JP2001230919A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and surely perform marking of a character or image desired to become the object of image processing for an image processor, to be provided as a copying machine or the like equipped with a marker-editing function. SOLUTION: When there is an error in original characters as shown by reference codes A1 and A2 in Figure 2 (a), a user paints out the area to be erased with a marker pen as shown by a reference code M1 in Figure 2 (b). Thus, the image processor decides the inside of the painted-out area as the object area of image processing and image data within that area are erased as shown in Figure 2 (c). Therefore, only by performing rough marking of painting-out without being concerned about the line width of the marker pen or the like, the desired character or image can be defined as processing object, without having to omit the designation of a processing object spot or omitting any part excepting the processing object spot.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus suitably implemented as a copying machine having a marker editing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The marker editing function is performed when a created document document is read by a scanner for copying or the like, and is a function of performing various image processing in a processing target area surrounded by markers. . Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 307660, deletion of an image is performed for each color of a marker in the processing target area of a read image.
It has been proposed to perform image processing such as color change and highlight (highlight) display.

[0003]

Generally, a marker pen is used for tracing and emphasizing a document, so that the pen tip is thick. Therefore, in the above-mentioned prior art,
Although it is easy to enclose an area separated from other parts by a sufficient blank area with a marker, it is difficult to enclose an area having characters and graphics in close proximity, such as some characters in a document. That is, if the area to be subjected to image processing is inside the marked line, the user must make sure that the target character or figure is not marked, and the outside of the marked line In the case of the above, there is a problem that it is necessary to prevent marking on adjacent characters or figures, and very precise marking is required.

[0004] For example, as shown in FIG.
Is performed, if the inside of the marking m1 is set as a target area of the image processing, for example, when the image is deleted, as shown by reference numerals a1 and a2 in FIG. The remaining part remains without being erased. Also, as shown in FIG. 17A, if the target area of the image processing is expanded to the full extent outside the marking m2, the reference numerals b1 and b1 in FIG.
As shown by b2, a part of the adjacent character overlapping the marking m2 is erased.

[0005] Further, since the area surrounded by the markings m1 and m2 is the target area for image processing, the marking m
If 1 and m2 are interrupted, it may not be specified as a target area for image processing. Furthermore, the user must be conscious of whether the image processing target area is inside the markings m1 and m2 or up to the outside of the markings m1 and m2. There is also a problem that the work becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus having a marker editing function capable of easily and reliably marking.

[0007]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention reads an original marked with a marker pen of a color different from the color of the original image, performs image processing on the marked portion in advance, and outputs the image. In the processing device, from a read signal of a color different from the color of the original image,
Marking identifying means for identifying the marking by the marker pen, and determining means for responding to the output from the marking identifying means and determining a closed area filled with the marker pen as a target area of the image processing. And

According to the above arrangement, in an image processing apparatus realized as a copier or the like having a marker editing function, a character or an image to be subjected to image processing is filled with a marker pen without being accurately surrounded. By simply performing such rough marking, desired characters and desired characters and the like can be obtained without causing omission of designation of the processing target portion as shown in FIG. 16 and omission of portions other than the processing target portion as shown in FIG. Images and the like can be processed. Therefore, marking can be performed easily and reliably.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention reads an original marked with a marker pen having a color different from the color of an original image, performs predetermined image processing on the marked portion, and outputs the image. Character extracting means for extracting characters from a read signal of a color of a document image and obtaining a circumscribed rectangular area, and marking location identification for identifying a location marked by a marker pen from a read signal of a color different from the color of the document image Means for determining a circumscribed rectangular area including the marking part in the area as a target area of the image processing in response to an output from the character extracting means and the marking part identifying means. .

According to the above arrangement, in an image processing apparatus realized as a copying machine or the like having a marker editing function, a character or a circumscribed rectangular area may be slightly surrounded without accurately surrounding a character to be subjected to image processing. Just make rough markings on the desired character (word)
Can be processed. Therefore, marking can be performed easily and reliably.

Furthermore, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention,
When the determination unit determines that a circumscribed rectangular area of mutually adjacent characters is a marking location, a blank between characters is also included in the marking location and integrated as one circumscribed rectangular area.

According to the above arrangement, image processing such as shading and underlining and character recognition can be performed on a marked word or phrase as one processing target.

In the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the image processing is at least one of erasing an image in a processing target area and generating a frame of a processing target boundary.

According to the above configuration, an insect-eating text can be easily created based on an existing manuscript. Alternatively, emphasis may be performed by performing black and white reversal of the corresponding character (string), or an underline may be added.

Further, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention,
When the circumscribed rectangular area extracted by the character extracting means is blank, the determination unit integrates the circumscribed rectangular area as a processing target only when both circumscribed rectangular areas adjacent to the blank circumscribed rectangular area are marked. It is characterized by doing.

According to the above configuration, even if image processing is performed on the boundary such as generation of a frame for the boundary to be processed, it is possible to prevent influence on characters outside the region.

Further, in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the color different from the color of the original image is a color having the largest number of pixels other than the color of the original image.

According to the above arrangement, the color of the original image is changed to the first color.
.. Among the plurality of colors of the second, third,... Other than the color of the original image, and the color having the largest number of pixels among the marker pens used at that time for recognizing the image processing target area. Automatically recognizes the color of the marker pen. Therefore,
It is no longer necessary to predetermine the color of the marker pen for the recognition, and any color other than the color of the original image, for example, black, can be used, and the convenience can be improved. it can.

Further, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention,
When the difference between the number of pixels of the original image and the number of pixels of a color different from the color of the original image is equal to or less than a predetermined value,
It is characterized by further comprising a notifying means for notifying an error.

According to the above configuration, for example, if black is used as the color of the original image, any other color marker pen can be used.
The ratio of each color component of the three primary colors is almost equal to black, making it difficult to distinguish between the original image and the marking. Therefore, in such a case, by notifying the user, it is possible to prevent erroneous determination of the marking portion. In the case where the color of the marker pen becomes light and it becomes difficult to determine the marking location, it is possible to know beforehand whether or not the marking location has been accurately determined before obtaining an output.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The following is a description based on FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine 2 on which an image processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. The copying machine 2 is a digital copying machine. A document image is read by a scanner unit 3, and the read document image data is processed by the image processing apparatus 1 as described later. Then, the laser writing unit 4 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 5. The electrostatic latent image is visualized by a developing device (not shown),
The visualized original image is transferred to a recording sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit 6 by a transfer device (not shown) and output. A holder 7 is attached to a side portion of the scanner section 3, and the holder 7 holds a marker pen 8 of a color designated in advance for marking.

The method of image formation is not limited to the above-described electrophotographic method, but may be another method such as an ink jet method.
It may be performed by a light emitting diode or the like.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to an embodiment of the present invention and image processing using the result of the determination in the image processing apparatus 1. For example, in FIG.
If there is an error in the document characters as indicated by A2, the user fills the area to be erased with the marker pen 8 as indicated by reference numeral M1 in FIG. Thereby, the image processing apparatus 1 determines the inside of the filled area as a target area of image processing, and FIG.
As shown by, the image data in the area is deleted. The user writes on the recording paper on which the image shown in FIG.
Write correct characters.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a part related to marker editing shown in FIG. 2 in the image processing apparatus 1.
The CCD 11 can read the entire sheet-shaped document for each color component of red, green, and blue for each pixel. The output from the CCD 11 is supplied to an analog / digital conversion unit 12, where the output is converted into multi-gradation data for each of the color components, and the shading correction unit 13 corrects the sensitivity variation of the CCD 11 for each color component. Then, the data is binarized by the binarization processing unit 14 and written into the memory 15. Marking processing unit 1
6 determines, from the binarized image signal stored in the memory 15, a region filled with a specific color as a target region for image processing, and performs image processing such as image deletion.

The processing shown in FIG. 2 will be described in further detail with reference to FIGS. Assuming that the original is a black-and-white original and the color of the marker pen is red, since the black component of the original contains red, green, and blue components almost equally, the original image of the green and blue components read by the CCD 11 is ,
The result is as shown in FIG. The image signals of the green and blue components near the marking area stored in the memory 15 are as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the dots whose color components are detected are indicated by hatching, and for simplification of the drawing, FIG.
The number of dots (resolution) is schematically shown as greatly reduced.

On the other hand, since the original image of the red component read by the CCD 11 includes a marked-out area, the image is as shown in FIG. 4B.
The image signal of the red component at the marking location stored in the memory 15 is as shown in FIG.

Thus, the marking processing section 16
In FIG. 5, it is determined that the dots (the twelfth to fourteenth dots in FIG. 5) detected together in the image signals of the red, green, and blue color components are unmarked original images.
As shown in (c), the image data is output without performing image processing, and the dots (3rd to 8th dots in FIG. 5) detected only in the red component image signal are determined as the marking area.
The image is erased and output as shown in (c) and FIG. 5 (c).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the marking processing section 16 for performing the above-described image processing. In response to the address signal generated by the address generator 21, a red component image signal and a green component image signal are sequentially read from the memory 15 by one pixel in the main scanning direction. 25. The image signal of the red component input to the latch circuit 22 is sent from the latch circuit 23 to the latch circuit 24.
Shifted sequentially. Similarly, the green component image signal input to the latch circuit 25 is sequentially shifted to the latch circuit 26. It is sufficient that the latch circuit 25 is supplied with an image signal of a component other than the marker color red, and may be an image signal of a blue component.

The output from the latch circuits 22 and 23 is A
The input to the ND gate 27, and the AND gate 27
, The output from the latch circuit 25 is inverted and input. On the other hand, the output from the latch circuit 24 is input to an AND gate 28, and the output from the latch circuit 23 is inverted and input to the AND gate 28.
The output of the AND gate 27 is input to the reset terminal of the RS flip-flop 29, and the output of the AND gate 28 is R
The signal is input to the set terminal of the S flip-flop 29. Then, using the output of the RS flip-flop 29 as a trigger signal, the AND gate 30 outputs the output from the latch circuit 26 as binary image data.

Therefore, the red component is continuously generated by two dots o
If the preceding dot of the green component is off and does not match (third dot in FIG. 5) even though it is n, it is determined that it is not the original image but the beginning of the marking area, and the AND gate 27 sets the RS flip-flop. Reset the step 29
The ND gate 30 blocks the output to be an off data output. Thereafter, even if the red component is continuously turned on and the preceding dot of the green component is turned on (fourth dot in FIG. 5), the determination of the marking area remains as it is, and the RS flip-flop by the AND gate 27 remains. Although the reset output of 29 is lost, the RS flip-flop 29 is held in the reset state, and the AND gate 30 remains off data output.

On the other hand, the red component changes from on to off.
(In FIG. 5, the ninth and fifteenth dots) AND
The gate 28 sets the RS flip-flop 29,
ND gate 30 allows the output from latch circuit 26.

Therefore, only the portion of the document image data in which the red component and the green component match (FIG.
(14 dots), the data is output as it is. When the start of the marking area causes a mismatch between the red component and the green component (third dot in FIG. 5), the output is blocked, and the marking area ends thereafter (FIG. 5). In 5, the image is erased up to the ninth dot).

Therefore, the user only needs to make rough markings, such as painting out with a marker pen, to omit designation of a processing target portion as shown in FIG. The desired characters, images, and the like can be processed without causing any missing portions, and the marking can be easily and reliably performed.

It should be noted that even if the marker color contains a component other than red and is detected by the CCD 11,
If the value is less than the threshold value of the binarization in the binarization processing unit 14, no erroneous determination occurs, and the output binary image data is turned off by the AND gate 30, so that the image erasure does not leak. .

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a part related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus 31 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This image processing device 31 is similar to the image processing device 1 shown in FIG. 3 described above, and corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. It should be noted that, in this image processing device 31, red, red,
The full color image signals of green and blue are input to the counter 32, and the number of dots of each color is counted for each page of the document.

Therefore, while the count value of each color increases in the black pixels of the black and white original, only the count value increases in the pixels where only the marker color is detected.
The count value is input to the marker color determination unit 33, and the color having the largest number of pixels in the one-page document is determined to be the marker color, and is provided to the marking processing unit 16. In the marking processing unit 16, from the memory 15,
An image signal of a color having the largest number of pixels is input to the latch circuit 22, and an image signal of any of the remaining colors is input to the latch circuit 25.

Therefore, even if the marker color is not determined in advance, a marker pen for recognizing the image processing target area with a color having the largest number of pixels among the marker pens used at that time other than the color of the original image. The marker pen of any color other than black can be used, for example, and the convenience can be improved.

When the difference in the number of dots between the color having the largest number of dots and the remaining color is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the marker color determination section 33 uses a color close to the document color as the marker color. To notify the user of the error. For example, if the original is the black-and-white original, as in the case of the original color black, gray including red, green, and blue color components almost equally is used as the marker color. An error may occur, and the user is notified.

Therefore, even if the marker pen of any color other than the color of the original image can be used as described above, the use of an inappropriate color is notified to the user, so that the erroneous determination of the marking portion can be made. It can be prevented beforehand. In the case where the color of the marker pen becomes light and it becomes difficult to determine the marking location, it is possible to know beforehand whether or not the marking location has been accurately determined before obtaining an output.

The judgment value of the difference in the number of dots may be determined in advance, or may be arbitrarily determined by the user. In addition, the notification to the user can be performed by an arbitrary notification means provided near the operation panel such as a liquid crystal panel or a light emitting diode.

Regarding still another embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description based on FIG. 8 and FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a portion related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus 41 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. This image processing device 41 is the same as that shown in FIG.
And the corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. It should be noted that, in the image processing apparatus 31, the memory 15a stores the two-
The image signal subjected to the binarization processing is stored, and the multi-level image signal before the binarization processing is directly input from the shading correction unit 13 and stored. Also,
The marking processing section 16a outputs a multi-level image signal.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the marking processing section 16a, which is similar to the above-described marking processing section 16 and corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the marking processing section 16a, the latch circuits 22, 23, 24; 25, 26 are for marking area determination, and the multi-value output latch circuits 42, 43 are provided in parallel with the latch circuits 22, 23; 25, 26. Is provided. In response to the address signal generated by the address generator 21, the binary image signal of the red component and the green component is output from the memory 15a, for example.
The data is sequentially read out one pixel at a time in the main scanning direction, and the latch circuit 2
2 and 25, and, for example, a multi-valued image signal of a green component is sequentially read one pixel at a time in the main scanning direction and input to the latch circuit 42. Also, AN
The D gates 30 are provided by the number of multi-valued bits,
Their outputs are commonly controlled by the RS flip-flop 29.

Therefore, an image signal with little deterioration can be output.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
12 will be described below.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a part related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus 51 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This image processing device 51 is similar to the image processing device 1 described above. It should be noted that, in the image processing device 51, the character extracting unit 52 extracts characters from the binarized image signal stored in the memory 15 and obtains a circumscribed rectangular area. From the cut-out circumscribed rectangular area and the location marked by the marker pen of a specific color, the marking processing unit 53, which is a marking location identification unit and a determination unit, includes a circumscribed rectangular region including the marking location in the area. Is determined as a target area for image processing. Therefore, it is possible to target a desired character (word) only by making a rough marking so as to cover a character (a circumscribed rectangular area) as little as possible without accurately surrounding a character to be processed. Can be.

That is, each of the image processing devices 1, 31,
At 41, as shown in FIG.
When the blurring occurs as shown by reference numeral M3, for example, when the image is deleted, as shown by reference numerals B1, B2, and B3 in FIG. It will remain without being. On the other hand, in the image processing device 51, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), even if the original characters are individually marked as indicated by reference marks M4 and M5, the characters are not imaged. It is determined to be a processing location.

Therefore, the character extracting section 52 first extracts a character from an image signal and obtains a circumscribed rectangular area as shown in FIG. Next, in FIG. 12 (b), the marking processing unit 53
As shown by 5a, a circumscribed rectangular area including the markings M4 and M5 in the area is determined as an image processing target area.

In FIG. 12C, the image in the processing target area is erased in the same manner as in FIG. 2C by using the determination result. Further, in FIG. 12D, a frame of a boundary to be processed is generated together with the image deletion shown in FIG. 12C. Therefore, by performing the markings M4 and M5, it is possible to easily create an insect-eating text based on the existing document.

FIG. 12 shows the result of the determination.
In (e), the corresponding character in the processing target area is inverted in black and white. In FIG. 12 (f), the corresponding character in the processing target area is underlined. In g), a frame is generated for the corresponding character in the processing target area. Therefore, by performing the marking, the corresponding character can be emphasized.

It should be noted that these FIGS. 12 (d) to 12 (g)
The image processing indicated by the symbols is performed by each of the image processing apparatuses 1, 31, 41.
Needless to say, this may be implemented in

Regarding still another embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description based on FIG.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and examples of various types of image processing using the results of the determination. In this image processing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 13A, a plurality of corresponding characters (strings) such as a
As shown in FIG. 13B, the character extracting section 52 first extracts a character from an image signal and obtains a circumscribed rectangular area thereof.
Next, as shown by reference marks M6a and M6b in FIG. 13B, the marking processing unit 53 determines a circumscribed rectangular area including the location of the marking M6 in the area as a target area for image processing, A blank M6c between characters sandwiched between the target areas is also included in the marking location and integrated into one circumscribed rectangular area for determination. Therefore,
The marked word or phrase can be processed. Further, even if image processing is performed on the boundary such as generation of a frame of the processing target boundary as shown in FIG.
It is possible to prevent the influence on characters outside the region.

In FIG. 13C, the image in the processing target area is erased in the same manner as in FIG. 12C by using the determination result. Further, in FIG.
As in the case of 2 (d), a frame of a processing target boundary is generated along with image erasure. Therefore, by performing the marking M6, an worm-eating text can be easily created based on the existing document.

FIG. 13 shows the result of the judgment using
In (e), as in FIG. 12 (e), the corresponding character (string) in the processing target area is inverted between black and white.
3 (f), an underline is added to the corresponding character (string) in the processing target area as in FIG. 12 (f), and FIG. 13 (g) is similar to FIG. 12 (g). In addition, a frame is generated for a corresponding character (string) in the processing target area. Therefore, by performing the marking M6, the corresponding character (string) can be emphasized.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
It is as follows if it explains based on.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining a marking portion according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
4A, reference characters M7, M8
Assuming that the intermittent marking over a plurality of corresponding characters (rows) is given as shown in FIG.
First, as shown in FIG. 14B, a character is cut out from the image signal, and a circumscribed rectangular area is obtained. Next, the marking processing section 53 performs the same operation as the reference mark M as in FIG.
7a, M8a, the markings M7, M8
Is determined as a target area for image processing, and a blank M78 between characters sandwiched between the target areas is also included in the marking location and integrated as one circumscribed rectangular area. I do. In this case, even if the marking is interrupted in the circumscribed rectangular area, since a part of the circumscribed rectangular area is marked,
It is determined as a target area.

In this way, the accuracy required for marking can be further reduced, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

On the other hand, many configurations have been proposed in which character recognition is used for extracting the characters. For example,
In JP-A-6-195507, a circumscribed rectangle is obtained for each character image data, and the aspect ratio is remarkably different in cutting out each character. If there is a black pixel area near the end of the circumscribed rectangle, there is a borderline. There has been proposed a configuration in which the extraction is performed using the data other than the underlined portion and the extraction is performed correctly. However, unlike a character recognition device that recognizes a document image line by line, there is a problem that it cannot be applied to a copying machine or the like in which the processing time per document is short.

Regarding still another embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description based on FIG.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to still another embodiment of the present invention and an example of image processing using the determination result. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 15A, when individual markings as shown by reference marks M4 and M5 are given to the document characters as in FIG. 12A, as shown in FIG. , A character is cut out from the image signal, and a circumscribed rectangular area is obtained. However, in FIG.
a, M5a, the markings M4, M
In addition to the circumscribed rectangular area including the area No. 5 within the area as the target area of the image processing, even if the extracted circumscribed rectangular area is blank as indicated by reference numeral M45, The circumscribed rectangular areas M on both sides adjacent to the circumscribed rectangular area M45
Only when both 4a and M5a are marked, they are integrated as processing targets.

Therefore, when a frame of a processing target boundary is generated together with the image erasure, the result is as shown in FIG. 15C. It is possible to prevent the influence on non-target characters.

[0065]

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, in an image processing apparatus realized as a copying machine having a marker editing function, a closed area filled with a marker pen is set as a target area for image processing. judge.

Therefore, the operator does not need to accurately enclose characters, images, and the like to be subjected to image processing. Thus, desired characters, images, and the like can be targeted for processing without missing parts other than the processing target portion, and marking can be performed easily and reliably.

Further, as described above, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, in an image processing apparatus realized as a copying machine having a marker editing function, cuts out a character from a read signal of a color of an original image, An area is obtained, and a circumscribed rectangular area including the marking portion in the area is determined as an image processing target area.

Therefore, the operator does not need to accurately enclose characters, images, and the like to be subjected to image processing. Thus, desired characters, images, and the like can be targeted for processing without missing parts other than the processing target portion, and marking can be performed easily and reliably.

Further, as described above, if the image processing apparatus of the present invention determines that the circumscribed rectangular areas of the characters adjacent to each other are the marking locations, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes one blank including the spaces between the characters in the marking locations. Integrate as a circumscribed rectangular area.

Therefore, image processing such as shading and underlining and character recognition can be performed with the marked word or phrase as one processing target.

Further, in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the image processing is at least one of erasing an image in a processing target area and generating a frame of a processing target boundary.

Therefore, it is possible to easily create a wormy sentence based on the existing manuscript. Or the corresponding character (string)
It is also possible to emphasize or to add an underline by performing black and white reversal of.

Further, as described above, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when the extracted circumscribed rectangular area is blank, both the circumscribed rectangular areas adjacent to the blank circumscribed rectangular area are marked. Only if it is, it is integrated as a processing target.

Therefore, even if image processing is performed on the boundary such as generation of a frame for the boundary to be processed, it is possible to prevent the influence on characters outside the region.

Further, as described above, the image processing apparatus of the present invention sets the color different from the color of the original image to the color having the largest number of pixels other than the color of the original image.

Therefore, the color having the largest number of pixels among the marker pens used at that time, other than the color of the original image, is
Since the color of the marker pen for automatically recognizing the image processing target region is automatically recognized, the color of the marker pen for the recognition does not need to be determined in advance. Any of the marker pens can be used, and the convenience can be improved.

Further, as described above, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention provides the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the difference between the number of pixels of the original image and the number of pixels of a color different from the color of the original image is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. Notify errors.

Therefore, even if a marker pen of any color other than the color of the original image can be used as described above, it is possible to inform the user of the use of a marker pen of a color close to the original image, and it is possible to notify the user of the marking location. Erroneous determination can be prevented beforehand. In addition, when the color of the marker pen becomes light and it becomes difficult to determine the marking location, it is possible to notify beforehand whether or not the marking location has been accurately determined before obtaining an output.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a copying machine in which an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to an embodiment of the present invention and image processing using the determination result in the image processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a part related to marker editing shown in FIG. 2 in the image processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of image data for explaining the processing shown in FIG. 2 in detail;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of dot data in a main scanning direction at a marking location for describing the processing shown in FIG. 2 in detail.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a marking processing unit in the image processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a part related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a portion related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a marking processing unit in the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a portion related to marker editing in an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion by the image processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8, and an example of image processing using the determination result.

12 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion by the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 10 and an example of image processing using a result of the determination.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to still another embodiment of the present invention and various examples of image processing using the determination result.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a method of determining a marking portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion according to still another embodiment of the present invention and an example of image processing using the determination result.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion by a typical conventional image processing device and an example of image processing using the determination result.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining a marking portion by another conventional image processing apparatus and an example of image processing using the determination result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 31, 41, 51 Image processing device 2 Copier 3 Scanner unit 4 Laser writing unit 5 Photoconductor drum 6 Paper feed unit 7 Holder 8 Marker pen 11 CCD 12 Analog / Digital conversion unit 13 Shading correction unit 14 Binarization processing Unit 15, 15a Memory 16, 16a, 53 Marking processing unit 21 Address generation unit 22 to 26, 42, 43 Latch circuit 27, 28, 30 AND gate 29 RS flip-flop 32 Counter 33 Marker color determination unit 52 Character cutout unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] An image processing apparatus for reading a document marked with a marker pen having a color different from the color of a document image, performing predetermined image processing on the marked portion, and outputting the processed image, wherein the color different from the color of the document image is provided. Marking identification means for identifying a marking by a marker pen from a color read signal; and determination means for responding to an output from the marking identification means, and determining a closed area filled with the marker pen as a target area of the image processing. An image processing apparatus comprising: 2. An image processing apparatus which reads a document marked with a marker pen having a color different from the color of a document image, performs predetermined image processing on the marked portion, and outputs the image. Character extracting means for extracting a character and determining a circumscribed rectangular area thereof, a reading signal of a color different from the color of the document image, a marking location identifying means for identifying a location marked by a marker pen, the character extracting means, An image processing apparatus, comprising: a determination unit that responds to an output from a marking location identification unit and determines a circumscribed rectangular area including the marking location in the area as a target area of the image processing. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the judging means judges a circumscribed rectangular area of characters adjacent to each other as a marking location, a blank between characters is also included in the marking location and integrated as one circumscribed rectangular area. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing is at least one of erasing an image in a processing target area and generating a frame of a processing target boundary. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the circumscribed rectangular area extracted by the character extracting means is blank, only when both circumscribed rectangular areas adjacent to the blank circumscribed rectangular area are marked. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing apparatus is integrated as a processing target. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color different from the color of the document image is a color having the largest number of pixels, other than the color of the document image. . 7. A notifying means for notifying an error when a difference between the number of pixels of the document image and the number of pixels of a color different from the color of the document image is equal to or less than a predetermined value. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: