JPH07154687A - Image synthesizer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To generate a simple and efficient PinP image in which the main image and the sub-image are not the same image. [Constitution] When the main image becomes the same image as the sub image selected by the main selection switch 9, the changeover switch control unit 12 forcibly switches the changeover switch SW2, and the sub selection switch 10 causes the sub image to be changed. When the main image is the same as the selected image, the changeover switch SW2 is forcibly switched so that the selected image is not selected by the sub image, and the third image is selected as the sub image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention inputs a plurality of images, and
The present invention relates to an image synthesizing apparatus that generates a synthetic image in an nP (picture-in-picture) format.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, as a method of displaying a plurality of images on a display unit such as a monitor, for example, a small screen (hereinafter referred to as a sub screen) in a normal screen (hereinafter referred to as a main screen) is used.
A so-called PinP (picture-in-picture) format composite image for displaying is widely used. Most of the image synthesis is performed by selecting, for example, two images from a plurality of images and generating the PinP image using each image as a main image and a sub image.

A conventional image synthesizing apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 15, in the conventional image synthesizing apparatus, for example, three image input units 101, 102, 1 are provided.
03, different images are input, and the image selection unit 104 selects two images from the input images.
Selection is made based on the instruction signal from 5. Then, the image synthesizing unit 106 generates a synthetic image in which one of the two images selected by the image selecting unit 104 by the instruction signal is a main image and the other is a sub image.
For example, it is displayed on the two monitors 107 and 108.

The selection instruction section 105, as shown in FIG. 16, is a main image selection panel 1 for selecting a main image.
10 and a sub-image selection panel 111 for selecting a sub-image
The main image selection panel 110 and the sub-image selection panel 111 for designating the following instructions are switches 101m, 102m, 103 for selecting images input from the image input units 101, 102, 103, respectively.
m, 101s, 102s, 103s are provided.

That is, regarding each of the above switches,
(1) The image selection instruction from the input unit 101 is made by the switch 101m on the main image selection panel, the switch 101s on the sub image selection panel, and (2) the image selection instruction is made by the input unit 102 on the main image selection panel. Switch 1
02m, switch 102s on the sub image selection panel,
(3) The image selection instruction from the input unit 103 is carried by the switch 103m on the main image selection panel and the switch 103s on the sub image selection panel.

As described above, in the conventional image synthesizing apparatus, the main image and the sub image are manually selected by the main image selecting panel 110 and the sub image selecting panel 111, respectively, to generate a synthesized image and monitor it. It was supposed to be displayed.

[0007]

However, as described above, in the conventional image synthesizing apparatus, the main image and the sub image can be selected independently, so that the main image and the sub image are the same image. Sometimes,
Such a PinP image displaying the same image is contrary to the purpose of displaying a plurality of images on the same screen, which is originally the purpose of the PinP image, and there is a problem that information cannot be efficiently provided. is there.

Further, particularly in a medical image synthesizing apparatus, an image which is a region of interest with respect to a main image of an observed region (for example, an ultrasonic image, a special wavelength region image, a special image processed image based on a specific condition, etc.). ) Is preferably combined and displayed as a sub-image, but to select the desired image (special image necessary for diagnosis of the affected area, etc.) from among the images as a sub-image, select using the above manual switch. There is also a problem that a desired image cannot be displayed efficiently.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a main image and a sub image are not the same image, and a simple and efficient PinP image can be generated. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0010]

An image synthesizing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image inputting means for inputting a plurality of images and a first image selecting means for selecting one of the plurality of images input by the image inputting means. A first selection means and a second selection means for selecting at least one of the plurality of images input by the image input means;
Selecting means, a first specifying signal generating means for generating a first specifying signal for specifying an image selected by the first selecting means, and a second specifying signal for specifying an image selected by the second selecting means. Second designating signal generating means, designating means for designating an image to be selected to the first selecting means and the second selecting means based on the first designating signal and the second designating signal; A composite image generation unit that generates a composite image in which the image selected by the second selection unit is inserted into the image selected by the first selection unit, and the instruction unit includes the first designation signal and the second designation signal. And are the designation signals designating the same image, the first selection means or the second
By instructing one of the selecting means to select an image different from the same image, a simple and efficient PinP image is generated without the main image and the sub image becoming the same image. Is possible.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention,
1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image synthesizing device, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the switching of images by operating the main selection switch of the image synthesizing device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is the operation of the main selection switch of FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining selection of sub-images, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining switching of images by operating a sub-selection switch of the image synthesizing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining a modified example of switching the image by operating the main selection switch, and FIG. 6 is a first modified example of the image synthesizing apparatus in FIG. 1, in which a sub image display position switching switch is provided in the main selection switch. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image compositing device that changes the display position of a sub image, and FIG. 7 is a second modification of the image compositing device in FIG. 1. By providing a sub image display size changeover switch in the main selection switch. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining an image synthesizing device for changing the display size of the sub image, and FIG. 8 is a third modification of the image synthesizing device of FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the image synthesizing | combining apparatus which exchanges with an image.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image synthesizing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment has a first image input section 2, a second image input section 3 and a third image for inputting a plurality of, for example, three different video signals. The input unit 4 and the three first image input units 2 and 2
Changeover switches SW1 and SW2 that select two of the video signals from the image input unit 3 and the third image input unit 4, and a main image generation unit 5 that generates an image from the video signal selected by the changeover switch SW1. A sub-image generator 6 that generates an image from the video signal selected by the changeover switch SW2,
A composite image generation unit 7 that generates a PinP composite image using the image from the main image generation unit 5 as the main image and the image from the sub image generation unit as the sub image, and the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit 7 are displayed. And a display unit 8 that operates.

The changeover switches SW1 and SW2 are for inputting different images by a changeover switch control section 12 which receives signals from a main selection switch 9 for selecting a main image and a sub selection switch 10 for selecting a sub image.
Image input unit 2, second image input unit 3, and third image input unit 4
The video signal from is selected. In addition, the composite image generation unit 7 uses the sub image on / off switch SW.
3, the sub image is not displayed in the composite image.

The operation of the image synthesizing apparatus 1 thus configured will be described. In the image synthesizing apparatus 1, the changeover switch control unit 12 controls the changeover switch SW1 and every time the main selection switch 9 is pressed, the first image input unit 2 and the second image input unit 2
Video signal VIDE from the image input unit 3 and the third image input unit 4
O1, VIDEO2, VIDEO3 are VIDEO1 → VIDEO2 → VIDEO3 → VIDEO1
→ ..., the changeover switch SW2 is controlled, and each time the sub-selection switch 10 is pressed, the first image input unit 2, the second image input unit 3, and the third image input unit 4 Video signals VIDEO1, VIDEO2, VIDEO3 are VIDEO1 → VIDEO3 →
It is designed to be selected as VIDEO2 → VIDEO1 → ....

In the upper part of FIG. 2, the main selection switch 9 is VI.
This shows a state in which DEO1 is selected and the sub-select switch 10 is selecting VIDEO2. Therefore, the display unit 8 displays a PinP composite image in which the main image is VIDEO1 and the sub image is VIDEO2. At this time, the LED on the panel of the composite image generation unit 7 displays the LE for VIDEO1 that displays the selection of the main image.
L for VIDEO2 that lights D and displays the sub image selection
The ED is turned on.

When the main selection switch 9 is pressed once, VIDEO2 is selected as the main image and the same image as the sub image is selected as described above. As shown in the middle part of FIG. And the changeover switch controller 12
Thus, the changeover switch SW2 is forcibly switched to VIDEO1. Then, when the main selection switch 9 is pressed once more, VIDEO3 is selected as the main image as described above.

That is, when the main image becomes the same image as the image selected by the sub image by the main selection switch 9, the changeover switch controller 12 forcibly switches the changeover switch SW2. As shown in FIG. 3, the switching method at that time is as follows: (1) When the main image selects VIDEO2 when the sub image is VIDEO2, the sub image is switched to VIDEO1 (see FIG. a)),
(2) If the main image selects VIDEO3 when the sub image is VIDEO3, the sub image is switched to VIDEO2 (Fig. 3 (b)), and (3) the sub image is VIDEO1. If you select VIDEO1 as the main image, the sub image is switched to VIDEO3 (Fig. 3
(B)).

On the other hand, in selecting a sub-image, the change-over switch control section 12, as shown in FIG. 4, when the sub-image becomes the same image as the image selected by the main image by the sub-selection switch 9, The changeover switch SW2 is forcibly switched so that the image selected by the sub image is not selected, and the third VIDEO is selected as the sub image. That is, in the example of FIG. 4, when the main image is VIDEO1 and the sub image is VIDEO1, the changeover switch SW2 is forcibly switched to select VIDEO3 next to VIDEO1 as the sub image. If the same image is to be selected, the selection order is skipped and the next image is selected.

As described above, according to the image synthesizing apparatus of the first embodiment, when the main image becomes the same image as the sub image selected by the main selection switch 9, the changeover switch control unit 12 switches the main image. If the switch SW2 is forcibly switched and the sub image becomes the same image as the main image selected by the sub selection switch 10,
Since the changeover switch SW2 is forcibly switched so as not to select the image selected by the sub image and the third VIDEO is selected as the sub image, the main image and the sub image do not become the same image, which is easy. Thus, an efficient PinP image can be generated.

When the main image becomes the same image as the image selected by the sub image by the main selection switch 9, the changeover switch controller 12 changes the changeover switch SW.
Although 2 is forcibly switched, the present invention is not limited to this, and the switch control unit 12 causes the main image to be the same as the image selected by the sub image by the main selection switch 9 as shown in FIG. In this case, the changeover switch SW1 may be forcibly switched so that the image selected by the sub image is not selected, and the third VIDEO may be selected as the main image. That is, in the example of FIG.
When VIDEO2 is selected as the main image when VIDEO2 is selected, the changeover switch SW1 is forcibly switched and VIDEO3 next to VIDEO2 is selected as the main image. To do so, skip the selection order and select the next image.

Further, the sub-selection switch 10 can be provided with a sub-image display position changeover switch. By pressing this sub-image display position changeover switch, the sub-image shown in FIG. 6 is displayed at four corners of the screen, for example, upper left (initial position) → lower left → lower right → upper right → upper left → ... It becomes possible to change the position by toggle operation,
The sub-image can be easily moved to a position that does not hinder the observation of the main image.

Further, the sub-selection switch 10 can be provided with a sub-image display size changeover switch. By pressing this sub image display size changeover switch,
As shown in FIG. 7, the display size of the sub-image is, for example, 1/9 size of the main image (initial value) → 1 / the size of the main image.
4 sizes → 1/16 size of main image → 1/9 size of main image upper right → It becomes possible to change the size display in 3 stages by toggle operation, and display at the desired size. Therefore, there is an effect that the image can be observed more efficiently.

Furthermore, the main selection switch 9 and / or
Alternatively, the sub selection switch 10 can be provided with an image exchange switch. By pressing the image exchange switch, the currently displayed main image and sub image are immediately switched and displayed as shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 8, when VIDEO1 is selected as the main image and VIDEO2 is selected as the sub image, the main switch 9 and / or the sub switch 10 provided with the image exchange switch is pressed once to display the main image. In this example, the images are immediately replaced by selecting VIDEO2 for the image and selecting VIDEO1 for the sub-image. By providing such an image exchange switch, the main selection switch 9 and the sub selection switch 10 can be operated to easily switch and display the main image and the sub image without selecting the main image and the sub image again. There is an effect that the operability can be improved.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image synthesizing apparatus according to the second embodiment. Since the second embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment, only different configurations will be described, the same configurations will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the image synthesizing apparatus of the second embodiment is equipped with a PinP pair setting apparatus 21 for setting a combination of a main image and a sub image.
By loading the combination set by the pair setting device 21 into the memory 22, the changeover switch control unit 12 operates from the operation unit 23 including the main selection switch 9 and the sub selection switch 10 (not shown) via the switch SW5. When the main selection switch 9 or the sub selection switch 10 is selected, the other is automatically selected. This combination is displayed on the operation unit 23, for example, in Table 1.
It is set in the PinP pair setting device 21 as shown in FIG.

[0026]

[Table 1] The switch SW5 is switched by the automatic / manual switching instruction unit 25, and when the main image and the sub image are automatically set by the PinP pair setting device 21, the switch SW5 is switched to the side a, and the operation unit 23 is connected to the PinP pair setting device 21.
When manually setting an image with the main selection switch 9 and the sub-selection switch 10 of the operation unit 23 as in the first embodiment, the operation unit 23 is switched to the side b so that the operation unit 23 is connected to the changeover switch control unit 12. It has become. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

In the image synthesizing apparatus of the second embodiment having such a configuration, the operation unit 23 sets, for example, the combination of images shown in Table 1 to the PinP pair setting apparatus 21 and stores it in the memory 22. Then, when the automatic / manual switching instructing unit 25 instructs the automatic setting, the changeover switch control unit 1
2 is a combination of the main selection switch 9 and the sub-selection switch 10 of the operation unit 23, and the combination shown in Table 1 is automatically switched between the main selection switch 9 and the sub-selection switch 10 to select the main image and the sub-image. .
When the automatic / manual switching instruction unit 25 gives an instruction for manual setting, the image is manually set by the main selection switch 9 and the sub selection switch 10 of the operation unit 23 as in the first embodiment.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, when the automatic / manual switching instructing section 25 instructs the automatic setting, the changeover switch control section 12 causes the changeover switch control section 12 to select the main selection switch 9 or the sub selection of the operation section 23. The main image and the sub image are selected by automatically switching the main selection switch 9 and the sub selection switch 10 with a preset combination by operating one of the switches 10. Therefore, the main image and the sub image can be more easily the same image. The main image and the sub image can be selected without becoming.

By the way, there is an image device which synthesizes a character image on an image instead of generating a PinP image from a plurality of images.

An image recording system equipped with such an image synthesizing apparatus is, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a TV camera 31 for picking up an observation image, a video signal from the TV camera 31, and an operation panel 32. The operation panel 32 includes an image synthesizing device 33 for inputting and synthesizing characters, a monitor 34 for displaying an image from the image synthesizing device 33, and a VTR 35 for recording an image from the image synthesizing device 33. Character input switch 36 for input and VTR
A REC switch 37 for instructing recording to 35 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 11, the image synthesizing device 33 includes a video processing circuit 41 for processing a video signal from the TV camera 31, and an image data generating circuit 42 for generating image data from characters from the operation panel 32. And a character image generation circuit 43 for generating a character image composed of image data by the image data from the image data generation circuit 42, and an image combination for combining the image from the video processing circuit 41 and the character image from the character image generation circuit 43. Circuit 44 and operation panel 32
A control circuit 47 for controlling the character image generation circuit 43 based on a switch discrimination circuit 45 for discriminating various switches from
And is configured.

In the image synthesizing device 33, as shown in FIG. 12, the operation of the operation panel 32 is waited for in step S1, and when operated, the control circuit 47 causes the switch discrimination circuit 45 in step S2 to cause a specific switch, for example, a REC switch. If it is 37, and if it is not a specific switch, step S
In step 3, the generation of the character image is stopped by the character image generation circuit 43 and the character image is not displayed on the monitor 34. If the switch is a specific switch, the display time and contents of the character image are set in step S4, and the character image is displayed in step S5. The image generation circuit 43 is controlled to display the character image on the monitor 34, and the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the display time of the character is monitored, and when the display time has not been reached, the process returns to step S5, and when the display time has been reached, the character image is erased and the process ends.

That is, in such an image synthesizing device 33, when the REC switch 37 for instructing the VTR 35 to record is pressed, the character image is displayed on the monitor 34 and disappears after a specific time. Naturally, the VTR
The image from the TV camera 31 transferred to the monitor 35 is also displayed on the monitor 3
It is displayed on 4 and disappears after a specific time.

On the other hand, for example, as soon as the image synthesizing device 33 is powered on, a character image is displayed on the monitor 34,
It is also possible to turn it off after a specific time after the REC switch 37 is pressed. The character image may be displayed again when a pause or stop switch (not shown) for VTR control on the operation panel 32 is pressed.

Therefore, even if the character image is unnecessary, the character image can be automatically erased from the screen without performing a special operation when the display state continues.

The above operation and setting are performed on the operation panel 32.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the VTR 35 and the image synthesizing device 32 may be connected by a control communication line so that either the VTR 35 or the image synthesizing device 33 can be used. Further, the display time may be a fixed time, or a display time setting means may be provided on the operation panel 32 so that it can be arbitrarily set by a counter in the image synthesizing device 33.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, an endoscopic image from an endoscope 51 for inserting an image of an observation site into a body cavity and performing treatment with a treatment tool is provided, for example, on a TV provided in an eyepiece section. In the synthesizing device 53 that synthesizes a character image by capturing with the camera 52, the character generating unit 5 that generates a character image.
An image synthesizing unit 55 that synthesizes an endoscopic image with the character image from 4
And a position detection circuit 56 for transmitting the endoscopic image to the image synthesizing unit 55 and detecting the position of the treatment tool on the endoscopic image, and displaying the synthetic image on the monitor 57. There is.

FIG. 14 shows a display example in which a character image is combined with an endoscopic image and displayed on the monitor 57. FIG. 14 (a)
When the treatment tools 61, 61 are located from the upper side to the center on the monitor 57, as shown in FIG.
By detecting the position of 1 by the position detection circuit 56, the image compositing unit 55 positions the character image 63 indicated by diagonal lines at the lower left corner and composes it. When the treatment tools 64, 65, 66 are located as shown in FIG. 14B, the character image 63 is displayed.
Is placed in the upper right corner and combined. The position detection in the position detection circuit 56 is performed by, for example, treatment tools (61, 62, 64, 6).
5, 66) is performed by extracting the linear portion 70 by image processing. As another method of position detection, the color of the treatment instrument (the color of the image of the treatment instrument is significantly different from the color of other images in the body cavity) is recognized by image processing, or the temperature of the treatment instrument is detected by a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the position may be detected by recognizing.

By thus detecting the position of the treatment tool in the endoscopic image and displaying the character image at a position not overlapping the treatment tool, the operator can always be provided with an optimum image.

[0040]

As described above, according to the image synthesizing apparatus of the present invention, when the first designating signal and the second designating signal are designating signals designating the same image, the designating means is the first selecting means or the selecting means. Since one of the second selection units is instructed to select the same image or a different image, the main image and the sub-image are not the same image, and the Pin is simple and efficient.
There is an effect that a P image can be generated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image composition device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating switching of images by operating a main selection switch of the image compositing device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating selection of a sub image by operating a main selection switch in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating image switching by operating a sub-selection switch of the image compositing device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modified example of switching an image by operating a main selection switch in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image synthesizing device that is a first modification of the image synthesizing device in FIG. 1 and that changes a display position of a sub image by providing a sub image display position changeover switch in the main selection switch.

7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a second modification of the image compositing device of FIG. 1, which is an image compositing device that changes the display size of a sub image by providing a sub image display size changeover switch in the main selection switch.

8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image synthesizing device that exchanges a main image and a sub image by providing an image exchange switch in the main selection switch, which is a third modification of the image synthesizing device in FIG. 1. .

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image composition device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing an image recording system configuration in which a character image is combined with a video signal and a combined image is recorded in a VTR.

11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image compositing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image compositing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image synthesizing device that synthesizes a character image with an endoscopic image.

14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display position of a character image by the image compositing device of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image synthesizing apparatus according to a conventional example.

16 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an operation unit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Image synthesizing device 2, 3, 4 ... Video signal input unit 5 ... Main image generating unit 6 ... Sub image generating unit 7 ... Synthetic image generating unit 8 ... Display unit 9 ... Main selection switch 10 ... Sub selection switch 12 ... Switching Switch control unit SW1, SW2 ... Changeover switch SW3 ... Sub image on / off switch

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Akihiro Taguchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit for inputting a plurality of images, and one of the plurality of images input by the image input unit.
First selecting means for selecting one, a second selecting means for selecting at least one of the plurality of images input by the image inputting means, and a first for specifying an image selected by the first selecting means First designation signal generation means for generating a designation signal, second designation signal generation means for generating a second designation signal for designating an image selected by the second selection means, the first designation signal and the second designation An instruction means for instructing an image to be selected to the first selection means and the second selection means based on a signal; and an image selected by the second selection means within an image selected by the first selection means. A composite image generating unit that generates a composite image with the first insert signal inserted, and the first specifying signal is the first specifying signal when the first specifying signal and the second specifying signal are the specifying signals that specify the same image.
An image synthesizing apparatus, characterized by instructing one of the selecting means and the second selecting means to select an image different from the same image.