# US 5,353,397 A · Registration/search system for registering and searching image data using vector data attributes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,353,397 A - Document ID: US5353397A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/480,667 - Filed: 1990-02-15 - Granted: 1994-10-04 - Earliest claimed: 1989-03-17 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Yoshihiro Yokoyama; Yasuo Kurosu; Seiichi Kanema; Hajime Uchiyama; Masahiro Okumura; Naoaki Kubushiro; Masaaki Fujinawa; Hirowo Shimizu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5353397A ## CPC - G06T 9/00: Image coding (bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00) - G06F 16/532: Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A drawing data obtained by a CAD device is extended once to an image data on a plane and the extended image data is coded and stored in an electronic file device so that every display can be done by merely reading data stored in the electronic file device, decoding and displaying it. The image data having a plurality of attributes is stored attribute by attribute so that the electronic file device can display only image having attribute or attributes instructed and it is possible to obtain only required image information among various informations contained in a complicated image and thus searching is facilitated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of output primitive attributes each defining one of a plurality of different display properties of said drawing; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for registering said code data with respective output primitive attributes; code data deriving means for searching said storage means with respective output primitive attributes and deriving said code data corresponding to respective output primitive attributes from said storage means; decoding means for decoding said code data derived from said storage means to restore said image data corresponding thereto by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said restored image data to display by respective output primitive attributes. ### Claim 2 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said output primitive attributes are kinds of drawing lines. ### Claim 3 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said output primitive attributes are line thicknesses. ### Claim 4 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said output primitive attributes are colors. ### Claim 5 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said vector data having at least one of said output primitive attributes are converted into said image data. ### Claim 6 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said image data is coded into said code data by said coding means providing highest compression rate for the associated attribute. ### Claim 7 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein a clipping region is set in a data region of said storage means after said image data is converted into said code data and said image data is stored in said clipping region when said vector data is converted into said image data. ### Claim 8 An image data registration and search system for an electronic file device, comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; conversion means for converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storage means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and output means for outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said image data; wherein said image data is coded to code data one attribute at a time and said code data and said vector data are combined and stored attribute one attribute at a time. ### Claim 9 A parallel memory system comprising: input means for inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of output primitive attributes; converting means for converting said vector data inputted into image data by respective output primitive attributes; first memory means for storing said image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding means for coding said image data into code data by respective output primitive attributes; second memory means for storing said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading means for reading out said code data from said second memory means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said readout code data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; third memory means for storing said decoded image data by respective output primitive attributes; and control means for displaying an image or a combination of at least two images from said third memory. ### Claim 10 An image data search system for an electronic file device comprising: storage means for storing code data having a plurality of output primitive attributes by respective output primitive attributes; decoding means for decoding said stored code data into said image data by respective output primitive attributes; first display means for displaying said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and second display means for synthesizing said image data for all of said output primitive attributes and displaying said synthesized image data; wherein said first display means display said image data for one of said output primitive attributes when a continuous display is performed; wherein said second display means displays said synthesized image data when said image is displayed stationarily. ### Claim 11 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of output primitive attributes each defining one of a plurality of different display properties of said drawing; converting said vector into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; registering said code data with respective output primitive attributes; searching said registered code data with respective output primitive attributes and deriving said code data by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said derived code data to restore said image data corresponding thereto by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said restored image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes. ### Claim 12 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said output primitive attributes are kinds of drawing lines. ### Claim 13 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said output primitive attributes are line thicknesses. ### Claim 14 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said output primitive attributes are colors. ### Claim 15 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said vector data having at least one of said output primitive attributes are converted into said image data. ### Claim 16 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said coding step includes the step of providing highest compression rate for an associated attribute. ### Claim 17 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; further comprising the step of providing a clipping region in a data region of said storage means after said image data is converted into said code data and wherein said image data is stored in said clipping region when said vector data is converted into said image data. ### Claim 18 An image data registration and search method for an electronic file device, comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of predetermined output primitive attributes; converting said vector data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data to code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing said code data in storage means by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data stored in said storage means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data to obtain said image data by respective output primitive attributes; and outputting said decoded image data to display said image data by respective output primitive attributes or to synthesize and display said imaged data; wherein said image data is coded to code data one attribute at a time and said code data and said vector data are combined and stored one attribute at a time. ### Claim 19 A parallel memory method comprising the steps of: inputting vector data of a drawing having a plurality of output primitive attributes; converting said vector data inputted into image data by respective output primitive attributes; storing in a first memory means said image data by respective output primitive attributes; coding said image data into code data by respective output primitive attributes; storing in a second memory means said code data by respective output primitive attributes; reading out said code data from said second memory means by respective output primitive attributes; decoding said read out code data into image data by respective output primitive attributes; storing in third memory means said decoded image data by respective attribute; displaying an image or a combination of at least two images from said decoded image data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said output means synthesizes said restored image data and displays said synthesized image data. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The method claimed in claim 11, wherein said outputting step includes the steps of synthesizing said restored image data and displaying a synthesized image data.