JP2008028934A - Data processing method, and multifunction printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing method capable of achieving recording without margins without causing defect in an original image, and without damaging image continuity in recording medium borders. <P>SOLUTION: This method ensures a natural printout without margins which causes neither original data enlargement nor defect and maintains continuity even when conducting copying or picture printing without margins. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data processing method for recording an image with no blank space on a recording medium and a multifunction printer capable of executing the method.

  In recent years, relatively inexpensive multifunction printers having a wide variety of functions have been widely used in place of single-function printers that only record image data. Such a multi-function printer is roughly classified into a scanner, a recording device, a memory card reader, and a user interface operation unit, and realizes multi-functions by combining them. In general, a copy function is realized by combining a scanner and a recording device, or card direct printing of a photographic image taken by a digital camera is realized by combining a memory card reader and a recording device.

  On the other hand, in such a copy function and card direct printing function, there is a high demand for so-called “marginless recording” in which an image is output without providing a margin at the end of the recording medium, and a multi-function having such a function is provided. Many printers are also available. That is, with the copy function, it is possible to copy an original without a margin by performing “record without margin”, and with the card direct printing function, it is possible to print a photograph taken with a digital camera or the like without a margin.

  When copying without margins, the original image read by the scanner is enlarged to image data having a size slightly larger than the designated paper size. Also, when performing photo printing without margins, an operation of resizing the image file read from the memory card to a size slightly larger than the designated paper size is performed. By such enlarging processing and resizing, image data to be recorded is generated up to a region (hereinafter referred to as a “edge portion”) that is slightly beyond the leading edge, the trailing edge, or the left and right edges of the recording medium. This makes it possible to realize “marginless recording” in which a blank area does not exist at the end of the recording medium even if there is some error in the conveyance accuracy of the recording apparatus.

  However, when performing enlargement processing as described above to perform marginless copying, the entire image is automatically enlarged, resulting in a contradiction that general normal copying cannot be performed. Further, when such a marginless copy is repeated as a child copy and a grandchild copy, the enlargement process is repeated each time the copy is made, so that information placed at the end of the original document is gradually lost from the end. The problem of going away also arises.

  The same adverse effect is also a concern when resizing is performed to perform photo printing without margins. In most cases, the image of the end region, that is, the region expected to be recorded beyond the end of the recording medium by resizing, is not recorded on the recording medium. For example, in the case of a group photo, there is a problem that the people lined up at both ends are not recorded on the recording medium.

  As a countermeasure against such a problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for realizing “marginless recording” without performing enlargement processing or resizing. According to this document, a method of using data outside the trimming frame for the image data of the border portion is disclosed when trimming a part of the image data and performing “marginless recording”. If the trimming frame corresponds to the edge of the image, or if there is no image data outside the frame, for example, because the entire image is trimmed, the pixels at the edge of the image are repeatedly copied and the image data in the edge region is copied. Is generated by interpolation. With such a method, it is not necessary to perform enlargement processing and resizing of the image data in the trimming frame, so that information included in the frame is not lost.

JP 2003-274149 A

  However, when there is no image data outside the frame by the method described in Patent Document 1, the continuity is impaired at the boundary between the image in the trimming and the image of the end region obtained by simple copying, and visually uncomfortable. May remember. For concrete explanation, consider an image with relatively large variations in color and density, such as a landscape photograph of autumn leaves. Even when such an image is recorded without margins, the method of Patent Document 1 generates the data of the edge portion by continuously copying a part of the data located at the end of the original image. ing. Therefore, the tendency of color and density fluctuations in the original image is not preserved, resulting in a visually uncomfortable feeling.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the loss of the original image and to reduce the continuity of the image at the border portion of the recording medium. It is to provide an image processing method capable of realizing “recording”.

  Therefore, in the present invention, there is provided a data processing method for marginless recording in which an original image composed of a plurality of pixels having multi-gradation data is recorded without providing a margin on a recording medium, Detecting the displacement amount of the gradation data of the pixel group included in the end region having a predetermined width from the outer peripheral end to the inner side, from the inner side to the outer side of the end region, and according to the displacement amount A step of generating a pixel group having new gradation data in a border portion that is further in contact with the outer side of the edge region, and the original image and the border portion are merged to create image data for marginless recording. And a process.

  A multi-function printer capable of recording an original image composed of a plurality of pixels having multi-gradation data without providing a margin on a recording medium, the means for receiving a print processing command, and the print processing command And a means for acquiring image data in accordance with the amount of displacement of the gradation data of the pixel group included in the end region having a predetermined width from the outer peripheral end to the inner side of the image data. Means for detecting the image data, means for generating a pixel group having new gradation data in a border portion that is further in contact with the outer side of the edge region, and the image data and the border portion according to the displacement amount. And a means for creating new image data for marginless recording and a means for recording ink on the recording medium based on the new image data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a blank-free output product that maintains continuity and does not have a sense of incongruity without enlarging or missing original data even when copying without margins or printing photos without margins. Is possible.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a control configuration of a multifunction printer applicable to the present invention. The print setting designation unit 11 has a user interface and receives function settings and recording start commands from the user. The image analysis unit 12 performs an analysis process on the image data stored in the image memory 15 according to the command set in the print setting designation unit 11. The card reader unit 17 reads the image data stored in the card memory by a digital camera or the like and transfers it to the image memory 15. The scanner 16 reads a document placed on the document table, converts it into image data, and transfers it to the image memory 15. The image memory 15 temporarily stores image data received from the card reader 17 or the scanner unit 16.

  The image analysis unit 12 analyzes the image data stored in the image memory 15 and converts the image data into image data that can be recorded by the recording control unit 14. The edge part data interpolation creating part 13 generates image data of the edge part when performing marginless recording based on the image data converted by the image analysis part 12.

  The image data developed by the image analysis unit 12 and the data of the edge part generated by the edge part data interpolation generation part 13 are sent to the print control part 14. The print control unit 14 records an image on a recording medium according to the received data.

  In the following, an embodiment for outputting various marginless images using the multifunction printer shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a series of steps executed by the multi-function pudding of the present embodiment shown in FIG.

  When the process is started, first, in step S101, the print setting designation unit 11 sets a command designated by the user via the user interface. In the present embodiment, “equal copy mode without margins” is set.

  In the subsequent step S102, the scanner unit 16 reads the document placed on the document table, and stores the read image data in the image memory 15. Specifically, the scanner unit 16 optically reads the reflection density of the entire image area of the document with a predetermined resolution, and stores it in the image memory 15 as luminance data of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). Save for each pixel.

  In step S103, the image analysis unit 12 processes the data stored in the image memory 15 for each pixel, and the print control unit 14 converts the data into printable image data. The print control unit of the present embodiment uses six colors of ink of cyan (C), light cyan (LC), magenta (M), light magenta (LM), yellow (Y), and black (Bk), and an inkjet recording method To form an image. Therefore, the image analysis unit 12 separates the R, G, and B luminance data stored in the image memory 15 into C, LC, M, LM, Y, and K density data for each pixel.

  If the copy is not a marginless copy, the density data obtained here is transferred as it is to the print control unit 14 to perform recording. However, when performing marginless copying as in the present embodiment, it is necessary to newly generate density data for the border portion of the recording medium.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image sample (original 100) used in this example. A photo portion 105 is arranged at the lower right corner of the document 100, a text portion 1103 of white characters is arranged at the upper right corner, and a text portion 2 101 of black characters is arranged at the center. In the following, description will be given by taking as an example the case of copying such an original image without margins.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the image data of the border portion 102 that is generated in order to perform a marginless copy of the document 100. The portions included in w1 and w2 in the width direction and h1 and h2 in the longitudinal direction are the edge portions 102 that newly generate image data. In the figure, data is generated so that the photo part 105 and the text part 1103 arranged at the end of the original 100 protrude beyond the border part, but the contents are not enlarged. A feature of the present embodiment is that data at the edge portion is newly added so as not to impair the gradation and uniformity of the document. Specifically, an area having the same width as the edge part adjacent to the edge part of the original 100, that is, an area included in w1 ′ and w2 ′ and h1 ′ and h2 ′ (hereinafter referred to as an edge area). The data of the edge part included in w1 and w2 and h1 and h2 is created using the above data.

  As a previous stage for that purpose, first, in step S104, variables L, S, N and CopyMode are set to initial values.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method for generating variables L, S, N and density data used for generating image data of the edge portion in the present embodiment. Here, a part of the right side area of the document 100 will be described as an example. In the figure, a small square indicates one pixel region, and a density value of one color converted by the image analysis unit 12 is shown in each pixel included in w2 ′. In the present embodiment, a change in density value between adjacent window regions is detected while a window 300 having a size of 3 pixels × 3 pixels is shifted along the line l from the left end of w2 ′ to the right in the drawing. . Then, according to the amount of change, the density data of the part surrounded by the thick line of the border part in contact with the scanned area is sequentially generated.

  Such a shift of the window 300 is performed from the inner side to the outer side of the inner edge area of the document as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 4, and further generates density data of the edge part in contact with the outer side. This shift and density data generation is performed over the entire periphery of the document. In this embodiment, a variable L is provided in order to manage the shift lines of the window 300 over the entire document. Further, S is a variable indicating the start position of scanning in one line L, and N is a variable indicating a pixel of interest in the process of starting from S and performing processing along the line L. Referring to FIG. 2 again, in the stage of step S104, these variables L, S and N are all set to 1.

  In step S104, CopyMode is a variable for determining whether the data generation processing method of each pixel included in the edge region is random or constant, and Const is set as an initial value. The

  In the subsequent step S105, the density average Avg (N) in the window 300 is obtained based on the current pixel position N. Then, a density difference ΔN = | Avg (N) −Avg (N + 3) | with respect to the average density Avg (N + 3) of the region shifted by one window in the L direction is further obtained. In the case of FIG. 5, Avg (N) is the average of the density values of the nine pixels included therein, that is, about 1.4. Avg (N + 1) is the average density of 3 × 3 pixel areas adjacent to the right side, that is, about 1.9. As a result, ΔN = | Avg (N) −Avg (N + 1) | ≈0.5.

  In step S106, ΔN obtained in step S105 is compared with a predetermined threshold Th, and if ΔN <Th, it is determined that there is little change in density between the region of interest and the adjacent region, and step S107. Proceed to On the other hand, if ΔN ≧ Th, it is determined that the density change between the regions is large, and the process proceeds to step S110.

  In step S107, it is determined whether CopyMode is Random. If it is not Random, that is, if it is Const, it is determined that data for the edge portion can be generated in constant CopyMode in at least the region from S to N in the current line L, and the process proceeds to Step S114.

  On the other hand, if CopyMode = Random in step S107, the process proceeds to step S108, and the edge part data interpolation generation unit 13 creates image data of the edge part. Passing step S108 means that it is determined in step S106 that the change in gradation between the adjacent pixel regions is small, and in step S107 that CopyMode is set to Random. Become. That is, since the gradation change is large from the data generation start pixel S to the current target pixel N, it is appropriate to generate data in the Random mode during that period.

  For example, a part w2 ′ × h8 or w6 × h2 ′ in the lower right portion of FIG. 4 is not necessarily uniform in density, and thus is a region to which the Random mode is applied. In the Random mode of the present embodiment, the image data of the edge portion in contact with the outside can be generated by mirroring copy of the image data of the edge region. That is, for w2 × h8, the w′2 × h8 area is mirrored so as to be symmetrical with respect to the right edge of the document, and for w6 × h2, the w6 × h2 ′ area is bounded by the lower edge of the document. And mirroring copy so as to be vertically symmetrical. Alternatively, instead of mirroring copy, w2 × h8 or w6 × h2 data is generated by extrapolation (extrapolation) using density values included in w2 ′ × h8 and w6 × h2 ′ in the end region. Also good. As described above, when the generation of the edge portion data corresponding to the end regions from S to N is completed, the process proceeds to step S109, and CopyMode is set to Const.

  On the other hand, in step S110, it is determined whether CopyMode is Const. When it is not Const, that is, when it is Random, it is determined that data generation of the end region should be performed in Random CopyMode for at least the region from S to N, and the process proceeds to Step S114.

  If CopyMode = Const in step S110, the process proceeds to step S111. Passing step S111 means that it is determined in step S106 that the change in gradation is large between adjacent pixel regions, and that Const's CopyMode is set in step S110. Become. That is, since there is little gradation change from the data generation start pixel S to the current target pixel N, it is appropriate to generate data in the Const mode.

  In the manuscript shown in FIG. 4, the entire edge area other than the w2 ′ × h8 or w6 × h2 ′ area of the lower right photographic part is the area thus determined. In this case, the image data of the edge portion in contact with the outer side is uniformly data having a density difference not exceeding the threshold value Th by copying the image data of the end region or between the image data of the end region. What is necessary is just to produce | generate by copying. At that time, the value of the outermost Avg (N) obtained in step S105 may be copied as it is. As described above, when the data generation of the edge portion corresponding to the end region from S to N is completed, the process proceeds to step S112, and Random is set in CopyMode.

  When setting of CopyMode is completed in step S109 or step S112, the process proceeds to step S113, the region start pixel S is set to the current target pixel N, and the process proceeds to step S114.

  In step s114, it is determined whether or not scanning has been completed until N becomes the last pixel of the current line L. If it is determined that the pixels to be scanned still remain in the current line (not reaching the end of the original), the process proceeds to step S115, and the target pixel N is incremented by 3 pixels equal to the window size. The process returns to step S105 again. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S114 that the scanning of the window has been completed up to the last pixel of the current line, the process proceeds to step S116.

  In step S116, the density data of the area where density data is not yet generated on the current line is generated according to the current Copy Mode. This process completes all processing steps for the line of interest L.

  In a succeeding step S117, it is determined whether or not the window scanning and density data generation processing for all lines are completed. If it is determined that there is a line for which scanning and density data generation processing has not been completed, the line L is incremented in step S118, and the variables S and N are returned to the initial value 1. Thereafter, the process returns to step S105, and the scanning process for the next line L is started.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S117 that the window scanning and density data generation processing for all lines in the document have been completed, the process proceeds to step S119, where density data is generated for the four corners of the border portion.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining an image generation method of a corner portion of the edge portion, here, a w2 × h2 region. Such a corner region (w2 × h2 region) is created by copying the data (a) of the 3 × 3 pixel region located at the apex angle of the document image 100 as it is. The edge portion density data is similarly generated for the other three corners.

  When the density data at the four corners is generated in step S119, the process proceeds to step S120. In step S120, the print control unit 14 combines the density data of the document size generated by the image analysis unit 12 and the density data of the border part generated by the border part data interpolation generation unit 13 into one marginless copy data. Create Thereafter, copying without margin is executed according to the density data of the copy data. Thus, the present process ends.

  In the output product recorded in accordance with the processing described above, referring to FIG. 4 again, in the end region in contact with the photographic part 105, the end region is recorded so that a smooth gradation is maintained. Further, in the text portion 1103 in which the black solid is continuous, the end region is recorded so that the solid portion is expanded. In other words, according to the present embodiment, even when copying without margins based on a document whose image features differ from part to part, a sense of incongruity that maintains continuity without enlarging or missing data. It is possible to output an image without any image.

  In the present embodiment, a process for executing photo printing without margins using the multifunction printer shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining image data generated to perform photo printing with no margin of the original image 400. In the drawing, a rectangle having sides of h13 and w13 indicates the original image 400, and the portion indicated by w11, w12, h11, and h12 surrounding the edge indicates the edge portion 402 to be generated. In the present embodiment, w11 and w12 and w12 ′ and w12 ′ are included in the original image 400 using the data of the end regions 401 included in w11 ′ and w12 ′ and h11 ′ and h12 ′. The data of the edge part included in h11 and h12 is created.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a series of steps executed by the multi-function pudding of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 when executing marginless photo printing.

  When the process is started, first, in step S201, the print setting designation unit 11 sets a command designated by the user via the user interface. Here, the “marginless photo printing mode” is set.

  In subsequent step S202, the card reader unit 17 reads the image data stored in the memory card and stores it in the image memory 15.

  The processes after step S203 are the same processes as those performed when the same-size copying without margin described in the first embodiment is performed, and thus detailed description of each process is omitted.

  In the flowcharts (FIGS. 2 and 8) of the two embodiments described above, the density data detection of the edge area corresponding to the ink for one color and the density data generation of the edge part have been described for the sake of explanation. Of course, such data processing is performed for each type of ink to be used.

In the above embodiment, the luminance data stored in the image memory 15 is color-separated into density data by the image analysis unit 12, and then the image data of the edge portion is generated. It is not limited to such a process. For example, the above-described present invention can be obtained even if the edge region displacement data is obtained for each of the RGB luminance data stored in the image memory and the edge portion luminance data is generated by comparing this with a predetermined threshold value. This case is also included in the scope of the present invention. In particular, when the image data of the edge portion is generated using the change amount of the luminance data instead of the density data, the density data is used again. Since it is not necessary to generate the image data of the border portion, the print data generation process is finally efficiently performed. For example, when it is desired to output image data enlarged from an image read by a scanner, enlargement processing is performed at the stage of luminance data. For this reason, the image processing unit may be configured to perform the enlargement process at the luminance data stage and generate the edge data, and the image processing unit may be used to generate the edge image data again using the density data. There is no need to configure.

  In the above description, the window 300 including the 3 × 3 pixel region is used as a unit for detecting the density data of the end region, but the window applicable in the present invention is not limited to this size. A wider range may be averaged to detect a change in density or luminance, or a change in density or luminance may be detected while shifting in units of one pixel. However, as the window size is reduced, the density difference or luminance difference with the adjacent region tends to increase, so it is desirable to maintain an appropriate relationship between the window size and the threshold value Th.

  Furthermore, in the two embodiments described above, the multifunction printer described in FIG. 1 is used, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the means for receiving the image stored in the image memory 15 of the multifunction printer may be provided with many types other than the scanner unit 16 and the card reader unit 17. Moreover, you may be the structure with only either one. Regardless of the means for obtaining the original image, it is possible to adopt the configuration of the present invention and obtain the effect as long as it is a printer capable of recording the image on the recording medium with no margin. It is.

It is a block diagram for demonstrating the structure of control of the multifunction printer applicable to this invention. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a series of steps executed by a multifunction print when executing a copy with no margin and an equal magnification. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image sample used in Example 1. It is a figure for demonstrating the image data of the edge part produced | generated in order to perform a marginless copy. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the production | generation method of the variables L, S, and N and density data utilized in order to produce | generate the image data of a border part in the Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the image generation method of the corner | angular part of a border part. It is a figure for demonstrating the image data produced | generated in order to perform a marginless photograph printing. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a series of steps executed by a multifunction pudding when executing photo printing without margins.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction printer 11 Print setting designation | designated part 12 Image analysis part 13 Border part Data interpolation production | generation part 14 Print control part 15 Image memory 16 Scanner part 17 Card reader part 100 Document 101 Text part 2
102 Border part 103 Text part 1
104 edge area 105 photograph area 300 window 400 original image 401 edge area 402 border area

Claims (8)

A data processing method for marginless recording in which an original image composed of a plurality of pixels having multi-gradation data is recorded without providing margins on a recording medium,
Detecting a displacement amount of gradation data of a pixel group included in an end region having a predetermined width inward from an outer peripheral end of the original image, from the inner side to the outer side of the end region;
Generating a group of pixels having new gradation data in a border portion in contact with the outer side of the end region in accordance with the amount of displacement;
And a step of creating image data for marginless recording by combining the original image and the edge portion.   The data processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of acquiring the original image and a step of recording ink on the recording medium based on the image data for marginless recording.   The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the edge portion is the predetermined width.   In the generation step, when the displacement amount is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the gradation data of the pixels included in the edge region is copied to generate a pixel group having new gradation data in the edge portion. 4. A data processing method according to claim 1, wherein if the amount of displacement is smaller than the threshold value, a pixel group having gradation data not exceeding the threshold value is newly generated.   4. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting step detects the displacement based on an average value of gradation data of a pixel of interest and a plurality of pixels in contact with the pixel. .   6. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein the gradation data is luminance data of red, green and blue.   6. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein the gradation data is density data including at least cyan, magenta, and yellow. A multifunction printer capable of recording an original image composed of a plurality of pixels having multi-gradation data without providing a margin on a recording medium,
Means for receiving a print processing command;
Means for acquiring image data in response to the print processing command;
Means for detecting a displacement amount of gradation data of a pixel group included in an end region having a predetermined width inward from an outer peripheral end of the image data, from the inner side to the outer side of the end region;
Means for generating a pixel group having new gradation data in a border portion in contact with the outer side of the end region according to the displacement amount;
Means for creating new image data for marginless recording by combining the image data and the edge portion;
A multifunction printer comprising: means for recording ink on the recording medium based on the new image data.

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