JP2007081805A - Device and method for processing image and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for processing an image capable of generating an allocated image by a specifying method easy to understand for a user when the allocated image is generated. <P>SOLUTION: The device for processing the image generates the allocated image for forming a plurality of original images on one recording medium. In the device, a layout specifying information displaying a layout on the recording medium of a plurality of the original images is acquired, and the reference direction of a plurality of the original images to the recording medium is acquired by an angle value specified by the user. In the device for processing the image, the allocated image is generated on the basis of the acquired layout specifying information and the acquired reference direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program for generating a layout image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium.

  When an image is formed on an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, a plurality of document images may be formed as assigned images allocated on one recording medium. Specifically, for example, two original images are printed in one row and two columns or two rows and one column on one sheet, or eight original images are arranged in two rows, four columns, or four rows on one sheet. For example, they are printed in two rows.

In such a case, in addition to specifying the number N of original images to be formed on one recording medium, the user specifies arrangement designation information (arrangement direction) and a reference direction (allocation direction) of the original image. Here, the arrangement designation information is information indicating how N document images are arranged on the recording medium. For example, the arrangement designation information is arranged in order of priority from the upper left to the recording medium. It is specified by “vertical direction” or “reverse horizontal direction” in which the horizontal direction is arranged in order from the upper right. In addition, the reference direction of the document image represents a reference direction when each document image is arranged with respect to the recording medium. Either a vertically long document image (vertical document) or a horizontally long document image (horizontal document) is used. This is determined depending on whether the orientation of the original image is prioritized.
JP-A-11-149362

  However, the designation method of the above-described conventional example is a designation method that uses unique terms for the allocation image formation, so that an inexperienced user cannot predict the allocation image to be formed and is difficult to understand. In addition, since the orientation of the recording medium serving as a reference for placing the document image automatically changes depending on the designation of the reference direction, an assigned image that is not intended for the user may be formed. Particularly in recent years, with the improvement in performance of image forming apparatuses such as resolution and formable medium size, the number of original images such as 16 or 32 has been increased on a single recording medium. Under circumstances, the above-mentioned problems become significant.

  In order to solve the above problem, there is a technique in which an image of an assigned image that is formed in advance based on user designation is displayed on a screen and presented to the user (see Patent Document 1). However, this technique cannot be applied when the user designates image formation from a text screen such as Linux (trademark). In addition, as described above, when many original images are allocated on a single recording medium, it may be difficult to understand the image of the displayed allocated image itself.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of its purposes is an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing apparatus that can generate an allocated image by a designation method that is easy for a user to generate when an allocated image is generated. To provide a program.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above-described problems is an image processing apparatus for generating a layout image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium, wherein the plurality of document images Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement on the recording medium; reference direction obtaining means for obtaining reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium; and the obtained arrangement designation information; Allocation image generation means for generating an allocation image based on the acquired reference direction, wherein the reference direction acquisition means acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user. .

  Thus, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention can designate the reference direction of the document image by the angle value, and can generate an assigned image by a designation method that is easy for the user to understand.

  Another image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium, wherein the recording medium for the plurality of document images is provided. An arrangement designation obtaining unit for obtaining arrangement designation information representing an arrangement on the upper side, a reference direction obtaining unit for obtaining a reference direction of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium, the obtained arrangement designation information, and the obtained A layout image generation means for generating a layout image based on a reference direction, wherein the layout designation acquisition means is at least one of a vertical layout direction parameter and a horizontal layout direction parameter specified by a user And the arrangement designation information is obtained by a priority direction parameter indicating a direction to be arranged with priority in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction.

  Thereby, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention can specify the arrangement designation information by the arrangement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter, and can generate an assigned image by a designation method that is easy for the user to understand.

  Another image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium, wherein the recording medium for the plurality of document images is provided. An arrangement designation obtaining unit for obtaining arrangement designation information representing an arrangement on the upper side, a reference direction obtaining unit for obtaining a reference direction of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium, the obtained arrangement designation information, and the obtained An allocation image generation unit that generates an allocation image based on a reference direction, the reference direction acquisition unit acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user, and the arrangement specification acquisition unit includes: At least one of a vertical direction parameter or a horizontal direction parameter specified by the user, and a priority direction parameter indicating a direction to be preferentially arranged in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, Ri and acquires the arrangement-designating information.

  An image processing method according to the present invention is an image processing method for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium using a computer, wherein the plurality of document images are generated. An arrangement designation obtaining step for obtaining arrangement designation information representing an arrangement on the recording medium; a reference direction obtaining step for obtaining a reference direction of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium; and the obtained arrangement designation information; A layout image generation step of generating a layout image based on the acquired reference direction, wherein the reference direction acquisition step acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user. .

  A program according to the present invention is a program for generating a layout image for causing a computer to form a plurality of document images on a single recording medium, wherein the plurality of document images are recorded on the recording medium. Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement, reference direction obtaining means for obtaining reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium, the obtained arrangement designation information, the obtained reference direction, Based on the above, the computer is made to function as an allocated image generating unit that generates an allocated image, and the reference direction acquiring unit acquires the reference direction based on an angle value designated by a user.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An image processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a personal computer, for example, and includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation unit 13, a display unit 14, and an interface unit 15, as shown in FIG. It consists of

  Here, the control unit 11 is, for example, a CPU or the like, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. In particular, in the present embodiment, the control unit 11 performs a process of generating a layout image based on a plurality of document images. The contents of the process executed by the control unit 11 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 12 includes at least one of a memory element such as a RAM and a ROM, a disk device, and the like. The storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the control unit 11 and document image data to be processed in the present embodiment. The storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11.

  The operation unit 13 is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse, and receives a user instruction operation and outputs the content of the instruction operation to the control unit 11. The display unit 14 is a display, for example, and displays information according to an instruction from the control unit 11.

  The interface unit 15 is connected to the image forming apparatus 20 via a cable or the like capable of bidirectional data communication, and outputs an image forming instruction or the like to the image forming apparatus 20. Note that the image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment may be configured integrally with the image forming apparatus 20, and in this case, the interface unit 15 may not be provided.

  The image forming apparatus 20 is, for example, a printer, and forms an image on a recording medium such as paper based on an instruction from the image processing apparatus 10.

  Hereinafter, processing executed by the control unit 11 of the image processing apparatus 10 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, as a specific example, as shown in FIG. 3, two rows by four columns or four rows by two columns based on eight document images I0 to I7 in which a vertical document and a horizontal document are mixed. An example in which the allocated images arranged in the above are generated will be described.

  First, the control unit 11 receives a user's image formation instruction from the operation unit 13 (S1). The image formation instruction includes designation of a document image to be imaged, designation of forming an allocated image in which a plurality of document images are allocated, designation of the number N of document images allocated to one allocated image, and arrangement It is assumed that designation information and designation of the reference direction of the document image are included.

  Here, one of forward vertical, forward horizontal, reverse vertical, and reverse horizontal is designated as the arrangement designation information. The arrangement of the original image on the recording medium when the respective arrangement designation information is designated is as follows. In other words, in the case of the vertical direction, the vertical direction is preferentially arranged in order from the upper left of the recording medium. In the case of forward horizontal, the horizontal direction is also given priority in order from the upper left. In the case of reverse vertical, the vertical direction is preferentially arranged in order from the upper right of the recording medium. In the case of reverse horizontal, the horizontal direction is preferentially arranged starting from the upper left of the recording medium. Specifically, for example, when four document images are arranged in two rows and two columns, an example of arrangement according to each designation is as shown in FIG. In the example of this figure, an example is shown in which the reference direction is designated with the vertical document priority or the horizontal document priority by the conventional method, but in this embodiment, the reference direction is described as described below. Are specified differently.

  In the present embodiment, the reference direction of the document image with respect to the recording medium is designated by an angle value. Specifically, the angle value is specified by a value in units of 90 degrees such as 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees. It is also possible to specify a negative angle value.

  Next, the control unit 11 converts the arrangement designation information into an arrangement direction parameter and a priority direction parameter (S2). Here, the vertical direction parameter Dx represents whether the recording medium is arranged in the upward or downward direction, and the horizontal direction parameter Dy is the horizontal direction of the recording medium. , A parameter that indicates whether to arrange in the right direction or the left direction. Further, the priority direction parameter P is a parameter that indicates whether the vertical direction or the horizontal direction is preferentially arranged.

  Specifically, for example, the arrangement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter are as follows. That is, when the forward / vertical direction is designated as the placement designation information in the processing of S1, the placement direction parameter Dx = + 1 in the vertical direction, the placement direction parameter Dy = + 1 in the horizontal direction, and the priority direction parameter P = Y. Hereinafter, Dx = + 1, Dy = + 1, P = X, reverse vertical, Dx = -1, Dy = + 1, P = Y, reverse horizontal, Dx = -1, Dy = + 1 , P = X. Here, with respect to the vertical direction parameter, a positive value indicates downward and a negative value indicates upward. On the other hand, for the horizontal direction parameter, a positive value indicates rightward and a negative value indicates leftward. As for the priority direction parameter, X represents that priority is given to the horizontal direction, and Y represents that priority is given to the vertical direction.

  In this example, the placement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter are determined based on the designation of forward / vertical, forward / horizontal, etc., but the user may directly designate at least one of the placement direction parameter or the priority direction parameter. Good. In this case, the control unit 11 acquires the placement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter based on the user's specification instead of specifying the vertical and vertical directions in the processing of S1, and the processing of S2 is performed for the acquired parameters. Not performed. Here, a standard setting value (default value) may be used for parameters for which specification is omitted. As a result, even a user who is unfamiliar with the designation of forward / vertical, forward / horizontal, etc., can use the parameters actually used by the image forming apparatus for placement position determination processing to designate the placement designation information, which is easy for the user to understand. Also, when specifying any one of forward vertical, forward horizontal, reverse vertical, reverse horizontal as the arrangement designation information, the vertical arrangement direction parameter is always +1, but according to the method of directly specifying the arrangement direction parameter, For example, designation such as Dy = −1 can be performed, and designation with a high degree of freedom can be performed. Here, although the arrangement direction parameter is specified by either +1 or −1 with 1 as a unit, other parameters that can specify the direction may be used. Similarly, the priority direction parameter may be specified using numerical values corresponding to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, for example.

  Subsequently, the control unit 11 determines the arrangement, orientation, and size of each document image on the assigned image (S3). The control unit 11 may directly perform image processing such as rotation, enlargement, or reduction on each document image and place the image on the layout image. Here, first, the attribute information of each document image is acquired, The attribute information is updated based on the layout, orientation, and size of each document image that has been determined, and finally, an assigned image generation process is performed based on the updated attribute information. Thereby, the assigned image generation process can be executed flexibly, such as selecting the order of processes according to the time required for image processing such as enlargement and reduction.

  Specifically, the control unit 11 determines which original image is allocated to which position in the allocation area to which the original image on the allocation image to be generated is allocated, and the orientation and size of the original image at the time of allocation. decide. Here, for example, the layout area on the layout image to which eight document images are allocated is as shown in the example shown in FIG. Arbitrary areas such as forward / backward or reverse / horizontal can be assigned to each of the allocation areas A0 to A7 shown in FIG. It is possible to generate an assigned image corresponding to the arrangement designation information.

  Details of the process of S3 will be described below. In the process of S3, the control unit 11 first acquires attribute information of each document image. Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the attribute information includes the width and height of the document image, the width and height of the document image on the layout image, the orientation of the document image on the layout image, and the layout image. Information indicating the position of the document image and a pointer to the document image data are included. In the process of S3, the control unit 11 determines information representing the width, height, orientation, and position of the document image on the allocated image.

  Of the attribute information of the document image, the position of the document image on the allocated image is determined based on the arrangement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines which allocation area each document image is allocated by a process described later. Then, based on the information on the allocation area and information such as a margin between the document images included in the image formation request or a predetermined margin around the recording medium, and an enlargement / reduction ratio of the document image, The position of the original image on the assigned image is determined.

  Next, among the attribute information of the document image, the orientation of the document image on the allocated image is determined as follows. That is, the control unit 11 determines whether the document image on the assigned image is in the direction in which the document image is rotated in a predetermined direction (for example, clockwise) based on the angle value specified as the reference direction of the document image in the process of S1. The direction is provisionally determined. Then, according to a predetermined condition, the orientation of the document image on the assigned image is determined as the orientation in which the orientation of the document image is further rotated by a predetermined angle.

  Specifically, for example, when the aspect ratio of the original image after being rotated based on the angle value designated as the reference direction matches the aspect ratio of the assigned area, the tentatively determined direction is finally applied to the assigned image as it is. Is determined as the orientation of the original image. On the other hand, when the aspect ratios do not match, that is, for example, when the rotated original image is horizontally long and the assigned area is vertically long, the original on the assigned image is rotated by 90 degrees in the tentatively determined direction. Determine the orientation of the image. Thereby, the aspect ratio of the document image matches the aspect ratio of the allocated area. The controller 11 may determine the tentatively determined direction to be rotated by −90 degrees instead of rotating 90 degrees. Alternatively, if the aspect ratio does not match, the original image is not further rotated, and the original image on the layout image, which will be described later, is included so that the entire original image is included in the allocation area by enlarging or reducing the original image. The width and height may be determined.

  Of the attribute information of the document image, the width and height of the document image on the layout image are determined so that the entire document image is included in the area according to the width and height of the layout area. Determine the width and height. Here, the control unit 11 takes into account information such as a margin between the document images included in the image formation request or a predetermined margin of the recording medium, a margin around the recording medium, and an enlargement / reduction ratio of the document image. Determine the width and height of the image.

  Next, the control unit 11 performs image conversion processing such as enlargement, reduction, rotation, and the like of the document image based on the information representing the width, height, orientation, and position on the assigned image of each document image determined by the process of S3. To generate a layout image (S4).

  Specifically, first, the control unit 11 rotates each document image in the direction determined in S3, and performs size change for enlarging or reducing each document image to the width and height determined in S3. Here, the order of the rotation process and the size change process may be switched depending on whether the size change is enlargement or reduction. For example, when enlarging, the enlarging process is performed after the rotating process, and when enlarging, the enlarging process is performed after the reducing process. Accordingly, the control unit 11 can improve the efficiency of the image processing by performing the rotation processing in a state where the image size is small. Subsequently, based on the position information determined in S <b> 3, the control unit 11 generates an assigned image in which each document image subjected to image processing is arranged at a predetermined position.

  Here, the control unit 11 may also execute image processing for converting the attribute of each document image based on the designation of the attribute of the formed image included in the image formation request. That is, for example, when the user designates monochrome image formation and the document image is a color image, processing for converting the document image into a monochrome image is performed.

  When the image formation request includes designation of a mount image, or when the use of a predetermined mount image is set in advance for the image processing apparatus 10, the control unit 11 performs the mount image and each original image. By synthesize | combining, the allocation image is produced | generated. Thereby, the image processing apparatus 10 can generate an allocation image in which a plurality of document images are allocated on the mount image.

  Through the above processing, the image processing apparatus 10 generates an allocated image and causes the image forming apparatus 10 to form the generated allocated image. As a result, the user can obtain an assigned image based on the designation information and the designation of the angle value representing the reference direction.

  Next, an arrangement determining process for determining in which arrangement area each original image is arranged in the assigned image in the process of S3 described above will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. In this arrangement determination process, specifically, it is determined to which of the allocation areas A0 to A7 on the allocation image the original images I0 to I7 are allocated. In the following, the index from the allocation area A0 to A7 is set to a numerical value from 0 to 7, and the index of the allocation area to which each original image is allocated is obtained.

  First, the control unit 11 converts the placement direction parameter and the priority direction parameter determined by the process of S2 based on the reference direction of the document image (S11). This is a process of converting each parameter representing the layout on the layout image viewed from the user in accordance with the layout of the layout area shown in FIG. 5 which is the layout when the control unit 11 actually generates the layout image. It is.

ここで、θはＳ１の処理によりユーザが指定した基準方向を表す角度値である。例えば、配置指定情報として順縦を指定し、基準方向を表す角度値として９０度を指定している場合、Ｄｘ′＝−１、Ｄｙ′＝１となる。 Specifically, when the arrangement direction parameters Dx and Dy are represented by +1 or −1 as described above, the arrangement direction parameters Dx ′ and Dy ′ after conversion are represented by the following expressions.

Here, θ is an angle value representing the reference direction designated by the user in the process of S1. For example, when the vertical designation is designated as the arrangement designation information and 90 degrees is designated as the angle value representing the reference direction, Dx ′ = − 1 and Dy ′ = 1.

  As for the priority direction parameter P, when the angle value representing the reference direction is a value represented by θ = 180 × n (n is an integer) such as 0 degrees and 180 degrees, the converted priority direction parameter P ′ is converted. Matches the previous parameter. On the other hand, when the angle value representing the reference direction is a value represented by θ = 180 × n + 90 (n is an integer) such as 90 degrees and 270 degrees, the priority direction parameter P ′ after conversion is P ′ when P = X. When Y = Y and P = Y, P ′ = X, which is the reverse of that before conversion.

  Next, the control part 11 calculates | requires the starting index SI (S12). The starting point index is an index of an allocation area in which the original image I0 which is the first original image in the allocation area is arranged.

  Specifically, the control unit 11 obtains SI as follows. That is, first, the lateral start position Sx is determined based on the sign of Dx ′. When Dx ′ is a positive value, Sx = 0, and when Dx ′ is a negative value, Sx = L−1. Here, L represents the number of allocation areas in the horizontal direction, and L = 4 in the example of FIG.

  Next, the starting position Sy in the vertical direction is determined based on the sign of Dy ′. When Dy ′ is a positive value, Sy = 0, and when Dy ′ is a negative value, Sy = K−1. Here, K represents the number of allocation areas in the vertical direction, and K = 2 in the example of FIG. 5 described above.

  From the Sx and Sy obtained as described above, the SI value is obtained by the calculation formula SI = Sy × L + Sx. Specifically, for example, in the case of specifying the above-described forward / vertical direction, since Dx ′ = − 1 and Dy ′ = 1, Sx = 3, Sy = 0, and SI = 3. In this case, it can be seen that the position where the first document image I0 is arranged is the allocation area A3, which is at the upper right of the allocated image in FIG.

  Subsequently, the control unit 11 obtains index change amounts dx and dy and loop times tc and tr, which are variables used in a loop process for obtaining an index of an allocation area to which each document image is assigned (S13). Specifically, these variables are determined based on the converted priority direction parameter P ′. That is, when P ′ = X, dx = Dx ′, dy = Dy ′ × L, tc = L, tr = K. On the other hand, when P ′ = Y, dx = Dy ′ × L, dy = Dx ′, tc = K, and tr = L.

  Next, the control unit 11 determines an index of an allocation area to which each document image is allocated by a double loop process using the loop counter variable i (0 ≦ i <tr) and the loop counter variable j (0 ≦ j <tc). . Specifically, first, the control unit 11 initializes i with 0 (S14). Next, j is initialized to 0 (S15). Then, it is determined that the (i × tc + j) th original image is allocated to the allocation area of the index (SI + i × dy + j × dx) (S16).

  Subsequently, the control unit 11 adds 1 to j (S17), and determines whether j is less than tc (S18). If it is less than tc, the process returns to S16 and loop processing is continued. If j matches tc, the process goes through the loop and proceeds to the next process.

  Subsequently, the control unit 11 adds 1 to i (S19), and determines whether i is less than tr (S20). If it is less than tr, the process returns to S15 to continue the loop process. If i matches tr, the loop exits the placement determination process.

  By executing this double loop processing, an allocation area to which all document images are allocated is determined. For example, when 90 degrees is designated as the reference information for the vertical and vertical arrangements described above, the document image I0 is allocated to the allocation area A3, and the document image I1 is allocated to the allocation area A2 and the document image I2 is allocated to the allocation area A1. The document image I3 is allocated to the allocation area A0, the document image I4 is allocated to the allocation area A7, the document image I5 is allocated to the allocation area A6, the document image I6 is allocated to the allocation area A5, and the document image I7 is allocated to the allocation area A4. At this time, when the layout image in FIG. 5 is rotated counterclockwise by 90 degrees designated as the reference direction, the layout area is determined so that the document image is arranged in the vertical direction.

  An example of the allocated image generated by the image processing apparatus 10 by the processing described above is illustrated in FIG. FIG. 8A shows an example of an image generated by the image processing apparatus 10 as an assigned image in which the document image shown in the example of FIG. 3 is assigned when the horizontal and vertical directions are designated as the arrangement designation information and the reference direction is designated as 0 degrees. is there. In this case, the document image is arranged in the horizontal direction with the orientation shown in the figure.

  On the other hand, FIG. 8B is an example of an assigned image when the vertical designation is designated as the arrangement designation information and 90 degrees is designated as the reference direction. In this case, when the layout image shown in FIG. 8B is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, it can be seen that the document images are arranged in the vertical direction. FIG. 8C shows an example of an assigned image in the case where reverse side is designated as the arrangement designation information and 180 degrees is designated as the reference direction. When the layout image shown in this figure is rotated 180 degrees, it can be seen that the document image is arranged in the reverse side.

  According to the present embodiment described above, when an allocated image is generated, the allocated image can be generated by a designation method that is easy for the user to specify by specifying the reference direction as an angle value.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing an example of the process performed by the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure showing an example of the original image used as the object of processing by the image processing device concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a figure showing the example of the allocation image produced | generated according to arrangement | positioning designation | designated information and the said designation | designated information. It is a figure showing an example of the allocation area | region on an allocation image. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of attribute information of a document image. FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of document image arrangement determination processing executed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing an example of the allocation image which the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention produces | generates.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing apparatus, 11 Control part, 12 Storage part, 13 Operation part, 14 Display part, 15 Interface part, 20 Image forming apparatus.

Claims (5)

An image processing apparatus for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium,
Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement of the plurality of document images on the recording medium;
Reference direction acquisition means for acquiring reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium;
An allocated image generating means for generating an allocated image based on the acquired arrangement designation information and the acquired reference direction;
Including
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference direction acquisition unit acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user. An image processing apparatus for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium,
Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement of the plurality of document images on the recording medium;
Reference direction acquisition means for acquiring reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium;
An allocated image generating means for generating an allocated image based on the acquired arrangement designation information and the acquired reference direction;
Including
The arrangement designation obtaining means specifies at least one of a vertical arrangement direction parameter or a horizontal arrangement direction parameter designated by a user, and a priority direction parameter indicating a preferential arrangement in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, The arrangement specifying information is acquired by the image processing apparatus. An image processing apparatus for generating an allocated image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium,
Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement of the plurality of document images on the recording medium;
Reference direction acquisition means for acquiring reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium;
An allocated image generating means for generating an allocated image based on the acquired arrangement designation information and the acquired reference direction;
Including
The reference direction acquisition means acquires the reference direction according to an angle value designated by a user,
The arrangement designation acquisition means specifies at least one of an arrangement direction parameter in the vertical direction or an arrangement direction parameter in the horizontal direction specified by the user, and a priority direction parameter indicating a preferential arrangement in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, The arrangement specifying information is acquired by the image processing apparatus. An image processing method for generating a layout image for forming a plurality of document images on a single recording medium using a computer,
An arrangement designation obtaining step for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement of the plurality of document images on the recording medium;
A reference direction acquisition step of acquiring reference directions of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium;
An allocated image generation step for generating an allocated image based on the acquired arrangement designation information and the acquired reference direction;
Including
In the image processing method, the reference direction acquisition step acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user. A program for generating a layout image for causing a computer to form a plurality of document images on a single recording medium,
Arrangement designation obtaining means for obtaining arrangement designation information representing arrangement of the plurality of document images on the recording medium;
A reference direction acquisition unit that acquires a reference direction of the plurality of document images with respect to the recording medium; and an allocation image generation unit that generates an allocation image based on the acquired arrangement designation information and the acquired reference direction;
Function the computer as
The reference direction acquisition means acquires the reference direction based on an angle value specified by a user.

Images