JP2006185027A - Image processor, image processing method and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor, an image processing method and an image processing program for recognizing a time series in preparing an original between an original image and a postscript image obtained by adding a postscript in the original image from the postscript contents. <P>SOLUTION: In this image processor 1, an image input part 2 optically reads a postscript image from a manuscript obtained by adding a postscript in an original, and an extraction image generating part 4 generates a postscript extraction image from the original image and the postscript image stored in an image storing part 3, and a link preparing part 5 prepares link information between those images, and stores the postscript extraction image and the link information in the image storing part 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program that handle a document in which annotations such as characters and symbols are added to a paper document, and in particular, between an original image and an additional image to which an additional image is added. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of recognizing a time series at the time of document creation from the additional contents.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image processing method is known in which an additional document in which annotations such as characters and symbols are added to a paper document as an original is extracted by comparing and comparing the registered original and the additional document (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

This image processing method compares the file A being filed with the input updated document B, extracts only the additional area as an additional image, attaches the input time, associates the additional image with the document A, and stores the memory. When the document B ′, which is stored in the document B and the document B is changed, is input, the document B is compared with the document B ′, and only the additional area is extracted as an additional image, and the additional image is attached with the input time attached. The document B is associated with the document B and stored in the memory.
JP 08-317155 A (Claim 1, [0048], [0049], FIG. 2)

  However, according to the conventional image processing method, when a plurality of additional recording images are created from one original, the relationship between the additional recording images cannot be estimated. In addition, since the originals are not necessarily input in the order in which they were created, the original creation order may differ from the input order. In such a case, an accurate time series at the time of image creation is recognized. I can't.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program capable of recognizing a time series at the time of document creation from an additional writing content between an original image and an additional writing image added thereto. Is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention extracts a difference between an original image and a postscript image appended to the original and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image, and based on the difference And a time series determination unit that determines a time series between the additionally recorded extracted image and the original image.

  By determining the time series between the postscript extracted image and the original image, for example, the time series at the time of creation of each image can be recognized almost accurately even between three or more images.

  Here, the “original image” refers to an image in a state before additional writing is performed on the additional recording image. Therefore, the first document image created in the time series is the original image, but when the additional image is further added, the original additional image is the original image for the newly added image. It becomes.

  The time-series information is preferably link information, but may be tree information or a list.

  The postscript extracted image may have the same size as the original image. In this case, the difference process between the additionally-recorded extracted images is facilitated.

  The additional recording extracted image may be composed of the content of additional recording and its position information, and may further include color information. The amount of data to be saved can be reduced by limiting the additional extraction extracted image to the additional recording area. In addition, by including color information, it is possible to further reduce the amount of data in a color image.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image storage unit that stores an original image, an image input unit that reads an additional image from a document that has been added to the original, and the additional image and the original image. A postscript extractor that extracts the difference and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image, and determines a time series between the postscript extract image and the original image based on the difference, and the postscript extract image is Provided is an image processing apparatus comprising a time series determination unit that stores time series information in the image storage unit.

  By determining the time series between the postscript extracted image and the original image, for example, the time series at the time of creation of each image can be recognized almost accurately even between three or more images.

  The image input unit reads a second additional image from the original or the original document with the second additional recording, and the additional extraction unit is stored in the second additional image and the image storage unit. The second original writing content is generated as a second additional extracted image by extracting a difference from the original original image or the additional extracted image, and the time series determination unit determines whether the original image or the additional extracted image is based on the difference. A configuration may be used in which a time series between the second additional recording extracted image is determined and the second additional recording extracted image is stored in the image storage unit together with the time series information.

  By determining the time series between the original image or the postscript extracted image and the second postscript extracted image, it is possible to recognize whether the image immediately before the second postscript image is the original image or the postscript image. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image storage unit that stores a plurality of original images together with their identification information, and a recordable image from a document that is additionally recorded in any one of the plurality of original images. An image input unit to be read, an identification information input unit for inputting the identification information, and the original image corresponding to the identification information is read from the image storage unit, and a difference between the additional image and the read original image is extracted. A postscript extraction unit that generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image, and determines a time series between the postscript extract image and the original image based on the difference, and sets the postscript extract image in the time series There is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a time series determination unit that stores information in the image storage unit.

  The identification information input unit may include an input key for inputting identification information by a user operation, and a character recognition unit that optically reads identification information written on a document from a postscript image input by the image input unit. The structure provided with may be sufficient. By providing the character recognition unit, it is possible to save the trouble of inputting identification information.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention extracts the difference between the original image and the postscript image added to the original and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image,
Provided is an image processing method characterized in that a time series between the additional extracted image and the original image is determined based on the difference.

  Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention extracts an difference between an original image and a postscript image added to the original and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extraction image; There is provided an image processing program for causing a computer to execute a determination step for determining a time series between the additionally-recorded extracted image and the original image.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to recognize the time series at the time of document creation from the content of additional writing between the original image and the additional recording image additionally written thereto.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a block diagram and (b) shows a circuit example of a difference extraction unit. The image processing apparatus 1 includes an image input unit 2 that optically reads a postscript image from a document that has been added to the original, an image storage unit 3 that stores the original image and the like, and a postscript extracted image from the original image and the postscript image. An extracted image generation unit 4 to be generated; a link generation unit 5 that generates link information as time-series information between images; an operation unit 7 for a user to perform various input operations; and an image selected by the user or The image display part 6 which displays link information, and the control part 8 which controls each part of this apparatus 1 are provided.

  The image input unit 2 moves a line-shaped photoelectric conversion element array having R, G, and B filters in a direction orthogonal to the line direction with respect to the document placed on the document table. The original image is read from the image, and when the original is in color, a color original image is obtained.

  The image storage unit 3 stores various images such as an original image and a postscript extracted image and link information between the images, and uses a hard disk drive (HDD), but is not limited to a fixed storage device such as an HDD. A removable storage device such as a flash memory or a DVD may be used.

  The extracted image generation unit 4 includes an image correction unit 40A that corrects the additional image output from the image input unit 2, and a difference extraction unit 41A that extracts a difference between the additional image corrected by the image correction unit 40A and the original image. A correction unit 42 that corrects characters, symbols, and the like of the extracted postscript extracted image and outputs the corrected image to the link creation unit 5.

  The image correction unit 40A corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the additional image output from the image input unit 2, converts the color information into binary information, and outputs the binary information to the difference extraction unit 41A.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the difference extraction unit 41A is configured by using an EXOR circuit 43 that inputs an original image and an image signal of a postscript image in which characters and symbols are additionally written. When the image signal of the image is input, the image signal of the additional recording extracted image is output, and the additional recording extracted image having the same size as the original image is extracted.

  The correction unit 42 performs correction so as to restore a single line segment by interpolating a portion that was originally a single line segment but missing due to the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41A.

  The link generation unit 5 creates link information between the original image and the postscript extraction image or between two postscript extraction images, and stores the postscript extraction image together with the link information in the image storage unit 3.

  The image display unit 6 is a display that visually displays an image or link information selected by the operation of the operation unit 7. As the display, a CRT (cathode ray tube) display, a liquid crystal display, or the like can be used. Note that a printer such as a laser printer, an ink jet printer, or a dot impact printer may be used as the image display unit.

  For example, the operation unit 7 is configured by a touch panel having a display unit such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) arranged on the back side, and can input an original number as identification information of an original image using a numeric key displayed on the display unit. In addition, the corresponding display contents can be displayed by pressing a desired display item on the display item selection screen displayed on the display unit. This display content includes an original image, a postscript image of a composite image, a postscript extract image, and link information. The identification information may be other information as long as the original such as the original name can be identified.

  The control unit 8 operates each necessary unit according to the display item selected by the operation unit 7, and displays the original image, the additional recording image, the additional extraction extracted image, or the link information requested by the user. Further, the control unit 8 examines the time series of the two additional write extracted images and determines whether or not the input order matches the additional write order. That is, when the number of components of the image increases in accordance with the input order, it is determined that the input order matches the additional writing order.

(Operation of the first embodiment)
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 with reference to FIGS.

  2A to 2C show the original image 10, the first additional image 11A, and the second additional image 11B, respectively, and FIG. 2D shows the original image 10 and the first additional image 11A. The extracted first additional recording image 12A is shown, and FIG. 2 (e) shows the second additional recording image 12B extracted from the first and second additional recording images 11A and 11B.

  3A to 3C show link information between the original image 10A and the first and second additional record extracted images 12A and 12B, and FIGS. 3D to 3F show the original image of the display image. 10, 1st and 2nd postscript image 11A, 11B is shown.

(1) Generation of first additional record extracted image and creation of link information The user sets the original first added by the writer A to the original in the image input unit 2 and inputs the original number in the operation unit 7 Then, a start key (not shown) of the image input unit 2 is pressed.

  The image input unit 2 reads a first additional image 11A including an original portion 10a and additional portions 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 2B from the document, and outputs the first additional image 11A to the extracted image generation unit 4. In the figure, the additional recording portion 13a is composed of an elliptical figure, an arrow, and a “replacement” character, and the additional recording portion 13b is composed of a “correction” character.

  The image correction unit 40A of the extracted image generation unit 4 corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the first additional image 11A and outputs the corrected image to the difference extraction unit 41A.

  The difference extraction unit 41A checks whether or not a postscript extraction image exists in the image storage unit 3 (S1). Since there is no additional record extraction image, the original image 10 consisting of the original portion 10a shown in FIG. 2A corresponding to the original number input to the operation unit 7 is read from the image storage unit 3, and the first additional image is read. A difference between 11A and the original image 10 is extracted, and a first additional extracted image 12A composed of additional portions 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 2D is generated and output to the correction unit 42 (S2).

  The correction unit 42 performs correction for interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41 </ b> A, and outputs the correction to the link creation unit 5.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the link creation unit 5 creates link information 14a of the first additional record extraction image 12A for the original image 10 (S3), and the first additional record extraction image 12A together with the link information 14a is an image storage unit. 3 (S4).

(2) Generation of second additional record extraction image and creation of link information Next, the user sets an original that has been additionally written by the writer B on the original that has been additionally written to the image input unit 2 and an operation unit The original number is input to 7 and a start key (not shown) of the image input unit 2 is pressed.

  The image input unit 2 reads the second additional image 11B including the original portion 10a and the additional portions 13a to 13c shown in FIG. 2C from the original, and outputs them to the extracted image generation unit 4. The additional recording part 13c in the case of the figure is composed of an arrow and a character “add effect”.

  The image correction unit 40A of the extracted image generation unit 4 corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the second additional record image 11B, and outputs them to the difference extraction unit 41A.

  The difference extraction unit 41A checks whether or not a postscript extraction image exists in the image storage unit 3 (S1). Since the first additional recording image 12A exists, the difference between the second additional recording image 11B input most recently and the first additional recording image 11A input immediately before is extracted, and FIG. A second additional extracted image 12B composed of the additional portion 13c shown in e) is generated and output to the correction unit 42 (S5).

  The correction unit 42 performs correction for interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41 </ b> A and outputs the correction to the link creation unit 5.

  The control unit 8 examines the time series of the first additional record extracted image 12A that already exists and the second additional record extracted image 12B extracted in step S5 (S6). In this case, since the additional recording portions 13a to 13c, which are constituent elements of the additional recording images 11A and 11B, increase in accordance with the input order, it is determined that the input order matches the additional recording order (S7).

  The link creation unit 5 creates link information 14b of the second additional record extraction image 12B for the first additional record extraction image 12A as shown in FIG. 3 under the control of the control unit 8 (S3). The image 12B is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the link information 14b (S4). Here, the postscript extracted image 12B is extracted by comparing the postscript images 11A and 11B. However, if the postscript image 11A is not stored, the original image 10 and the first postscript extracted image 12A are combined to form the postscript image 11A. After generating, comparison processing may be performed.

(3) When the first additional image is input after the second additional image is input In the above example, after the original image 10 and the first additional extracted image 12A are linked, In this example, the postscript image 11B is input. However, in actuality, the postscript image 11B is not necessarily input in the order in which the postscript was added. Therefore, a case where the first additional image 11A is input after the second additional extracted image 11B is linked to the original image 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  4A to 4C show the original image 10, the second additional image 11B, and the first additional image 11A, respectively, and FIG. 4D shows the original image 10 and the second additional image 11B. The extracted first additional recording image 12C is shown, and FIG. 4E shows the second additional recording image 11D extracted from the second and first additional recording images 11B and 11A.

  The user sets a manuscript that has been added to the original by the writer A and the writer B in the image input unit 2, inputs the original number in the operation unit 7, and presses a start key (not shown) of the image input unit 2. To do.

  The image correction unit 40A of the extracted image generation unit 4 corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the second additional record image 11B, and outputs them to the difference extraction unit 41A.

  The difference extraction unit 41A checks whether or not a postscript extraction image exists in the image storage unit 3 (S1). Since there is no additional record extracted image, the original image 10 consisting of the original portion 10a shown in FIG. 4A corresponding to the original number input to the operation unit 7 is read from the image storage unit 3, and the second additional image is read. A difference between 11B and the original image 10 is extracted, and a first additional extracted image 12C including additional portions 13a to 13c shown in FIG. 4D is generated and output to the correction unit 42 (S2).

  The correction unit 42 performs correction for interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41 </ b> A, and outputs the correction to the link creation unit 5.

  The link creation unit 5 creates link information of the first additional record extracted image 12C with respect to the original image 10 (S3), and stores the first additional record extracted image 12C together with the link information in the image storage unit 3 (S4).

  The user sets a document with the original added by the writer A in the image input unit 2, inputs the original number in the operation unit 7, and presses a start key (not shown) of the image input unit 2.

  The image input unit 2 reads a first additional image 11A including an original portion 10a and additional portions 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 4C from the original, and outputs the first additional image 11A to the extracted image generation unit 4.

  The image correction unit 40A of the extracted image generation unit 4 corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the first additional image 11A and outputs the corrected image to the difference extraction unit 41A.

  The difference extraction unit 41A checks whether or not a postscript extraction image exists in the image storage unit 3 (S1). Since the first additional recording image 12C exists, the difference between the most recently input first additional recording image 11A and the second additional recording image 11B input immediately before is extracted, and FIG. A second additional extracted image 12D including the additional recording portion 13c shown in e) is generated and output to the correction unit 42 (S5).

  The correction unit 42 performs correction for interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41 </ b> A and outputs the correction to the link creation unit 5.

  The control unit 8 checks the time series of the first additional record extraction image 12C that already exists and the second additional record extraction image 12D extracted in step S5 (S6). In this case, since the additional recording portions 13a to 13c which are constituent elements of the additional recording images 11A and 11B are reduced in accordance with the input order, it is determined that the input order and the additional recording order are reversed (S7).

  Under the control of the control unit 8, the difference extraction unit 41 </ b> A extracts the first additional extract image 12 </ b> A shown in FIG. 2D from the original and the first additional image 11 </ b> A in accordance with the additional recording order, and is written in the latest. A second additional recording image 12B shown in FIG. 2E is extracted from the first additional recording image 11A and the second additional recording image 11B written immediately before (A).

  The link creation unit 5 creates the link information of the first additional record extraction image 12A for the original image as described above under the control of the control unit 8, and links the second additional record extraction image 12B to the first additional record extraction image. Information is created (S3), and the link information is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the first and second additional record extraction images 12A and 12B, and a time series as shown in FIG. 3 is completed (S4). At this time, the first additional record extraction image 12C and the link information of the first additional extraction image 12C with respect to the original image 10 are erased.

(4) Display of image and link information The control unit 8 follows the display items specified by the operation unit 7, and the original image 10, the postscript extracted images 12A and 12B, the postscript images 11A and 11B, or the original image 10 and the postscript extracted image. The link information 14a and 14b are displayed on the image display unit 6 together with 12A and 12B.

  When the first additional recording image 11A is designated, the control unit 8 reads the link destination original image 10 together with the first additional recording extracted image 12A from the image storage unit 3, and combines the two images to obtain a diagram. The first additional image 11A shown in 3 (e) is displayed on the image display unit 6.

  When the second additional recording image 11B is designated, the control unit 8 also reads out the first additional recording extracted image 12A as a link destination and the original image 10 as a further link destination together with the second additional recording extraction image 12B. By synthesizing the three images, the second additional recording image 11B shown in FIG.

  Here, the postscript extracted image 12D is extracted by comparing the postscript images 11A and 11B. However, if the postscript image 11B is not stored, the original image 10 and the first postscript extracted image 12C are combined to form the postscript image 11B. After generating, comparison processing may be performed.

  In the present embodiment, after the color image is converted into a binary image, the additional recording area is extracted and displayed or stored. The input color image is compared with the binary image extracted from the additional recording area, and the additional recording is performed. The extracted pixels may be expressed in color, and the additional recording area may be displayed or stored as color information. Alternatively, the additional recording area may be extracted as it is without being converted into a binary image.

(Effects of the first embodiment)
According to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to recognize the time series in the correct document creation order even when the additional image creation order and the image input order are different. Further, by linking the original image and each additional recording extracted image, it is not necessary to store the additional recording image, so that the storage capacity can be reduced. Furthermore, the amount of data to be saved can be reduced by graying out the additionally recorded extracted image.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the difference extraction unit 41B, and is otherwise configured in the same manner as the first embodiment.

  The difference extraction unit 41B extracts the difference between the original image and the additional image corrected by the image correction unit 40A, and then extracts the additional region and its position information.

(Operations in the second embodiment)
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIGS. 7A to 7C show the original image 10, the first additional image 11A, and the second additional image 11B, respectively, and FIG. 7D shows the original image 10 and the first additional image 11A. The extracted first additional recording image 12A is shown, and FIG. 7E shows the second additional recording image 12B extracted from the first and second additional recording images 11A and 11B.

  8A to 8C show link information between the original image 10 and the first and second additional record extraction images 12A and 12B, and FIGS. 8D to 8F show the original image of the display image. 10, 1st and 2nd postscript image 11A, 11B is shown.

(Generate postscript extracted image and create link information)
Next, a method for generating a write-once extracted image and creating link information in the present embodiment will be described, but description of points that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

  When the image input unit 2 reads the first additional image 11A including the original portion 10a and the additional portions 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 7B from the document and outputs them to the extracted image generation unit 4, the extracted image generation unit 4 The image correction unit 40A corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the first additional image 11A, performs binarization processing, and then outputs the result to the difference extraction unit 41B.

  The difference extraction unit 41B reads the original image 10 including the original part 10a shown in FIG. 7A corresponding to the original number input to the operation unit 7 from the image storage unit 3, and the first additional image 11A and the original image 10 is extracted, a first additional extracted image 12A composed of the regions of the additional recording portions 13a and 13b shown in FIG. 7D and their position information is generated and output to the correction unit 42.

  The position information of the additional recording portion 13a is specified by, for example, the coordinates (x1, y1) of the upper left vertex of the rectangular additional recording region, the width (w1) and the height (h1) of the rectangle, and the positional information of the additional recording portion 13b is For example, it is specified by the coordinates (x2, y2) of the upper left vertex of the rectangular additional recording area, the width (w2) and the height (h2) of the rectangle.

  After that, as in the first embodiment, the correction unit 42 performs correction by interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41B, and the link creation unit 5 performs the first additional write extraction on the original image 10. The link information 14a of the image 12A is created, and the first additional record extracted image 12A is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the link information.

  The generation of the second additional record extraction image and the creation of link information are performed in the same manner. As shown in FIG. 7E, the second additional recording extracted image 12B includes the region of the additional recording portion 13c and position information. The position information of the additional recording portion 13c is specified by the coordinates (x4, y4) of the upper left vertex of the additional recording area on the rectangle, the width (w4) and the height (h4) of the rectangle. The same process as in the first embodiment is also performed when the first additional image 11A is input after the second additional extracted image 12B is linked to the original image 10.

  In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, after the color image is converted into a binary image, the additional recording area is extracted and displayed or stored. The binary image extracted from the additional recording area may be compared, the additional recording extracted pixel may be expressed in color, and the additional recording area may be displayed or stored as color information. Alternatively, the additional recording area may be extracted as it is without being converted into a binary image.

(Effect of the second embodiment)
According to the second embodiment described above, the additional recording image and the position information thereof are used as the additional recording extraction image, so that the additional recording image can be saved with a smaller amount of data. Can be saved.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the image correction unit 40B and the difference extraction unit 41C, and is otherwise configured in the same manner as the first embodiment.

  The image correction unit 40B corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the additional image output from the image input unit 2, and outputs the color information to the difference extraction unit 41C without converting the color information into gray information.

  The difference extraction unit 41C extracts the difference between the postscript image corrected by the image correction unit 40A and the original image, and then extracts the postscript extract image including the postscript area, its position information, and color information.

(Operation in the third embodiment)
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIGS. 10A to 10C show the original image 10, the first additional image 11A, and the second additional image 11B, respectively, and FIG. 10D shows the original image 10 and the first additional image 11A. The extracted first additional recording image 12A is shown, and FIG. 10E shows the second additional recording image 12B extracted from the first and second additional recording images 11A and 11B.

  FIGS. 11A to 11C show link information between the original image 10A and the first and second additional record extraction images 12A and 12B, and FIGS. 8D to 8F show the original image of the display image. 10, 1st and 2nd postscript image 11A, 11B is shown.

(Generate postscript extracted image and create link information)
Next, a method for generating a postscript extracted image and creating link information in the present embodiment will be described, but description of points that are the same as those in the second embodiment will be omitted.

  When the image input unit 2 reads the first additional image 11A including the original portion 10a and the additional recording portions 13a, 13b, and 13d shown in FIG. 10B from the document and outputs the first additional image 11A to the extracted image generation unit 4, the extracted image generation unit The fourth image correction unit 40B corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the first additional image 11A and outputs the corrected image to the difference extraction unit 41C while including the color information. The additional writing portion 13d in the same figure is composed of a color mark marked on the character “analysis result”. Note that the postscript portions 13a and 13b are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  The difference extraction unit 41C reads the original image 10 including the original part 10a shown in FIG. 10A corresponding to the original number input to the operation unit 7 from the image storage unit 3, and the first additional image 11A and the original image 10 is extracted, and a first additional write extracted image 12A including the additional write portions 13a, 13b, and 13d shown in FIG. 10D and their position information and color information is generated and output to the correction unit 42.

  The color information is specified by decomposing the three primary colors of RGB and digitizing the density for each color.

  The position information of the additional recording portion 13a is specified by coordinates (x1, y1) and size (w1, h1), and the color information is specified by (R1, G1, B1). Further, the position information of the additional recording portion 13b is specified by coordinates (x2, y2) and size (w2, h2), and the color information is specified by (R2, G2, B2). Further, the position information of the additional recording portion 13d is specified by coordinates (x3, y3) and size (w3, h3), and the color information is specified by (R3, G3, B3).

  After that, as in the first embodiment, the correction unit 42 performs correction by interpolating the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41B, and the link creation unit 5 performs the first additional write extraction on the original image 10. The link information 14a of the image 12A is created, and the first additional record extracted image 12A is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the link information.

  The generation of the second additional record extraction image and the creation of link information are performed in the same manner. As shown in FIG. 10E, the second additional recording extracted image 12B includes an area of the additional recording portion 13c, position information, and color information. The position information of the additional recording portion 13c is specified by coordinates (x4, y4) and size (w4, h4), and the color information is specified by (R4, G4, B4). The same process as in the first embodiment is also performed when the first additional image 11A is input after the second additional extracted image 12B is linked to the original image 10.

(Effect of the third embodiment)
According to the above-described third embodiment, the additional recording area includes the additional recording area and its position information and color information, so that even if the additional recording image includes color information such as a color mark, The time series can be recognized in the correct document creation order.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is different from the second embodiment in the difference extraction unit 41D and the control unit 8, and is otherwise configured in the same manner as the second embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, link information is created when there are two additional images for one original image. Here, a case where the additional recording extracted image is specified from the additional recording area and the position information as shown in the second embodiment will be described.

  The difference extraction unit 41D extracts the difference between the postscript image corrected by the image correction unit 40A and the original image, and then divides the postscript area with respect to the postscript extraction image and recognizes it along with the position information.

  As in the first embodiment, the control unit 8 examines the time series of the two additional extracted images and determines whether or not the input order and the additional order match, but one original image The time series can be determined even when there are a plurality of additional recording images or when there are a plurality of additional recording images for one additional recording image. That is, when the image components increase in accordance with the input order, it is determined that the input order matches the append order, and when the image components decrease in accordance with the input order, the input order is the append order. When it is determined that the image is reversed and there are areas where the constituent elements of the image increase and decrease according to the input order, a plurality of additional images exist for one original image or one additional image. Judge that

(Operation of the fourth embodiment)
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIGS. 13A to 13C show the first additional image 11A, the second additional image 11B, and the third additional image 11C, respectively, and FIG. 13D shows the first and second additional images. FIG. 13 (e) shows a third additional recording extracted image 12E extracted from the second and third additional recording images 11B and 11C.

  14A to 14D show link information between the original image 10A and the first to third additional record extraction images 12A, 12B, and 12E. FIGS. 14E to 14H show the display image. An original image 10 and first to third additional recording images 11A to 11C are shown.

(Generate postscript extracted image and create link information)
In some cases, one original is added separately from one original or one original that has been added to the original. The generation of a postscript extracted image and the creation of link information in such a case will be described with reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, but the description of points that are common to the second embodiment described above will be omitted.

  Note that a first additional recording extracted image 12A is extracted from the original image 10 and the first additional recording image 11A, the first additional recording extracted image 12A is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with link information, and the first additional recording image 11A It is assumed that the second additional recording extracted image 12B shown in FIG. 13D is extracted from the second additional recording image 11B, and the second additional recording extracted image 12B is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the link information.

  Next, when the image input unit 2 reads the third additional image 11C including the original portion 10a and the additional portions 13a, 13b, and 13e shown in FIG. The image correction unit 40A of the image generation unit 4 corrects the position, inclination, distortion, and the like of the third additional image 11C, performs graying processing, and outputs the result to the difference extraction unit 41D. The additional recording portion 13e in the case of FIG. Note that the additional write portions 13a and 13b are the same as those in the second embodiment.

  The difference extraction unit 41D stores the original image 10 shown in FIG. 14 corresponding to the original number input to the operation unit 7, the first additional image 11A and the second additional image 11B linked to the original image 10, and the image storage unit 3. Read from.

  As in the first embodiment, the control unit 8 examines the time series of the two additionally-recorded extracted images. The second additional image 11B has an additional portion 13c added to the first additional image 11A, and the third additional image 11C has an additional portion 13e added to the first additional image 11A. From the above, after the first additional image 11A is created, the second and third additional images 11B and 11C are created in parallel, and the first additional image is the target of the differential processing of the third additional image 11C. Image 11A is selected. A third postscript extracted image 12E composed of the postscript portion 13e and its position information shown in FIG. 13 (e) is generated and output to the correction unit 42. The position information of the additional recording portion 13e is specified by coordinates (x5, y5) and size (w5, h5).

  After that, as in the first embodiment, the correction unit 42 performs correction to interpolate the missing portion by the difference processing of the difference extraction unit 41D, and the link creation unit 5 performs the correction for the first additional record extraction image 12A. Link information 14c of the third additional record extraction image 12E is created, and the third additional record extraction image 12E is stored in the image storage unit 3 together with the link information.

(Effect of the fourth embodiment)
According to the fourth embodiment described above, the time series of each additional image can be accurately determined even when there are a plurality of additional images derived from the same document. In the present embodiment, the time series of each additional image can be similarly determined even when a plurality of additional images are created in parallel with the original image.

[Fifth Embodiment]
FIG. 15 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is configured in the same manner as the first embodiment except that the character recognition unit 44 is provided.

  In the image read by the image input unit 2, a code capable of specifying the original is described in advance as original identification information. The code may be a character such as a number or a barcode.

  The character recognition unit 44 performs character recognition by comparing the character pattern of the code included in the original image with the character pattern registered in the dictionary.

  The difference extraction unit 41E reads the original image corresponding to the code recognized by the character recognition unit 44 from the image storage unit 3 and performs difference extraction.

(Effect of 5th Embodiment)
According to the fifth embodiment described above, even if the user does not input the original number, the corresponding original can be automatically identified and linked.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the constituent elements of each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined within a range that does not change the gist of the invention.

  Further, link information between additional recording images may be created, and the additional recording image may be stored in the image storage unit together with the link information. This eliminates the need to create a composite image when displaying a postscript image.

1 shows a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a block diagram and (b) shows a circuit example of a difference extraction unit. It is a figure for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the link method of the original image and a postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the link method of the original image and an additional record extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the link method of the original image and an additional record extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the extraction method of the postscript extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the link method of the original image and an additional record extraction image in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, image processing device 2, image input unit 3, image storage unit 4, extracted image generation unit 5, link generation unit 6, image display unit 7, operation unit 8, control unit 10, original image 10a, original part 11A, first 1 additional recording image 11B, 2nd additional recording image 11C, 3rd additional recording image 12A, 1st additional recording extraction image 12B, 2nd additional recording extraction image 12C, 3rd additional recording extraction images 13a-13e, additional recording part 14a, 14b, 14c, link information 40A, 40B, image correction units 41A-41E, difference extraction unit 42, correction unit 43, NAND circuit 44, character recognition unit

Claims (12)

A postscript extractor that extracts the difference between the original image and the postscript image added to the original and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image;
An image processing apparatus, comprising: a time series determination unit that determines a time series between the additionally-recorded extracted image and the original image based on the difference.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time series determination creates link information as the time series information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the postscript extracted image has the same size as the original image.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional recording extracted image includes contents of the additional recording and position information thereof.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional recording extracted image includes color information. An image storage unit for storing the original image;
An image input unit for reading a postscript image from a manuscript that has been postscripted to the original,
A postscript extractor that extracts the difference between the postscript image and the original image and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extract image;
A time series determination unit that determines a time series between the additional image extracted image and the original image based on the difference, and stores the additional image extracted image together with the time series information in the image storage unit; An image processing apparatus. The image input unit reads a second additional image from the original or the original document that has been additionally written, and a second additional image from the original.
The additional recording extracting unit extracts a difference between the second additional recording image and the original image or the additional recording extracted image stored in the image storage unit, and extracts the content of the second additional recording from the second additional recording. As an image,
The time series determination unit determines a time series between the original image or the additional record extraction image and the second additional extraction image based on the difference, and determines the second additional extraction image in the time series. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image processing apparatus stores the information together with the information in the image storage unit. An image storage unit for storing a plurality of original images together with identification information thereof;
An image input unit for reading a postscript image from a manuscript that has been postscripted to any one of the plurality of original images;
An identification information input unit for inputting the identification information;
A postscript extraction unit that reads the original image corresponding to the identification information from the image storage unit, extracts a difference between the postscript image and the read original image, and generates the content of the postscript as a postscript extraction image;
A time series determination unit that determines a time series between the additional image extracted image and the original image based on the difference, and stores the additional image extracted image together with the time series information in the image storage unit; An image processing apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the identification information input unit includes an input key for inputting the identification information by a user operation.   The said identification information input part is provided with the character recognition part which optically reads the said identification information written in the said original from the said additional image input by the said image input part. Image processing device. The difference between the original image and the additional image added to the original is extracted and the content of the additional image is generated as an additional extracted image.
An image processing method, comprising: determining a time series between the postscript extracted image and the original image based on the difference. An extraction step of extracting the difference between the original image and the additional image added to the original and generating the content of the additional writing as an additional extracted image;
An image processing program for causing a computer to execute a determination step of determining a time series between the additionally-recorded extracted image and the original image based on the difference.