JPH07327127A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent image deterioration attended with copying of image information. CONSTITUTION:An image input section 101 reads a recording medium such as an original on which an image and a bar code pattern are recorded and a bar code read section 107 reads the bar code pattern and then the bar code pattern and image information are converted into code information by a bar code/code conversion section 108. Then the code information is converted into image information by a code/image conversion section 109 and a code/bar code conversion section 110 converts the information into a bar code again and after the both are synthesized by an image synthesis section 103, the result is recorded or displayed on paper by an image output section 104. Furthermore, as required, the code information is given to an image processing section 105 without any conversion, in which various image processing is conducted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, a facsimile, a printer or a scanner, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus for copying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a typical method for reproducing image information is to read an original image, convert it into an electric signal in a time series, and sequentially or collectively write this on a paper surface by a writing means. It is printed or displayed on a display device.

[0003]

In the conventional image forming apparatus, when the image information is copied, since the image information itself is copied, there is a problem that image deterioration due to the copy cannot be avoided. In particular, when generation copies are piled up, image deterioration is accumulated, and the image becomes unreadable in some generations, and the meaning of copying becomes meaningless.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing image deterioration caused by duplication of image information.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image input means for reading a recording medium such as a document on which an image and a bar code pattern are recorded, and an image input means for reading the image. Means for converting the image information into code information, an image re-converting means for re-converting the code information into image information, and an output for recording or displaying the image information converted by the image re-converting means on a paper surface. And means are provided.

Further, bar code reading means for reading the bar code pattern from the result read by the image input means, bar code converting means for converting the bar code pattern read by the bar code reading means into code information, and An image synthesizing means for synthesizing a barcode re-converting means for re-converting the code information into a barcode pattern and a barcode pattern by the barcode re-converting means and the image information by the image re-converting means and sending it to the output means. Can be provided.

In this case, an image formed on the read image information can be automatically formed on the basis of the code information.

Further, when the positional relationship between the image and the bar code is different from the content of the document due to the image processing on the image information, a function for automatically performing a layout of image composition that optimizes the positional relationship between the two is provided. It can be provided in the image composition means.

Further, when the area for forming the bar code pattern cannot be secured by the automatic layout,
The barcode pattern can be automatically formed on the back surface or the next page.

[0010]

According to the above means, the image information of the information read from the original is converted into the code information,
Further, it is converted into image information again, and the reconverted image information is printed out on a paper surface or the like. Also, necessary image processing (magnification, partial erasing, coloring, mirroring, etc.) is performed in the state of code information. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deterioration of image quality due to generation copying. Also, image processing can be performed at the code information stage,
It is also possible to repair the loss of information due to dirt or damage to the image area.

Further, in response to image input, the bar code information is read, converted into code information, converted into bar code information again, and the image area and bar code information are superposed at the stage of code information. Be seen. The combination of the image area and the barcode information is automatically performed so as to obtain the optimum position combination. Therefore, even if the image processing is performed, the recording of the bar code pattern is not lost, and the deterioration of the bar code pattern itself due to generation copying can be prevented.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

An image input unit 101 (scanner) as an image input means for reading an image and inputting image information.
Is connected to a barcode conversion unit 102 (conversion unit, barcode conversion unit), and this barcode conversion unit 102 is connected to an image combining unit 103 (image combining unit).
An image output unit 104 (printer, CRT display device, etc.) as an image output unit is connected to the image synthesis unit 103. Further, the barcode conversion unit 102 includes the image processing unit 1
05 is connected, and the image processing unit 105 is connected to the operation unit 106 for inputting various instructions accompanying the processing.

Further, the bar code conversion section 102 includes a bar code reading section 107, a bar code / code conversion section 108,
The code / image conversion unit 109 (image reconversion means) and the code / barcode conversion unit 110 (barcode reconversion means) are included.

Next, the processing (operation) of the image forming apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the bar code pattern read by the image input unit 101 and the bar code reading unit 107 (steps 201 and 202) is sent to the bar code / code conversion unit 108, and this bar code / code conversion unit 10 is operated.
The barcode pattern is converted into code information by 8 (step 203). This code information is stored in the code / image conversion unit 109 and the code / barcode conversion unit 110.
Of the code / bar code conversion unit 110.
Is converted into image information by (step 20)
5). This image information is sent to the image composition unit 103.

On the other hand, the code / barcode conversion section 110 reconverts the input code information into bar code information (step 204), and sends this to the image composition section 103.

The image synthesizing unit 103 synthesizes the image information sent from the code / image converting unit 109 and the bar code pattern sent from the code / bar code converting unit 110 (step 206), and synthesizes this. The obtained information is sent to the image output unit 104 (step 207).
The image output unit 104 prints out the image information sent from the image synthesizing unit 103 on paper, or displays it on a CRT, a liquid crystal display or the like (step 208).

When image processing such as scaling, partial erasing, coloring, and mirroring is performed on the image of the original, the operation unit 1
The image processing content is designated by 06. The image processing content input from the operation unit 106 is sent to the image combining unit 103, and the code information sent from the barcode / code conversion unit 108 is corrected according to the image processing content sent from the operation unit 106. It is sent to the code / image conversion unit 109 and the code / barcode conversion unit 110. These conversion units convert the image information and the bar code pattern, respectively, and send them to the image composition unit 103.

The image synthesizing unit 103 automatically lays out the image information and the bar code pattern so that they do not overlap each other, and if overwriting cannot be avoided even by this automatic layout, the bar code pattern is created on another page. Image or image on the back. The barcode pattern area recognition method includes a method of specifying the area with an input device such as an editor board, a method of writing the barcode pattern at a preset position, and an automatic recognition using the uniqueness of the barcode pattern. is there.

Next, a specific example of the automatic layout will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the document to be read has a bar code pattern 302 of image area information in addition to the "A" image area 301. In reading a document, only the bar code pattern 302 shown in FIG. 3A is read and converted into code information. The image area "A" is reproduced based on the converted code information. On the other hand, based on the converted code information, the barcode pattern 30
2 is also played.

The reproduced "A" image area 301 and the barcode pattern 302 are combined by the image combining unit 103,
The combined result is output to the image output unit 104, and (b)
A duplicate image as shown is obtained.

When performing image processing such as scaling and editing functions, the code information converted from the bar code pattern 302 is changed according to the instruction content from the operation unit 106. Reproduction of image processing target area and barcode pattern 3
The reproduction of 02 is performed based on the changed code information.

When the image processing is performed, the positional relationship between the image area 301 and the bar code pattern 302 is different, and there is a possibility that images may overlap. Therefore, when the image area 301 and the barcode pattern 302 are reproduced after the reproduction from the code information, the optimum layout is performed by the automatic layout function. For example, when the image area 301 of "A" covers the entire page by enlargement processing or duplication processing as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the barcode pattern 3 on the back or the next page
02 is output.

The flow chart of FIG. 4 shows the processing when the image processing is performed. In addition, in FIG.
The same reference numerals are used for the same components as those shown in FIG. 2, and the duplicated description will be omitted.

Code information including the contents (step 402) of image processing such as scaling and editing functions and step 2
According to the code information obtained in step 03, changing processing such as scaling and editing functions (step 401), that is, reproduction of image information (step 403) or barcode pattern 302
Is reproduced (step 404). Next, the barcode pattern 302 and the reproduced image information are combined (step 405), and at this time, the automatic layout process is executed so as to prevent the problems such as the image overlapping as described above (step 406). As a result of this automatic layout, when the bar code pattern 302 does not fit in one page, the bar code pattern 30 is printed on the back side of the page or on the next page.
Form 2. The composite image obtained by this automatic layout processing is sent to the image output unit 104 (step 207). Further, it is sent to the image output unit 104,
As shown in FIGS. (D) and (e), a generation duplicate image without image deterioration can be obtained.

[0029]

As described above, the present invention reads a recording medium such as a document on which an image and a bar code pattern are recorded, converts the image information into code information, and further converts the code information obtained. Since the image information is reconverted and the obtained image information is recorded or displayed on the paper surface, it is possible to prevent deterioration of image quality due to generation copying.

Further, the bar code pattern is read from the result read by the image input means, the bar code pattern is converted into code information, this code information is reconverted into a bar code pattern, and the reconverted bar code pattern is converted. By combining and outputting the image information by the image re-conversion means, the recording of the barcode pattern is not lost even when the image processing is performed.

Further, by automatically performing the image processing to be performed on the read image information based on the code information, it is possible to freely perform variable magnification, partial erasing, coloring and mirroring.

Further, when the positional relationship between the image and the bar code differs from the content of the original due to the image processing on the image information, the function of automatically performing the layout of the image composition that optimizes the positional relationship between the two is provided. By providing the image synthesizing unit, the image can be automatically arranged in any of the image areas changed by the image processing.

When the area for forming the bar code pattern cannot be secured by the automatic layout,
By automatically forming the barcode pattern on the back surface or the next page, the recording of the barcode pattern will not be lost even if image processing is performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of automatic layout processing according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when image processing is performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 image input unit 102 barcode conversion unit 103 image combination unit 104 image output unit 105 image processing unit 106 operation unit 107 barcode reading unit 108 barcode / code conversion unit 109 code / image conversion unit 110 code / barcode conversion unit 301 Image area 302 Bar code pattern

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location G06F 17/21 G06K 9/00 Z 0590-5L 9288-5L G06F 15/20 566 A

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit for reading a recording medium such as a document on which an image and a bar code pattern are recorded, a conversion unit for converting image information read by the image input unit into code information, and the code information. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image re-conversion unit for re-conversion into image information; and an output unit for recording or displaying the image information converted by the image re-conversion unit on a paper surface. 2. A bar code reading unit for reading the bar code pattern from a result read by the image input unit, a bar code converting unit for converting the bar code pattern read by the bar code reading unit into code information, Bar code re-conversion means for re-converting code information into a bar code pattern, and image synthesizing means for synthesizing the bar code pattern by the bar code re-conversion means with the image information by the image re-conversion means and sending it to the output means The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image synthesizing unit automatically performs the image processing performed on the read image information based on the code information. 4. The image synthesizing means performs an image synthesizing layout such that the positional relationship between the image and the bar code is optimized when the positional relationship between the image and the barcode differs from the content of the document due to the image processing on the image information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is automatically executed. 5. The image synthesizing means automatically forms the bar code pattern on the back surface or the next page when the area for forming the bar code pattern cannot be secured by the automatic layout. 4. The image forming apparatus according to item 4.