JPH0877378A - Image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The entire displayed image can be displayed by simply specifying a drawing expression that shows how to draw the entire image without changing the basic components that make up the image data being displayed. Change how to draw. [Structure] The image data storage unit 7 stores illustration images of the same type, which have the same basic constituent elements but differ only in the drawing expression indicating how to draw. When an instruction to change the drawing method is given from the input unit 3 in the state where an arbitrary illustration image is displayed on the display unit 6, the CPU 1 calls the illustration image of the same type corresponding to the drawing method and displays the currently displayed illustration image. Replace with image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image output device for a word processor, a personal computer or the like which reads out image data arbitrarily designated by a user from various image data stored in advance and outputs the image data for display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, various illustration images are fixedly stored in advance in a word processor or a personal computer, and an arbitrary illustration name is selected one by one from a list display screen of illustration names, and the corresponding illustration is selected. For example, a plurality of illustrations are combined to draw one picture by calling out the images and outputting them for display. After drawing one picture in this way, if you want to modify a part of it, use the illustration editing function to delete a part of the illustration, write it, or reverse the image in black and white, enlarge, rotate. I was going to complete one picture.

[0003]

However, for example, in the case of changing a drawing drawn by a normal drawing method (pen touch) to a cute drawing method or a dramatic drawing touch method, the above-described illustration editing function is intended. I couldn't change the way I drew it, so I had to redraw from the beginning. It is an object of the present invention to specify how to draw the entire displayed image by simply specifying a drawing expression that indicates how to draw the entire image without changing the basic components that make up the image data being displayed. It is to be able to change.

[0004]

The means of the present invention are as follows. In an image output apparatus for reading out and displaying and outputting arbitrarily designated image data from various image data stored in advance, (1), the image storage means has the same basic constituent elements and shows how to draw. It stores the same type of image data that is different only in drawing expression, such as the illustration image of "dog" expressed in normal drawing style and the illustration image of "dog" expressed in cute drawing style. Even for the same "dog" illustration image, image data having different drawing expressions are stored according to the drawing method. (2) The display means is a liquid crystal display device, a CRT display device or the like for displaying and outputting the image data read from the image storage means. (3) The designating means selectively designates a drawing expression, for example, a normal drawing method, a cute drawing method, a graphic drawing touch drawing method, or the like. The designating unit may cyclically designate a plurality of drawing expressions in a predetermined order each time a predetermined key is operated. (4) The search means searches the image storage means for image data of the same type as the image data displayed on the display means and corresponding to the drawing expression designated by the designating means. (5) The display control means replaces the image data retrieved by the retrieval means with the image data displayed on the display means and causes the display output.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. Now, for example, in the state where the illustration image of "dog" expressed in the normal way of drawing is displayed on the display means,
When changing the pen touch of the illustration image to a drawing expression of a cute drawing method, if you specify the drawing expression from the specification means, the search means searches the image storage means for the illustration image of "dog" expressed in the cute drawing method. To do. Then, the display control means rewrites the original illustration image on the display screen to the illustration image of "dog" expressed in a cute way. Therefore, it is possible to change the drawing method of the entire displayed image by simply specifying the drawing expression that indicates the drawing method of the entire image, without changing the basic components that make up the image data being displayed. it can.

[0006]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a word processor with an illustration function for arbitrarily calling an illustration image. The CPU 1 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of this word processor according to various programs stored in the program memory 2.
An input / output unit 1 controls the input / output operation of the input unit 3, the external storage unit 4, the printing unit 5, and the display unit 6. The input unit 3 is a key input device and has a character key, a cursor key, etc., which are normally provided, and in the present embodiment, the image key 3-1 and
It has a normal expression key 3-2, a POP expression key 3-3, a motion picture touch key 3-4, and a drawing style change key 3-5. The image key 3-1 is an image mode designation key that designates an illustration calling mode when calling an arbitrary illustration image from the image data storage unit 7. Normal expression key 3-2, POP expression key 3-3, feature picture touch key 3-4
Is a drawing method key for individually specifying a drawing expression showing how to draw the entire image (pen touch). The normal expression key 3-2 is a normal drawing method, the POP expression key 3-3 is a cute drawing method (POP expression), The graphic image touch key 3-4 specifies how to draw a graphic image touch. The drawing style changing key 3-5 is a key operated when changing the drawing style of the entire changed illustration image. The external storage unit 4 is a disk device such as a floppy disk, and the CPU 1 loads a program file or document data in the external storage unit 4 or RAM.
The contents of 8 are saved in the external storage unit 4. The printing unit 5 is a thermal printer, and the display unit 6 is an output device such as a CRT display device. The image data is printed out or displayed in addition to the document data.

The image data storage unit 7 is a read-only memory for fixedly storing an illustration image, and is constructed as shown in FIG. The image data storage unit 7 is configured to store image data of the same type having the same basic constituent elements but different only in the drawing expression indicating the drawing method for each drawing method. It is divided into memory areas 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3 for storing data. Further, in the image data storage unit 7, image data of the same type, which is different only in the drawing expression of how to draw,
It is associated with the same image number. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the image A of the normal expression, the POP expression, and the dramatic image is the same kind of image data having the same basic constituent elements but different drawing methods. Therefore, each image A is the same. It is associated with the image number “1111”.

In addition to storing document data, the RAM 8 has an image storage area 8-1 and a work area 8-2. The image storage area 8-1 stores the entire image currently displayed and output on the display unit 6. Store image information. FIG. 3 shows the data structure of this image information. First, the image storage area 8-
1 stores drawing style designating information for designating how to draw the entire image. This drawing style designation information specifies "00" for normal expression, "01" for POP expression, and "02" for dramatic image expression. By combining multiple illustration images, one picture can be displayed on the display screen. If it is drawn, specify how to draw this whole picture. Subsequent to this drawing designation information, the image number and its display position (X coordinate, Y coordinate) of each illustration image on the display screen are displayed in the image storage area 8-1.
(Coordinates) are stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation that is started in response to an operation of the image key 3-1. Now, it is assumed that one picture as shown in FIG. 7A, for example, is drawn on the display screen by calling up and outputting a plurality of illustration images. Here, if the image key 3-1 is operated, a guide display is displayed on the display screen to instruct how to draw (step A1). Here, when drawing a picture of normal expression, the normal expression key 3-2 is operated to select the drawing method (step A2). Then, the drawing designating information corresponding to the key is stored at the top of the image storage area 8-1, and the selected drawing method is displayed on the display screen as a guide (step A3).

Then, it is checked whether an end key (not shown) operated when drawing one picture is finished (step A4). Here, if the end key is not operated, the process proceeds to the next step A5, the image data storage unit 7 is searched based on the selected and designated drawing method, all the image data corresponding to the drawing method is read, and the window is displayed. Display a list on the screen. In this case, since the normal expression is selected, the memory area 7-1 in the image data storage unit 7 that stores the image data in the normal expression is accessed, and each image data in the memory area 7-1 is displayed on the window screen. Listed. Here, when the cursor key is operated to select an arbitrary image, the selected image is highlighted by displaying the selected image in reverse on the window screen (step A6). Next, in order to specify at which position on the display screen the selected image is to be displayed, the cursor is moved to specify the display position (step A7). Then, it is checked whether the enter key has been operated (step A
8) If the enter key is not operated, the process returns to step A5, and the image selection and the display position designation can be performed again.

On the other hand, when the enter key is operated, the image number corresponding to the selected image is read out from the image data storage section 7 and stored in the image storage area 8-1, and at the designated display position X. The coordinates and the Y coordinate are detected and stored in the image storage area 8-1 (step A9). Then, the illustration image is displayed and output on the display screen based on the contents of the image storage area 8-1 (step A10). That is,
The CPU 1 reads drawing style designation information from the image storage area 8-1, specifies a memory area in the image data storage section 7 corresponding to this drawing style, and reads an image number from the image storage area 8-1 to specify a memory. The illustration image corresponding to the image number is read from the area, and this illustration image is displayed and output at the display position corresponding to the X and Y coordinates read from the image storage area 8-1. Step A below
Return to step 4 and step A above until the end key is operated.
5 to A10 are repeated. As a result, the image storage area 8
In -1, the image number and display position (X coordinate, Y coordinate) of a plurality of illustration images are sequentially stored. Here, FIG. 7 (A) is a single picture drawn by combining a plurality of image data of normal expression, which is an image of a structure in which a handset, a notebook, a book, and a pen are placed on an office desk. is there.

After changing the drawing expression of the whole picture after drawing the picture of the normal expression in this way, the drawing change key 3-5 is operated. Then, the operation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is started. First, when the drawing style change key 3-5 is operated, the CPU 1 displays a guide of "drawing style change" (step B).
1). Here, for example, when the picture in the normal expression shown in FIG. 7A is changed to the POP expression, the POP expression key 3-3 is operated (step B2). When an arbitrary drawing style to be changed is selected in this way, the drawing style specifying information in the image storage area 8-1 is rewritten based on the selected drawing style (step B3). In this case, the drawing style designation information in the image storage area 8-1 is "0" indicating normal expression.
Although "0" is set, this is rewritten as "01" indicating the POP expression. FIG. 6 shows the contents of the image storage area 8-1 in this case, and FIG.
FIG. 6B shows the contents of the image storage area 8-1 after the change. Only the drawing style designation information is rewritten based on the drawing style change, and the X coordinate indicating the other image number or display position. , Y coordinates are retained as they are.

Then, in step B4, the illustration image is redisplayed on the display screen based on the rewritten contents of the image storage area 8-1. That is, the CPU 1 reads the drawing designating information “01” from the image storage area 8-1,
The memory area 7-2 for storing the image data of the POP expression in the image data storage unit 7 corresponding to this drawing method is designated, and the image number is read from the image storage area 8-1 to designate the designated memory area 7-. The illustration image corresponding to the image number is read from 2, and the illustration image is displayed and output at the display position corresponding to the X coordinate and the Y coordinate read from the image storage area 8-1. The image storage area 8-
The next image number is read from 1, and the same operation is repeated thereafter. As a result, the picture in the normal expression shown in FIG. 7A is changed to the picture in the POP expression as shown in FIG. 7B. That is, the office desk, the telephone, the notebook, etc. are all changed to the POP expression.

As described above, in this embodiment, the entire displayed image can be displayed by simply specifying the drawing method without changing the basic components of the illustration image displayed on the display screen. You can change only the drawing representation of. In this case, since the display position of the illustration image is not changed, the relative positional relationship between the plurality of illustration images is not broken and the original positional relationship is displayed again.

[0015]

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. Although the keys for designating the normal expression, the POP expression, and the dramatic picture touch expression are individually provided in the first embodiment,
In the second embodiment, each time the drawing style change key is operated, the next drawing style is specified cyclically.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation which is started each time the drawing style change key is operated. First, drawing style designation information is read from the image storage area 8-1 (step C).
1). Then, it is checked whether or not the drawing style designation information is "02" indicating the dramatic picture touch expression (step C2), and if it is not the dramatic picture touch expression, the value of the drawing style designation information is "1".
Is added (step C3), and if it is a dramatic image touch expression,
The drawing designation information is rewritten to "00" indicating normal expression (step C4). Then, the illustration image is displayed again based on the rewritten contents of the image storage area 8-1 (step C5). In the second embodiment configured in this way, in addition to the same effect as described above, the drawing method of the entire image can be changed to the following drawing method with one touch.

In each of the above-described embodiments, a memory area for storing image data of normal expression, POP expression, and motion picture touch expression is provided in the image data storage unit 7 in correspondence with the drawing method.
Although the same image number is associated with the same type of image data, it is not always necessary to associate the same image number. For example, the address for reading the image data may be updated with a change in the drawing method. That is, the address may be updated based on the reference address and the offset address. Further, in each of the above embodiments, the illustration image is fixedly stored in the read-only memory, but the image data read by the image sensor or the like by the user may be called. In this case, the drawing method may be associated with the image data.

[0017]

According to the present invention, the displayed image can be displayed by simply designating a drawing expression indicating how to draw the entire image without changing the basic constituent elements of the image data being displayed. Since the drawing method of the whole can be changed, it is not necessary to redraw from the beginning even if the drawing method is simply changed as in the conventional case, and the change can be made extremely easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a word processor with an illustration function according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image data storage unit 7.

FIG. 3 is a data format diagram showing the contents of an image storage area 8-1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation started to be executed in response to an operation of an image key 3-1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation started to be executed in response to an operation of a drawing style change key 3-5.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the contents of an image storage area 8-1 before and after a drawing style change key 3-5 is operated.

FIG. 7 is a diagram specifically showing an image before the change and an image after the change when changing the drawing method of a picture drawn by combining a plurality of illustration images.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation started in response to an operation of a drawing style change key in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 Program memory 3 Input section 3-1 Image key 3-2 Normal expression key 3-3 POP expression key 3-4 Geographic image touch key 3-5 Drawing style change key 6 Display section 7 Image data storage section 8 RAM 8- 1 image storage area

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06F 17/30 G06T 11/80 1/00 9288-5L G06F 15/20 570 N 9194-5L 15 / 40 370 B 9365-5H 15/62 322 P 9365-5H 330 G

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image output device for reading out and outputting arbitrarily specified image data from various image data stored in advance, and only a drawing expression showing the same drawing method with the same basic constituent elements. Image storage means for respectively storing the same type of image data different from each other, display means for displaying and outputting the image data read from the image storage means, designation means for selectively designating an arbitrary drawing expression, and Retrieval means for retrieving from the image storage means image data of the same type as the image data displayed on the display means and corresponding to the drawing expression designated by the designating means, and the image data retrieved by the retrieving means. And a display control means for replacing the image data displayed on the display means with a display output, and an image output device. . 2. The designating means cyclically designates a plurality of drawing expressions in a predetermined order each time a predetermined key is operated. ) The image output device described.