Display control device, browsing support method, and program

Abstract

To make articles that are divided into multiple sections easier to read. [Solution] The display control device (electronic magnifying glass 100) is a display control device that displays an article written in a plurality of regions (divided regions) on a display unit 13, and includes a control unit 11 that, when the end of a sentence in any of the plurality of regions is displayed on the display unit 13, displays on the display unit 13 an indicator (arrow 132) that shows the direction in which the beginning of a sentence in the next region in the reading order of the region where the end of the sentence is displayed is located.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a display control device, a browsing support method, and a program. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Conventionally, an electronic magnifying glass that enlarges and displays characters such as those of a medium written in fine characters on paper such as a newspaper has been known (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-181897 【Patent Document 2】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-322045 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 However, when an article described in multiple paragraphs such as a newspaper is enlarged and displayed by an electronic magnifying glass, if the beginning of a sentence in a subsequent paragraph of the paragraph displayed on the electronic magnifying glass is not displayed, it is difficult to know the position of the beginning of the sentence in the subsequent paragraph, and there is a problem that the article is difficult to read. 【0005】 An object of the present invention is to provide a display control device, a browsing support method, and a program that can make an article described in multiple areas easy to read. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 To solve the above problems, the present invention is a display control device that displays an article divided into multiple areas on a display unit, and includes a control unit that, when the end of a sentence in any of the multiple areas is displayed on the display unit, displays on the display unit an indicator indicating the direction in which the beginning of a sentence in the next area in the reading order of the area where the end of the sentence is displayed is located. [Effects of the Invention] 【0007】 According to the present invention, articles that are divided into multiple sections can be made easier to read. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0008】 [Figure 1] This is a perspective view including the front of the electronic magnifying glass of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view including the back of the electronic magnifying glass of this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an electronic magnifying glass. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the display control process. [Figure 5] This diagram shows a user taking a full-body image using an electronic magnifying glass. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a full-body image taken by the photography department. [Figure 7] This diagram shows a user reading a newspaper using an electronic magnifying glass. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a display screen shown on the display unit. [Figure 9] This diagram shows an example of how to use the stand. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0009】 Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. While the embodiments described below are subject to various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples. 【0010】 An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. First, the device configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The electronic magnifier 100 as a display control device in this embodiment is a device capable of greatly enlarging and displaying small characters and small objects. The electronic magnifier 100 of this embodiment has a newspaper mode that is set when the user is reading a newspaper. When the user is reading a newspaper, first the electronic magnifier 100 is set to newspaper mode and the entire article that the user wants to read is photographed using the electronic magnifier 100. Next, the user holds the electronic magnifier 100 over a predetermined part of the article that the user wants to read and views the article, for example, which is magnified on the electronic magnifier 100. 【0011】 The electronic magnifier 100 comprises a control unit 11, an operation unit 12, a display unit 13, an imaging unit 14, an illumination unit 15, an audio output unit 16, and a storage unit 17, with each unit connected via a bus. The housing 20 of the electronic magnifier 100 comprises a main body unit 21 and a gripping unit 22 that is held by the user. 【0012】 The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control unit 11 controls each part of the electronic magnifier 100. The CPU of the control unit 11 reads a specified program from among the various programs, including the system program, stored in the memory unit 17, loads it into RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the loaded program. 【0013】 The operation unit 12 is equipped with multiple buttons that accept user input and outputs the operation information received from the user to the control unit 11. These multiple buttons include a power button 121, a shooting button 122, a newspaper mode button 123, a magnification button 124, a reduction button 125, a light button 126, etc. The power button 121 is a button that accepts input from the user to turn the electronic magnifier 100 on and off, and is located on the front of the grip 22. The front of the housing 20 (the front of the main body 21 and the grip 22) is the side that faces the user when the electronic magnifier 100 is in use. The shooting button 122, the newspaper mode button 123, the magnification button 124, and the reduction button 125 are located on the front of the main body 21. The shooting button 122 is a button that accepts input from the user to take a picture using the shooting unit 14. The newspaper mode button 123 is a button that accepts input from the user to set the electronic magnifier 100 to newspaper mode. The zoom button 124 is a button that receives input from the user to enlarge the live image displayed on the display unit 13. The live image is a captured image taken by the shooting unit 14 at a predetermined frame rate. The zoom out button 125 is a button that receives input from the user to reduce the live image displayed on the display unit 13. The light button 126 is a button that receives input to turn the illumination unit 15 on and off, and is located on the right side of the main unit 21. 【0014】 The display unit 13 is located on the front of the main unit 21. The display unit 13 is equipped with a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The display unit 13 displays live images in real time as video or displays various setting menus on the display screen 131 of the display device (see Figures 7 and 8) according to the image data and control signals output from the control unit 11. 【0015】 The imaging unit 14 is disposed on the back surface of the main body unit 21. The back surface of the housing 20 is the surface opposite to the front surface of the housing 20, and is the surface facing the display object displayed on the display unit 13 when the electronic loupe 100 is in use. The imaging unit 14 is, for example, a digital camera having an imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, an optical system, and the like. The imaging unit 14 performs imaging according to the control signal output from the control unit 11, generates imaging image data, and outputs the imaging image data to the control unit 11. 【0016】 The lighting unit 15 is disposed on the back surface of the main body unit 21. The lighting unit 15 includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, and irradiates light for illuminating the display object in the imaging direction by the imaging unit 14 according to the control signal output from the control unit 11. The sound output unit 16 includes a speaker or the like, and outputs an operation sound when various buttons provided on the operation unit 12 are pressed by the user. The storage unit 17 is composed of a flash memory or the like, and is a storage unit capable of reading and writing information from and to the control unit 11, and stores various data and various programs. 【0017】 Next, the operation of the electronic loupe 100 will be described. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of display control processing executed by the electronic loupe 100. The control unit 11 of the electronic loupe 100 executes display control processing in the electronic loupe 100 in the power-on state when the newspaper mode button 123 is pressed by the user. 【0018】 (Display control processing) First, the control unit 11 displays on the display unit 13 an instruction to the effect that the user should photograph the entire article they want to read, such as "Please photograph the entire article you want to read" (step S1). Next, the control unit 11 accepts the pressing operation of the photographing button 122 by the user (step S2). In step S2, until the photographing button 122 is pressed by the user, the control unit 11 lights the illumination unit 15 and displays the live image captured by the photographing unit 14 on the display screen 131 of the display unit 13 in real time as a video. As shown in FIG. 5, while holding the gripping unit 22, the user moves the electronic magnifier 100 to the position where the entire article they want to read among the articles described in the newspaper S is captured by the photographing unit 14 while checking the live image displayed in real time on the display screen 131, and presses the photographing button 122. Next, based on the pressing operation of the photographing button 122 received in step S2, the control unit 11 performs photographing by the photographing unit 14 and obtains an overall photographed image in which the entire article the user wants to read is photographed (step S3). 【0019】 Next, the control unit 11 performs image recognition processing using OCR (Optical Character Reader) technology on the overall photographed image obtained in step S3, and extracts the article framework and a plurality of divided regions (paragraphs) in which the article is divided and described (step S4). In step S4, the control unit 11 extracts the article framework and a plurality of divided regions by a known method (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-305704). For example, the control unit 11 recognizes relatively thick ruled lines included in the overall photographed image, and extracts a predetermined article framework by partitioning the regions in the overall photographed image based on the thick ruled lines. Further, the control unit 11 recognizes relatively thin ruled lines included within the article framework, and extracts the divided regions included in the article by partitioning the regions within the article framework based on the thin ruled lines. 【0020】 In the example shown in Figure 6, the control unit 11 extracts the first article 30 and the second article 40 from the overall captured image 300 based, for example, on thick lines. Next, the control unit 11 extracts multiple divided regions 31 to 37, which are described by dividing the first article 30 based on thin lines within the first article 30. Similarly, the control unit 11 extracts divided regions from the second article 40 as well. 【0021】 Next, the control unit 11 performs image recognition processing using OCR technology on the multiple divided regions extracted in step S4 to determine the reading order of the multiple divided regions (step S5). In step S5, the control unit 11 determines the reading order of the multiple divided regions by known methods (for example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-305704), specific text arrangement rules for articles in newspapers, magazines, etc. In the example shown in Figure 6, the reading order of the multiple divided regions 31 to 37 is divided region 31, divided region 32, divided region 33, divided region 34, divided region 35, divided region 36, and divided region 37. 【0022】 After taking a full-page image of the entire article the user wants to read, the user moves the electronic magnifying glass 100 over a predetermined location of the article they want to read in the newspaper S, while gripping the gripping part 22, as shown in Figure 7. 【0023】 Next, the control unit 11 turns on the illumination unit 15 and starts displaying the live image, captured by the shooting unit 14 on a predetermined part of the article, as a video in real time on the display screen 131, as shown in Figures 7 and 8 (step S6). Furthermore, when the control unit 11 receives a press operation of the zoom button 124 by the user, it performs a zoom process on the live image, thereby displaying a portion of the live image on the display screen 131 at a predetermined zoom ratio. The predetermined zoom ratio is, for example, the zoom ratio set by the user pressing the zoom button 124 or the zoom out button 125. 【0024】 After step S6, the user views the article by viewing a live image of a designated part of the article displayed on the display screen 131. Once the user has finished reading the text contained in the live image displayed on the display screen 131, they move the electronic magnifier 100 to display the rest of the article on the display screen 131. In this way, the user can view the article while moving the electronic magnifier 100, improving the user's experience when viewing the article. Furthermore, it gives the user the feeling of realistically reading a newspaper, thus providing them with a sense of satisfaction from reading the newspaper. In addition, since the electronic magnifier 100 can be operated in the same way as a conventional magnifying glass, even people accustomed to using conventional magnifying glasses can use it without any discomfort. 【0025】 Next, the control unit 11 performs image recognition processing using OCR technology on the live image displayed on the display screen 131 to identify the position of the live image in the overall captured image. Next, based on the position of the live image in the overall captured image, the control unit 11 determines whether the end of a sentence in one of the multiple divided regions is displayed in the live image, and whether the beginning of a sentence in the next divided region in the reading order of the divided region in which the end of a sentence is displayed is not displayed (step S7). In the example shown in Figure 8, the live image displayed on the display screen 131 includes the end of a sentence 36a of divided region 36, and does not include the beginning of a sentence 37a (see Figure 6) of the next divided region 37 in the reading order of divided region 36. 【0026】 If the end of any divided region is displayed in the live image shown on the display screen 131, and the beginning of the next divided region is not displayed (step S7; YES), the control unit 11 displays an indicator on the live image shown on the display screen 131 indicating the direction in which the beginning of the next divided region is located (step S8). Figure 6 shows an arrow 132 as an indicator indicating the direction in which the beginning 37a of the next divided region 37 is located in the reading order of the divided region 36 in which the end of the sentence 36a is displayed. In this embodiment, the control unit 11 displays the arrow 132 at a specific fixed position in the lower left of the display screen 131. On the other hand, if the end of any divided region is not displayed in the live image shown on the display screen 131, or if the beginning of the next divided region is displayed in the live image (step S7; NO), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S7 of the display control process. 【0027】 Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the user has given an instruction to end the newspaper mode via the operation unit 12 or whether the power button 121 has been pressed (step S9). If the control unit 11 receives an instruction to end the newspaper mode or to turn off the power of the electronic magnifier 100 by pressing the power button 121 (step S9; YES), the control unit 11 terminates the display control process. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 has not received an instruction to end the newspaper mode or to turn off the power of the electronic magnifier 100 (step S9; NO), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S7 of the display control process. 【0028】 In addition, in the above display control process, if the end of any divided region is displayed in the live image displayed on the display screen 131, the control unit 11 may display an indicator on the live image displayed on the display screen 131 indicating the direction in which the beginning of the next divided region is located. 【0029】 As described above, the display control device (electronic magnifier 100) of this embodiment is a display control device that displays an article divided into multiple regions (divided regions) on the display unit 13, and includes a control unit 11 that displays an indicator (arrow 132) on the display unit 13 indicating the direction in which the beginning of the sentence in the next region is located in the reading order of the region where the end of the sentence is displayed, when the end of the sentence in any of the multiple regions is displayed on the display unit 13. Therefore, by visually confirming the indicator (arrow 132), the user can grasp the direction in which the beginning of the sentence in the next region is located in the reading order of the region where the end of the sentence is displayed, and can quickly move the electronic magnifier 100 to the position of the beginning of the sentence in the next region. This makes it easier to read articles divided into multiple regions. 【0030】 Furthermore, in the display control device (electronic magnifying glass 100) of this embodiment, the control unit 11 displays the indicator (arrow 132) at the same position on the display unit 13 regardless of the display position of the end of the sentence in any area. As a result, the user can view and read the article displayed on the display unit 13 without the indicator (arrow 132) getting in the way. 【0031】 Furthermore, in the display control device (electronic magnifying glass 100) of this embodiment, the control unit 11 displays an indicator (arrow 132) on the display unit 13 if the beginning of a sentence in the area following the reading order of the area where the end of a sentence is displayed is not displayed on the display unit 13. Therefore, if the user can see the beginning of the sentence in the following area on the display unit 13, the indicator (arrow 132) does not get in the way, and the user can view the article displayed on the display unit 13. 【0032】 Furthermore, the display control device (electronic magnifier 100) of this embodiment is provided in a housing 20 and includes a shooting unit 14 for photographing articles. The shooting range of the shooting unit 14 can be changed by moving the position of the housing 20, and the control unit 11 displays the image of the article captured by the shooting unit 14 on the display unit 13. In addition, in the display control device (electronic magnifier 100) of this embodiment, the control unit 11 displays the image captured by the shooting unit 14 at a predetermined frame rate on the display unit 13 in real time. As a result, the user can view articles while moving the electronic magnifier 100, thereby improving the user's feel when viewing articles. Furthermore, it can give the user the feeling of realistically reading a newspaper, so the user can gain satisfaction from reading the newspaper. In addition, since the electronic magnifier 100 can display using the same operation as a conventional magnifying glass, even people who are used to using conventional magnifying glasses can use it without any discomfort. 【0033】 Furthermore, the reading support method of this embodiment is a reading support method executed by a display control device (electronic magnifier 100) that displays an article divided into multiple areas (divided areas) on a display unit 13, and includes a control process that displays an indicator (arrow 132) on the display unit 13 when the end of a sentence in any of the multiple areas is displayed on the display unit 13, indicating the direction in which the beginning of a sentence in the next area in the reading order of the area where the end of a sentence is displayed is located.Therefore, by visually confirming the indicator (arrow 132), the user can grasp the direction in which the beginning of a sentence in the next area in the reading order of the area where the end of a sentence is displayed is located, and can quickly move the electronic magnifier 100 to the position of the beginning of a sentence in the next area.This makes it easier to read articles divided into multiple areas. 【0034】 The above description discloses an example in which a storage unit 17 such as flash memory is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this example. Other computer-readable mediums such as other non-volatile memory and portable recording media such as CD-ROMs can be applied. Furthermore, a carrier wave can also be applied to the present invention as a medium for providing the program data according to the present invention via a communication line. 【0035】 The above description of the embodiment is merely an example of the display control device, viewing support method, and program according to the present invention, and is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to ebooks displayed on a display unit of a predetermined terminal device. Also, as shown in Figure 9, the electronic magnifier 100 may be used with the stand 200 attached. In this case, the user can use the electronic magnifier 100 without gripping the gripping part 22. Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows the case where the article in the newspaper, etc., is written vertically, the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied when the article is written horizontally. In addition, the control unit 11 may perform an enlargement process on the overall captured image acquired in step S3 of the display control process, thereby displaying a part of the overall captured image on the display screen 131 while enlarging it at a predetermined magnification ratio. In this case, the user views the article by visually inspecting the enlarged overall captured image on the display screen 131. Furthermore, in this case, if the end of any of the divided regions is included in a portion of the enlarged overall image displayed on the display screen 131, and the beginning of the next divided region is not included, the control unit 11 displays an indicator on the portion of the overall image displayed on the display screen 131 that indicates the direction in which the beginning of the next divided region is located. 【0036】 While embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols] 【0037】 100...Electronic magnifying glass (display control device), 11...Control unit, 13...Display unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A display control device that displays an article divided into multiple areas on a display unit, A display control device comprising a control unit that, when the end of a sentence in any of the multiple regions is displayed on the display unit, causes the display unit to display an indicator on the display unit that shows the direction in which the beginning of a sentence in the region following the region where the end of the sentence is displayed is located. [Claim 2] The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the indicator to be displayed at the same position on the display unit regardless of the display position at the end of the sentence. [Claim 3] The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the indicator to be displayed on the display unit when the beginning of a sentence in the contiguous area is not displayed on the display unit. [Claim 4] The housing of the aforementioned display control device is provided with a shooting unit for photographing the aforementioned article, The shooting range of the aforementioned shooting unit can be changed by moving the position of the housing. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display the image of the article captured by the shooting unit. [Claim 5] The display control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display the captured image captured by the shooting unit at a predetermined frame rate in real time. [Claim 6] A viewing assistance method executed by a display control device that displays an article divided into multiple areas on a display unit, A browsing support method, which includes a control process that causes the display unit to display an indicator on the display unit indicating the direction in which the beginning of a sentence is located in the next area in the reading order of the area where the end of a sentence is displayed, when the end of a sentence in any of the multiple areas is displayed on the display unit. [Claim 7] A computer in a display control device that displays articles divided into multiple areas on the display unit, A program that functions as a control unit to display an indicator on the display unit that shows the direction in which the beginning of a sentence is located in the next region in the reading order of the region where the end of a sentence is displayed, when the end of a sentence in any of the multiple regions is displayed on the display unit.

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