JP4909755B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing device that allow a user to modify and observe an area centered at an arbitrary position on an image on a display means screen at an arbitrary display magnification by a simple operation using a point input means The present invention relates to a method and an image processing program.

In image processing technology used in general fields and special fields such as medical applications, the user wants to observe a part of the image displayed on the screen of the display device in detail or the image displayed on the screen. In general, a function of enlarging or reducing the area (hereinafter referred to as “modification”) is provided for a case where the entire image is to be observed more widely. And the operation for this modification can usually be performed using a point input device such as a mouse.
JP 2000-30077 A

  However, in the conventional image processing technology, in order to modify and observe an image, a user performs a predetermined operation such as selecting an icon by operating a mouse or the like and then determines a display magnification, and then a mouse or the like. Further change the image until the region you want to observe appears, or on the contrary, perform a predetermined operation using a mouse etc. and display the part you want to observe in the approximate center of the screen, An operation of adjusting the display magnification of the image until the image is displayed at an appropriate display magnification by performing another operation is necessary. That is, the operation for determining the display magnification and modifying the image and the operation for adjusting the modified image so that they appear on the screen must be performed separately, which is a cumbersome operation for the user.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus that can modify and observe an area to be observed in an image at an arbitrary display magnification by simply performing a simple operation using a point input means by a user in order to solve the above-described problem, An object is to provide an image processing method and an image processing program.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, the object is to provide a display unit that displays an image on a screen based on image data, a point input unit that indicates a predetermined position on the image with a pointer, and a user that inputs the point By operating the means in a point-on state and moving the pointer, the coordinates of the start point and the current point related to the movement are acquired, and the display at the time of modification calculated based on the predetermined coordinate axis component of each point The image data is modified according to a magnification to generate a modified image in which the corresponding position of the start point in the image data matches the start point, and the display is performed so that the modified image is redisplayed on the screen. This is achieved by an image processing apparatus comprising image processing means for outputting to the means.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the object is to provide a display unit that displays an image on a screen based on image data, a point input unit that indicates a predetermined position on the image with a pointer, and image processing. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus comprising: a user operating the point input unit in a point-on state to move the pointer so that the image processing unit A display magnification calculation step of acquiring the coordinates of each point and calculating a display magnification at the time of modification based on a predetermined coordinate axis component of each point; and the image processing means uses the display magnification to set the image data as the starting point. A modified image is generated by matching the corresponding position of the start point in the image data, and the modified image is output to the output means. Image modification is accomplished by an image processing method characterized by having a re-displaying step.

  Still further, according to another aspect of the present invention, the object includes display means for displaying an image on a screen based on image data, and point input means for indicating a predetermined position on the image with a pointer. The computer operates the point input means in a point-on state to move the pointer, thereby acquiring the coordinates of the start point and the current point related to the movement, and based on the predetermined coordinate axis component of each point A display magnification calculation step for calculating a display magnification at the time of modification, and an image after modification by modifying the image data so that the position corresponding to the start point in the image data matches the start point using the display magnification And executing an image modification step of outputting the modified image to the display means. It is achieved me.

The display magnification calculation step in the image processing method and the image processing program can be configured such that the image processing means processes the following operation steps when the point input means is turned on.
(1) obtaining a display magnification for the image data of the image and the coordinates of the start point on the image;
(2) Acquires the current position of the pointer at a predetermined timing as the pointer is moved by an operation in a point-on state of the point input means, and determines a predetermined coordinate axis component between the current position and the start point. Changing the display magnification at the time of modification based on the difference;
(3) When the point input unit is turned off by the user, the image processing unit acquires the stop position of the pointer as an end point, and the difference between a predetermined coordinate axis component between the end point and the start point The step of determining the display magnification at the time of modification calculated based on the step.
Thus, as the pointer moves, the display magnification at the time of modification is repeatedly calculated at a predetermined timing in this display magnification calculation step, and the modified images are continuously displayed on the screen at each display magnification. Therefore, the user continuously observes the image that is gradually enlarged or gradually reduced about the region around the position where the point input means is pointed on in the region to be observed by modification on the image, Further, by setting the point input means to the point-off state at an arbitrary position, there is an advantage that an image enlarged or reduced by the display magnification determined at that time can be observed while being displayed on the screen.

  According to the present invention, the user can move the pointer by a simple operation of pointing on the point input means at an arbitrary position within the region desired to be observed in the image on the screen and moving the pointer in an arbitrary direction in that state. Since the image modified at an arbitrary display magnification according to the amount can be displayed on the display means screen, the conventional complicated operation is not required, and the operability for the user is improved. In addition, since the modified image is displayed on the screen by matching the position corresponding to the starting point in the image data with the starting point on the image, the user surely observes the region to be observed of the modified image. Can do.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. An image processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a CPU 3, a ROM 4, an arithmetic processing unit 2 having a RAM 5 as a storage unit, a mouse 7, a video controller 8, a hard disk device 10, and a network interface 11 as point input means. These are connected to each other via a system bus 6. A display device 9 as display means is connected to the video controller 8. As the point input means 7, a trackball, a joystick, or the like can be used in addition to the mouse.

  The CPU 3 develops a program stored in the ROM 4 or the hard disk device 5 in a program storage area in the RAM 5 and executes a process for controlling each part in the image processing apparatus 1 and is stored in the hard disk device 5 or the like. A process of reading the image data into the image data storage area of the RAM 5 is performed. In order to improve the access speed of the CPU 3 to the RAM 5, the CPU 3 may include a cache memory.

  The video controller 8 receives an instruction from the CPU 3 and causes the display device 9 to display an image. The controller 8 is mounted with a VRAM (not shown) for storing display contents of the screen. The display means 3 is, for example, a CRT or a liquid crystal display device.

  The network interface 11 is used for reading and writing various data by connecting to the server when there is a server (not shown) that stores various data including image data through the network interface 11. is there. Each function such as cooperation with a server and reading of an image stored in the server is realized by causing the CPU 3 to execute a program written to execute these functions.

  Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of image processing in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing flow of the display magnification calculation step shown in FIG. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining modification and redisplay of a predetermined area of an image using the image processing method of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the case where the image is enlarged and redisplayed. Indicates a case where the image is reduced and redisplayed. 4 and 5, (a) shows the upper image before modification, and (b) shows the image after modification. From the x coordinate axis and y coordinate axis shown in these figures (a), FIG. The coordinate axes that are orthogonal to each other are assumed to increase in numerical value in the direction of the arrow.

The image 21 on the display device screen is stored in the RAM 5 by the CPU 3 when the user selects the image data stored in the hard disk device 10 or the server, and this image data is stored at a predetermined display magnification. It is sent to the video controller 8 at Z ₀ and displayed. The display magnification Z ₀ is usually set by a program, such as application software to display the image data stored in the RAM5 on the screen.

  First, when the user wants to enlarge and display the region 22 that the user wants to observe in the image 21, the user moves the pointer of the mouse 7 to an arbitrary position in the region 22, as shown in FIG. A predetermined button is clicked (this position is set to A (x1, y1)). Next, the user drags the mouse 7 in the clicked state to move the pointer on the image diagonally to the lower left of the A coordinate toward the screen, stops at the position B (x2, y2), It is assumed that the button has been released and the button has not been clicked (point off). Note that the pointer can be moved in an appropriate direction, not limited to the diagonally lower left direction as described above, as long as it is lower than the image upper position A (x1, y1). The stop position of the pointer (position B (x2, y2 in FIG. 4)) can be set as appropriate within the movable range.

  On the other hand, the image processing means 2 detects an event generated by each operation of the mouse 7 by the user, and a certain process is performed when each event or a combination of these events occurs. A display magnification calculation step (S2) in which the display magnification is calculated is performed. Hereinafter, step S2 will be specifically described.

In this step S2, first, the CPU 3 determines whether or not an event has occurred that the user has operated the mouse 7 and has clicked the button on the mouse 7 (point-on) (S101). This event is for instantaneously occurs when the mouse 7 has been clicked, if this occurs, the coordinates A (x1, y1) is the starting point P ₀ of the position clicked on the image, also display magnification for the image data of the image is stored in the initial data storage area of the display magnification Z ₀ as RAM5 of (unmodified) at that time. Further, “true” is returned to the preset variable BL so that it is true in the clicked state and false in the other state, and it is stored that the mouse 7 is clicked (S102). Thereafter, the process returns to step S101 and the same determination is made.

  In step S101, if the mouse 7 is held in the clicked state and no event has occurred due to the mouse 7 being clicked, the CPU 3 next determines whether or not the mouse 7 is in the moving state. The determination is made based on the occurrence of an event (S103). When the mouse 7 is in the moving state due to the occurrence of this event, the CPU 3 next determines whether or not the mouse 7 is in the clicked state based on the value of the variable BL (S104).

  As a result, when the mouse 7 is moved (dragged) in the clicked state, a mouse movement event occurs in step S103, and since the variable BL is true in step S104, the CPU 3 sets the current point P of the pointer to the RAM 5 The display magnification Z at the current position of this pointer is calculated by the following calculation formula using the two y-axis components of the current point P and the starting point A (x1, y1). S105). Similar to the current point P, this calculation result is also stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5.

ここで、Ｐ_ｙはポインターの現在点の座標のｙ成分、Ｐ_０ｙは始点の座標のｙ成分である。また、ｋは（Ｐ_ｙ−Ｐ_０ｙ）によって得られる差をこの差と１：１に対応する表示倍率の増分に換算するための正の係数であり、この係数は適宜設定できる。

Here, P _y is the y component of the coordinates of the current point of the pointer, and P _0y is the y component of the coordinates of the starting point. Further, k is a positive coefficient for converting the difference obtained by (P _y −P _0y ) into an increase in display magnification corresponding to this difference and 1: 1, and this coefficient can be set as appropriate.

In this arithmetic expression, the difference in the y-axis component as the amount of movement of the pointer between the starting point P ₀ and the current point P is y2> y1, and _therefore , P _y −P _0y = y2−y1> 0 (positive number). since the operation result obtained is the Z> Z _0, the display magnification is enlargement magnification. Thereafter, the process returns to step S101 where it is determined whether or not the mouse 7 has been clicked by the occurrence of an event, and a series of processing is repeated.

  On the other hand, even if the mouse 7 is in the moving state in step S103, if the variable BL is not true (false) in step S104, the processing from step S101 is repeated again.

  As described above, when the mouse 7 is being dragged, the processing of steps S101 to S105 is repeated at a predetermined timing. Therefore, the current point P of the pointer and the display magnification Z (enlargement magnification) of the calculation result are in each case. The data is rewritten and stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5.

  When the user stops the mouse 7, in step S103, since the movement event of the mouse 7 is not issued at the time of the stop, the CPU 3 determines that no event has occurred, and the click state of the mouse 7 is then released ( It is determined whether an event has occurred (S106). As a result, when the mouse 7 is in the point-off state, “false” is returned to the variable BL (S107), and the processes after step S101 are repeated again. In this case, even if the mouse 7 is moved immediately after that, since the variable BL is false in step S104, the processes in steps S101 to S104 are repeated.

That is, in this display magnification calculation step S2, regardless of whether the mouse 7 is moving or in a stopped state, false is returned to the variable BL in step S104, and this mouse is not clicked. The position of the pointer (in FIG. 4, coordinates B (x2, y2) in FIG. 4) is stored as the current point P (end point) in the data storage area of the RAM 5 and the difference in the y-axis component of the end point P and the starting point P ₀ is determined, the display magnification Z is calculated. This calculation result is determined as the display magnification (Z) at the time of modification and stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5.

  On the other hand, when it is desired to reduce and observe a predetermined area of the image, as shown in FIG. 5, the user reduces the image of the mouse 7 at an arbitrary position coordinate C (x3, y3) within the area desired to be observed. Click and drag with mouse 7 clicked from there to move the pointer diagonally to the upper left of the screen from position C (x3, y3), and stop at position D (x4, y4). Assume that the mouse 7 is released from the button and is not clicked (point off). As long as the pointer is above the image upper position C (x3, y3), the pointer can be moved not only in the diagonally upper left direction, but also in an appropriate direction. The point that can be set as appropriate within the possible range is the same as in the enlarged display.

In the image processing unit 2 detects that the CPU3 mouse 7 has been clicked (S101), as the position coordinates C (x3, y3) starting _{P 0} and also the display magnification for the image data of the image at that point the initial The display magnification Z ₀ (before modification) is stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5. While the mouse 7 is being dragged, the current point P of the pointer and the display magnification Z calculated by the above formula 1 from the current point P and the starting point are rewritten at a predetermined timing and stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5. Is done. Also, if the pointer is stopped, (in FIG. 5, D (x4, y4) ) pointer location P at that time is stored as the end point, the display magnification Z computed by the endpoint P and the starting point P ₀ is RAM5 It is stored in the data storage area and fixed as the display magnification at the time of modification. In this case, since the y component of the coordinates of the current point (end point) P and the start point P ₀ is y3> y4, P _y −P _0y = y4−y3 <0 (negative number), and the calculation result obtained by Expression 1 is since the Z _{<Z 0,} the display magnification Z becomes the reduction ratio.

In the formula 1, but starting P, and the movement amount between the end point P ₀ is determined by the difference between the y-component of both coordinates, it is also possible to determine the movement amount using the difference between the x-component of the two coordinates. Further, instead of the xy coordinate axes, a coordinate axis in an arbitrary direction is separately provided on the image, and the movement amount between the start point and the current point (end point) can be obtained using this coordinate axis component.

  If the mouse 7 is in the point-off state in step S106, the end point P and the display magnification Z at the time of modification are determined as described above. However, if the mouse 7 is not in the point-off state, the CPU 3 issues an end instruction event. It is determined whether or not it has occurred (S108). This end instruction event can be generated, for example, by performing an operation such as switching the operation mode for performing image processing of this embodiment to another operation mode. When this end instruction event occurs, each process of the display magnification calculation step S2 ends. On the other hand, if this end instruction event has not occurred, the steps S101 to S107 in step S2 are repeated until this event occurs, and the user repeats the operation using the mouse 7. Each time, a display magnification at the time of modification such as an enlargement magnification or a reduction magnification is calculated, and is rewritten and stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5.

In this display magnification calculation step S2, the start point P0, the initial display magnification Z ₀ , the current point (end point) P, and the display magnification Z at the time of modification (including the confirmed display magnification at the time of modification) are stored in the data storage area of the RAM 5. If but stored respectively, CPU 3 reads out each display magnification Z and the start point P ₀ from the data storage area of the RAM 5, reads the image data stored in the image storage area. Further, the CPU 3 sends this image data to the image storage area on the VRAM of the video controller 8 where it is modified by the display magnification Z. At this time, the starting point P ₀ (position A in the case of FIG. 4) is displayed on the display screen. (X1, y1), position C (x3, y3) in the case of FIG. 5, a position corresponding to the start point P ₀ in the position image data (position A ′ (x1 ′, y1 ′ in the case of FIG. 4)), FIG. In the case of 5, the position C ′ (x3 ′, y3 ′)) is matched (in the case of FIG. 4, A (x1, y1) = A ′ (x1 ′, y1 ′), and in the case of FIG. A modified image is generated (S3) so that (x3, y3) = C ′ (x3 ′, y3 ′). Then, the CPU 3 repeats a series of processing operations from the data reading to the generation of the modified image at a predetermined timing, so that the generated modified image is stored in the VRAM while being rewritten on the VRAM each time. The image is redisplayed on the screen of the display device 9 by the controller 8 (S4).

  As described above, by performing a simple operation of moving the pointer in an arbitrary direction by dragging the mouse from the position where the user clicked the mouse on the image, the image processing means can set the start point and the movement of the pointer. By acquiring the current point and calculating the difference between the specified coordinate axis components of each point, the image data is modified with the display magnification (enlargement magnification or reduction magnification) calculated according to the movement direction and movement amount of the pointer. Then, the process of outputting to the display means is repeated at a predetermined timing. Therefore, on the screen of the display means, the modified image that is gradually enlarged or reduced according to the amount of movement of the pointer is repeatedly displayed again. In addition, the modified image is redisplayed on the screen of the display device 9 with the coordinates of the start point on the image before modification matched with the position corresponding to the coordinates of the start point of the image data of the image. Regardless of the display magnification, the region that the user wants to change and observe is always displayed on the screen. As a result, the user continuously observes the image that is gradually enlarged or gradually reduced with respect to the position where the mouse is clicked in the region to be modified and observed on the image. By placing the mouse in the point-off state at the position, the image enlarged or reduced by the display magnification determined at that time can be observed while being displayed on the screen, resulting in improved user operability. Figured.

  As the image processing apparatus, a general-purpose personal computer having at least a CPU, a RAM, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse and a display device connected thereto may be used. In this case, a program described for executing the image processing may be installed in the personal computer. Further, this program can be applied to various operation systems, and is stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), a semiconductor memory, and distributed. be able to. Further, if necessary, these storage media can also store programs such as cooperation with the server and reading of images stored therein.

  The image processing apparatus, the image processing method, and the program for executing the method of the present invention can be applied to various image processing technologies including a medical image filing system (PACS).

It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of embodiment of the image processing apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of the image processing of embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a flow of processing of a display magnification calculation step in the flow of image processing shown in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the display state on a display screen when enforcing the image processing method of this invention and enlarging an image. It is a figure which shows the display state on a display screen when enforcing the image processing method of this invention and reducing an image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 2 Image processing means 3 CPU
4 ROM
5 RAM
6 System bus 7 Mouse (point input means)
8 Video controller 9 Display device (display means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Hard disk apparatus 11 Network interface 20 Display apparatus screen 21 Image 22 Area that user wants to observe 23 Image after modification 24 Area that user wants to observe after modification

Claims (5)

  Display means for displaying an image on a screen based on image data, point input means for indicating a predetermined position on the image with a pointer, and a user operating the point input means in a point-on state to move the pointer To obtain the coordinates of the start point and the current point related to the movement, modify the image data by the display magnification at the time of modification calculated based on the predetermined coordinate axis component of each point, and the image at the start point An image processing unit that generates a modified image that matches the corresponding position of the start point in the data, and outputs the modified image to the display unit so that the modified image is re-displayed on the screen. An image processing apparatus. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus comprising: display means for displaying an image on a screen based on image data; point input means for indicating a predetermined position on the image with a pointer; and image processing means,
When the user operates the point input means in a point-on state to move the pointer, the image processing means obtains the coordinates of the start point and the current point related to the movement, and uses the predetermined coordinate axis component of each point. A display magnification calculation step for calculating the display magnification at the time of modification based on,
The image processing means generates a modified image by modifying the image data so as to match the corresponding position of the start point in the image data with the start point using the display magnification at the time of the modification. An image processing method comprising image modification and redisplay steps for outputting an image to the output means. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the display magnification calculation step includes the following operation steps by an image processing unit.
(1) A step of acquiring the display magnification for the image data of the image and the coordinates of the start point on the image when the point input means is pointed on by the user;
(2) Acquires a current point of the pointer at a predetermined timing as the pointer is moved by an operation in a point-on state of the point input means, and determines a predetermined coordinate axis component between the current point and the start point. Changing the display magnification at the time of modification based on the difference;
(3) When the point input unit is turned off by the user, the image processing unit acquires the stop position of the pointer as an end point, and the difference between a predetermined coordinate axis component between the end point and the start point The step of determining the display magnification at the time of modification calculated based on the step. A computer comprising display means for displaying an image on a screen based on image data, and point input means for indicating a predetermined position on the image with a pointer,
The user operates the point input means in a point-on state to move the pointer, thereby acquiring the coordinates of the start point and the current point related to the movement, and based on the predetermined coordinate axis component of each point, A display magnification calculation step for calculating the display magnification;
Using the display magnification at the time of the modification, the image data is modified to match the position corresponding to the start point in the image data with the start point to generate a modified image, and the modified image is displayed on the display An image modification step to output to the means;
An image processing program that executes at least The image processing program according to claim 4, wherein the display magnification calculation step includes the following operation steps by an image processing means.
(1) A step of acquiring the display magnification for the image data of the image and the coordinates of the start point on the image when the point input means is pointed on by the user;
(2) Acquires the current position of the pointer at a predetermined timing as the pointer is moved by an operation in a point-on state of the point input means, and determines a predetermined coordinate axis component between the current position and the start point. Changing the display magnification at the time of modification based on the difference;
(3) When the point input unit is turned off by the user, the image processing unit acquires the stop position of the pointer as an end point, and the difference between a predetermined coordinate axis component between the end point and the start point The step of determining the display magnification at the time of modification calculated based on the step.

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