paper layout according to the determination result is automatically determined. As a result, the margin at the end of the stage can be reduced and a balanced newspaper page can be edited.
JP 2001-80020 A

  By the way, manga is one of the compilations that require efficient editing work. The procedure for producing a manga manuscript is as follows. First, create a document called a plot that spells out what you want to draw and the flow of the story. Then, based on this plot, an operation called “frame division” is performed. The frame division is an operation of dividing the paper surface of a document into a plurality of frames for drawing “frames”. “Frame” is a group of illustrations and characters that depict the same scene. By changing the size and shape of the frames used to make the frames, the flow of the manga story can be produced well. When the “frame division” is completed, a background picture and a balloon frame are drawn in each frame. Then, the manuscript is completed by coloring the sketch with a pen and writing lines in a speech bubble.

As explained above, the manga manuscript production work so far has been divided into frames, the frame layout of each frame is determined, and illustrations and speech bubbles are directly written in the determined frames. I had to step on it. Therefore, it is impossible to correct the layout of the frame in which the sketch or the speech frame is drawn after the sketch or the speech frame is drawn.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object thereof is to provide an editing system capable of generating a manuscript while suitably correcting the layout of each frame of a manga.

A manga editing apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes: a storage unit that stores, for each of one or a plurality of frames, frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame in association with a frame identifier that uniquely identifies the frame; Receiving means for receiving a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame; and reading out the frame extension information of the image-embedded frame associated with the frame identifier received by the receiving means from the storage means. First correction means for performing correction on the frame extension information of the image-embedded frame to match the extension of the frame image, and frame extension information of a neighboring frame adjacent to the image-embedded frame is read from the storage means, Modify the extension of the adjacent frame to correct the extension interval. Comprises a second correction means for applying to the broadcast, as well as draw the frame based on the frame extension information first correction means has corrected, and embedding means for embedding the frame image thus received to the drawing frame.
According to this configuration, a manga editor can easily obtain a manga document in which a frame image is embedded in a frame that matches the shape and size of each frame image.

In this aspect, the receiving unit receives a frame identifier of an arbitrary frame and a frame correction instruction, and the first correcting unit reads out frame extension information associated with the frame identifier from the storage unit. The frame extension information may be corrected according to the received correction instruction.
In this way, a rough layout of each frame of the manga original can be determined in advance before the frame image is embedded.

In the above-mentioned preferred embodiment, the storage means stores the sound effect character image embedded in the frame in association with a sound effect character identifier for uniquely identifying the sound effect character, and the receiving means stores the frame identifier. And the embedding means reads out the sound effect character image associated with the received sound effect character identifier from the storage means and the drawn frame of the sound effect character image. You may make it embed.
In this way, by selecting any one of the sound effect characters prepared as a template in advance, it is possible to easily obtain a manga document in which the sound effect character is embedded.

In the above-mentioned preferred embodiment, the storage unit stores a balloon frame image embedded in a frame in association with a balloon frame identifier that uniquely identifies the balloon frame, and the receiving unit stores the balloon frame together with the frame identifier. The identifier may be received, and the embedding unit may read the balloon frame image associated with the received balloon frame identifier from the storage unit and embed the read balloon frame image in the drawn frame. .
In this way, by selecting any one of the balloon frames prepared as templates in advance, it is possible to easily obtain a manga document in which the balloon frame is embedded.

In this aspect, the information processing apparatus may further include an acquisition unit that acquires a dialogue described in a speech frame, and the embedding unit may describe the speech acquired by the acquisition device inside the speech bubble embedded in the frame.
In this way, it is possible to easily obtain a manga manuscript in which dialogue is described in a speech frame.

In addition, a manga editing program according to another preferred aspect of the present invention provides a computer apparatus with frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame for each of one or a plurality of frames, and a frame identifier for uniquely identifying the frame. Storage processing to be associated with each other and stored in its own storage means, reception processing to receive a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame, and frame extension information of an image embedded frame associated with the received frame identifier A first correction process for reading out from the storage means and making a correction for matching the frame extension with the frame image extension to the frame extension information of the image embedded frame; Read information from the storage means and keep the frame extension interval A frame is drawn based on the second correction process for applying positive to the frame extension information of the adjacent frame and the frame extension information corrected by the first correction process, and the received frame image is displayed on the drawn frame. The embedding process is executed.
In this way, the same operation as the above-described manga editing device can be realized by a general computer device.

Further, in the manga editing method according to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the manga editing apparatus is configured to provide frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame for each of one or a plurality of frames, and a frame for uniquely identifying the frame. A storage process in which the identifier is stored in its own storage means; a transmission process in which the writer terminal transmits a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame to the manga editing apparatus; and the manga editing apparatus includes the writer terminal. First, frame extension information of an image embedded frame associated with the frame identifier received from the storage unit is read out from the storage means, and a correction is performed on the frame extension information of the image embedded frame to make the frame extension coincide with the frame image extension. Correction process and the manga editing device is in close proximity to the image embedded frame. The frame extension information of a frame is read from the storage means, and a correction for maintaining the frame extension interval is applied to the frame extension information of the adjacent frame, and the manga editing device includes the first correction process. A frame is drawn based on the frame extension information corrected by the step of embedding and the received frame image is embedded in the drawn frame.
In this way, the manga manuscript can be efficiently created by the writer terminal and the manga editing device operating in cooperation.

(A: 1st Embodiment)
The feature of the manga editing system according to the present embodiment is that the image data of the illustrations to be published in the manga manuscript is processed by using the manga editing server device, and the frames in which the image data are embedded are suitably laid out. The manuscript can be easily obtained.

  Here, “frame” in this embodiment means a group of illustrations and characters that draw the same scene in a manga manuscript, and “frame” means the extension of the area where one frame is drawn. The following description will be made assuming that the rectangle is to be partitioned.

(1: Manga editing system configuration)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the manga editing system according to the present embodiment. This system is configured by connecting a manga editing server device 1 and a writer terminal 3 via the Internet. The manga editing server device 1 receives frame image data embedded in each frame of the manga from the writer terminal 3 and processes the frame image data in accordance with an instruction from the writer terminal 3 to generate a manga manuscript. Then, the writer terminal 3 instructs the manga editing server device 1 to process the frame image data, and acquires the manga manuscript data generated thereby.

(2: Manga editing server device configuration)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the manga editing server device 1. The manga editing server device 1 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 12, a display unit 13, an input unit 14, a volatile storage unit 15, a nonvolatile storage unit 16, and a bus that connects these units. The control unit 11 is, for example, a CPU (central processing unit). The communication unit 12 is, for example, a communication interface. The display unit 13 is, for example, a computer display. The input unit 14 is, for example, a keyboard and a mouse.
The volatile storage unit 15 is a random access memory (RAM), for example, and is used as a work area of the control unit 11. The nonvolatile storage unit 16 is, for example, a hard disk, and stores a frame management database 16a, a speech frame database 16b, and a sound effect character database 16c.

FIG. 3 shows the data structure of the frame management database 16a. The database is a collection of a plurality of records each corresponding to one frame. Here, one record corresponding to one frame has fields of “frame”, “frame extension information”, “frame image”, “line”, and “sound effect character”. In the “frame” field, frame identifiers “1” to “6” for uniquely identifying each frame are stored.
In the “frame extension information” field, a set of coordinate values of the first to fourth control points is stored. The coordinate value of the control point is composed of an X coordinate value and a Y coordinate value. In the present embodiment, each frame in which the frame image received from the writer terminal 3 is embedded is drawn based on these control points. That is, a line segment connecting the first control point and the second control point (hereinafter, this line segment is referred to as “first line segment”), and a line segment connecting the second control point and the third control point (hereinafter referred to as this line). Minute line is referred to as “second line segment”, a line segment connecting the third control point and the fourth control point (hereinafter, this line segment is referred to as “third line segment”), the fourth control point, and the first control. A line segment connecting the points (hereinafter, this line segment is referred to as a “fourth line segment”) is drawn to form one frame.

Here, the drawing area of the frame in the present embodiment has a spread of 210 points in the vertical direction × 190 points in the horizontal direction. A set of control points for drawing a default frame is stored in the “frame extension information” field of the frame management database 16a.
FIG. 4 shows the drawing contents of the default frame. In the figure, for convenience of explanation, the first to fourth control points which are the vertices of each frame are indicated by the numbers of the respective control points. As shown in this figure, according to the default set of control points, six frames having a horizontal width of 90 points and a vertical width of 50 points are drawn at intervals of 10 points.
In the present embodiment, any of these default frames can be deleted or the size and shape thereof can be corrected. However, even if such correction is made, the 10-point interval between the frames is maintained. Details will be described later in the explanation of operation.

  The frame image data received from the writer terminal 3 is stored in the “frame image” field shown in FIG. The “line” field stores a balloon frame identifier for uniquely identifying the balloon frame image data, a coordinate value indicating the arrangement position of the balloon frame, and a set of text (line) embedded in the balloon frame. In the “sound effect character” field, a sound effect character identifier for uniquely identifying a sound effect character image and a set of coordinate values indicating an arrangement position of the sound effect character are stored.

The balloon frame database 16b stores the balloon frame image data associated with the balloon frame identifier. A speech bubble means a frame that surrounds the dialogue of a person appearing in each frame of a manga manuscript. There are six types of balloon frames in the present embodiment as shown in FIG.
FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D show speech frames indicating lines uttered by the characters. This type of speech frame shows the person's remarks by drawing a part called “Shippo” close to the mouth of the character. Therefore, in this embodiment, four balloon frame images are prepared: “Shippo” on the right (a), upper (b), left (c), and lower (d). is doing. FIG. 5 (e) shows a speech frame indicating the dialogue that the character thought in his mind. FIG. 5 (f) shows a speech frame indicating a dialogue that the character screams with a loud voice. In the present embodiment, these six types of balloon frame images are stored in the balloon frame database 16b as template data.

  The sound effect character database 16c stores sound effect character image data associated with the sound effect character identifier. This sound effect character means an illustrated character for expressing the motion and emotion of a person appearing in each frame of a manga manuscript. For example, “Shin”, which indicates that the state of silence continues, or “Pui”, which indicates a state in which the person is casually turned away. In the present embodiment, these sound effect character images are stored in the sound effect character database 16c as template data.

(3: Composition of artist terminal)
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the writer terminal 3. The writer terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a communication unit 32, a display unit 33, an input unit 34, a volatile storage unit 35, a non-volatile storage unit 36, and a bus connecting these units. Since the hardware configuration of each of these units is the same as that of the manga editing server apparatus 1, detailed description thereof is omitted.

(4: Manga editing system operation)
The operation of the present embodiment is divided into a frame image arrangement process, a dialogue insertion process, and a sound effect character insertion process. When the writer terminal 3 accesses the manga editing server device 1, the frame image placement process is executed first, and then the dialogue insertion process and the sound effect character insertion process are executed, thereby completing the manga manuscript. .

Here, the manga artist who is the operator of the writer terminal 3 creates frame image data in which illustrations drawn on each frame of the manga manuscript are converted into data, stores the file in the nonvolatile storage unit 36, and then the manga editing server. Access to device 1 is to be made. It is desirable that the frame image data is created directly by a commercially available drawing software, or created by reading an illustration obtained by writing a draft drawn with a pencil with a scanner.
Hereinafter, each of the frame image arrangement processing, the dialogue insertion processing, and the sound effect character insertion processing will be described with reference to the flowchart.

<Frame image layout processing>
7 and 8 are flowcharts showing the frame image arrangement process. When the writer terminal 3 accesses the manga editing server device 1, the control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 generates display data of a frame screen in which a default frame is drawn, and transmits this display data to the writer terminal 3 (FIG. S110 shown in FIG. This specific process is as follows. First, a set of control points stored in the “frame extension information” field of the frame management database 16a is read to the volatile storage unit 15, and a default frame is drawn by connecting these control points with line segments. Then, display data of the frame screen including these default frames is generated on the volatile storage unit 15, and this display data is transmitted to the writer terminal 3.

The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 that has received the display data displays a frame screen on the display unit 33 (S120).
FIG. 9 shows a frame screen on which a default frame is drawn. On the left side of the screen, a default frame having a layout as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. A message field M is displayed on the upper right side of the screen, and a message “Please determine the rough layout of the frame” is displayed in this field. A thumbnail of the frame image data stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 16 is displayed in the middle of the right side of the screen. In addition, there is a button labeled “To the next task” on the lower right side of the screen.

When this frame screen is displayed, the operator of the writer terminal 3 can perform a frame correction operation. The frame correction operation includes a delete operation, an enlargement / reduction operation, and a trapezoidal operation.
The delete operation is an operation for deleting any one of the frames displayed on the frame screen. This operation is performed by moving the icon to the inside of the frame to be deleted and right-clicking.
The enlargement / reduction operation is an operation for enlarging or reducing the outer extension of the frame. This enlargement / reduction operation is performed by translating the first line segment or the third line segment of the frame in the vertical direction. That is, the operator first moves the cursor to an arbitrary position on the same line segment excluding the end points and right-clicks. Then, the cursor is moved to an arbitrary position above or below with the right click state, and the right click is released.
The trapezoidal operation is an operation in which the shape of the frame is a trapezoid. This trapezoidal operation is performed by moving the vertex of the frame in the horizontal direction. That is, the operator first moves the cursor to an arbitrary vertex of the frame and right-clicks. Then, the cursor is moved right or left along the first line segment or the third line segment in the state where the right click is performed, and the right click is released when the cursor is moved to a position to become a new end point of the line segment.

When one of the above three operations is performed by the operator of the writer terminal 3, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits operation information to the manga editing server device 1 (S130). This operation information is information for identifying the coordinates on the display that have been right-clicked or left-clicked. Since the above frame screen is displayed as a bitmap, the artist terminal 3 cannot detect which line segment or control point of this screen has been selected. Therefore, the manga editing server device 1 acquires the above-described operation information and analyzes it, so that the line segment to be corrected, or the control point to be corrected, and further, the line segment and the control point are displayed on the X axis. A movement value indicating how much the movement has occurred in the direction or the Y-axis direction is specified.
The control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 analyzes the operation information received from the writer terminal 3 and specifies the frame identifier of the frame to be corrected and the correction content to the frame. Then, the record associated with the frame identifier is specified from the frame management database 16a, and the control point stored in this record is corrected according to the above-described correction content (S140). Further, a record of another frame adjacent to the corrected frame is specified from the frame management database 16a, and correction is performed to maintain the interval between frames at 10 points with respect to the control points stored in this record ( S150).

  Here, as described above, the operator can perform three types of operations, that is, a delete operation, an enlargement / reduction operation, and a trapezoidal operation. Depending on which of these operations is performed, the above steps 130 to 130 are performed. The specific processing contents of step 150 are different. Therefore, in the following, the specific processing contents of step 130 and step 150 will be described separately for each correction operation.

(A) Processing Contents when Deletion Operation is Performed FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing specific processing when a deletion operation is performed.
When the delete operation is performed, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits operation information corresponding to the content of the delete operation to the comic editing server device 1 (S131a).

  The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 that has identified the frame identifier of the frame to be corrected by analyzing the operation information identifies the record associated with this frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S141a). Then, after reading the set of first to fourth control points stored in the “frame extension information” field of this record to the volatile storage unit 15, this record is deleted (S142a).

The control unit 11 compares the Y coordinate value of each control point read in step 142a with the Y coordinate value of the control point stored in the record of another frame, and has control points having the same Y coordinate value. The record of the other frame is specified (S151a).
Subsequently, the control unit 11 specifies a control point to be corrected from the first to fourth control points stored in the “frame extension information” field of the specified record (S152a). Specifically, if it is the right frame (one of frames 2, 4, and 6 shown in FIG. 4) that has been deleted, the second control point and the third control point of the adjacent (left) frame. If the left frame (one of frames 1, 3, and 5 shown in FIG. 4) is deleted, the first control point of the adjacent (right) frame is The fourth control point is specified as a correction target.
Further, the control unit 1 sets the X coordinate values of the two specified control points to the same value as the X coordinate values of the two control points having the same control point number among the first to fourth control points read in step 142a. (S153a).

(B) Processing Contents when Enlargement and Reduction Operations are Performed FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing specific processing contents when enlargement and reduction operations are performed.
When the deletion operation is performed, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits operation information corresponding to the contents of the enlargement / reduction operation to the manga editing server device 1 (S131b).

  The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 that has identified the frame identifier of the frame to be corrected by analyzing the operation information identifies the record associated with this frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S141b). Then, two control points for drawing the line segment moved by the enlargement / reduction operation are specified from the first to fourth control points stored in the record (S142b). The control unit 11 adds the movement value obtained by analyzing the operation information to the Y coordinate values of the specified both control points (S143b).

  The control unit 11 refers to the control points stored in other records in the frame management database 16a, and has the same X coordinate value as the two control points specified in step 142b, and the Y coordinate value is only 10 points away. An adjacent proximity control point is specified (S151b). The control unit 11 adds the above movement value to the Y coordinate value of these proximity control points (S152b).

Here, assuming the case where the correction content “frame 1, third segment, movement value (−15)” is analyzed from the operation information, the specific content of steps 141b to 152b will be described.
FIG. 12A shows frames 1 and 3 drawn based on control points at the time when step 143b is executed. At this point, the movement value -15 is added to the Y coordinate values of the third control point and the fourth control point of frame 1, so that the third line segment connecting these two control points moves upward by 15 points. Yes. However, the distance from the first line segment of the frame 3 is thereby opened at 25 points. In order to keep this interval at 10 points, the processing of steps 151b to 152b is executed.
FIG. 12B shows frames 1 and 3 drawn based on the control points at the time of execution up to step 152b. At this time, the movement value -15 is also added to the Y coordinate values of the first control point and the second control point of the frame 3, so that the first line segment drawn by connecting these control points and the frame 1 The distance from the third line segment is reduced to 10 points.

(C) Processing contents when trapezoidal operation is performed FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing specific processing contents when the trapezoidal operation is performed.
When the trapezoidal operation is performed, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits operation information corresponding to the content of the trapezoidal operation to the manga editing server device 1 (S131c).

  The control unit 11 of the comic editing server device 1 that has identified the frame identifier of the frame to be corrected by analyzing the operation information identifies the record associated with the frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S141c). Then, the control point moved by the trapezoidal operation is specified from the first to fourth control points stored in this record (S142c). The control unit 31 adds the movement value obtained by analyzing the operation information to the X coordinate value of the specified control point (S143c).

  The control unit 31 refers to the control point stored in the “frame extension information” field of each record, makes the Y coordinate value the same as the control point specified in step 142c, and is only 10 points away from the X coordinate value. An adjacent proximity control point is identified (S151c). Then, the above movement value is added to the X coordinate value of the specified proximity control point (S152c).

Here, assuming a case where the correction content “frame 6, fourth control point, movement value X (30)” is analyzed from the operation information, the specific content of steps 141c to 152c will be described.
FIG. 14A shows frames 5 and 6 drawn based on the control points at the time when step 143c is executed. At this time, the third line segment is shortened 30 points to the right by adding the movement value 30 to the X coordinate value of the fourth control point of the frame 6. However, the distance between the frame 5 and the third control point is 40 points. In order to keep this interval at 10 points, the processes of steps 151c to 152c are executed.
FIG. 14B shows frames 5 and 6 drawn based on the control points at the time of execution up to step 152c. At this time, the movement value 30 is also added to the X coordinate value of the third control point of the frame 5, so that the distance from the fourth control point of the frame 6 is reduced to 10 points.

The control unit 11 that has executed step 150 shown in FIG. 7 generates display data of the frame screen on which the corrected frame is drawn, and transmits this display data to the writer terminal 3 (S160). The details of this specific processing are the same as those described in step 110.
The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame screen on which the corrected frame is drawn on the display unit 33 (S170). On this frame screen, a frame reflecting the correction instruction is displayed instead of the default frame. Next, the operator of the writer terminal 3 performs a frame image embedding operation. The specific procedure for this operation is as follows. First, the operator moves the icon to one of the thumbnails displayed on the right middle of the frame screen and right-clicks. Then, with the right click, move the cursor to the inside of one of the frames and release the right click. Finally, if you want to correct the frame size to fit the frame image, right-click again. On the other hand, if you want to correct the frame size to fit the frame size, left-click.

When the operation of matching the frame with the size of the frame image is performed, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 associates the selected thumbnail with the frame image data stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 36, and The operation information indicating the thumbnail destination is transmitted to the manga editing server device 1 (S180).
On the other hand, when an operation for fitting the frame image to the frame size is performed, a frame fixing identifier indicating that the frame size should be fixed is transmitted together with the frame image data and the operation information (S190).
The control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 that has analyzed the operation information and specified the frame identifier of the destination frame of the thumbnail specifies the record associated with the frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S200). The control unit 11 stores the frame image data received from the writer terminal 3 in the “frame image” field of the specified record (S210 shown in FIG. 8).
Subsequently, when the frame fixed identifier is not received together with the frame image data, the control unit 11 specifies the extension of the frame image based on the frame image data stored in Step 210 (S220).

The control unit 11 specifies a set of first to fourth control points from the record specified in Step 200 (S230). Subsequently, the set of control points is corrected to a set of control points for drawing a frame that matches the extension specified in step 220 (S240). Further, the movement value of the control point subjected to the correction in step 240 is specified (S250). This movement value is expressed by the movement amount of the X coordinate value and the movement amount of the Y coordinate value accompanying the correction.
The control unit 11 that has identified the movement value, among the control points stored in other records of the frame management database 16a, the distance from the X coordinate value before the correction of the control point subjected to the correction in step 240 and the Y coordinate. A proximity control point whose distance from the value is only 10 points is specified (S260). Subsequently, the movement value specified in step 250 is added to each of the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value of this proximity control point (S270). Then, the coordinate value of each control point serving as the other end point of the two line segments is corrected so that the two line segments having the proximity control point as one end point are orthogonal to each other at the proximity control point (S280).

  Here, the default is maintained in the “frame extension information” field of the frame management database 16a (that is, no correction operation is performed), and the extension of the frame image embedded in the frame 1 is 105 points × vertical. Assuming the case of 60 points, the specific contents of steps 220 to 280 will be described.

  FIG. 15A shows each frame drawn based on the control points when step 220 is executed. In the figure, for convenience of explanation, the first to fourth control points which are the vertices of each frame are indicated by the numbers of the respective control points (the same applies to FIGS. 15B and 15C). . When step 220 is executed, the frame 1 has a width that is 15 points smaller than the frame image and a height that is 10 points smaller. Therefore, if the frame image is embedded as it is, the frame 1 protrudes from the frame. In order to prevent this, Step 230 and Step 240 are executed to match the size of frame 1 with the size of the frame image.

  FIG. 15B shows each frame drawn based on the control points at the time of execution up to step 270. At this time, the movement value 15 is added to the X coordinate value of the first control point of the frame 2, and the movement value 10 is added to the Y coordinate value of the first control point of the frame 3. In addition, the movement value 15 is added to the X coordinate values of the fourth control point of the frame 2, the first control point of the frame 4, and the second control point of the frame 3, and the movement is moved to the Y coordinate value of each control point. The value 10 is added. However, the distance between the third control point of frame 2, the second and fourth control points of frame 4, and the third control point of frame 3 is greater than 10 points. It is not recognized as a proximity control point, and its position remains uncorrected.

  FIG. 15C shows a frame drawn based on control points at the time when the processing up to step 280 is executed. At this time, two line segments having the fourth control point of frame 2 as one end point (the third line segment and the fourth line segment) are orthogonal to each other at the fourth control point. The movement value 10 is added to the coordinate value. In addition, the line segment (the first line segment and the second line segment) having the second control point of the frame 3 as one end point is moved to the X coordinate value of the third control point so that it is orthogonal to the second control point. The value 15 is added. Further, the Y coordinate value of the second control point so that two line segments (the first line segment and the fourth line segment) having the first control point of the frame 4 as one end point are orthogonal to each other at the first control point. A movement value 10 is added to and a movement value 15 is added to the X coordinate value of the fourth control point.

The control unit 11 that has executed Step 280 in FIG. 8 draws a frame based on the set of control points in the frame management database 16a, and embeds the frame image associated with the frame identifier of each drawn frame in the frame (S290). ).
On the other hand, when the frame fixed identifier is not included in the data received from the writer terminal 3, the control unit 11 embeds the frame image as it is in the drawn frame without executing the processing of step 220 to step 290, Pixels of the frame image protruding from the frame are cut (S300).
The control unit 11 transmits display data of the frame screen in which the frame image is embedded to the writer terminal 3 (S310). The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame screen on the display unit 33 (S320).

The operator of the writer terminal 3 performs the frame image embedding operation again to determine a frame in which another frame image is embedded. Each time this operation is performed, the processing from step 180 to step 320 is repeated, and the frame screen in which the frame image is newly embedded is displayed on the display unit 33 of the writer terminal 3. The operator who confirms that all the prepared frame images have been embedded selects “next work” at the lower right side of the screen. This operation starts the dialogue insertion process.
Note that the display of the frame screen in which the frame image data is embedded is stored in the volatile storage unit 15 while the speech insertion process and the subsequent sound effect character insertion process are being executed.

<Line insertion processing>
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing dialogue insertion processing.
When the dialogue insertion process is started, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays a frame screen partially including a speech frame selection field on the display unit 33 (S400).
FIG. 17 shows a frame screen including a speech frame selection field. A balloon frame selection field F is displayed in the middle of the right side of the screen. In the upper right message field M, a message such as “Please select a speech frame to be embedded in the frame and then input dialogue” is displayed. In the speech frame selection field F, thumbnails of the 6 patterns of speech frame images shown in FIGS. 5A to 5E are displayed.

The operator who refers to this screen performs a balloon frame embedding operation. A specific procedure of the speech frame embedding operation will be described below. The operator first moves the icon to one of the thumbnails in the speech frame selection field F and right-clicks it. Then, with the right click, the cursor is moved to an arbitrary arrangement position in the frame and the right click is released.
The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits the operation information according to the content of the speech frame embedding operation and the speech frame identifier of the selected speech frame to the manga editing server device 1 (S410).

The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 that has identified the frame identifier of the frame in which the speech frame is embedded by analyzing the operation information identifies the record associated with this frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S420). The control unit 11 stores the set of the received speech frame identifier and the coordinate value of the embedding position obtained by analyzing the operation information in the “speech frame” field of this record (S430).
Subsequently, the control unit 11 reads the balloon frame image associated with the received balloon frame identifier from the balloon frame database 16b (S440).

The control unit 11 generates the balloon frame image read out in step 440 on the frame screen generated by the control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 and stored in the volatile storage unit 15 during the above-described frame image arrangement processing. Is embedded (S450). This process will be specifically described as follows. First, the frame in which the balloon frame image is embedded and the image embedding position in the frame are specified by the coordinate value obtained by analyzing the operation information. Then, the balloon frame image is overwritten at the specified embedding position. Finally, if there is a pixel in the balloon frame image that protrudes from the frame, it is cut.
The control unit 11 transmits display data of the frame screen in which the balloon frame image is embedded to the writer terminal 3 (S460). The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame screen on the display unit 33 (S470).
The operator of the writer terminal 3 selects a speech frame embedded in the frame of the frame screen, and inputs text (line) in the speech frame. The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits the operation information indicating the selected balloon frame and the input text data to the manga editing server device 1 (S480).

The control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 stores the text data (line) received from the operation terminal 3 in the “line” field of the record identified in step 420 (S490).
The control unit 11 embeds the text in the speech frame of the frame screen generated in step 450 (S500). Note that the balloon frame in which the text is embedded is specified by analyzing the operation information received from the writer terminal 3. The control unit 11 transmits display data of the frame screen in which the text is embedded in the speech frame to the writer terminal 3 (S510). The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame screen on the display unit 33 (S520).

  The operator of the writer terminal 3 performs the dialogue frame embedding operation again, and determines the placement position of another speech frame and the speech to be written in the speech frame. Multiple speech bubbles may be embedded in one frame. Each time this operation is performed, the processing from step 410 to step 520 is repeated, and a frame screen in which a speech frame in which text (line) is embedded is newly added is displayed on the display unit 33 of the writer terminal 3. The operator who has confirmed that all the dialogue that is considered necessary for completing the manga manuscript has been displayed, selects “next work” at the bottom right of the screen. The sound effect character insertion process is started by this operation.

<Sound effect character insertion processing>
FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing sound effect character insertion processing.
When the sound effect character insertion process is started, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays a frame screen partially including the sound effect character selection list on the display unit 33 (S600). FIG. 19 shows a frame screen including a sound effect character selection list. A sound effect character selection list K is displayed in the middle of the right side of the screen. In the sound effect character selection list K, sound effect characters such as “Wai”, “Cajaha”, “Shin”, “Pui” are listed. A scroll bar is displayed on the right side of the list. Further, in the lower right part of the screen, there is a button displaying “END”.

The operator who refers to this screen performs a sound effect character embedding operation. A specific procedure for this operation will be described below. The operator first moves the icon to one of the sound effect characters in the sound effect character selection list K and right-clicks. Then, the cursor is moved to an arbitrary position in the frame with the right-clicked state, and the right-click is released.
The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 transmits the operation information corresponding to the contents of the sound effect character embedding operation and the sound effect character identifier of the selected sound effect character to the manga editing server device 1 (S610).

The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 that has identified the frame identifier of the frame in which the sound effect character is embedded by analyzing the operation information specifies the record associated with this frame identifier from the frame management database 16a (S620). The control unit 11 stores the set of the coordinate value of the embedding position obtained by analyzing the operation information and the received sound effect character identifier in the “sound effect character” field of this record (S630).
The control unit 11 reads the sound effect character image associated with the sound effect character identifier from the sound effect character database 16c (S640).

The control unit 11 embeds the read sound effect character image in the frame screen (S650). This process will be specifically described as follows. First, the frame in which the sound effect character image is embedded and the image embedding position in the frame are specified based on the coordinate value obtained by analyzing the operation information. Then, the sound effect character image is overwritten at the specified embedding position. Finally, if there is a pixel of the sound effect character image that protrudes from the frame, it is cut.
The control unit 11 transmits display data of the frame screen in which the sound effect character image is embedded to the writer terminal 3 (S660). The control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame screen on the display unit 33 (S670).

  The operator of the writer terminal 3 performs the sound effect character embedding operation again to determine a frame in which another sound effect character image is embedded and its embedding position. A plurality of sound effect character images may be embedded in one frame. Each time this operation is performed, the processing from step 610 to step 670 is repeated, and a frame screen in which sound effect characters are newly embedded is displayed on the display unit 33 of the writer terminal 3. The operator who has confirmed that all sound effect characters considered necessary for completing the manga manuscript are embedded in the frame screen, selects “END”.

  When “END” is selected, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 stores the display data of the frame screen transmitted in step 660 in the nonvolatile storage unit 36 and then disconnects from the manga editing server device 1. To do. On the other hand, the control unit 11 of the manga editing server device 1 erases the display data of the frame screen stored in the volatile storage unit 15.

In the present embodiment described above, the manga manuscript editor accesses the manga editing server device 1 through the writer terminal 3, determines the rough layout of the frame, and transmits the image data. Thereby, it is possible to easily generate a manga document in which the image data is suitably laid out.
Also, if you select one of the balloon frames prepared as a template in advance, determine the position of the frame, and enter the dialogue that should be described in the balloon frame, then the comic frame with the balloon frame and dialogue embedded as a set A manuscript can be generated.
Furthermore, when a sound effect character prepared as a template is selected in advance and its position is determined, a manga manuscript in which the sound effect character is embedded can be generated.

(B: Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, all the frame images are embedded in the frame, and the frame image cannot be displayed outside the frame. On the other hand, the present embodiment is configured such that a frame image can be displayed outside the frame.
The manga editing server device 1 in the present embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 2 in that the control unit 11, the communication unit 12, the display unit 13, the input unit 14, the volatile storage unit 15, and the nonvolatile storage unit 16, And a bus for connecting these components. However, the nonvolatile storage unit 16 stores an overwritten image database (not shown) in addition to the frame management database 16a, the sound effect character database 16c, and the speech bubble database 16b. In this embodiment, the manga document is drawn in two layers. The frame image data to be drawn in the lower layer is stored in the frame management database 16a, and is drawn in the upper layer. The frame image data to be stored is stored in the overwrite image database.
The overwrite image database has fields of “frame image data” and “position”. Unlike the frame management database 16a shown in FIG. 3, fields such as “frame” and “frame extension information” are not provided.

  An outline of the operation of the present embodiment is as follows. First, when the operator of the writer terminal 3 performs the above-described frame image embedding operation, a message such as “Do you want to overwrite this frame image on the frame?” Is displayed in the message field M of the frame screen shown in FIG. Furthermore, “Yes” and “No” buttons are displayed. When “Yes” is selected here, the control unit 31 of the writer terminal 3 displays the frame image data, the coordinate value indicating the arrangement position of the frame image, and the overwrite identifier indicating that the image should be overwritten. Transmit to the editing server device 1. The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 that has received these data stores the set of frame image data and coordinate values in the overwrite image database.

Then, when the manga editing server device 1 generates a frame screen in which the frame image is embedded in the frame (step 290 shown in FIG. 8), this time, a set of the frame image and the coordinate value is read from the overwrite image database, and this coordinate value is read out. The frame image is overwritten at the position specified by.
According to the present embodiment, since frame images can be arranged regardless of the size of each frame in the manga original, it is possible to generate a manga original having a composition as shown in FIG.

(C: Modification)
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea. In addition, as a modification, the following can be considered, for example.

(1: Modification 1)
The non-volatile storage unit 16 of the manga editing server device 1 according to the first embodiment stores the frame management database 16a, and frames are generated based on the first to fourth control points stored in the “frame extension information” field. It was to be drawn. That is, the frame that can be drawn is limited to a rectangular shape such as a rectangle or a trapezoid.

  On the other hand, as one of the frame correction operations described above, a pentagonal frame may be made. The procedure of this pentagonalization operation can be assumed as shown in FIG. The operator selects a frame to be pentagonalized from the default frames drawn on the frame screen shown in FIG. 9, moves the cursor to an arbitrary position on the line segment excluding the end points, and left-clicks. Then, the cursor is moved to an arbitrary position above or below with the left click state, and the left click is released. Thereby, it can correct to the pentagonal frame which makes the position which left click left the new vertex.

Drawing of a pentagonal frame can be realized by making it possible to store the coordinate value of the fifth control point in the “frame extension information” field of the frame management database 16a. For example, the pentagonalization operation shown in FIG. 21 is to make the shape a pentagon by replacing the first line segment of the frame with two new line segments. When such an operation is performed, The control unit 11 of the manga editing server apparatus 1 stores the coordinate value of the position where the left click is released in association with the second control point of the field of “frame extension information”, and stores the second value stored in the field until then. A process of associating the coordinate values of the second to fourth control points with the control points lowered one by one is executed.
Similarly, if the coordinate values of the sixth control point and the seventh control point can be stored in the “frame extension information” field, it is possible to cope with the hexagonal operation and the heptagonal operation of the frame. .

(2: Modification 2)
In the above embodiment, the layout of the frame in which the frame image is embedded can be corrected, but the frame image data itself embedded in the frame cannot be corrected. On the other hand, after the frame image is embedded in the frame, the embedded frame image may be corrected. For example, after the frame image is embedded, the density of each pixel of the frame image may be set.

(3: Modification 3)
In the above embodiment, the text that can be described in the manga manuscript is only the dialogue in the speech frame, but the text may be arranged outside the speech frame or outside the frame. This makes it possible to generate a manga manuscript that embeds not only the dialogue of the characters but also the narration explaining the background of the scene.

(4: Modification 4)
You may make it make a general computer apparatus perform the operation | movement similar to the manga editing server apparatus 1 shown in the above-mentioned embodiment. In such a modification, a manga editing program for executing the same operation as that of the manga editing server device 1 is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM (compact disk-read only memory). This can be realized by causing a general computer device to read the program from the storage medium and giving the computer device the same function as the manga editing server device 1. Further, a server device that provides this type of program may be provided on a network, and this program may be distributed in response to a request from each computer device.

It is a whole block diagram of a manga editing system. It is a hardware block diagram of a manga editing server apparatus. It is a data structure figure of a frame management database. It is an image figure which shows arrangement | positioning of a default frame. It is a figure which shows the variation of a balloon frame. It is a hardware block diagram of a writer terminal. It is a flowchart which shows a frame image arrangement | positioning process (first half part). It is a flowchart which shows a frame image arrangement | positioning process (second half part). It is a frame screen displaying a default frame. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of deletion operation. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of expansion and reduction operation. It is an image figure for demonstrating the correction process of a control point. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of trapezoid operation. It is an image figure for demonstrating the correction process of a control point. It is an image figure for demonstrating the correction process of a control point. It is a flowchart which shows a line insertion process. This is a frame screen including a balloon frame selection field. It is a flowchart which shows a sound effect character insertion process. It is a frame screen that includes a sound effect character selection list It is a figure which shows a manga manuscript. It is a figure which shows the procedure of pentagonalization operation.

Explanation of symbols

1: Manga editing server device, 3: writer terminal, 31: control unit, 12, 32: communication unit, 13, 33: display unit, 14, 34: input unit, 15, 35: volatile storage unit, 16, 36 : Non-volatile storage unit, 16a: frame management database, 16b: speech bubble database, 16c: sound effect character database

Claims (7)

Storage means for storing, for each of one or more frames, frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame in association with a frame identifier that uniquely identifies the frame;
Receiving means for receiving a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame;
The frame extension information of the image embedded frame associated with the frame identifier received by the receiving unit is read from the storage unit, and the frame extension information of the image embedded frame is corrected to match the frame extension with the frame image extension. First correcting means to be applied to,
Second correction means for reading out frame extension information of a neighboring frame adjacent to the image-embedded frame from the storage means, and performing correction for keeping the frame extension interval on the frame extension information of the neighboring frame;
An embedding means for drawing a frame based on the frame extension information corrected by the first correction means, and for embedding the received frame image in the drawn frame;
Manga editing device equipped with. The manga editing device according to claim 1,
The receiving means includes
Receives the frame identifier of an arbitrary frame and the frame correction instruction,
The first correction means includes
Read frame extension information associated with the frame identifier from the storage means,
The frame extension information is corrected according to the received correction instruction.
Manga editing device. The manga editing device according to claim 1,
The storage means
The sound effect character image embedded in the frame is stored in association with a sound effect character identifier that uniquely identifies the sound effect character,
The receiving means includes
Receiving a sound effect character identifier together with the frame identifier;
The embedding means is
Reading out the sound effect character image associated with the received sound effect character identifier from the storage unit and embedding the read sound effect character image in the drawn frame;
Manga editing device. The manga editing device according to claim 1,
The storage means
The speech bubble image embedded in the frame is stored in association with the speech bubble identifier that uniquely identifies the speech bubble frame,
The receiving means includes
Receiving a speech bubble identifier together with the frame identifier;
The embedding means is
Reading the balloon frame image associated with the received balloon frame identifier from the storage unit and embedding the read balloon frame image in the drawn frame;
Manga editing device. The manga editing apparatus according to claim 4,
It further comprises an acquisition means for acquiring the dialogue described in the speech frame,
The embedding means is
Describe the speech acquired by the acquisition means in a speech bubble embedded in the frame;
Manga editing device. Computer equipment,
A storage process for storing, in each of the one or more frames, frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame in its own storage unit in association with a frame identifier that uniquely identifies the frame;
A reception process for receiving a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame;
The frame extension information of the image embedded frame associated with the received frame identifier is read from the storage means, and the frame extension information of the image embedded frame is corrected so as to match the frame extension with the frame image extension. 1 correction process,
A second correction process for reading out the frame extension information of the adjacent frame adjacent to the image-embedded frame from the storage unit and performing correction for maintaining the frame extension interval on the frame extension information of the adjacent frame;
An embedding process for rendering a frame based on the frame extension information modified by the first modification process and embedding the received frame image in the rendered frame;
Manga editing program to execute. A storage process in which the manga editing device stores, for each of one or a plurality of frames, frame extension information indicating the extension of the frame in its storage means in association with a frame identifier that uniquely identifies the frame;
A transmission process in which the writer terminal transmits a frame identifier and a frame image embedded in the frame to the manga editing device;
The manga editing apparatus reads out frame extension information of an image embedded frame associated with a frame identifier received from the writer terminal from the storage unit, and corrects the image extension to match the extension of the frame image. A first correction process applied to the frame extension information of the frame;
A second correction process in which the manga editing apparatus reads out frame extension information of a neighboring frame adjacent to the image-embedded frame from the storage means, and performs correction to maintain the frame extension interval on the frame extension information of the neighboring frame When,
The manga editing apparatus draws a frame based on the frame extension information corrected by the first correction process, and embeds the embedded frame image in the drawn frame.
Manga editing method having

Images