JPH0352451A - Small-sized image data reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To take out and print-output only required data even when neighboring unrequired data is read with required specific data on an original by providing a means which outputs only effective read data from a storage means. CONSTITUTION:The reader is provided with the storage means 14 which stores data read with a reading means 12, and a black character distribution detecting means 22 which detects black character distribution in the reading width direction of read data with at least prescribed length from the forefront of the read data and the one with length from the tailend of the read data. Also, it is provided with an effective data detecting means 24 which detects the range of the effective read data read in the almost center part of reading width for the read data based on the number of black character distribution, and furthermore, a data output means 27 which outputs only the effective read data from the storage means 14. ln such a way, it is possible to take out and print-output only the required data even when the neighboring unrequired data is read with the required specific data on the original.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention provides compact image data that reads image information drawn on the document surface by moving the main body of the device by manual scanning on the document surface, and prints out the read data. Relating to a reading device. [Prior art and its problems] Recently, handheld scanners, handy coveys, etc., which optically read part of the image information on a desired document surface by bringing the device body into contact with the desired document surface and moving it, have been developed. Manual reading devices have been put into practical use. With such a manual reading device, for example, when reading only a specific character string in a manuscript document, the reading section of the main body of the device is brought into contact with the beginning of the specific character string and moved along the character string, but the characters in the document are If the spacing between columns is narrow, in addition to the required specific character string, part of the second character string will also be read. For this reason, when the read data is printed, there is a drawback that only the necessary character strings cannot be printed. [Object of the Invention] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to extract and print out only the necessary data even if adjacent unnecessary data is read together with the necessary specific data on the document. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact image data reading device that enables the following. [Summary of the Invention] That is, the compact image data reading device according to the present invention has the following features:
a reading means for reading an arbitrary length of information drawn on a document with a predetermined reading width; a storage means for storing data read by the reading means; and at least a predetermined length of read data from the beginning of the read data. and black character distribution detecting means for detecting the black character number distribution in the reading width direction of the read data of a predetermined length from the rear end, and a black character number distribution in the reading width direction obtained by the black character distribution detecting means to be stored in the storage means. valid data exposure means for detecting a range of valid read data read at approximately the center of the read width; and storage means for storing only the Gj effective read data detected by the valid data detection means. and data output means for outputting data from the computer. [Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the circuit configuration of a handycobby machine embodying the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a control section, and this control section 1] controls various parts of the circuit as image data is read and printed. . A one-dimensional image sensor 12 is provided in the reading section of this handy covey machine. This image sensor 12 has an effective reading width of 8III1 and a reading dot density of 8 dots/
It is composed of a one-dimensional CCD with 64 bits of main scanning of AM, and optically reads the image information of side A of the original illuminated by the light source 12a. Sent. Here, the light source 12a is driven to turn on by an LED drive circuit 12b. The binarization unit 13 converts the human image signal from the image sensor 12 into a white/black binary digital image signal according to the signal level, and this digital image signal is sent via the control unit 11.

[7] The signal is converted into a parallel signal of every 8 bits and stored in the image data memory 14. The read data stored in the image data memory 14 is output to the print section 15 via the control section 11, and is printed out on recording paper through a thermal head (not shown). Further, a roller 16 is provided on the paper-contacting side surface on which the reading section and the printing section 15 of the main body of the copying machine are attached. This roller 16 rotates in contact with the copying machine as it moves and subscans on the original A or recording paper surface, and the rotational force of this roller 16 is transmitted to the encoder disk 17 via a gear (not shown). This encoder disk 17
A plurality of slits 18a, 18b, . . . are formed radially at regular intervals. One light transmitting/receiving section including an LED and a photosensor is provided at positions facing each other with the encoder disk 17 interposed therebetween. In this case, the projected light from the LED passes through the slits 18a, 18b, . . . of the encoder disk 17 and enters the photosensor. In other words, encoder disk】7,
An encoder 20 is constituted by the light transmitting/receiving section 19 and the like. Encoder pulses from the encoder 20 corresponding to the moving speed of the copy machine main body are sent to the control section 11 and the print section 15.
given to. Then, in the reading mode of the original A, the control unit 11 manually inputs the digital image signal from the binarization unit 13 in synchronization with the timing signal based on the encoder pulse, and in the print mode, in synchronization with the encoder pulse. Then, the read data in the image data memory 14 is read line by line and transferred to the print section 15. Here, in the image data memory 14, one line of main scanning 64-bit width image data read by the one-dimensional image sensor 12 is stored in the sub-scanning effective reading width (for example, 40 ma+-
320 bits 1.) are stored in parallel. in this case,
The HA area of 1 image data is in the main scanning direction X-64
Bit x sub-scanning direction Y - 320 bits. Soshi C
, the write and read addresses for this image data memory 14 are designated and controlled by an image data memory address control section 21. On the other hand, control section 1]. A surplus number counting section 22 is connected to the . For example, when document data as shown in FIG. 2 is read, this black character number counting unit 22 calculates the sub-scanning direction Y in each main scanning (X) bit of the read data as shown in FIG. 3. It detects black characters and counts the number of black characters (number of black data pits), and the black character detection signal is sent to the control section]
1, and the number of black characters in the sub-scanning direction for each main-scanning bit in each of the two sampling areas A and B in which a predetermined sub-scanning width is set is stored in the numerical data memory 23. That is, the control unit 11 manages the position of black characters in the image data based on the black character detection signal, and also
As shown in FIG. 4, the numerical data memory 23 stores the distribution of the number of black characters in the sub-scanning direction Y with respect to the main-scanning direction X in the sampling areas A and B. Here, the two sampling areas A and B for the read image data are determined as follows. In the sampling area A, first, the read image data stored in the image data memory 14 is sequentially read out from the beginning and sent to the black character number counting section 22. Then, from this N address addition position, the "2" image data is sequentially read out toward the rear, and sent to the black character number counting section 22 to detect the first black character position. In other words, the first black character detection is performed. The reading length corresponding to the predetermined address range M from the second black detection position after adding N addresses from the position becomes the sampling area A. First, the sampling area B consists of the reading image data stored in the image data memory 14. , sequentially read from the end and send it to the black character number counting section 22, and subtract a predetermined number of addresses N from the memory address corresponding to the first black character detection position.Then, from this N address subtraction position, the above image data is further read out from the beginning. The surplus number counting unit 2
2 to detect the first black position. In other words, the sampling area B is the reading length corresponding to the predetermined address range M from the second trailing black character detection position after subtracting N addresses from the trailing first black character detection position. The black character number distribution data in the sub-scanning direction Y with respect to the main-scanning direction X in the sampling areas A and B obtained in the numerical data memory 23 is given to the cutting position determination section 24. In each of the sampling areas A and B, the cutout position determination unit 24 determines that the number of black characters L is initially set to a predetermined number L from the center of the reading width outwards based on the corresponding black character number distribution data. A point that becomes less than or equal to, and then a predetermined number L first. The center position of both detection points is determined as the data extraction position xl + x2, and the judgment data of the extraction position xl +
Sent to 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the arithmetic unit 25 stores memories corresponding to cutting lines Xi and X2 connecting main scanning bits corresponding to respective cutting positions xI+X2 between each sampling area A-B of read data. The memory addresses corresponding to the cutout lines XI and X2 are stored in the cutout position address storage section 26. Here, for the image data memory address control section 21,
When the address data corresponding to the cutting lines XI and X2 is given from the cutting position address storage section 26, the memory area from above and below of the read data including this address position is invalid data area G1. The memory head area sandwiched between data area G is valid data area H
Then, the control unit 11 writes the own data "0" into the invalid data area G of the image data memory 14. Also, there is a cutout for $11 Gobe 11.

[5 The position confirmation section 27 is connected. The cutting position confirmation unit 27 reads memory data of 1 bit each in front and back in the main scanning direction X along the cutting lines X1 and X2 between the zumbling areas A and B, and if the data before and after are both black data, that is, When black data crosses the cutting line X1 or The NG signal is outputted to the control section 11 and also outputted to the sound alarm section 28 to drive a buzzer to notify that cutting is not possible. Next, the operation of the handy cobby machine having the above configuration will be explained. When reading information such as characters and images drawn on the original A, first the copying machine is switched to the reading mode. Then, the user (well, the main body of the copy machine, its roller 1
6 in contact with side A of the original. In this manner, when the copying machine main body is placed on the document A, the light source 12a is driven to turn on by the LED drive circuit 12b. After this, when the main body of the copying machine is manually scanned and moved along the scanned data on side A of the original A, the light source 12a
The projected I/I light from the original fAA is illuminated on the reading surface of the original
The reflected light enters the one-dimensional image sensor 12. On the other hand, the encoder disk 17 of the encoder 20 is rotated by the roller 16 which contacts the copying machine and rotates as the copying machine main body moves. By the simultaneous rotation of the encoder disk 17, a pulse signal corresponding to the amount of movement of the copying machine main body is outputted from one destination section. That is, the pulse signal output from the light transmitting/receiving section 19 becomes the output of the encoder 20, and is sent to the control section 11 and the printing section 15 as a movement amount detection signal with respect to the main body of the copying machine. That is, the one-dimensional image sensor 12 outputs a signal corresponding to the light reflected from the side A of the document, that is, an image signal, in synchronization with the CCD exposure timing signal based on the encoder pulse. The output signal of this one-dimensional image sensor 12 is sent to a binarization section 13. This binarization section 13 is
The image signal sent from the image sensor 12 is converted into a digital signal for the direction/black 21Li1 and output to the control section 11. However, the control section l1 converts the digital image signal sent from the binarization section 13 into parallel image data, for example every 8 bits, and stores it in the image data memory 14. The write address of this image data memory 14 is:
It is designated by the image data memory address control section 21. In this image data memo IJ7 controller 21, the digit address is sequentially incremented by 1 by a clock pulse based on the secondary encoder pulse, and the address of the image data memory 14 is designated. When one line of image data is read and written to
It is in a standby state until the next movement amount detection signal is sent from the encoder 20. Thereafter, similar operations are repeated, and the image data read from the document A is sequentially written into the image data memory 14. Next, the operation of printing out the image data read from Haraaki A as described above will be explained. Then, the user places the copier main body with its roller 16 in contact with an external recording paper surface such as a notebook.In this way, when the copier main body is placed on the recording paper, the thermal head in the print section 15 contacts the recording paper via the ink ribbon.After this,
Cobi ~ When the main body of the machine is scanned along the recording paper surface,
As the copying machine main body moves, the roller 6 rotates, and the rotation of the roller 16 is transmitted to the encoder disk 17. As the encoder disk 17 rotates, a movement detection signal corresponding to the movement speed of the copying machine main body is taken out from the encoder 20 in the same manner as the above-mentioned reading angle ε. Encoder 2 is activated by starting the movement of the copy machine main body.
When the movement amount detection signal is output from 0, the control section 11 outputs a one-line print command ε and a print timing signal to the printing section 15 in accordance with the movement amount detection signal. Also,
The control unit 11 sequentially specifies the row and digit addresses of the image data memory 14 according to the movement amount detection signal from the encoder 20, and outputs the image data stored in the image data memory 14 one line at a time to the print unit. do. The control unit 11 outputs the image data read from the one-image data memory 14 to the print unit 15 in response to a one-line print command. Then, by driving the thermal head in the print section 5, the image data is thermally transferred onto the recording paper via the ink ribbon. By moving the main body of the copying machine as described above, the image data stored in the image data memory 4 is sequentially printed on recording paper. Next, for example, read only a specific string. The read data extraction process when printing will be explained. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the above-mentioned read data extraction process. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, because the character string spacing in document A is narrow, unnecessary characters are needed on the left and right of the required specific character string "Leverage the success of". If a part of the character string is also read out, as shown in FIG. 3, two sampling areas AB are set to determine the extraction position. That is, first, the control unit 1 reads out the read image data stored in the image data memory 14 from the beginning, and sequentially transfers it to the black character number counting unit 22 to detect the first black data position in the sub-scanning direction Y ( Step Sl). Next, a predetermined address value N is added to the memory address corresponding to the first black data position from the beginning of the image data (step S2). Then, image data is further read out in the sub-scanning direction Y from the memory location to which the predetermined address N has been added, and is sequentially transferred to the black character number counting unit 22 to detect the first black data position (step S3). . Thereby, the zumbling area A is set based on the first black data position after addition of the address N and the predetermined address range M (Step S4). Further, the control unit 11 reads out the read image data stored in the image data memory 14 from the rear end, and sequentially transfers it to the black character number counting unit 22 to detect the first black data position in the direction of the data head (step S5). . Next, a predetermined address value N is subtracted from the memory address corresponding to the first black data position from the tail of the image data (step S6). Then, image data is further read out from the memory location from which the predetermined address N has been subtracted in the direction of the beginning, and is sequentially transferred to the black character number counting unit 22 to detect the first black data position (step S7). As a result, the sampling area B is set based on the first black data position after subtracting the address N and the predetermined address range M (step S8
). Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the black character number counting unit 22 counts the number L of black characters in the sub-scanning direction for each main scanning bit in each of the sampling areas A and B, and the black character number distribution is stored in the numerical data memory 23. Stored. (Step S9). Then, the cutout position determination unit 24 determines, for each of the sampling areas A and B, the point where the number of black characters first becomes equal to or less than a predetermined number t, o from the center in the main scanning direction X upward and downward, and after that, First L. The center position between the point exceeding
A memory address corresponding to X2 is determined (step S10). In this way, when each extraction address Xx2 in each sampling area A and H of the read data is obtained, the calculation unit 25 calculates the extraction address xl* between each sampling area A and B, as shown in FIG. X2
The memory addresses corresponding to the cutting lines XI and X2 connecting these are calculated and stored in the cutting position address storage section 2.
6 (step S11). Here, the cropping position confirmation unit 27 searches for a portion where the data of 1 bit above and below in the main scanning direction X along the cropping lines Xi and X2 between the sampling areas A and B are both black data, and It is determined whether or not the black data pits crossing the cutting line X1 or X2 between A and B continue for a predetermined number of bits or more in the sub-scanning direction Y (step S12). In the above step S12, rOKJ, that is, the black data that crosses the cutout line X1 or X2 of the read data in the main scanning direction
Since it is determined that there is no regular image data on the cutting position between B, the memory address corresponding to the cutting lines Xi and X2 is set from the cutting position address storage section 26, and the image data including this address is set. Own data "0" is written from the control unit 11 to the invalid data area G above and below the read data in the memory 14 (step S13). Only the specific character string "Leverage the success of" remains in the valid data area H, and it is possible to print and output only the desired specific character string of the original without any unnecessary character strings. On the other hand, in step S12, "NGJ", that is, black data that crosses the cutting line Xi or X2 between the zumbling areas A and B of the read data in the main scanning direction When it is determined that legitimate image data exists, the alarm unit 2
The buzzer at 8 is activated to notify the user that cutting is not possible (step S14). Therefore, according to the handy covey machine having the above configuration, it is not only possible to obtain sub-scanning by manual scanning, to read the document A and print the read data, but also to have a certain width in the main scanning direction X. This makes it possible to cut out and print only specific document data that is continuous in the sub-scanning direction Y. In this case, 2 to determine the cutting position X l + X2
Rather than setting two zumbling areas A and B based on the first black data detection position from the beginning and end of the read image data, the second zumbling area is set after a predetermined length N from the first black data detection position. Since the black character detection position is set as a reference, the image data to be read is surrounded by black frames Bl and B2 as shown in FIG. Even if the data state is such that a part of the black frames Bl and B2 intersect at the rear end, the black frames Bl. Sampling area A.82 is used as a reference. Since area A.B is never set, the area A.B is never set. B
It is possible to prevent problems such as character data not being included in the file. Therefore, it is possible to reliably cut out and print only the necessary character string data, regardless of the pattern around the image data to be read. In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the predetermined number of black characters for the black character number distribution for detecting the cutting position of the read image data is set uniformly L in the reading width direction. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the minimum number of black characters L is set independently upward and downward from the center of the reading convergence. L
2 is detected, and a predetermined value 1ii is set for each minimum surplus number L,, L2.
L. The number of surplus L that is added. l+LO2 may be set as the upper cutting f:H i, threshold and the lower cutting threshold from the center of the scanning width, respectively.
Even if there is black data crossing in the main scanning direction By setting the thresholds Lo1 and L.2, it is possible to reliably extract only the necessary character string data. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the a reading means for reading drawn information of an arbitrary length with a predetermined reading width; a storage means for storing the data read by the reading means; A black character distribution detecting means for detecting the black character number distribution in the reading width direction of the read length data, etc., and a black character distribution detecting means for detecting the black character number distribution in the reading width direction of the length read data. valid data detection means for detecting the range of valid read data read at approximately the center of the reading width; and only the valid read data detected by the valid data detection means from the storage means. Since it is equipped with a data output means for outputting data, even if adjacent unnecessary data is read along with specific data on the required document, it is possible to extract only the necessary data and print it out. An image data reading device can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a handy cobby machine according to an embodiment of the compact image data reading device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the reading state for a document, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the cutting position for the read data. A diagram showing the sampling area, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the distribution of the number of black characters in the sampling area and its extraction position, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the setting state of the extraction 12 line for the read data, and Figure 6 is an illustration of the extraction of the read data. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing, and is a diagram showing the distribution of the number of black characters in the sampling area and its extraction position in another embodiment of the present invention. 11...Control unit, 12...Image sensor, 1.
2a...Light source, 12b...LED drive circuit, 13
...Binarization unit, 14...Image data memory, 15...
・Print section, 16...Roller, 17...Encog disk, 18a, 18b,...Slit, 1
9... Sending/receiving destination part, 20... Encoder, 21...
Image data memory address control unit, 22... Surplus number counting unit, 23... Numerical data memory, 24... Cutting position determining unit, 25... Calculating unit, 26... Cutting position address storage unit, 27... Cutting position confirmation section, 28.
...report department.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A reading means for reading information drawn on a manuscript for an arbitrary length with a predetermined reading width; a storage means for storing data read by the reading means; and at least from the beginning of the read data. black character distribution detection means for detecting the black character number distribution in the reading width direction of read data of a predetermined length and read data of a predetermined length from the rear end; and based on the black character number distribution in the reading width direction obtained by the black character distribution detection means. valid data detection means for detecting the range of valid read data read at approximately the center of the read width of the read data stored in the storage means; and only the valid read data detected by the valid data detection means. A compact image data reading device comprising: data output means for outputting from the storage means;