JP2003110841A - Image processor, its control method, computer program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor, its control method, a computer program and a recording medium in which a user can be fully imparted with a feeling united in an image at restoring a large volume of additional information, e.g. text information, voice information, or the like, buried in the image. SOLUTION: A print image 17 printed while embedding specified text data is inputted from an optical reader 111. An additional information separating section 112 is then operated to separate additional information from the inputted image thus obtaining an image being multiplexed not yet embedded with the additional information. The additional information is displayed at a text data display section 114 using the image being multiplexed as the background image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention embeds audio information, text document information, information about the image, information not related to the image, etc., as additional information in the image information in a visually inconspicuous manner. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for printing with a printer, a control method thereof, a computer program and a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a method of recording an image and arbitrary additional information on a print medium such as the same paper surface. For example, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-348040, the additional information is converted into a two-dimensional dot code and printed on the same paper surface as the image. FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining an image and additional information printed on a paper surface using a conventional technique. In FIG. 22, the image 221 and the two-dimensional dot code 22
2 is printed on the same paper surface 223. Conventionally, the area of the two-dimensional dot code 222 is read from this paper surface by an optical reading device such as an image scanner to restore the original additional information.

By using such a method, it becomes possible to transmit voice information, large-capacity character information, etc., which could not be transmitted only on a paper surface, through a print medium called a paper surface. .

[0004]

However, the conventional technique has the following problems. First,
In the conventional method, the two-dimensional dot code 2 in FIG.
Only the area 22 is read by an optical reading device such as an image scanner, and the additional information must be restored by analyzing the dot pattern of the obtained image. For example, when the restored additional information is text data, only the restored text data is displayed by the display method as shown in FIG. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a display method of text data and the like restored using the conventional technique.

For example, in FIG. 22, when the information included in the two-dimensional dot code 222 is a greeting message from a person shown in the image 221, or a detailed description of the product which is the subject. As in image 221
Consider the case where the information is very closely related to. At this time, if only the text data is displayed as shown in FIG. 23, there is a problem in that it is not possible to give the user who sees the text data a sense of unity between the image and the additional information.

Therefore, in order to integrate the image and the additional information, it is desirable to embed the additional information in the image information in an invisible state. For example, the digital watermark method is a typical method of embedding additional information in an invisible state.
In a multiplexing method using this digital watermarking method, a process of first orthogonally transforming image information, then embedding additional information in a high frequency component, and further printing and outputting the image after the inverse orthogonal transform is output. is there.

However, there is a problem that the image information after the embedding is remarkably changed by the image processing such as the error diffusion processing performed at the time of printing after the above-mentioned steps. Therefore, after printing the image information in which the additional information is embedded, it is difficult to read the print image with an image scanner and restore the original additional information. Further, although it is possible to embed a small amount of information necessary for protecting the copyright information of an image as additional information, it is very difficult to embed a large amount of information such as audio information as additional information. is there.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such a situation, and when restoring additional information such as a large amount of text information and voice information embedded in an image, the image is not An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, a control method therefor, a computer program, and a recording medium capable of giving a user a sufficient feeling.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention separates the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded, and performs multiplexing before the additional information is embedded. It is characterized by comprising a separating means for acquiring an image and a display means for displaying the multiplexed image and the additional information together.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The image processing system proposed by the present invention includes an image processing apparatus that embeds additional information in image information and prints it, and an image processing apparatus that inputs the printed image with an image scanner and extracts the additional information. It is equipped with various types of image processing devices.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus for embedding additional information in image information for printing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The input terminal 11 is a terminal for inputting a multiplexed image in which additional information is embedded. The input terminal 11 is connected to the image forming unit 12. The image forming unit 12 is a device for converting the resolution of the input image information into the resolution for printing.

The image forming unit 12 is connected to the text data editing unit 13 and the additional information multiplexing unit 15. The text data editing unit 13 is a device for inputting and editing additional information (text data) added to the image information. The text data editing unit 13 includes the error correction coding unit 1
Connected to 4. The error correction coding unit 14 is a device that adds check bits for error correction to the edited text data.

The error correction coding unit 14 is connected to the additional information multiplexing unit 15. The additional information multiplexing unit 15 is a device for embedding error-corrected additional information in the resolution-converted image information. Additional information multiplexing unit 15
Is connected to the printer 16. The printer 16 is a device for printing image information (multiplexed information) in which additional information is embedded on a recording medium such as a paper surface and outputting a print image 17.

The processing in this image processing apparatus is as follows.
It is executed by using the control device 20 shown in FIG. Figure 2
[Fig. 3] is a schematic diagram for explaining a control device 20 that executes the operation of each processing unit in the present invention. In FIG.
The system bus 21 includes a CPU 22, ROM 23, RA
A secondary storage device 25 such as an M24 and a hard disk is connected. Further, as the user interface, the display 26, the keyboard 27, and the mouse 28 are the CPU 2
It is connected to the second class. Furthermore, the system bus 21
It is connected to an I / O interface 29 for connecting to an I / O interface 30 of the image output printer 16 or the like.

Next, the operation procedure of the image processing apparatus of the above-described embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the same embodiment. First, arbitrary image information input from the input terminal 11 is input to the image forming unit 12 (step S3).
1). Further, the text data editing unit 13 inputs and edits the text data to be added to the image information (step S32). FIG. 4 shows the text data editing unit 1
General GUI (Grap) used for editing processing in 3
It is a figure which shows a hical User Interface) screen. This GU
The I screen is displayed on the display 26.

In FIG. 4, the text data multiplexing window 40 mainly inputs and displays an area 41 for displaying the image information input from the input terminal 11 and setting information for printing the image information. An area 42 for
An area 43 for editing text data to be multiplexed in the image information, and an area 47 for designating how to display the edited text data when the embedded additional information is restored. Is included.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the details of the text data editing process (step S32) in the text data editing unit 13. First, the user uses the mouse 28 or the keyboard 27 to enter a text or the like to be multiplexed in the image information into the editing area 43 on the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4 to edit it (step S32a). In the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4, a 2-byte kana-kanji code such as Shift-JIS is given as an example, but other alphabets in ASCII code may be used.

Further, the user can set or change the print information (print information) in the print information area 42 by using the mouse 28 or the keyboard 27.
In the print information area 42, the printer used for printing the image information, the print resolution [dpi], the type of paper, and the print mode can be set.

Further, the area 44 is an area for setting a print range. The user inputs the width W _m [mm] and the height H _m [mm] of the printing range on the recording medium such as the paper surface (step S32b). In addition, in the GUI screen in FIG. 4, W _m
= 150 [mm] and H _m = 100 [mm] are shown. These values are input to the image forming unit 12,
The image information of h pixels × w pixels is converted into H pixels and W pixels that are the size of the resolution for printing. In this conversion, first, the values of H'and W'are obtained by the following equation.

[0020]

[Equation 1] Then, let H be the maximum integer that does not exceed H ', and similarly W'
Let W be the largest integer not exceeding. That is, this H pixel × W pixel becomes the size at the time of printing. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an image area 62 printed on a recording medium 61 such as a paper surface. Each area surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 6 shows a square block of N pixels which is a unit in which the additional information is multiplexed in the additional information multiplexing unit 15. Further, as a means for resolution conversion, any known method such as neighborhood interpolation and linear interpolation may be used.

The print information area 42 also includes a display area 45 for the multiplexing rate R. Here, the multiplexing rate R
Here, the total size including the check bit for error correction added in the error correction coding unit 14 to the currently edited text data represents the ratio of the maximum size that can be multiplexed. .

The additional information multiplexing unit 15 divides the image after converting the multiplexed image into a resolution of H pixels × W pixels which is a size for printing, and divides the image into square blocks of N pixels, and adds the additional information for each block. Is embedded. Therefore, when 1-bit additional information is embedded in each block, the information amount I _max [Byte] that can be multiplexed is as follows.

[0023]

[Equation 2] Here, I ₁ and I ₂ are a maximum integer that does not exceed the value of H / N and a maximum integer that does not exceed the value of W / N, respectively.

Using this formula, when the total amount of text data currently edited is I [Byte] and the header information described later is I _Header [Byte], the multiplexing rate R is calculated by the following formula. (Step S32c).

[0025]

[Equation 3] Here, n and k are BCH in the error correction coding unit 14.
The error correction parameters when the (n, k, d) code is used are shown. Here, BCH (n, k, d) is capable of correcting a t-bit error by adding nk check bits to k-bit information bits.
It represents the CH code. Note that t is the maximum integer that does not exceed the value of d / 2.

Then, it is judged whether or not the multiplexing rate R exceeds 100% (step S32d). As a result, when the multiplexing rate R exceeds 100% (YES), a warning window as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed (step S32).
e). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a GUI screen when the warning window 71 is displayed when the multiplexing rate R exceeds 100%. In this image processing apparatus, printing cannot be performed when the warning window 71 is displayed. Therefore, the user may reduce the number of characters in the text being edited or change the print range 44 to 10 in the multiplex ratio display 45.
It is necessary to perform either operation to enlarge it to 0% or less.

When the multiplexing rate R is 100% or less when the user finishes the text data editing work (N
O), the image processing apparatus is ready for printing. Therefore,
The user can execute the print process by clicking the print button 46 with the mouse 28.

When the print button 46 is pressed, the text data editing section 13 generates a header section of the text data. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the header portion 81 of the text data. As shown in FIG. 8, the header section 81 has a version number 81a of the multiplexing format, a header section data amount 81b, and a generation date 81 when the print image is created.
c, the edited text data amount 81d and the display method number 81e for indicating the display method of the text data on the restoration side selected by the user in the area 47 in FIG. 4 are stored. The header part data amount 81b is I _Header [Byte]. The text data amount 81d is I [Byte].

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a list of display method numbers 81e in the header section 81. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, seven types of methods for displaying text data on the restoration side are defined, and a number is assigned to each method. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, since “from below scroll” is selected,
“0x01” is stored in the display method number 81e in.

When the generation of the header portion 81 of the text data is completed, as shown in FIG. 10, a bit stream is formed in which the header portion is at the head and the edited text data is arranged after that. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a bitstream relating to text data when a check bit for error correction is added. Then, the bit stream is input to the error correction coding unit 14, and check bits for error correction are added to both the header part and the text data. As described above, the BCH code is used as the error correction code in this embodiment, but any known method such as Reed-Solomon code, convolutional code, and Peterson code may be used.

Then, the text data after the check bit for error correction is added is added information multiplexing unit 15
And is embedded in the resolution-converted image information (step S33). In the additional information multiplexing unit 15, text data is embedded in the image information so as to be visually inconspicuous. For this method, see JP-A-2001-148778.
Are described in. According to this method, the input image is divided into N pixel square blocks, and the quantization threshold of the error diffusion method is periodically changed for each block.
At that time, by changing the periodicity according to the code of the bit of the additional information, it is possible to generate a texture that cannot be generated by the normal error diffusion method for each block.

The pixel change caused by this process is microscopic, and since the error diffusion process is used, the density state is also preserved, so that the quality of the image after printing is hardly deteriorated and is large. Capacity information can be multiplexed into the image area. The additional information may be image information other than text data, voice information, or the like.

The image information that has been subjected to the error diffusion processing by the additional information multiplexing unit 15 using the method described above is printed by the printer 16 on a recording medium such as a paper surface, and a print image 17 is output. (Step S34). More than,
6 is a description of an image processing apparatus that prints by embedding additional information in image information. Next, an image processing apparatus for inputting a printed image with an image scanner and extracting additional information will be described.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus for inputting a printed image with an image scanner and extracting additional information. In FIG. 11, an optical reading device 111 is a device such as an image scanner that reads a print image 17 on which an image in which additional information is embedded is printed. The optical reading device 111 includes the additional information separating unit 1
It is connected to 12. The additional information separating unit 112 detects the multiplexed area in which the additional information is embedded in the image,
The area is divided into N pixel square blocks, and the periodicity of the texture is verified for each block to restore the additional information. For a detailed description of this processing content, see JP 2001-14877.
Since it is disclosed in No. 8, it is omitted here.

The additional information multiplexing unit 112 is connected to the error correction decoding unit 113 and the text data display unit 114. In the additional information separation unit 112, the detected multiplexed area is input to the text data display unit 114.
Also, the additional information separated from the multiplexed area is input to the error correction decoding unit 113. Error correction decoding unit 11
In 3, the error correction process is performed using the check bit added when the print image 17 is created.

The error correction decoding unit 113 is connected to the text data display unit 114. Error correction decoding unit 1
The header portion and the text data decrypted in 13 are input to the text data display portion 114.

FIG. 12 is a GU used for displaying text data in the text data display unit 114.
It is a figure which shows an example of I screen. These GUI screens are displayed on the display 26. Area 1 in FIG.
Reference numeral 21 is an area for displaying the multiplexed image and text data input to the text data display unit 114. In the present embodiment, the restored text data is dynamically displayed by the method specified by the display method number 81e included in the header part. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a GUI screen when the screen of the text data shown in FIG. 12 is scrolled. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in the present embodiment, the restored text data is scroll-displayed from bottom to top.

As described above, displaying the text data embedded inconspicuously in the multiplexed image as the background image is more effective than displaying the two separately. It has the effect of increasing the sense of unity. For example, it is particularly effective when the multiplexed image is a face image of an acquaintance of the viewer and the text data is a greeting message to the viewer created by an acquaintance of the viewer.

That is, according to the present invention, an image (print image 1) in which predetermined additional information (text data) is embedded.
(7) Separating means (additional information separating section 112) for separating the additional information from the additional information to obtain the multiplexed image before the additional information is embedded, and display means for displaying the multiplexed image and the additional information together. (Text data display unit 114).

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the display means (text data display section 114) scrolls the display screen to display the additional information when the additional information has a predetermined data amount or more. Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the separated additional information is predetermined document information.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the display means displays additional information using the multiplexed image as a background image. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the additional information has display method designation information (display method number 81e) relating to designation of a display method at the time of display, and the display means displays the additional information based on the display method designation information. Is characterized by.

Furthermore, the present invention further comprises an input means (text data editing section 13) for inputting predetermined additional information,
An image processing apparatus having a multiplexing unit (additional information multiplexing unit 15) for embedding the input additional information in a predetermined image, wherein the input unit calculates a total data amount of the additional information. A maximum data amount calculation means for calculating the maximum data amount that can be embedded in the image, a comparison means for comparing the total data amount with the maximum data amount, and a predetermined data amount when the total data amount exceeds the maximum data amount. It has a warning information display means for displaying warning information. In addition,
The viewed text data is saved in the save buttons 122 and 132.
It is also possible to save in the secondary storage device 25 by clicking with the mouse 28.

<Second Embodiment> In the present embodiment, an apparatus will be described, which is different from the above-described first embodiment in that the restored text data is subjected to a voice synthesis process to output a voice.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a display example of a GUI screen used in the text data editing unit in this embodiment. The difference between the GUI screen in the present embodiment and the GUI screen in the first embodiment is the text data multiplexing window 1
41 includes a speaker information editing area 142. The editor of the text data can use the keyboard 27 or the mouse 28 to specify the voice quality when the edited text data is voice-output by the voice synthesis processing.

In the present embodiment, as an example, speaker information as shown in FIG. 15 is defined. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a list of speaker information numbers, which are voice quality information defined in the second embodiment. In the GUI screen of FIG. 14, the text data editor specifies the gender and the age group in the area 142 to specify one speaker information number defined in FIG. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a bit stream of text data according to the second embodiment. The specified speaker information is stored in the speaker information 161 included in the header section in FIG. The editing process other than the above is the same as that of the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, in which a printed image is input by an image scanner, additional information is extracted, and audio is output.

As shown in FIG. 17, the optical reader 17
Reference numeral 2 denotes a device such as an image scanner that optically reads a print image 171 in which additional information is embedded. The optical reading device 172 is connected to the additional information separating unit 173. The additional information separating unit 173 separates the additional information from the multiplexed image area by the additional information separating process disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-148778.

The additional information separation unit 173 is connected to the image information display unit 174 and the error correction decoding unit 175.
The error correction decoding unit 175 performs error correction processing on the separated additional information, and restores the header part and the text data. The image information display unit 174 receives the error-corrected display method number 81e and the text data, and as shown in FIG.
2 and the display as shown in FIG. 13 is performed.

The error correction decoding unit 175 is connected to the speech synthesis processing unit 176. The speech synthesis processing unit 176 uses a language dictionary 176f to perform a syntax analysis of a sentence, a syntax analysis unit 176a, an accent / pose adding unit 176b for adding an accent / pose, and speaker information 176h included in the header unit. , A data selection unit 176c that selects corresponding speaker data, a waveform generation unit 176d that synthesizes a digital voice waveform, and a D
The / A conversion unit 176e. The voice synthesis processing unit 176 is connected to the speaker 177, and the speaker 1
Audio is output from 77.

That is, according to the present invention, the separating means (additional information separating section 173) for separating the additional information from the image (printed image 171) in which the predetermined additional information is embedded, and the separated additional information are converted into voice information. It is characterized in that it is provided with a voice converting means (voice synthesizing processing unit 176) for causing it and a voice output means (speaker 177) for outputting voice information.

Further, in the present invention, the additional information is the sound quality designation information (speaker information 161) relating to the sound quality designation at the time of voice output.
The voice conversion means converts the additional information into voice information based on the sound quality designation information. Further, the present invention is characterized by further comprising display means (image information display unit 174) for displaying together the multiplexed image before embedding the separated additional information and the additional information. Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the display means displays the additional information by using the multiplexed image as a background image.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for explaining the operation procedure of the voice synthesis processing unit 176 according to the second embodiment. The text data input to the speech synthesis processing unit 176 is first input to the syntax analysis unit 176a (step S181). The syntactic analysis unit 176a performs syntactic analysis of the text data using the language dictionary 176f stored in the secondary storage device 25 in advance, and analyzes word boundaries and kanji readings (step S182).

The information after the syntax analysis is accented.
It is input to the pose giving unit 176b, the utterance unit is determined, an appropriate pose is given, and the accent in the utterance unit is set using the giving rule 176g (step S).
183).

The information after the accent / pause is added is input to the waveform generator 176d, and the digital voice waveform is synthesized. As a voice waveform synthesizing method, a recording / editing synthesizing method for synthesizing a waveform of each voice unit stored in advance or a voice waveform is analyzed based on a voice generation model, and P
Any of various methods such as a parameter edit synthesis method in which ARCOR and LSP are accumulated as linear prediction parameters and synthesis is performed using the same parameters may be used.

In the speech synthesis processing according to this embodiment, in order to correspond to the respective speakers shown in the section of FIG. 15, the speech unit data for six speakers or the linear prediction parameters are quadratic. It is stored in the next storage device 25. Then, using the speaker information 176h included in the header section restored by the error correction decoding section 176, the data selecting section 176c applies the speaker information corresponding to the six speaker data shown in FIG. Select speaker data. The selected speaker data is input to the waveform generation unit 176d to generate a synthetic waveform (step S184).

The digital voice waveform information output from the waveform generator 176d is input to the D / A converter 176e, converted into an analog signal, and further output as voice from the speaker 177 (step S186).

FIG. 19 shows a GUI used in this embodiment.
It is a figure which shows an example of a screen. In FIG. 19, in the image area 191, text data is displayed on the read multiplexed image area, as in the first embodiment. Also,
The GUI screen has a button 192 for playing and stopping the generated synthetic voice. The viewer is
By operating the button 192 with the mouse 28, it is possible to control the sound reproduction, pause, and stop operations.

By performing the processing shown in this embodiment,
The text data multiplexed in an invisible state in the multiplexed image can be recognized not only visually but also auditorily. Therefore, the above processing may be applied to the welfare field. For example, in the past, visually impaired people could not understand the contents of ordinary printed matter even if they received it.
By reading the image printed by the optical reading device, the contents can be confirmed not only visually but also auditorily.

<Other Embodiments> In the present invention, since text data is assumed as additional information, it is considered that the data contains a large amount of redundancy. Therefore, it is also effective to add the lossless data compression unit 201 on the printing side and add the lossless data expansion unit 211 on the restoration side as shown in FIGS. FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus for reversibly compressing edited text data for multiplexing. In addition, FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus for reversibly decompressing the separated additional information. As the lossless data compression / decompression method, there are various known methods such as the LZ77 (Lempel-Ziv) method, the LZW method, and the run length coding method, but any method may be used in the present invention.

That is, according to the present invention, the additional information is embedded in the image by adding a predetermined redundant bit for error correction by performing error correction coding, and is separated by the separating means (additional information separating unit). It is characterized by further comprising error correction decoding means (error correction decoding section) for performing error correction decoding using redundant bits for the additional information separated by.

Further, according to the present invention, the additional information is embedded in the image after adding the predetermined redundant bit for error correction after the lossless data compression, and the lossless data is added to the additional information after the error correction decoding. It is characterized by further including a decompression means (reversible data decompression unit 211) for performing decompression processing. Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the BCH code is used for the error correction coding process and the error correction decoding process.

Even when the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), an apparatus including one device (for example, a copying machine, It may be applied to a facsimile machine, etc.).

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a recording medium (or a storage medium) recording a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or an apparatus, and a computer of the system or the apparatus ( Alternatively, the CPU or MPU) reads and executes the program code stored in the recording medium,
It goes without saying that it will be achieved. In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the recording medium recording the program code constitutes the present invention.
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also based on the instruction of the program code,
An operating system (OS) running on the computer does some or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that the processing includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized.

Further, after the program code read from the recording medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted in the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, , The CPU provided in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that the processing includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized.

When the present invention is applied to the above recording medium, the recording medium stores the program code corresponding to the above-mentioned flowchart.

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the large amount of additional information such as text information and voice information embedded in an image is restored, the user can feel a sense of unity with the image. Can be given enough.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus for embedding additional information in image information and printing according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a control device 20 that executes an operation of each processing unit in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a general GUI screen used for editing processing in a text data editing unit 13.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining details of a text data editing process (step S32) in the text data editing unit 13.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an image area 62 printed on a recording medium 61 such as a paper surface.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a GUI screen when a multiplexing rate R exceeds 100% and a warning 71 is displayed.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a header portion 81 of text data.

9 is a diagram showing a list of display method numbers 81e in a header section 81. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a bitstream related to text data when a check bit for error correction is added.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus that inputs a printed image with an image scanner and extracts additional information.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI screen used for displaying text data in the text data display unit 114.

13 is a diagram showing a GUI screen when the screen of the text data shown in FIG. 12 is scrolled.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a display example of a GUI screen used in the text data editing unit in the present embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a list of speaker information numbers of voice quality information defined in the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a bit stream of text data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus that inputs a printed image with an image scanner to extract additional information and outputs a voice according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a speech synthesis processing section 176 according to the second embodiment.
3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI screen used in this embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus that reversibly compresses edited text data and multiplexes the edited text data.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus for reversibly decompressing separated additional information.

FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining an image and additional information printed on a paper surface using a conventional technique.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a display method of text data and the like restored using a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

17,171 Printed image 111, 172 Optical reader 112, 173 Additional information separation unit 113 and 175 error correction decoding unit 114 text data display area 174 Image information display section 176 Speech synthesis processing unit 177 speaker 201 lossless data compression unit 211 Reversible data decompression unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G10L 21/06 G10L 3/00 S (72) Inventor Minoru Kusakabe 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. F-term (reference) 5B021 AA30 BB05 QQ07 5B050 CA07 DA02 EA05 EA10 FA02 FA03 FA10 FA13 5B057 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB08 CB12 CB16 CG07 5C076 AA14 BA06 5D045 AA01

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. Separation means for separating the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded to obtain a multiplexed image before the additional information is embedded, the multiplexed image and the additional image. An image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays information together. 2. A separating means for separating the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded, a sound converting means for converting the separated additional information into sound information, and a sound output means for outputting the sound information. An image processing apparatus comprising: 3. The additional information includes sound quality designation information relating to sound quality designation at the time of sound output, and the sound conversion means converts the additional information into sound information based on the sound quality designation information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising display means for displaying the multiplexed image before the separated additional information is embedded and the additional information together. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the additional information by using the multiplexed image as a background image. 6. The display means scrolls the display screen to display the additional information when the additional information has a predetermined data amount or more.
The image processing apparatus according to any one of 1. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separated additional information is predetermined document information. 8. The additional information has display method specifying information relating to specification of a display method at the time of display, and the display means displays the additional information based on the display method specifying information. Claims 1, 4, 5,
The image processing device according to any one of 6 and 7. 9. The additional information is embedded in the image by adding a predetermined redundant bit for error correction by performing error correction coding, and the additional information separated by the separating means is 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising error correction decoding means for performing error correction decoding using the redundant bits. 10. The additional information is embedded in the image after lossless data compression with a predetermined redundant bit for error correction added, and lossless data expansion processing is performed on the additional information after error correction decoding. 10. An extension means for applying the extension is further provided.
The image processing device described. 11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a BCH code is used for the error correction coding process and the error correction decoding process. 12. An image processing apparatus, comprising: an input unit for inputting predetermined additional information; and a multiplexing unit for embedding the input additional information in a predetermined image, wherein the input unit includes a total of the additional information. Total data amount calculation means for calculating the data amount, maximum data amount calculation means for calculating the maximum data amount that can be embedded in the image, comparison means for comparing the total data amount and the maximum data amount, An image processing apparatus, comprising: warning information display means for displaying predetermined warning information when the total data amount exceeds the maximum data amount. 13. A separation step of separating the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded to obtain a multiplexed image before the additional information is embedded, and the background image of the multiplexed image. And a display step of displaying the additional information as a control method of the image processing apparatus. 14. A separation step of separating the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded, a voice conversion step of converting the separated additional information into voice information, and a voice output step of outputting the voice information. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising: 15. The additional information has sound quality designation information relating to sound quality designation at the time of sound output, and the sound conversion step converts the additional information into sound information based on the sound quality designation information. The method for controlling an image processing apparatus according to claim 14. 16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising a display step of displaying together the additional information and the multiplexed image before the separated additional information is embedded.
5. The method for controlling the image processing device according to item 5. 17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the displaying step displays the additional information by using the multiplexed image as a background image. 18. The display step, wherein the additional information is displayed by scrolling the display screen when the additional information has a predetermined data amount or more.
The method of controlling the image processing device according to any one of 6 and 17. 19. The control method for an image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the separated additional information is predetermined document information. 20. The additional information has display method specifying information regarding specification of a display method at the time of display, and the displaying step displays the additional information based on the display method specifying information. Claims 13, 16,
20. A method for controlling an image processing device according to any one of items 17, 18, and 19. 21. The additional information is embedded in the image by adding a predetermined redundant bit for error correction by being error correction coded, and the additional information separated by the separating step is added to the additional information. The method of controlling an image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 20, further comprising an error correction decoding step of performing error correction decoding using the redundant bits. 22. The additional information is embedded in the image after lossless data compression with a predetermined redundant bit added for error correction, and lossless data expansion processing is performed on the additional information after error correction decoding. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a stretching step of applying
2. The method for controlling the image processing device according to 1. 23. The method of controlling an image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a BCH code is used for the error correction coding process and the error correction decoding process. 24. A control method for an image processing apparatus, comprising: an input step of inputting predetermined additional information; and a multiplexing step of embedding the input additional information in a predetermined image, wherein the input step comprises adding the additional information. A total data amount calculation step of calculating the total data amount of information, a maximum data amount calculation step of calculating the maximum data amount that can be embedded in the image, and a comparison for comparing the total data amount and the maximum data amount. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising: a step; and a warning information display step of displaying predetermined warning information when the total data amount exceeds the maximum data amount. 25. A program code of a multiplexing step for separating the additional information from an image in which predetermined additional information is embedded, and obtaining a multiplexed image before the additional information is embedded; A computer program having a program code of a display step for displaying an image and the additional information together. 26. A recording medium on which the computer program according to claim 25 is stored.