JPH04331568A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain desired blank by suitably arranging an image position when obtaining a copied image having the blank from an original as the object of copy. CONSTITUTION:At the image reader to obtain image data by optically reading an original 101 and executing photoelectric conversion, an image area detection circuit 114 detects the image area of image data 101, and an operator panel 119 designates a position to generate the blank and the length. Based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means 114 and the blank designation information from the operator panel 119, a CPU 115 calculates the variable power rate of the image area and a shift amount. Based on the variable power rate and shift amount, a blank generation circuit 116 executes a blank generation processing.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image reading device that optically reads a document and obtains image data by photoelectrically converting it.
In particular, the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus such as a digital copying machine that automatically creates margins for read document image data through digital image processing.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a digital copying machine or the like, when the size of the original image to be copied is almost the same as the size of recording paper, when the original image is copied, there is a small margin. A duplicate image will be obtained. In such a case, the operator presses a variable magnification mode setting key called "margin copy" provided on the operation panel of the copying machine or the like to create the margin.

FIG. 20 shows a conventional example when the above-mentioned margin mode is executed. FIG. 20(a) shows a document to be copied, and FIG. 20(b) shows a document obtained by the above-mentioned "margin copy" function. This shows a copy of the image. In this case, in order to provide a margin in the output image on the left side of the image,
As shown in b), the entire manuscript is 9
I created a margin space by reducing the size by 0%.

0004

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, when creating margins using a digital copying machine as shown above, the entire document is reduced in size, so the margins are vertically reduced as shown in FIG. 20(b). This creates unnecessary vertical margins at the same time in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and at the same time, the original is reduced in size, making it difficult to read the characters on the copied image. was there. Furthermore, in the copying process in the margin mode, if there is already sufficient margin on the document, if additional margins are created, there is a problem that there will be too much margin on the copied image.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and is a method for obtaining a desired margin by appropriately arranging the image position when obtaining a copy image with a margin from a document to be copied. The purpose is to

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading device that optically reads a document and obtains image data by photoelectrically converting the document, which detects an image area of the image data. an image area detecting means, a margin specifying means for specifying the position and length of a margin to be generated, and a change of an image area based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means and margin specifying information from the margin specifying means. The present invention provides an image reading device comprising a calculation means for calculating a magnification and a shift amount, and a margin generation means for generating a margin from the magnification and shift amount from the calculation means.

[0007] The margin generation means also includes a scaling processing unit that executes scaling processing based on the scaling factor from the computing unit, and a scaling processing unit that converts the image data after scaling processing by the scaling processing unit to the computing unit. The present invention provides an image reading device including a margin shift unit that executes a shift process based on the amount of shift from .

Further, after the margin generation means has generated the margin, the image area is divided in a direction perpendicular to the margin generation direction so that 1/2 of the sum of the margins on both sides outside the image area becomes a margin area in each orthogonal direction. A moving image reading device is provided.

[0009] Furthermore, after the margin generation means has generated the margin, the shift amount of the output image is calculated, and when the image area is larger than the print area, the size of the print area other than the margin at the specified margin creation position is calculated. The present invention provides an image reading device that calculates a magnification ratio at which the image area falls within a print area from the size of the image area, scales the image area based on the magnification ratio, and outputs the image.

[0010]Furthermore, the present invention further includes a mark area extracting means for extracting an image of a designated mark area in the image area detected by the image area detecting means, and a margin is removed only from the area extracted by the mark area extracting means. The present invention provides an image reading device that generates images.

[0011]

[Operation] The image reading device according to the present invention detects the image area of the read original image, and calculates the magnification ratio and shift amount of the image area based on the detected image area and the specified margin position and length. do. Thereafter, the margin generation means executes margin creation processing based on the calculated magnification ratio and shift amount.

Further, the scaling processing means executes scaling processing based on the input scaling factor, and sends the result to the margin shift means. Furthermore, the margin shift means executes a shift process on the image data after the scaling process based on the input shift amount.

[0013] After generating the margin, 1/1/2 of the sum of the margins on both sides outside the image area in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the margin was created.
Image centering processing is executed by distributing the image area 2 to both sides to form margin areas in the respective orthogonal directions and moving the image area.

[0014] Also, after margin generation, the shift amount of the output image is calculated, and when the image area is larger than the print area, the size of the print area other than the margin part at the specified margin creation position and the size of the image area are calculated. Based on this, a scaling factor is calculated so that the image area falls within the print area, and the image area is subjected to scaling processing based on the scaling factor and the image is output.

Furthermore, in the detected image area, an image of the specified mark area is extracted, and a margin is generated only in the extracted area.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the main configuration of an image reading device according to the present invention. In the figure, 101 is a document whose image is to be read, 102 is a contact glass made of transparent glass on which the document 101 is placed, 103 is an exposure lamp which is a light source for illuminating the document 101, and 104 is a light source for illuminating the exposure lamp 103. Reflection plates 105 to 107 reflect the light from the document surface placed on the contact glass 102, and reflector mirrors 105 to 107 guide the reflected light from the document 101 illuminated by the exposure lamp 103 to a predetermined optical path. and 107 to maintain the optical path length of the reflected light,
The moving speed is set to 1/2 of the moving speed of the reflecting mirror 105. 108 is an imaging lens that forms an image of the reflected light onto the next image sensor 109, and 109 is an image sensor that converts the received reflected light from the original 101 into an electrical signal.
Solid-state imaging device (CCD), 110 is an image sensor 10
an amplifier that amplifies the image signal converted into an electric signal in step 9;
111 is an A/D that converts the image signal (analog signal) sent from the amplifier 110 into multi-value digital image data.
It is a conversion circuit.

Further, 112 is a shading correction circuit that performs distortion correction processing on image data digitized by the A/D conversion circuit 111, 113 is an image memory that temporarily stores the shading-corrected image data, and 114 is an image memory 113. Read out the image data stored in the , perform a projection calculation, compare the result of the projection calculation with a preset threshold, and when the result of the projection calculation is equal to or greater than the threshold, it is determined as an image area, and the position of the image area is determined. An image area detection circuit that outputs information to the CPU 115; 115 is the image area detection circuit 11;
A CPU (microcomputer) that calculates and outputs an image scaling factor and an image shift amount (movement amount) in the image area from the position information of the image area from 4 and information on the position and length of the designated margin; Reference numeral 116 denotes a margin generation unit that executes scaling processing of the image in the image area according to the scaling ratio and shift amount of the image in the image area instructed by the CPU 115, and outputs the image data after the scaling process to a margin shift circuit to be described later. A circuit 117 is an interface for controlling the output of image data processed by this apparatus to an external device such as a printer.

Further, 118 is a driver that controls lighting of the exposure lamp 103, 119 is an operator panel that has the function of reading the original 101 and instructing the position and length of margin creation, and 120 is the exposure lamp 103 and the reflecting mirror 10.
121 is a motor driver that drives the pulse motor 120 on and off; 122 is the CPU 1;
This is a memory in which data etc. for 15 are stored.

The operation of the image reading apparatus configured as above will be explained below. Place original 101 on contact glass 1
02, and by pressing the start switch on the operator panel 119, a start signal is output from the CPU 115 to the motor driver 121, and the motor driver 1
21 rotates the pulse motor 120, and at the same time the driver 118 turns on the exposure lamp 103 to perform exposure scanning. In this exposure scanning, the original 101 is illuminated by the exposure lamp 103 while moving in the direction of the arrow e shown in the figure, and the reflected light is guided to the imaging lens 108 by the reflecting mirrors 105 to 107, and then the imaging lens 108 directs the reflected light to the image sensor 109. image is formed. The image sensor 109 converts the received reflected light into image data of electrical signals depending on the intensity.

Next, this image data is amplified by an amplifier 110, and then input to an A/D conversion circuit 111, where it is converted into a multi-value digital signal. Further, this image data is subjected to a shading correction circuit 112 to correct distortions such as sensitivity unevenness during reading, and is temporarily stored in an image memory 113.

Next, the image area detection circuit 114 reads the image data from the image memory 113, performs a projection operation on the image, and detects the image area by determining that the result is an image area when the result is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. and outputs the position information of the image area to the CPU 115. CPU115
calculates the image magnification and image shift amount in the image area based on the image area position information from the image area detection circuit 114 and information on the position and length of margin generation instructed from the operator panel 119. The calculated image scaling factor and shift amount data are output to the margin generation circuit 116.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the margin generation circuit 116 is comprised of a scaling circuit 201 that performs image scaling processing, and a margin shift circuit 202 that performs image shifting processing.

The image scaling factor from the CPU 115 is output to the scaling circuit 201 in the margin generation circuit 116, which executes scaling processing based on this, and further shifts the margin area based on the amount of image shift from the CPU 115. After the image shift process is executed by the circuit 202, the image data is output to the interface 117.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the margin generation circuit 116 of the present invention. In the figure, 301 is a subtracter I that subtracts the shift amount in the X direction (main scanning direction) supplied from the CPU 115 from the count number in the X direction supplied from the X counter 302, and 302 is a subtracter I in the main scanning direction based on the CLOCK signal. count the number of pixels in the X direction and subtract the number of pixels in the X direction.
01, 303 is a subtracter II that subtracts the shift amount in the Y direction (sub-scanning direction) supplied from the CPU 115 from the count number in the Y direction supplied from the Y counter 304, and 304 is a subtracter II based on the CLOCK signal. A Y counter that counts the number of pixels in the main scanning direction and outputs the counted number in the Y direction to the subtracter II 303, and 305 is the subtracter I3.
01 and the signal from the subtracter II 303.
06 is an adder that calculates the read address, and 306 is a memory that stores image data.

The operation of the margin generation circuit 116 configured as described above will be explained. First, the subtracter I301 receives the shift amount of the image in the main scanning direction from the CPU 115, and the X counter 302 counts the number of pixels in the main scanning direction based on the CLOCK signal.
301. The subtracter I301 subtracts the shift amount in the X direction output from the CPU 115 from the count number in the X direction output by the X counter 302, and outputs the result to the adder 305.

Similarly, the shift amount of the image in the sub-scanning direction output from the CPU 115 is calculated by the subtractor II30.
3, the Y counter 304 counts the LSYNC signal (main scanning synchronization signal) and outputs the counted number to the subtracter II 303. Furthermore, the subtracter II 303 is
The Y-direction shift amount output from 115 is transferred to Y counter 30.
The result of subtraction from the count number in the Y direction output from 4 is output to the adder 305.

Next, the adder 305 calculates a read address of the memory 306 from the output signals from the subtracter I301 and the subtracter II303, and outputs image data by reading data using the address. Note that if the result of this addition process is negative, data of 0 (white data) is always output without reading the data.

FIG. 4 shows an example of output processed by the margin generation circuit 116. FIG. 4(a) shows an example of image shift in the X direction, and FIG. 4(b) shows an example of image shift in the Y direction. Each is shown. In FIG. 4(a), shift processing is performed by the amount of shift in the X direction, and then the image signals are
, . . . n, a margin area (shift area) is created in the X direction as shown in the figure. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4(b), a shift process of the shift amount in the Y direction is executed, and the image signal for one line is changed to 1, 2, . . .
By outputting n lines, a blank area in the Y direction is created.

Next, extraction of an image area according to the present invention will be explained. Image region extraction is performed by image projection calculation. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of projection calculation. Figure 5(a) shows image data (black area), and the number of black pixels (pixels whose binary data value is 1) in one line when the horizontal direction is the X direction is counted. is executed for each line. FIG. 5(b) is a histogram according to the number of pixels of the pixel data obtained by the process shown in FIG. 5(a).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of projection calculation for an image 601 that has actually been read. FIG. 6(a) is a histogram in the X direction corresponding to the image 601, and FIG. 6(b) is the histogram of the image 601.
This is a histogram in the Y direction corresponding to . In this way, the difference between the image area and the margin area is determined as the difference in height of the histogram from the result of the projection calculation. The number of pixels resulting from this projection calculation is compared with a preset threshold value, and if the number of pixels is larger than the threshold value, it is determined to be an image area and the image area is extracted. In addition, in the case of an image of multi-value data, if the density of the pixel is higher than a preset threshold value, it is considered black;
If not, it is determined to be white, and the image area is extracted in the same manner as above.

Next, centering of an image area after margin generation according to the present invention will be explained. FIG. 7 is a flowchart regarding centering of an image area after margin generation. In this flowchart, first, a document is read and the document image data is stored in memory (S7
01). Next, the vertical and horizontal positions for creating a margin and the length of the margin are specified (S702). Further, an image area is detected using the image area extraction method as described above (S703). Next, the shift amount of the image to be output is calculated from the read image data, the specified margin length, and the position information of the extracted image area (S704), and the image is output based on this shift amount (S705).

The above operation will be explained using FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG. 8 shows the manuscript before processing, and FIG.
10 shows an example of calculating the shift amount, and FIG. 10 shows the positional relationship of images obtained by centering processing after margin generation. In FIG. 9, 901 is the length of the margin in the margin generation direction, 902 is the length of the top margin of the document, 903 is the length of the bottom margin of the document, and 904 is the length of the bottom margin of the document.
The specified margin size specified in step 702 shown in
905 is a shift amount in the X direction. In addition, in FIG. 10, 1001 is a Y-direction margin that is 1/2 of the sum of the length 902 of the upper margin of the original and the length 903 of the lower margin of the original, and 1002 is the upper margin of the original. The Y-direction shift amount is the difference between the length 902 and the Y-direction margin portion 1001.

In FIGS. 8 to 10 above, when creating a margin on the left side of the scanned original as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the shift amount 905 in the X direction is the value obtained by subtracting the length 901 of the margin portion in the margin generation direction from the designated margin size 904. Next, step 703 shown in FIG.
Based on the position information of the image area obtained by image area detection, the value of 1/2 of the sum of the length 902 of the upper margin of the document and the length 903 of the lower margin of the document is set as the margin created in the Y direction. , the difference between the length 902 of the upper margin of the document and the Y-direction margin is defined as the shift amount 1002 in the Y-direction.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention, that is, an example of margin generation for an area designated with a mark pen will be described. FIG. 11 shows a mark area extraction circuit according to this embodiment. In the figure, 1101 is a mark area recognition circuit 1102
and an image cutting circuit 1103; 1102 is a mark area recognition circuit that recognizes a mark area from the digital signal from the shading correction circuit 112 and outputs the mark area signal; 1103;
is an image cutting circuit which cuts out an image within the mark area from the digital signal of the shading correction circuit 112 and the mark area signal of the mark area recognition circuit 1102.

The operation of the mark detection circuit configured as above will be explained. First, the shading correction circuit 112
Mark area recognition circuit 1102 and image cutting circuit 11
A digital signal is output to 03. Next, the mark area recognition circuit 1102 recognizes the mark area from the signal of the shading correction circuit 112, and
A mark area signal is output to 103. Image cutting circuit 1
In step 103, an image within the mark area is cut out based on the mark area signal and the digital signal from the shading correction circuit 112. Next, the cut out image data is stored in the image memory 113.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the procedure for creating a margin in a designated area using a mark pen. In the figure, first, image data read from a document is stored in memory (S1201). Next, the area specified with the mark pen is detected (S1202). Then, specify the vertical and horizontal positions to create a margin and the length of the margin (S
1203). Next, the image area within the mark area is detected from this information (S1204), the shift amount of the output image is calculated (S1205), and the image is output (S1
206).

Next, an example of the above operation will be explained below using FIGS. 13 to 15. FIG. 13 shows a mark area output area, and 1301 is a mark lie specified with a mark pen. Further, FIG. 14 shows a document specified with a mark pen, and FIG. 15 shows an example of output for the document specified with a mark pen. In Figure 13, the output size within the mark specified by the mark pen is mark line 1.
301 coordinate values, point a (minimum value of x coordinate, minimum value of y coordinate), point b (maximum value of x coordinate, minimum value of y coordinate), point c (minimum value of x coordinate, maximum value of y coordinate) It is processed as a rectangle with four points as vertices: point d (maximum value of x coordinate, maximum value of y coordinate). Then, by performing the margin generation process and image area centering process shown in FIG.
Obtain the output image shown in .

Next, a process for printing within the print area when a blank space of the extracted image area is created and extends beyond the print area will be described. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure when the margin portion of the extracted image area protrudes from the print area. In the figure, first, image data read from a document is stored in memory (S1601). Next, specify the vertical and horizontal positions to create a margin and the length of the margin (S1602)
. Further, an image area is detected using the image area extraction method described above (S1603). Next, the shift amount of the image to be output is calculated from the read image data, the specified margin length, and the position information of the extracted image area (S1
604). At this time, if the image area protrudes from the printed image, a scaling factor is calculated from the size of the printing area other than the margin portion at the designated margin creation position and the size of the image area, and the image area is subjected to scaling processing (S1605). After that, this scaled image area is output as an image (S1606)
.

The above image processing will be explained using FIGS. 17 to 19. FIG. 17 shows a case where the margin part of the extracted image area protrudes from the print area when created, and 1701 indicates the size of the print area other than the margin part at the specified margin creation position, and 1702 shows the size of the print area other than the margin part of the specified margin creation position. Shows the size of the area. In such a case, image processing is performed using the procedure described in FIG. 16. For example, FIG. 18 shows an example of performing scaling processing in the X direction in the image area. From the print range 1701 and the length 1702 in the X direction in the image area, a magnification ratio that allows the image to fit into the print area is determined and the image is output. Further, FIG. 19 shows an example in which the image area is scaled in the X direction and the Y direction, and the image is fit within the print area by similarly performing the scaling in the vertical and horizontal directions.

As described above, it is possible to provide an image reading apparatus that realizes desired margin generation processing without damaging the original image even under various conditions.

[0041]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the image reading device according to the present invention, the image area of the document to be copied is detected and a margin is created based on this image area and the specified position and length. Since processing is performed with the minimum necessary reduction and magnification, it is possible to generate desired margins without making it difficult to read the characters in the document.

Furthermore, since the image area can be centered after the margin is generated, a well-balanced and good-looking image can be obtained. Further, margin generation processing can be executed only for the area of the document to be copied specified with the mark pen.

Furthermore, if the image area protrudes outside the print area after moving the image area to generate a margin, it is possible to fit the image area within the print area.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the main configuration of an image reading device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a margin generation circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a margin generation circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of output processed by the margin generation circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of image projection calculation according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of image projection calculation according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for centering an image area after margin generation according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a document before margin and centering processing according to the present invention.

9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of calculating a shift amount for the document shown in FIG. 8; FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship of images obtained by centering processing after margin generation according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mark area extraction circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a procedure for generating a margin in a designated area using the mark pen of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a mark area output area according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a document specified with a mark pen according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of output for a document specified with a mark pen according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the margin portion of the extracted image area protrudes from the print area according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a margin portion of an image area protrudes from the printing area when it is created.

18 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of performing magnification processing in the X direction in the image area shown in FIG. 17. FIG.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which vertical and horizontal scaling processing is performed on the image area shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of conventional margin copying.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Manuscript
109 Image sensor 111 A/D conversion circuit
112 Shading correction circuit 113 Image memory
114 Image area detection circuit 115 CPU
116 Margin generation circuit 117 Interface
119 Operator panel 201 Magnification variable circuit
202 Margin shift circuit 301 Subtractor I
302 X counter 303 Subtractor II
304 Y counter 305 Adder
306 Memory 1101 Mark area extraction circuit
1102 Mark area recognition circuit 1103 Image cutting circuit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image reading device that optically reads a document and obtains image data by photoelectrically converting the document, comprising an image area detection means for detecting an image area of the image data, and a position and length for generating a margin. a margin specifying means; a calculating means for calculating a scaling factor and a shift amount of an image area based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means and margin specifying information from the margin specifying means; An image reading device characterized by comprising a margin generation means for generating a margin from a magnification and a shift amount. 2. The margin generation means includes a scaling processing unit that executes scaling processing based on a scaling factor from the computing unit, and a scaling processing unit that converts the image data after scaling processing by the scaling processing unit to the computing unit. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a margin shift unit that executes a shift process based on a shift amount from the image reading apparatus. 3. After margin generation by the margin generation means, the image area is divided in a direction perpendicular to the margin generation direction so that 1/2 of the sum of the margins on both sides outside the image area becomes a margin area in each orthogonal direction. Claim 1, characterized in that the device moves.
The image reading device described. 4. After margin generation by the margin generation means, the shift amount of the output image is calculated, and when the image area is larger than the print area, the size of the print area other than the margin at the specified margin creation position is calculated. From the size of the image area,
2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnification ratio at which the image area falls within the print area is calculated, and the image area is magnified based on the magnification ratio and output as an image. 5. Mark area extraction means for extracting an image of a designated mark area in the image area detected by the image area detection means, and a margin is removed only from the area extracted by the mark area extraction means. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading apparatus generates an image.