JP2007006084A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor capable of edition of high quality without using a personal computer when computerizing a paper document. <P>SOLUTION: Caption 55 is an image prior to image processing. Caption 56 indicates a state that an area for editing the image is selected. An area 56a surrounded by a dotted line is the area whose color is to be changed. A user can select an area manually or with a pen on a touch panel display. A selection area may either be a rectangular like 56a or a circle. Caption 57 indicates a state that the color of a selected area 57a is changed after the area selection. In an execution configuration, the changed color is created laid upon an original image and colored semitransparent so that letters of the original image are seen through the image. Thus, the work efficiency of editing processing can be improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus having an editing function on a touch display built in the image processing apparatus.

  In recent years, the need for electronic documents has increased. An electronic document can be stored in a storage device such as a storage device, and can be transmitted and received through electronic mediation, so that the efficiency of information transmission and sharing can be greatly improved. On the other hand, the use of electronic devices such as personal computers is indispensable for creating, viewing, and editing electronic documents, and communication via a LAN or a replaceable storage medium is required for information transmission. The creation and proofreading of large-scale documents may be inferior in efficiency to paper documents.

For example, when performing electronic distribution after marking or appending for correction or proofreading on an existing paper image, scanning with a scanning device → transfer to a PC → save to a storage device → modify → It is necessary to take complicated procedures such as transfer. In order to reduce such work man-hours, a device has been devised that automatically transmits a scan image to a storage device of a personal computer on a network or transmits it by e-mail. Furthermore, a means has been proposed for reducing the distribution capacity by storing and distributing the calibration image additionally written in red letters from the original image (Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-143394 A

  However, after scanning on the image processing device, it is not possible to distribute the image after further correction and correction with respect to the image before distribution. In such a case, the newly corrected paper image must be scanned again. There was a problem that had to be done.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of performing advanced editing without using a personal computer when a paper document is digitized. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows a user to operate a touch panel display unit on an image processing apparatus so that the image can be edited on the image processing apparatus in the same manner as a proofreading and additional writing for a paper image.

  The invention according to claim 1 displays an image reading means for reading an image from a medium, means for separating an image read by the reading means into a character portion and a background portion, and an image obtained by combining the character portion and the background portion. Touch panel display means, selection means for selecting part or all of the color of the display image displayed on the display means, and means for changing the color of the area selected by the selection means. The image processing apparatus.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first aspect, the region selected by the selection means is reflected as color information in a third image portion newly created in addition to the character portion and the background portion. A character color changing unit that changes the color of only the character portion by comparing the third image portion and the character portion is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the character color changing means sets the applicable range to the entire selection area.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the character color changing unit can select a plurality of colors to be changed.

  According to the present invention, in the process of converting an image on a paper medium into an electronic medium, a selection area can be designated and edited efficiently on a touch panel display without using a personal computer. Editing can be done with a simple process of selecting the selected area and selecting the color you want to change, and by simply surrounding the area you want to change the color with a rectangle, you can change the color of the characters in the enclosed range. it can.

  Hereinafter, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads an original image, converts the image into an electronic image processing unit, a storage device that stores the electronic image, and displays the electronic image as a user. A touch panel display unit that edits the scanned image with a finger or pen, and a general-purpose OS (Operating System) that operates and outputs image processing results to a file and connects to a LAN (Local Area Network) for distribution to multiple computers An information processing unit having a communication application and communication hardware. The paper image to be edited is analog / digital converted by the image reading unit and the digitized image processing unit, and then stored in the storage device as digital image data. The stored digital image data is displayed in pixel units on the touch panel display unit. The touch panel display unit transmits an electrical signal from the input device to the digitized image processing unit unit, images the external input, synthesizes it into a read image, and displays it again on the touch panel display unit. The touch panel display unit can also output an electrical signal from the input device as an application control signal that operates on the above-mentioned general-purpose OS, and the information processing unit unit that has received the control signal saves the edited image as a file or connects the network. Distribution to other computers.

  The embodiment of the present invention distributes, as an image processing apparatus, a copy function, a facsimile (FAX) function, a print function, a scanner function, and an input image (a document image read by a scanner function or an image input by a printer or a FAX function). An example applied to a so-called MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that combines functions and the like is referred to as a digital color multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view schematically showing a digital color multifunction peripheral which is an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The digital color multifunction peripheral 1 has a configuration in which an image reading device 8 that is an image reading unit that reads an image from a document is disposed above a printing device 7 that is an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium such as transfer paper. ing. An operation panel P that allows various inputs such as display for an operator and function setting from the operator is provided on the outer surface of the image reading device 8. Further, an external media input / output device that is a device that reads program codes, image data, and the like stored in the storage medium M, or writes program codes, image data, and the like to the storage medium M is provided below the operation panel P. 9 is provided with an insertion opening allowing insertion of the storage medium M exposed outside.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the digital color multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image processing unit part A and the information processing unit part B are roughly divided. The printing device 7 and the image reading device 8 belong to the image processing unit part A, and the operation panel P and the external media input / output device 9 are information processing units. Belongs to part B.

  The image processing unit A will be described. The image processing unit A including the printing device 7 and the image reading device 8 includes an image processing control unit 10 that performs overall control of image processing in the image processing unit A. The image processing control unit 10 includes a printing unit. A print control unit 11 that controls the apparatus 7 and an image reading control unit 12 that controls the image reading apparatus 8 are connected.

  The print control unit 11 outputs a print instruction including image data to the printing apparatus 7 under the control of the image processing control unit 10, and causes the printing apparatus 7 to form and output an image on a medium such as transfer paper. The image reading control unit 12 drives the image reading device 8 under the control of the image processing control unit 10, and reflects the reflected light of the lamp irradiation on the surface of the document to a light receiving element (for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device)) by a mirror and a lens. Condensed and read, and A / D converted to generate 8-bit RGB digital image data. Such an image processing control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 13 that is a main processor and a memory device that temporarily stores image data read from the image reading device 8 to be used for image formation by the printing device 7 ( For example, the SDRAM (Synchronous Random Access Memory) 14, the ROM (Read Only Memory) 15 storing the control program, the system log / system setting / log information etc. are recorded even when the power is turned off. The microcomputer has a configuration in which NVRAM 16 that can be held is connected by a bus.

  The image processing control unit 10 includes an image processing unit A via an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 17 serving as a storage device for storing a large amount of image data and a job history, and a HUB 19 as a concentrator provided in the device. Are connected to a LAN control unit 18 for connecting to the LAN 2 and a FAX control unit 20 for performing FAX control. The FAX control unit 20 is connected to a private branch exchange (PBX) 22 that communicates with a public telephone network 21, so that the digital color multifunction peripheral 1 can communicate with a remote facsimile. In addition, a display control unit 23 and an operation input control unit 24 are connected to the image processing control unit 10. The display control unit 23 outputs an image display control signal to the information processing unit unit B via the communication cable 26 connected to the control panel I / F 25 under the control of the image processing control unit 10. The image display is controlled on the operation panel P.

  The operation input control unit 24 is connected to the control panel I / F 25 by the control of the image processing control unit 10 with an input control signal corresponding to the function setting and input operation by the operator from the operation panel P of the information processing unit B. Input via the communication cable 26. In other words, the image processing unit A is configured to be able to directly monitor the operation panel P of the information processing unit B via the communication cable 26. In the image processing unit A, a communication cable 26 is connected to an image processing unit provided in a conventional image processing apparatus, and an operation panel P of the information processing unit B is used. That is, the display control unit 23 and the operation input control unit 24 of the image processing unit A operate as if they are connected to the operation panel P.

  With this configuration, the image processing unit A analyzes the print data that is image information from the outside (server computer 3, client computer 4, facsimile, etc.) and a command that instructs printing, and uses the print data as output image data. The bitmap is developed so that it can be printed, and the print mode is analyzed from the command to determine the operation. The print data and command are received and operated through the LAN control unit 18 or the FAX control unit 20. Also, the image processing unit A externally prints data stored in the SDRAM 14 or HDD 17, document read data, output image data processed for output, and compressed data obtained by compressing them externally (server computer, client). Computer, facsimile, etc.).

  Next, the information processing unit B including the operation panel P will be described. The information processing unit B has a microcomputer configuration controlled by a general-purpose OS (Operating System) used in an information processing apparatus generally called a personal computer. The information processing unit section B has a CPU 31 that is a main processor, and the CPU 31 includes a memory unit that includes a ROM that is a read-only memory that stores a RAM that is a work area of the CPU 31, a startup program, and the like. 32 and a storage device control unit 35 that controls input / output of data to / from a storage device 34 such as an HDD that stores an OS (Operating System) and application programs are connected via a bus.

  Connected to the CPU 31 is a LAN control unit 33 for connecting the information processing unit B to the LAN 2 via the HUB 19. The IP address that is the network address assigned to the LAN control unit 33 is different from the IP address assigned to the LAN control unit 18 of the image processing unit A described above. That is, two IP addresses are assigned to the digital color multifunction peripheral 1 of the present embodiment. That is, the image processing unit part A and the information processing unit part B are connected to the LAN 2 and can exchange data between the image processing unit A and the information processing unit part B. Yes. Further, a display control unit 36 and an operation input control unit 37 that control the operation panel P are connected to the CPU 31.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the operation panel P. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the operation panel P includes a display device 50 that is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and an operation input device 51. The operation input device 51 includes a touch panel 51a such as an ultrasonic elastic wave method stacked on the surface of the display device 50, and a keyboard 51b having a plurality of keys. The keyboard 51b is provided with a start key for declaring the start of image reading, a numeric keypad for inputting numerical values, a reading condition setting key for setting the transmission destination of the read image data, a clear key, and the like. That is, the display control unit 36 outputs an image display control signal to the display device 40 via the control panel I / F 38 and causes the display device 40 to display predetermined items corresponding to the image display control signal. On the other hand, the operation input control unit 37 receives, via the control panel I / F 38, an input control signal corresponding to the function setting or input operation by the operator in the operation input device 41. In addition, a control panel communication unit 39 connected to the control panel I / F 25 of the image processing unit A via the communication cable 26 is connected to the CPU 31. The control panel communication unit 39 receives the image display control signal output from the image processing unit unit A, and receives the input control signal according to the function setting or input operation by the operator from the operation panel P. Forward to. Although details will be described later, the image display control signal from the image processing unit A received by the control panel communication unit 39 is subjected to data conversion processing for the display device 40 of the operation panel P and then output to the display control unit 36. The input control signal corresponding to the function setting or input operation by the operator from the operation panel P is input to the control panel communication unit 39 after being subjected to data conversion processing in a format according to the specifications in the image processing unit A. . As described above, the storage device 34 stores an OS (Operating System) and application programs executed by the CPU 31. In this sense, the storage device 34 functions as a storage medium that stores application programs.

  In the digital color multifunction peripheral 1, when the user turns on the power, the CPU 31 activates the activation program in the memory unit 32, reads the OS from the storage device 34 into the RAM in the memory unit 32, and activates the OS. Such an OS activates a program, reads information, and stores information in accordance with a user operation. As a representative OS, Windows (registered trademark) and the like are known. These operation programs running on the OS are called application programs. The OS of the information processing unit section B is the same OS as the information processing apparatus (server computer 3, client computer 4, etc.), that is, a general-purpose OS (for example, Windows (registered trademark)).

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an image processed by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 55 denotes an image before image processing. Reference numeral 56 denotes a state where an area for editing an image is selected. A region 56a surrounded by a broken line is a region whose color is to be changed. In this embodiment, the user can select an area with a hand or a pen on the touch panel display shown in FIG. The selection area may be rectangular like 56a or circular. 57 is a state in which the color of the selected area 57a is changed after the area is selected. In the embodiment, the change color is created by being superimposed on the original image, and is colored translucent so that the characters of the original image can be seen through.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of image editing according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image editing is started based on the user's intention after the edited image is scanned by the image reading processing unit. In step S501, the dialog 1 is displayed on the screen. FIG. 6 is a display example of the dialog 1. Dialog 1 is a display that allows the user to select whether or not to edit the scanned image, as in message 60 shown in FIG.

  After waiting until the selection button in FIG. 6 is pressed in step S502 (step S502 / YES), if it is selected to perform image editing (step S503 / YES), dialog 2 is displayed (step S504). If it is selected not to edit the image (step S503 / NO), the process ends. A display example of the dialog 2 in step S504 is shown in FIG. When the message 70 for instructing area selection is displayed and the start button 71 is selected (step S505 / YES), the dialog display is terminated, and the process proceeds to area selection in step S506.

  In step S506, the user can operate the touch panel display to enclose the area to be edited in a rectangular shape. In step S507, the process waits until the user selects an area. A display example during selection of the selected area is shown in FIG. The selection area is displayed surrounded by a broken line. When the user finishes selecting the area to be edited, the selection operation is terminated by pressing the 80 selection end button. In step S508, the dialog 3 is displayed. The dialog 3 is a display for allowing the user to select a color to be changed in the selection area, and a display example is shown in FIG. In the embodiment, red, blue, and green colors can be selected, and all of them are changed to a translucent color. Steps S509 to S511 are processes for waiting for the user's color selection in step S508 and branching to each process of the color to be changed. If red is selected in step S509, the selected area is red in step S512, if blue is selected in step S510, the selected area is blue in step S513, and if green is selected in step S511, the selected area is selected in step S514. Is displayed on the screen with green.

  In step S515, the dialog 4 is displayed. A display example of the dialog 4 is shown in FIG. A display 101 in FIG. 10 is a screen for confirming the color selected by the user, and it is possible to avoid a user's operation mistake in color selection. In step S516, if yes 102 is selected on the selection screen 101, the setting of the selected color is reflected in the display on the screen, and if no 103 is pressed (step S516 / NO), the selection area is selected in step S517. Undo the color change. In step S518, the dialog 5 is displayed. A display example of the dialog 5 is shown in FIG. Dialog 5 is a display for confirming that the color has been changed. The message 111 disappears automatically after being displayed for a certain period, and the screen shown in FIG. 12 is displayed. FIG. 12 shows the final edited image.

  Next, editing for changing the color of the character portion in the rectangular area will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing an image for each stage of image processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. An image 1301 scanned by the image reading processing unit is surrounded by a rectangular shape in an area where a color change is desired by an input on the touch panel display of the user (1302). The enclosed area 1302a is an image 1303 in which the color of the character portion 1303a has been changed by image processing to be described later.

  The operation procedure when the user changes the color of the character in the area surrounded by the rectangle will be described with reference to FIG. Step S1401 is a digital image immediately after being scanned by the image reading processing unit. In step S1402, the digital image is separated into a background image 1402a based on a picture, a photograph, and a background part, and a foreground image 1402b based on a character part by software processing built in the information processing unit B. The background and foreground separation determination can be made based on the color distribution and gradation. Furthermore, an edited image 1402c based on white that reflects the editing by the user is newly created. Here, for description, the background image, the foreground image, and the edited image are referred to as layer 1, layer 2, and layer 3, respectively. S1403 is a state in which an area for color change is selected by a user operation. A part where the color of the selected area is changed is generated in layer 3. Here, the background image 1403a and the foreground image 1403b are not processed. In S1404, the color of the character portion corresponding to the coordinate position of the area surrounded by the selection area 1403c in the layer 2 image 1403b in S1403 is changed. Again, the background image 1404a is not processed. In S1405, the layer 1 image 1404a of S1404 and the layer 2 image of 1404b whose color has been changed are synthesized and output as one file.

  The area | region which changes a color is demonstrated using FIG. Reference numerals 1501 and 1502 denote the images of layer 3 and layer 2 described above. In the embodiment, layer 3 and layer 2 are defined to have the same resolution and the same size. When the coordinate position of each layer is indicated by two-dimensional coordinates in the horizontal direction x and vertical direction y, the left end is set to coordinates (x, y) = (0, 0), and the coordinates are advanced toward the lower right of the image. Let Therefore, the smallest coordinate in the rectangular area is 1501a, and the coordinate at the opposite electrode is 1501b. As described above, since layers 3 and 2 are images having the same resolution and the same size, the coordinates 1501a and 1501b of layer 3 are relatively coincident with the coordinates 1502a and 1502b of layer 2. The color of the character existing in the area surrounded by the coordinates 1502a and the coordinates 1502b of the layer 2 is changed.

  A method of changing the color of the character in the area surrounded by the rectangle will be described with reference to the bitmap image of FIG. Each of the bitmaps 1601a and 1601b is a part of the image of layer 2 and layer 3, and is formed of 16 × 16 dots 1603. The coordinates of each bitmap are in ascending order from the upper left (x, y) 1601 to the lower right (x + 16, y + 16) 1602. Each dot is formed by color information of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) and has a depth of 8 bits. In the embodiment, the color development is a subtractive color method. When R, G, and B are minimum, the color is black, and when it is maximum, the color is white. A part 1601a of the layer 2 includes a dot 1604 of a white part (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255) and a dot 1605 of a character part (R, G, B) = (0, 0, 0). Two types of colors are used. A part 1601b of the layer 3 is a white portion (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255) of a dot 1606 and a region selected by the user (R, G, B) = (80, 80, 80) dots 1607.

  Here, it is assumed that the change color of the character by the user is designated blue. In the image processing of this embodiment, the color information of the dots is compared from the coordinates (x, y) 1601 to the lower right (x + 16, y + 16) 1602, and the color information of the bitmap 1601a of layer 2 and the bitmap 1601b of layer 3 are compared. To change the color. Here, the coordinate names of 256 dots are expressed by D0 to D255. First, the color information of the dot D0 of 1601a is (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255), and the color information of the dot D0 of 1601b is (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255). In this case, (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255) is output as D0 of the bitmap 1601c, and the color information of the dot D39 of 1601a is (R, G, B) = (0 , 0, 0) and the color information of the dot D39 of 1601b is (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255), the output is DR of the bitmap 1601c as (R, G, B) = ( 0, 0, 0), and the color information of D54 is (R, G, B) = (0, 0, 0) and the color information of the dot D39 of 1601b is (R, G, B) = ( 80, 80, 80), bit map as output (R, G, B) = (20, 20, 200) is output to D54 in the group 1601c, that is, when the color information of a dot with 1601b is (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 255). In the output, the dot color information of the bitmap 1601a is used as it is, and when the color information of any dot of 1601b is (R, G, B) = (80, 80, 80) and the color information of the dot of 1601a When (R, G, B) = (0, 0, 0), the designated color information is output as the output color information .. Color information (R, G, B) of the embodiment = (20, 20 , 200) appears to be blue as the color because the blue component is strong, and as a result of performing this dot comparison process on all dots, an output bitmap such as 1601c is obtained, and the character color of the user's selection area is All dots are compared , To store the bit map of 1601c as a layer 2.

  FIG. 17 shows a flowchart for changing the character color of the selection area of the user. In step S1701, the scanned image portion is separated into a background portion and a foreground portion and stored as layer 1 and layer 2, respectively. In step S1702, layer 3 that reflects input information from the user is created. In step S1703, the process waits until the user inputs a selection area. After confirming the input of the selected area, the coordinates of the selected area are determined in step S1704. In step S1705, the color information of the bitmap in the coordinates of the selected area is changed to an arbitrarily determined value. In step S1706, the input of the change color of the character in the selected area is awaited. After confirming the input of the changed color, if layer 2 having the same coordinate point as the coordinate point changed in layer 3 in step S1707 has character color information, the color is changed to the designated color and saved as layer 2. Layer 2 and layer 1 updated in step S1708 are combined and output as a file in step S1709.

  The image in which the color of the selected region or the character color of the selected region has been changed by the above processing is temporarily stored in the storage device. The stored image can be transmitted as an electronic file via a network, or read out to a replaceable storage medium built in the digital color multifunction peripheral.

1 is an external perspective view schematically showing a digital color multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a digital color multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a top view which shows the structure of the operation panel P which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the processed image which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the image processing which changes the color of the selection area which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a display example of a display for image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of the processed image of the image processing which changes the color of the character of the selection area which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic of the image which showed the layer used for the image processing which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and the stepwise state of the layer. It is explanatory drawing of the selection area | region of the image process which changes the color of the character of the selection area | region which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the algorithm which changes the color of the character of the selection area concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process which changes the color of the character of the selection area which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital color MFP 2 LAN
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing control unit 11 Print control unit 12 Image reading control unit 22 Private branch exchange (PBX)
23, 36 Display control unit 24 Operation input control unit 25, 38 Control panel I / F
26 Communication cable 31 CPU
32 Memory Unit 33 LAN Controller 34 Storage Device 35 Storage Device Control Unit 37 Operation Input Control Unit 39 Control Panel Communication Unit 40 Display Device 41, 51 Operation Input Device 43 Various Interfaces 50 Display Device 51a Touch Panel 51b Keyboard A Image Processing Unit M Storage medium B Information processing unit P Operation panel

Claims (4)

Image reading means for reading an image from a medium;
Means for separating an image read by the reading means into a character portion and a background portion;
Touch panel display means for displaying an image obtained by combining the character portion and the background portion;
Selecting means for selecting part or all of the color of the display image displayed on the display means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: means for changing a color of an area selected by the selection means.   The region selected by the selection means is reflected as color information on a newly created third image portion in addition to the character portion and background portion, and the third image portion and the character portion are compared. 2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising character color changing means for changing the color of only the character portion.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character color changing unit sets the application range to all of the selection areas.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character color changing unit can select a plurality of colors to be changed.

Images