JP2007158858A - Image forming apparatus and image formation processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience by automatically setting editing contents that are the same as those of an original even though a user takes the trouble to input editing information while maintaining original quality held by the original. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming apparatus is provided with an original data acquiring means 20 for acquiring original data of an original, an editing information acquiring means 20 for acquiring editing information of the original, and an image forming means 14 for editing the original data on the basis of the acquiring editing information and forming an image. Not only the original data acquiring means 20 automatically acquires the original data of the original but also the editing information acquiring means 20 automatically acquires the editing information of the original, the original data is edited on the basis of the acquired editing information, and the image is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine and an image forming processing program.

  Conventionally, so-called digital copying has been performed, in which image information of a document is read by photoelectric conversion, and an image is formed based on the read image data to obtain a copy. In such digital copying, the image quality has improved in recent years, but it is still difficult to obtain a copy having the same image quality as the original. For example, a halftone image or the like is an image having a gamma standing by image processing at the time of digital copying or the like, and is an image having a different tone from the halftone of the original.

  Therefore, as a method of preventing the deterioration of the image quality of the copy, the original data corresponding to the original is obtained by reading the barcode, ID, and identification information given to the original, and the original is read. Printing is performed by replacing the data (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

Also, using the read image data itself, without using a barcode, ID, or identification information, search for similar images registered in the database, obtain the retrieved original data, and obtain a copy Has also been proposed (Patent Document 3).
JP-A-11-205558 JP 2004-46374 A JP 2004-348467 A

  However, in the prior art described in the above-mentioned patent document, although it is possible to print using original data, the editing contents regarding what kind of layout or the like is printed at that time are bothered by the user. Had to enter.

  In particular, when obtaining a copy, there is a strong demand for obtaining the same document (for example, the same layout) as the original. However, the above-described prior art has a disadvantage that the user himself / herself inputs the editing information even though the corner data and the original data are acquired as the image data, and the operation is troublesome.

  The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that can automatically set the same editing content as the original without maintaining the original quality of the original and without the user having to input editing information. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming processing program for causing a computer to execute various processing.

The above problem is solved by the following means.
(1) Original data acquisition means for acquiring original data of an original, editing information acquisition means for acquiring editing information of an original, and image formation for editing original data based on the acquired editing information and forming an image And an image forming apparatus.
(2) The method according to item 1 above, further comprising link information acquisition means for reading link information of original data embedded in the original, wherein the original data acquisition means acquires original data of the original based on the acquired link information. Image forming apparatus.
(3) The image forming apparatus according to (2), wherein the link information acquisition unit acquires link information from at least one of ID information, barcode information, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, and IC tag information embedded in a document.
(4) It has reading means for optically reading image information of a document and outputting image data, and the original data acquisition means searches for and acquires original data based on image data read by the reading means. 2. The image forming apparatus according to item 1.
(5) The image forming apparatus according to item 4 above, wherein the original data obtaining unit determines a character area and a non-character area of the image data obtained by the reading unit, and retrieves original data based on these areas. .
(6) The image forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the editing information acquisition unit acquires editing information by reading editing information of a document embedded in a document.
(7) The image forming apparatus according to (6), wherein the editing information acquisition unit acquires editing information from at least one of ID information, barcode information, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, and IC tag information embedded in a document.
(8) having reading means for optically reading image information of a document and outputting image data, wherein the editing information acquisition means is based on the image data read by the reading means and the acquired original data; 6. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5 above, wherein the editing information is acquired.
(9) obtaining original document data, obtaining original editing information,
An image forming processing program for causing a computer to execute a step of editing original data based on the acquired editing information and forming an image.

  According to the invention of the preceding paragraph (1), not only the original data of the original is automatically acquired by the original data acquisition means, but also the editing information of the original is automatically acquired by the editing information acquisition means and the acquired Since the original data is edited and an image is formed based on the editing information, the troublesome input of the editing information of the original by the user can be eliminated and the image forming apparatus can be easily used. Of course, since the original document data is used for printing, the original quality of the original document can be maintained.

  According to the invention relating to the above item (2), it is possible to acquire the link information of the original data embedded in the original, and reliably acquire the original data of the original based on the acquired link information.

  According to the invention of (3) above, link information can be acquired from at least one of ID information, barcode information, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, and IC tag information embedded in a document.

  According to the invention of the preceding item (4), it is possible to search and acquire original data based on image data obtained by optically reading image information of a document.

  According to the invention according to the item (5), the character area and the non-character area of the image data obtained by the reading unit are discriminated, and the original data is searched based on these areas. .

  According to the invention according to item (6), the editing information is acquired by reading the editing information of the document embedded in the document. Therefore, the original data can be automatically edited based on the acquired editing information, and image formation is performed. It can be performed.

  According to the invention relating to item (7), the editing information can be acquired from at least one of ID information, barcode information, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, and IC tag information embedded in the document.

  According to the invention according to item (8), the editing information can be acquired based on the image data obtained by optically reading the image information of the document and the original data acquired by the acquisition means.

  According to the invention of (9) above, not only the original data of the original is automatically acquired, but also the editing information of the original is automatically acquired, and the original data is edited based on the acquired editing information. Then, it is possible to cause the computer to execute processing for forming an image.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system using an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 and one or a plurality of personal computers 31, one or a plurality of facsimiles (hereinafter referred to as FAX) are connected to a network such as a LAN. The terminal 32 and the communication line 4 are configured.

  In order to identify the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 and the personal computers 31, for example, computer names such as “PC001”, “PC002”,... Are assigned as identification information. An IP address may be used as identification information instead of such a computer name. Each FAX terminal 32 is assigned a telephone number such as a so-called fixed telephone or IP telephone.

  The image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 can be connected to each personal computer 31 and each FAX terminal 32 via the communication line 4. As the communication line 4, a LAN, the Internet, a dedicated line, a public line, or the like is used.

  In this embodiment, the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 are MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) in which functions such as copy, network printing, scanner, FAX, and document server are integrated. As shown in the external view of FIG. 2 and the hardware configuration diagram of FIG. 3, the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 perform processing such as an operation device 11, a display 12, a scanner device 13, a printer device 14, staples, and punches. The finisher device 15, the communication interface 16, the document feeder 17, the paper feeding device 18, the CPU 20, the RAM 21, the ROM 22, the data storage unit 23, and the like.

  The operation device 11 includes a plurality of keys for inputting numbers, characters, symbols, and the like, a sensor for recognizing the pressed key, and a transmission circuit for transmitting a signal indicating the recognized key to the CPU 20. .

  The display 12 is a screen for giving a message or instruction to the user, a screen for the user to input setting contents and processing contents, and a screen showing the images formed by the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 and the processing results Etc. are displayed.

  In the present embodiment, a touch panel is used as the display 12. Accordingly, the display 12 has a function of detecting a position on the touch panel touched by the user with a finger and transmitting a signal indicating the detection result to the CPU 20.

  As described above, the operation device 11 and the display 12 serve as a user interface for the user to directly operate the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2. Note that an application program and a driver for giving commands to the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 are installed in the personal computer 31. Therefore, the user can remotely operate the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 using the personal computer 31.

  The scanner device 13 acquires image data by photoelectrically reading image information such as photographs, characters, and pictures from a document. The acquired image data (density data) is converted into digital data by an image processing unit (not shown), subjected to various kinds of known image processing, and then sent to the printer device 14 and the communication interface 16 for image printing and data. Or is stored in the data storage unit 23 for later use.

  The printer device 14 prints the image data acquired by the scanner device 13, the image data received from the external device by the communication unit 16, or the image stored in the data storage unit 23 on a recording sheet such as paper or film. . The paper feeding device 18 is provided in the lower part of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 and is used to supply a recording sheet suitable for an image to be printed to the printer device 14. The recording sheet on which the image is printed by the printer device, that is, the printed matter, passes through the finisher device 15, undergoes processing such as stapling and punching according to the mode setting, and is discharged to the tray 24.

  The communication interface 16 includes a transmission unit and a reception unit, and is a device for exchanging data with the personal computer 31 and the FAX terminal 32. As the communication interface 16, NIC, modem, TA, or the like is used.

  The data storage unit 23 includes a hard disk 23H and a card reader / driver 23R. The card reader / writer 23 </ b> R reads data from a memory card 91 such as a compact flash (registered trademark) or smart media, or writes data to the memory card 91. The memory card 91 is mainly used for exchanging data with the personal computer 31 without using the communication line 4 or for data backup.

  The hard disk 23H includes an area for storing image data read by the scanner device 13, image data received from an external device by the communication unit 16, and an area for storing a job mode history using a mode as a keyword.

  The data on the hard disk 23H can be referred to from other image forming apparatuses via a network.

  The CPU 20 executes a program stored in the ROM 22 or a program loaded in the RAM 21 to control the entire image forming apparatus 1.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the document 100 on which the barcode 101 is printed. The barcode 101 is printed in units of jobs, and original link information and editing information are recorded. The link information of the original is information indicating the storage destination of the image data (original and also referred to as original data) that is the original of the original, and is information added when the original is image-formed.

  The editing information is information relating to a printing form such as a layout, a printing mode, and a printing condition set by the operation device 11. For example, a layout such as Nin1 for printing N documents on one sheet, double-sided printing, and the like. It is information to show. This editing information is also added when the original is imaged. Since the link information and the editing information are encoded and added with a barcode when added to the document, the scanner 101 and the barcode 101 together with the document image are read when the document is read. The link information and the editing information of the original can be obtained by reading and analyzing by the CPU 20.

  Further, the acquisition of the original data and the editing information may be performed by comparing the read original image data with the original data stored in the data storage unit 23 or the like.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which original data corresponding to a read original is specified and edit information is acquired by such comparison.

  When the original 110 is read, the character area 110a and the non-character area 110b of the original 110 are discriminated, and the character area 111a and the non-character area 111b of the original data 111 stored in the hard disk 23H of the data storage unit 23; The relative original positions and features of the character area 110a and the non-character area 110b of the read original 110 are compared, and the matching original data is searched and specified. Then, the position information of the specified original data 111 and the read original 110 is compared, and editing information such as original layout information (in the example of FIG. 4, it is 2 in 1 for printing two originals on one sheet). get.

  Next, image forming processing performed by the image forming apparatuses 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. This process is executed by the CPU 20 operating in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 22 or the like.

  First, after reading an original with a barcode added by the scanner device 13, it is determined in step S1 whether or not the original data is called and printing is set. If it is set to call the original data and print (YES in step S1), the process proceeds to step S2. If not (NO in step S1), the process proceeds to step S8, and the image data of the read original is printed on the printer device 14.

  In step S2, it is determined whether or not the original link information is given by analyzing the read barcode. When the link information of the original is added (YES in step S2), it is searched based on the link information of the original in step S3 whether the original data is stored in the data storage unit 23.

  If the original data is stored (YES in step S3), the original data is called from the data storage unit 23 in step S4. Next, in step S5, it is determined whether or not editing information is added from the read barcode. If editing information has been added (YES in step S5), it is determined in step S6 whether the setting for automatically reflecting the editing is made by the user before copying, and if the setting has been made (step S6). In step 7, the contents of the acquired editing information are set for the original data, and in step S8, the printer device 14 is made to print with the set editing information.

  According to this process, since the original original data is used and printed with the same editing information as the original, the same original as the original is printed in terms of quality and appearance.

  If it is determined in step S6 that the user does not automatically reflect editing (NO in step S6), the document layout editing screen is displayed on the display 12 in step S12, the document layout input by the user in step S13, and the like. The editing information is received, and the input editing information is printed in step S8.

  If edit information is not added in step S5 (NO in step S5), edit information is specified (estimated) in step S11. This specification is performed by comparing image data read from a document with original data. For example, when the document is 2 in 1, one page of the original data is half the size and recorded on the document, so that it can be determined by matching the images for each page.

  If editing information is specified in step S11 (YES in step S11), the process proceeds to step S6, and if the setting for automatically reflecting editing is made in step S6 as described above (YES in step S6). In step 7, the acquired editing information is set for the original data, and in step S8, print processing is performed with the set editing information.

  If the editing information cannot be specified in step S11 (for example, the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can print up to 16 in 1 for printing 16 documents on one sheet, but the document to be read is If the image forming apparatus has been edited with no function (eg, printing in 32 in 1) (NO in step S11), the fact that the editing information could not be specified is displayed on the display 12 in step S12. At the same time, the original layout editing screen is displayed. In this case, in step S13, edit information input by the user is received, and printing processing is performed in step S8 with the input edit information.

  When the link information of the original is not added in step S2 (NO in step S2), or when link information is added in step S3, but the original data does not exist at the link destination (step In step S9, the original data is searched using the image data of the read original in step S9. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the character area 110a and the non-character area 110b of the original 110 are discriminated, and the character area 111a and the non-character area 111b of the original data 111 stored in the data storage unit 23 are identified. By comparing the relative position and feature amount of each, search for a match.

  In step S10, if there is matching original data (YES in step S10), the process proceeds to step S4, the original data is called, and thereafter, the process proceeds to the above-described step S5 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, if there is no original data that coincides with the read original in step S10 (NO in step S10), the original that has been read is printed in step S8.

  In the above embodiment, the case where link information or editing information is added to a document by a barcode has been described. However, link information and editing information are not represented by a barcode but by an ID (identification information), a background pattern, an IC tag, or the like. It may be added to the document. Further, when the document has a plurality of pages, link information and editing information for each page may be added to each page instead of only the top page.

  Also, rather than holding the link information and / or editing information of the document itself, an ID is recorded in a barcode, a background pattern, or an IC tag, and this ID is associated with the link information and / or editing information of the original. Thus, the ID is read when reading the image of the document and stored in the data storage unit 23 as a table. By referring to the table based on the read ID, link information and / or editing information is read. May be obtained.

  In addition, when printing original document data, an image forming apparatus in which a user can set whether to add link information and / or editing information to a recording sheet using a barcode, ID, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, IC tag information, etc. You may comprise.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. 1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 2. It is explanatory drawing of the original document with a barcode. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example in which original image data is specified and editing information is acquired by comparing original image data and original data stored in a data storage unit. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing when an original is read and image formation is performed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Image forming apparatus 11 Operation apparatus 12 Display 13 Scanner apparatus (reading means)
14 Printer device 16 Communication interface 20 CPU
21 RAM
22 ROM
23 Data storage unit 100 Document 101 Bar code 110 Document 111 Original data 110a, 111a Character area 110b, 111b Non-character area

Claims (9)

Original data acquisition means for acquiring original data of an original;
Editing information acquisition means for acquiring editing information of the manuscript;
Image forming means for editing original data based on the acquired editing information and forming an image;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   2. The image according to claim 1, further comprising link information acquisition means for reading link information of original data embedded in the original, wherein the original data acquisition means acquires original data of the original based on the acquired link information. Forming equipment.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the link information acquisition unit acquires link information from at least one of ID information, barcode information, tint block information, and IC tag information embedded in a document.   2. A reading unit that optically reads image information of a document and outputs image data, wherein the original data acquisition unit searches for and acquires original data based on image data read by the reading unit. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the original data acquisition unit determines a character area and a non-character area of the image data obtained by the reading unit, and searches the original data based on these areas.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing information acquisition unit acquires editing information by reading editing information of a document embedded in a document.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the editing information acquisition unit acquires editing information from at least one of ID information, barcode information, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern information, and IC tag information embedded in a document.   Reading means for optically reading image information of a document and outputting image data; and the editing information acquisition means outputs editing information based on the image data read by the reading means and the acquired original data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is acquired. Obtaining original data of the manuscript;
Obtaining the editing information of the manuscript;
Editing original data based on the acquired editing information and forming an image;
An image forming processing program for causing a computer to execute.

Images