Electronic information retrieval apparatus for image information using primary and secondary menus

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: compressing said full resolution information prior to storing; compressing said reduced resolution picture information prior to storing; expanding said full resolution compressed picture information prior to displaying; and expanding said reduced resolution picture information prior to displaying.

Claim 4

A method in a hierarchical registration and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of said retrieval information is not arranged in picture retrieval categories or picture retrieval subcategories, further comprising the steps of: selecting non-categorized picture retrieval information from said primary menu; selecting non-categorized picture retrieval information from said secondary menu; recording the picture retrieval categories and subcategories of said primary and secondary menus previously selected; and sequentially displaying picture information of each of a plurality of originals not contained in said picture retrieval categories or subcategories previously selected when said non-categorical picture retrieval information is selected.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: inputting information to redisplay a previously displayed one of said plurality of cover pages subsequent to picture information of a previously desired cover page being displayed; displaying a previously displayed one of said plurality of cover pages in response to said inputted redisplay cover page information; inputting information to display a next one of said plurality of cover pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired cover page; displaying a next one of said plurality of cover pages in response to said inputted next cover page display information; inputting information to redisplay a previously displayed one of said plurality of pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired page; displaying a previously displayed one of said plurality of pages in response to said inputted redisplay page information; inputting information to display a next one of said plurality of pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired page; and displaying a next one of said plurality of pages in response to said inputted next page display information.

Claim 6

A hierarchical registration and retrieval system, for registering picture information, in a book type format including a plurality of pages for each of a corresponding to said picture information for each of said plurality of originals in a plurality of primary and secondary menus containing picture retrieval categories and subcategories, respectively, as well as non-categorized picture retrieval information, and for retrieving picture information of a desired page of a desired original selected from a plurality of said registered originals by accessing said primary and secondary menus, the system comprising: scanning means for generating full resolution picture information for each of the plurality of pages; input means for inputting primary and secondary retrieval information corresponding to said picture information; reduction means, operatively connected to said scanning means, for developing reduced resolution picture information for each of the plurality of pages; storing means including, a first storage region for storing said full resolution generated picture information for each of a plurality of pages, the first of said plurality of pages stored being identified as a cover page, and for storing said reduced resolution generated picture information for each of a plurality of pages, the first of said plurality of pages stored being identified as a cover page, and a second storage region for storing said primary and secondary retrieval information, in the form of primary and secondary menus, respectively, each entry of said primary menu corresponding to a different picture retrieval category and each entry of said secondary menu corresponding to a picture retrieval subcategory; said input means introducing a retrieval request; display means for displaying said primary menu in response to the receipt of said retrieval request; said input means selecting retrieval information from said primary menu, corresponding to the picture retrieval category of said desired original; said display means displaying a secondary menu corresponding to the picture retrieval subcategories of the selected picture retrieval category; said input means selecting retrieval information from said secondary menu, corresponding to the picture retrieval category of said desired original; said display means sequentially displaying said reduced resolution picture information, of a plurality of cover pages, one for each of a plurality of originals, corresponding to said selected picture retrieval subcategory; said input means selecting one of said sequentially displayed cover pages which corresponds to said desired original; said display means sequentially displaying reduced resolution picture information of a plurality of pages of said desired original, in response to said selected cover page; said input means selecting a desired one of said sequentially displayed pages; said display means displaying said full resolution picture information of said selected page in response to said inputted information; and printing means for printing said full resolution picture information in response to said displayed full resolution picture information.

Claim 7

A hierarchical registration and retrieval system, for registering picture information, in a book type format including a plurality of pages for each of a corresponding to said picture information for each of said plurality of originals in a plurality of primary and secondary menus containing picture retrieval categories and subcategories, respectively, as well as non-categorized picture retrieval information, and for retrieving picture information of a desired page of a desired original selected from a plurality of said registered originals by accessing said primary and secondary menus, the system comprising: scanning means for generating full resolution picture information for each of the plurality of pages; input means for inputting primary and secondary retrieval information corresponding to said picture information; reduction means, operatively connected to said scanning means, for developing reduced resolution picture information for each of the plurality of pages; storing means including, a first storage region for storing said full resolution generated picture information for each of a plurality of pages, the first of said plurality of pages stored being identified as a cover page, and for storing said reduced resolution generated picture information for each of a plurality of pages, the first of said plurality of pages stored being identified as a cover page, and a second storage region for storing said primary and secondary retrieval information, in the form of primary and secondary menus, respectively, each entry of said primary menu corresponding to a different picture retrieval category and each entry of said secondary menu corresponding to a picture retrieval subcategory; said input means introducing a retrieval request; display means for displaying said primary menu in response to the receipt of said retrieval request; said input means selecting retrieval information from said primary menu, corresponding to the picture retrieval category of said desired original; said display means displaying a secondary menu corresponding to the picture retrieval subcategories of the selected picture retrieval category; said input means selecting retrieval information from said secondary menu, corresponding to the picture retrieval category of said desired original; said display means sequentially displaying said reduced resolution picture information, of a plurality of cover pages, one for each of a plurality of originals, corresponding to said selected picture retrieval subcategory; said input means selecting one of said sequentially displayed cover pages which corresponds to said desired original; said display means sequentially displaying reduced resolution picture information of a plurality of pages of said desired original, in response to said selected cover page; said input means selecting a desired one of said sequentially displayed pages; said display means displaying said full resolution picture information of said selected page in response to said inputted information; and printing means for printing said full resolution picture information in response to said displayed full resolution picture information.

Claim 8

A system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: compression/expansion means for compressing said full resolution picture information prior to storing; said compression/expansion means compressing said reduced resolution picture information prior to storing; said compression/expansion means for expanding said full resolution compressed picture information prior to displaying; and said compression/expansion means expanding said reduced resolution compressed picture information prior to displaying.

Claim 9

A hierarchical registration and retrieval system as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least some of said picture retrieval information is non-categorized not arranged in picture retrieval categories or subcategories in said primary and secondary means, wherein: said input means selects non-categorized picture retrieval information from said primary menu; said input means selects non-categorized picture retrieval information from said secondary menu; said storage means records the picture retrieval categories and subcategories of said primary and secondary menus previously selected; and said display means sequentially displays picture information of each of a plurality of originals not contained in said picture retrieval categories or subcategories previously selected when said non-categorical picture retrieval information is selected.

Claim 10

A hierarchical registration and retrieval system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: said input means inputting information to redisplay a previously displayed one of said plurality of cover pages subsequent to picture information of a previously desired cover page being displayed; said display means displaying a previously displayed one of said plurality of cover pages in response to said inputted redisplay cover page information; said input means inputting information to display a next one of said plurality of cover pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired cover page; said display means displaying a next one of said plurality of cover pages in response to said inputted next cover page display information; said input means inputting information to redisplay previously displayed one of said plurality of pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired page; said displayed means displaying a previously displayed one of said plurality of pages in response to said inputted redisplay page information; said input means inputting information to display a next one of said plurality of pages in response to displayed picture information of a non-desired page; and said display means displaying a next one of said plurality of pages in response to said inputted next page display information.