JP2007173890A - Image processing apparatus and image storage method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for additionally inserting image data received from an image scanner or the like to an existing file with a simplified user operation. <P>SOLUTION: When image data are received from the image scanner or the like (30), the existing image file of a multi-page adaptive type is searched from a storage device selected by a user (31 to 37), a list of searched existing files is displayed (39), the user is made to select a file from the list (41), a page whose contents is the input image data is additionally inserted to a prescribed place (a prescribed place or a place designated by the user) in the selected existing file (43). When the page is additionally inserted into the existing file, image drawing and display of the page of the existing file are not executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inputting image data and storing the input image data in a storage device in the form of a file.

Image processing apparatuses that input image data from an image scanner and store the input image data in the form of a file in a storage device are known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2005-111801 and 2001-339579). Publication, JP-A-5-342327, etc.). Computer programs for causing a general-purpose computer to input and store such images are also known. This type of conventional image processing apparatus creates a new file containing the input image data each time one image data is input, and stores the new file in the storage device.
JP 2005-111801 A JP 2001-339579 A JP-A-5-342327

  A conventional image processing apparatus creates a new file as described above when storing input image data in a storage device in the form of a file. Therefore, when the user wants to add the input image data to the existing file, the user once saves the input image data as a new file, and then opens the existing file and opens the existing file. A troublesome operation of taking the image data of the new file into the file and then re-storing the existing file must be performed manually.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to allow input image data to be additionally inserted into an existing file with a simpler operation.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image input apparatus that inputs image data from the outside, a controller that is connected to the image input apparatus and that can communicate with storage means for storing an image file, and the controller A connected user interface. The controller includes image input means for inputting image data from the image input device, file search means for searching for an existing multi-page compatible image file from the storage means, and the searched multi-page compatible image. File list display means for displaying a list of files on the user interface; and a user instruction for selecting an arbitrary image file from the displayed list is received from the user interface; Image adding means for rewriting the selected multi-page compatible image file so as to add a page having contents corresponding to the input image data to the image file.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, an existing multi-page image file in the storage device is automatically searched, and an image is selected from among the searched multi-page image files. Image data input from the input device is automatically incorporated as a new page and stored. Therefore, the user's operation for additionally inserting the input image data into the existing file is easier than before.

  In a preferred embodiment, when the adding unit rewrites the selected multi-page compatible image file, the adding unit does not execute a process of reading and drawing the contents of an existing page of the image file. That is, only a predetermined part necessary and sufficient for adding a page is read from the storage means and rewritten, but the description of the contents of the existing page is read from the storage means and rewritten. The process is not executed. For example, if the multi-page conforming image file has a page structure description that defines the page structure representing the page relationship and a page content description that defines the page contents, the page structure description of the image file is rewritten. The content definition of the additional page is added to the page content description, but the process of reading, interpreting and rendering the content definition of the existing page is omitted. Alternatively, when the structure of the multi-page conforming image file is merely connecting pages (images) in the form of a relatively simple list, the input image data is added to the storage means. Thus, the page data is rewritten only by adding the added image data to the image file list.

  In a preferred embodiment, the file search unit determines whether each existing file is multi-page compatible based on the extension or header information of the file name of each existing file in the storage unit. It is like that. Then, the file search means checks all existing files in all directories existing in the selected storage area in the storage means device to determine whether or not each file is multi-page compatible. As a result, all the multi-page compatible image files in the selected storage area are searched.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of inputting image data from the outside in an image processing apparatus and storing the image data in a storage device includes an image input step of inputting image data from the image input device, and an existing multi-page stored in advance. A file search step for searching for a conforming image file, a fill list display step for displaying a list of the searched multi-page conforming image files on a user interface, and an arbitrary image file from the displayed list The selected multi-page compatible image file is added so that a page having contents corresponding to the input image data is added to the selected multi-page compatible image file. And an image adding step for rewriting the image.

  According to the present invention, input image data can be additionally inserted into an existing file with a simpler operation than before.

  FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing device 11 includes an image input device 13, a controller 15 connected to the image input device 13, a user interface 17 connected to the controller 15, and one or more connected to the controller 15. And a plurality of storage devices 19. The image input device 13 is a device for inputting image data from the outside, and a typical example thereof is an image scanner. However, the image input device 13 is not limited thereto, and for example, for communicating image data to an external image data source. It may be a communication device. The controller 15 is a device for controlling various functions of the image processing apparatus 11 including input and storage of image data, and is, for example, a microcomputer in which a control program is incorporated in advance. The user interface 17 is a device for receiving instructions for various operations from the user and displaying various information on the display screen to the user. A typical example is a so-called keyboard and a liquid crystal display panel. Although it is a control panel, it is not restricted to it, For example, the personal computer connected with the controller 15 through the communication line may be sufficient. Each storage device 19 may be any kind of recording medium such as a semiconductor memory or a recording disk, and may be a type built in the image processing device 11 or a removable external type. For example, when the image processing apparatus 11 is a composite printer in which an image scanner and an electronic printer are combined, a USB memory connected to a USB interface (not shown) of the composite printer or an external hard disk drive, Alternatively, a memory card inserted into a card reader (not shown) of the composite printer is a specific example of the storage device 19. Alternatively, each storage device 19 not only corresponds to each physical storage device as described above, but also corresponds to a logical storage area such as a partition, volume, directory, or folder. Also good.

  In response to a user instruction coming from the user interface 17, the controller 15 inputs image data from the image input device 13, converts the input image data into a certain type of image file, and selects either of the image files. The storage device 19 has a function of storing. Each storage device 19 can store a plurality of image files 21 and 23. As a file format of the image files 21 and 23, various formats such as JPEG, TIFF, and PDF can be adopted. These file formats are a kind of format (for example, TIFF and PDF) in which a plurality of image data can be divided into a plurality of pages in one image file, and only one image data is included in one image file. It can be broadly classified into non-types (for example, JPEG). In this specification, the image file of the former file format is referred to as an “multipage compatible type” image file, and the image file of the latter file format is referred to as an “multipage nonconforming type” image file.

  The controller 15 can control both the operation of storing the input image data as a non-multipage image file and the operation of storing the input image data as a multipage image file. However, since the former operation can be performed by the same control as in the prior art, description of the control is omitted. On the other hand, the operation of storing input image data as a multi-page compatible image file, in particular, the operation of additionally inserting input image data into an image file that already exists in one of the storage devices 19, This control, which is controlled according to the principle of the invention, will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 2 shows the flow of control by the controller 15 in the operation of inputting image data and additionally inserting the image data into an existing multi-page compatible image file. FIG. 3 shows the exchange of messages between the controller 15 and the other components 13, 17 and 19 in this control.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the control of step 30 is performed. First, in step 30A (see FIG. 3), an instruction for the user to input image data is input to the user interface 17, and the input is performed. An instruction is sent to the controller 15. In the subsequent step 30B (see FIG. 3), the controller 15 inputs image data from the image input device 13 in response to the input instruction. At this time, although not shown, only image data of one image can be input or image data of a plurality of images can be input continuously in accordance with an instruction on an input method from the user. it can. As a modification, the image input process of step 30 may be performed at an arbitrary stage before the last step 43 instead of the head of the control flow shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, control in step 31 is performed. First, in step 31A (see FIG. 3), the user inputs an instruction for searching the storage device to the user interface 17, and the search instruction is sent to the controller 15. In the subsequent step 31B (see FIG. 3), in response to the search instruction, the controller 15 can save an image file from all the storage devices 19 included in the image processing apparatus 11 (image file The storage device 19 that is not prohibited from being stored is searched for, and as a result, a list of device names of the storage devices 19 that have been searched is created. In step 33, the controller 15 sends the created storage device list to the user interface 17, and displays the storage device list on the display screen. Thereby, the storage device list 51 illustrated in FIG. 4 is displayed.

  Thereafter, in step 35, the user inputs an instruction for selecting an arbitrary storage device 19 from the displayed storage device list to the user interface 17, and the selection instruction is sent to the controller 15. In response to the selection instruction, the corresponding storage device 19 is selected. In the subsequent control of step 37, first, in step 37A (see FIG. 3), the controller 15 acquires a list of file names of files existing in the storage device 19 from the selected storage device 19. In the subsequent step 37B (see FIG. 3), the controller 15 searches the acquired file list for the multi-page compatible image file by determining the file format of each file by the extension of each file name. As a result, a list of file names of the image files conforming to the multi-page retrieved is created. Here, whether or not the file format of each file is a multi-page compatible type is determined by whether the file name extension of the file is a predetermined code (for example, `` pdf '', `` It can be determined by whether or not the code (header information) of the header portion of the file (for example, “4949” or “4d4d” for the tif file) matches. Thereafter, in step 39, the controller 15 sends the created image file list to the user interface 17, and displays the storage device list on the display screen. Thereby, an image file list 53 as illustrated in FIG. 5 is displayed.

  Thereafter, the control of step 41 is performed. First, in step 41A, the user inputs an instruction for selecting an arbitrary image file from the displayed image file list to the user interface 17, and the selection instruction is sent to the controller 15. Sent. In the following step 41B, the controller 15 reads the selected image file from the selected storage device 19 in response to the selection instruction, and grasps the page structure such as the number of pages. At this time, it is not always necessary to read all the information of the image file from the storage device, and only information necessary and sufficient for rewriting the file for adding a page in the subsequent step 43 may be read. Which description part in the image file is the specific information depends on the specific structure of the multi-page compatible image file. In the case of an image file (PDF file is an example) that has a description that defines the page structure of page relationships such as the number of pages and page order, as shown later, at least the description part of the page structure must be read. There is. In addition, in the case of a multi-page compatible image file having a structure in which pages are linked in a relatively simple list form, such as a Tiff file, the input image is added to the storage device and added to the list. By simply doing this, you can rewrite additional pages, so you only need to read the part needed to add to the list. In any case, the definition (raster image data) of the page contents (images, figures, characters, etc. to be displayed on each page) described in the image file as performed by the so-called “open file” operation. , Graphic draw data, character code data, etc.), and drawing and displaying it is not necessary. However, as a modification, when the page contents of the image file are displayed on the display screen of the user interface, it is necessary to read a portion necessary for drawing and displaying the page contents.

  Thereafter, file rewriting control for page addition shown in step 43 is performed. First, in step 43A, the user instructs the user interface 17 to specify an arbitrary location (for example, the head, tail, or immediately before or immediately after an arbitrary page) in the image file selected in step 41. The location instruction is sent to the controller 15. In subsequent step 43B, in response to the location instruction, the controller 15 designates the one or more image data input in step 30 as one or more pages as the indicated location in the selected image file. The information of the image file read in step 41 is changed so as to be additionally inserted into. In step 43C, the image file thus changed is stored again in the original storage location (directory) of the image file or the storage location (directory) designated by the user. As described above, the way of rewriting the image file for adding a page differs depending on the specific structure of the image file. A specific example of rewriting a multi-page compatible image file having a page structure description and a page content description as distinguished from each other as in a PDF file will be described later. On the other hand, in the case of a multi-page compatible image file having a structure in which pages are linked in a relatively simple list form, such as a Tiff file, the input image is added to the storage device and the list is added. You can rewrite additional pages simply by appending to.

  2 and 3, the operation of additionally inserting image data into an existing image file is performed by inputting the image data from outside and storing the image data as a file. It is executed in the flow of a series of operations to save in the place. In this control flow, the input image data is stored in the storage device 19 as a new file having only the input image data, which is not related to the existing file. The image data is stored in an existing image file. Therefore, unlike the prior art, after the input image data is once saved, there is no need to perform an extra operation in which the user opens an existing image file and takes in the image data file therein. In addition, in the file rewriting process for incorporating the input image data into the existing image file, it is not necessary to read all the information of the existing image file, and the definition of the page contents in the image file is read, interpreted and rendered. Therefore, the work can be completed in a shorter time than the conventional method described above.

  In the following, among the controls shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in particular, the control for searching for a multi-page compatible image file in step 37 and the input image data are added to the multi-page compatible image file in step 43. The control will be described in more detail.

  FIG. 6 shows a detailed flow of control for searching for a multi-page compatible image file in step 37 of FIGS.

  In this control, the controller 15 first checks the highest directory (root directory) in the selected storage device 19 and determines whether a file exists in that directory in step 61 of FIG. . If the file exists, the first file is checked first in step 63, and in step 65, it is determined whether the file is a directory (so-called folder, that is, a file storage location) or an actual file. to decide. As a result, if it is an actual file, in step 67, the file name extension and / or header information of the file is checked to determine whether or not the file format is multi-page compatible. As a result, if it is a multi-page compatible type, the file name is additionally registered in the image file list. Otherwise, the file name is not registered in the image file list.

  Thereafter, in step 71, it is determined whether or not the next file exists in the same directory. If there is, the next file is checked in step 73, and the control of step 65 and subsequent steps is performed for the next file. repeat.

  If it is determined in step 65 that the checked file is a directory (a child directory), the same control as in steps 61 to 75 performed for the parent directory is performed for the child directory in step 75. Therefore, if there is a lower directory in the child directory, the same control is repeated for the lower directory, and eventually the same control is executed for all the directories in the selected storage device 19. Will be.

  Through the above control flow, finally, all multi-page image files existing in the selected storage device 19 are automatically found and their file names are automatically registered in the image file list. Will be.

  By the way, in the control flow shown in FIG. 6, when it is determined in step 67 that the checked image file is not a multi-page compatible type, the image file is not registered in the file list. However, as a modification, as shown in FIG. 7, when it is so determined in step 67, the file format of the image file is converted into a multi-page compatible format and saved again in step 81. In step 69, the image file converted into the multi-page compatible form may be registered in the file list.

  Next, control for adding input image data to the multi-page adaptive image file in step 43 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described.

  First, the structure of a multi-page compatible image file will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 8 shows a schematic example of a data structure employed in a multi-page compatible image file such as a PDF file. FIG. 9 shows a page structure based on the data structure example shown in FIG. 8 in the multi-page compatible image file (that is, a mutual relationship between a plurality of pages).

  As shown in FIG. 8, the multi-page adaptive image file 23 includes a page structure description 91 that defines a page structure (for example, a page tree structure) that represents the mutual relationship between pages, and the contents of each page (in each page). A page content description 93 defining an image, a figure, a character, and the like to be displayed. As can be seen from the description of the specific structure below, the page structure description 91 can be rewritten to freely change the order and number of pages. When the number of pages is increased (that is, when pages are added), the page structure description 91 is partially rewritten, and the content definition of the added page is added to the page content description 93.

  8, the page structure description 91 has one or more objects 101, 103,..., 109,..., And the page content description 93 also has one or more objects 111, 113,. . In FIG. 8, numbers written at the left end of each object, such as “# 2”, “# 3”,..., Are object numbers for identifying the object. In the figure, the second description from the left indicates the type of the object. In the figure, the third and subsequent descriptions from the left are the contents of the object, which differ depending on the type of the object.

  The example of the page structure description 91 shown in FIG. 8 defines the example of the page tree structure shown in FIG. In the page tree structure shown in FIG. 9, objects # 27, # 32, # 37, and # 42 located in the lowest layer correspond to actual pages, respectively. That is, in this example, object # 27 corresponds to the first page, object # 32 corresponds to the second page, object # 37 corresponds to the third page, and object # 42 corresponds to the fourth page. The object type of these objects # 27, # 32, # 37, and # 42 is “page” as shown in FIG. On the other hand, in FIG. 9, objects # 2, # 3, and # 8 located in a higher layer correspond to nodes (page tree nodes) that logically relate the pages in the page tree structure, and their object types are: As shown in FIG. 8, it is a “page tree node”.

  As shown in FIG. 8, each of the “page tree node” type objects # 2, # 3, and # 8 in the page structure description 91 corresponds to the parent and / or child of the object in the page tree structure. The number of the object to be described is described. Each of the “page” type objects # 27, # 32, # 37, and # 42 describes the number of the object corresponding to the parent of the object in the page tree structure. The page tree structure illustrated in FIG. 9 is defined by the definition of the parent and the child between the objects in the page structure description 91.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, each of the “page” type objects # 27, # 32, # 37, and # 42 includes the contents of the page (images, graphics, characters, etc. displayed on the page). The number of the object in the page content description 93 in which is defined is described. In the illustrated example, the content of “page” object # 27 (first page) is defined in object # 62, and the content of “page” object # 32 (second page) is defined in object # 67. As described above, the types of the objects # 62 and # 67 defining the contents of the respective pages are “content data”.

  Each of the “content data” type objects # 62 and # 67 includes data that specifically defines the contents of the page (for example, bitmap image data itself or a reference to a storage location of bitmap image data, graphics , A draw instruction, or a character code and font type).

  As can be seen from the structure of the multi-page conforming image file 21 described above, the page structure description 91 and the page content description 93 of the image file 21 are changed so that new image data can be placed in an arbitrary location in the image file 21. Additional inserts can be made. However, unless it is necessary to display the page content, it is not necessary to read and interpret the definition of the page content described in the page content description 93 and to draw the page content (image, figure, character, etc.) based on the definition. .

  FIG. 10 shows the flow of control when input image data is added in step 43 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a multi-page adaptive image file having the structure shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in step 121, the page structure description 91 is rewritten according to the location in the image file where the input image data is to be additionally inserted, that is, how many pages the input image data becomes. That is, for example, when the input image data becomes the Nth page, a “page” type object corresponding to the Nth page is added. Then, depending on which “page tree node” type object the parent of the added Nth page object is, the parent object number is entered in the description of the parent of the Nth page object. In addition, the object number of the Nth page is added to the description of the child of the parent object.

  Further, in step 123, an object of “content data” type is added, and input image data is set in the description of the content data of the added “content data” type object. Further, the object number of the added “content data” type object is entered in the description of the content of the added “page” type object. As a result, the Nth page containing the input image data is additionally inserted into the image file.

  In this way, the input image data can be additionally inserted at an arbitrary location (for example, at the head, tail, or between any page) in the multi-page compatible image file. As described above, a default insertion location (for example, the tail) may be set in the controller in advance so that the user can omit the insertion location designation operation unless it depends on the default setting. .

  By the way, when the structure of the multi-page compatible image file is not the structure shown in FIG. 8 but a structure in which pages are connected in a simple list form such as a Tiff file, the image file The process of additionally inserting the input image data into is simpler than the process shown in FIG. For example, input image data is added to the storage device in which the image file is stored, and the added image data is added to the list of image files. In this way, an input image can be added to an existing image file by a process that can be said to be “rewrite image file directly on the storage device”, and the rewritten portion of the existing description of the existing image file is very small. . Therefore, the work is completed in a considerably short time compared to the conventional process of opening an existing image file and adding the input image file thereto.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this embodiment is only the illustration for description of this invention, and is not the meaning which limits the scope of the present invention only to this embodiment. The present invention can be implemented in various other modes without departing from the gist thereof.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of control by the controller 15 of an operation of inputting image data and additionally inserting the image data into an existing multi-page compatible image file. The figure which shows the exchange of the message between the controller 15 and the other components 13, 17, and 19 in the same control. The figure which shows the example of a display of the memory | storage device list 51. FIG. The figure which shows the example of a display of the file list 53. The flowchart which shows the flow of control which searches the image file of the multi-page conformity form of step 37 of FIG. The flowchart which shows the modification of the flow of FIG. The figure which shows the example of a schematic data structure of a multi-page adaptive form image file. The figure which shows the example of a page tree of a figure multi-page conformity type image file. The flowchart which shows the flow of control which adds input image data in the multipage adaptive form image file of step 43 shown by FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  11: Image processing device, 13: Image input device, 15: Controller, 17: User interface, 19: Storage device, 21: Multi-page compatible image file,

Claims (6)

An image input device for inputting image data from the outside;
A controller connected to the image input device and capable of communicating with storage means for storing an image file;
A user interface connected to the controller,
The controller is
Image input means for inputting image data from the image input device;
File search means for searching for an existing multi-page compatible image file from the storage means;
A file list display means for displaying a list of the searched multi-page compatible image files on the user interface;
A user instruction for selecting an arbitrary image file from the displayed list is received from the user interface, and the content corresponding to the input image data is added to the selected multi-page compatible image file. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image adding unit that rewrites the selected multi-page compatible image file so as to add a page having the same. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The image adding device, when rewriting the selected multi-page compatible image file, does not execute the process of drawing the contents of an existing page of the selected multi-page compatible image file. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The image adding means, when rewriting the selected multi-page compatible image file, executes a process of reading and rewriting only a predetermined part of the selected multi-page compatible image file from the storage means. However, the image processing apparatus does not execute the process of reading the content description of the existing page from the storage unit and rewriting it. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The file search means determines whether each existing file is a multi-page compatible type based on the extension or header information of the file name of each existing file in the storage means.
Image processing device. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The file search means checks all existing files in all directories existing in the selected storage area in the storage means to determine whether each file is multi-page compatible, Search all multi-page compatible image files in the selected storage area;
Image processing device. In a method of inputting image data from the outside in an image processing apparatus and storing it in a storage device,
An image input step of inputting image data from the image input device;
A file search step for searching an existing multi-page compatible image file stored in advance;
A fill list display step for displaying a list of the searched multi-page compatible image files on a user interface;
In response to a user instruction to select an arbitrary image file from the displayed list, a page having contents corresponding to the input image data is added to the selected multi-page compatible image file. And an image adding step for rewriting the selected multi-page conforming image file,
An image storage method.

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