JP2009070042A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enlarge a chart with illegibly small characters for increased legibility to output on a sheet. <P>SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus has: an image processing part for creating print data from document data Z including chart data α with characters in a plurality of areas Y divided by rules X by enlarging the chart data; and an image forming part for outputting the print data created by the image processing part onto a sheet. The image processing part creates the print data as positioning the rules X such that the enlarged characters remain in the original areas Y. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that outputs print data created by an image processing unit on a sheet.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers can output images on sheets in various forms according to user requests. For example, document data read by a scanner or document data received from another terminal may be enlarged and printed on a sheet.

As a technique for enlarging a part of document data and printing it on a sheet, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1. The technique described in Patent Document 1 is a technique of cutting out characters from an image data obtained by reading an original with an image reading unit, rearranging the characters by enlarging the characters, and printing out from the image forming unit. It is. According to the technique, since the characters are rearranged after being enlarged, the characters can be easily recognized even by a low vision person or the like.
JP 2000-137801 A

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 12, in the document data Z that partially includes a chart in which characters are written in a plurality of areas Y divided by ruled lines X, the characters in the chart are small even when printed on a sheet. In some cases, the user has requested that the characters be easily readable and printed on a sheet.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus for enlarging and outputting a chart with small characters which is difficult to read on a sheet.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes:
An image processing unit for enlarging the chart data to create print data from document data including chart data having characters in a plurality of areas separated by ruled lines;
An image forming unit that outputs the print data created by the image processing unit on a sheet,
The image processing unit adjusts the position of the ruled line so that the enlarged character fits in an original area, and creates print data.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to easily enlarge a chart that is small and difficult to read and output it on a sheet.

  FIG. 1 is a central sectional view showing the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a tandem color image forming apparatus having an intermediate transfer belt 50.

  The document set on the document feeding table a of the double-sided document automatic feeder 10 is conveyed toward the image reading unit 30 by various rollers.

  The image forming apparatus 1 has a plurality of sheet storage portions 20 at the bottom. An image forming unit 40 and an intermediate transfer belt 50 are installed above the sheet storage unit 20, and an image reading unit 30 is installed in the upper part of the apparatus main body.

  The sheet storage unit 20 can be pulled out to the front side of the apparatus (the front side in FIG. 1). Sheets S such as white paper are accommodated in the plurality of sheet accommodating portions 20 according to size. The sheets S stored in the sheet storage unit 20 are fed one by one by a sheet feeding roller. Further, special paper such as an OHP sheet is set in the manual feed portion 21.

  The image forming unit 40 includes four sets of image forming engines 400Y, 400M, 400C, and 400K for forming toner images of Y, M, C, and K colors. The image forming engines 400Y, 400M, 400C, and 400K are arranged linearly from top to bottom in this order, and have the same configuration. The configuration of the image forming engine 400Y for yellow will be described as an example. The image forming engine 400Y includes a photoreceptor 410 that rotates counterclockwise, a charging unit 420, an exposure unit 430, and a developing unit 440.

  The cleaning unit 450 is disposed to include a region facing the lowermost part of the photoconductor 410.

  The intermediate transfer belt 50 located at the center of the apparatus main body is endless and has a predetermined volume resistivity. The primary transfer electrode 510 is installed at a position facing the photoconductor 410 with the intermediate transfer belt 50 interposed therebetween.

  Next, an image forming method for forming a color image will be described.

  The photoconductor 410 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), and is negatively charged (for example, −800 V) by discharging of the charging unit 420. Next, the exposure unit 430 performs optical writing according to image information on the photoconductor 410 to form an electrostatic latent image. When the formed electrostatic latent image passes through the developing unit 440, the negatively charged toner in the developing unit adheres to the portion of the latent image by application of the negative developing bias, and the toner image is formed on the photoreceptor 410. It is formed. The formed toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 50 that is pressure-bonded to the photoreceptor 410. The toner remaining on the photoreceptor 410 after the transfer is cleaned by the cleaning unit 450.

  A toner image formed by each of the image forming engines 400Y, 400M, 400C, and 400K is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 50 so that a color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 50. The sheets S are fed one by one by the sheet storage unit 20 and conveyed to the position of a registration roller 60 that functions as a registration conveyance unit. The sheet S is abutted against the registration roller 60 and stops once, and the bending of the sheet S is corrected. The sheet S is fed from the registration roller 60 at a timing when the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 50 coincides with the image position.

  The sheet S fed by the registration roller 60 is guided by a guide plate and fed to a transfer nip position formed by the intermediate transfer belt 50 and the transfer unit 70. The transfer unit 70 constituted by rollers presses the sheet S toward the intermediate transfer belt 50. By applying a bias (for example, +500 V) having a polarity opposite to that of the toner to the transfer unit 70, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 50 is transferred to the sheet S by the action of electrostatic force. The sheet S is neutralized by a separation device (not shown) including a static elimination needle, separated from the intermediate transfer belt 50, and sent to a fixing unit 80 including a roller pair of a heating roller and a pressure roller. As a result, the toner image is fixed to the sheet S, and the image-formed sheet S is discharged out of the apparatus.

  Note that the image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment forms a color image on a sheet by an electrophotographic method, but the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and a monochrome image is formed on the sheet. As a matter of course, the image forming system may be an image forming apparatus dedicated to monochrome images, and the image forming system may be any image forming system other than the electrophotographic system, such as an ink jet system, a thermal transfer system, a silver salt photographic system, etc. It does not matter.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the image forming apparatus 1, and only representative ones are shown here.

  A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 is connected to a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, and the like via a system bus 109. The CPU 101 reads out various programs stored in the ROM 102, develops them in the RAM 103, and controls the operation of each unit. Further, the CPU 101 executes various processes according to the program expanded in the RAM 103, stores the processing results in the RAM 103 and displays them on the operation display unit 106. Then, the processing result stored in the RAM 103 is stored in a predetermined storage destination.

  The ROM 102 stores programs, data, and the like in advance, and typically includes a semiconductor memory.

  The RAM 103 forms a work area for temporarily storing data processed by various programs executed by the CPU 101.

  The nonvolatile RAM 104 temporarily stores processed data and the like, and the data is not erased even when the image forming apparatus 1 is turned off.

  The HDD 105 has a function of storing document data read by the image reading unit 30 and storing output image data and the like. It has a structure in which several metal disks coated or vapor-deposited with a magnetic material are stacked at regular intervals, and this is rotated at high speed by a motor to read and write data by bringing the magnetic head closer.

  The operation display unit 106 enables various settings. The operation display unit 106 is in a touch panel format, for example, and conditions relating to color printing and monochrome printing are set by the user inputting through the operation display unit 106. Various information such as network setting information is displayed on the operation display unit 106. When an enlargement print mode to be described later is executed on the document data read by the image reading unit 30, the setting is performed by the operation display unit 106.

  The image reading unit 30 optically reads a document image and converts it into an electrical signal. When reading a color original, image data having luminance information of 10 bits for each of RGB per pixel is generated.

  Document data generated by the image reading unit 30 and document data transmitted from a PC connected to the image forming apparatus 1 are subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 107, and output print data is created. When color printing is executed by the image forming apparatus 1, R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) image data generated by the image reading unit 30 or the like is input to the color conversion LUT in the image processing unit 107. , R, G, B data is color-converted into Y (Yellow), M (Magenta), C (Cyan), Bk (Black) image data. Then, tone reproduction characteristics are corrected for the color-converted image data, screen processing such as halftone dots is performed with reference to the density correction LUT, and edge processing for emphasizing fine lines is performed. .

  The image forming unit 40 outputs (prints) the print data created by the image processing unit 107 on a sheet.

  Next, the enlarged print mode executed in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. The enlarged print mode is a mode in which original data read by the image reading unit 30 and chart data in original data transmitted from a PC are enlarged and printed. The chart data here is data of a chart or a table having characters in a plurality of areas Y divided by ruled lines X as shown in FIG. Even if manuscript data including chart data is printed on a sheet, the characters in the chart may be small and difficult to read. Therefore, it is preferable that the letters in the chart are enlarged and read on the sheet.

  3 and 4 are flowcharts for explaining the operation relating to the enlarged print mode.

  Steps S2 to S6 and S8 to S14 in FIGS. 3 and 4 are executed by the image processing unit 107, and step S7 is executed by the image forming unit 40.

  First, the sheet size to be printed is selected by the user (step S1 in FIG. 3). This is selected through the operation display unit 106 or the PC.

  When the sheet size is selected, chart data is discriminated from the original data input to the image forming apparatus 1 (step S2). For example, in the case of the document data Z as shown in FIG. 5, α which is a data area of a figure or a table is determined as chart data.

  Next, the chart data determined by the image processing unit 107 is enlarged according to the selected sheet size (step S3), and the layout of the characters in the chart data is changed according to the size of the area surrounded by the ruled lines ( Step S4).

  For example, when the chart data α shown in FIG. 5 is enlarged according to the sheet size, a form as shown in FIG. P in FIG. 6A is the sheet size, and both the ruled lines and characters in the chart data α are enlarged. The character is recognized as a character image in units of one character, and is enlarged to a character size set in advance by the operation display unit 106 or the like.

  When the ruled lines and the characters are enlarged, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the enlarged characters are displayed in the area Y1, such as the characters in the area Y1 divided by the ruled lines and the areas Y2 divided by the ruled lines. May protrude. Therefore, in step S4, the layout of the character is changed according to the size of the area. FIG. 6B shows the layout changed. In the example shown in FIG. 6B, when the layout is changed, the characters in the region Y1 and the characters in the region Y2 are contained in the respective regions, which is a preferable state of the chart data.

  When the operations in steps S3 and S4 are completed, it is determined whether or not the character enlarged in step S5 in FIG. 4 protrudes from the area.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, if the enlarged characters are contained in each area (step S5; No), the characters in the chart data are enlarged to the maximum within the range enclosed by the area surrounded by the ruled lines. (Step S6). For example, in the example of FIG. 6B, the characters are placed in the respective areas due to the layout change relating to the characters, and the characters are enlarged to the maximum in each area. As shown in FIG. To expand to the maximum. This makes it easier to read the characters in the chart data. The print data created in step S6 is printed on a sheet by the image forming unit 40 (step S7).

  On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 8A, if it is determined that the enlarged character has protruded from the area as in the area Y3 even if the layout of the character is changed (step S5; Yes), the area in which the character protrudes. The position of the ruled line is adjusted so as to increase the area (step S8). In other words, the position of the ruled line is adjusted so that the enlarged character falls within the original area. In this adjustment, the image processing unit 107 recognizes the blank portion of the area and adjusts it in consideration of the recognized blank portion. In the example of FIG. 8A, the area Y3 (here, the original area) is adjusted. The position of the ruled line X1 is adjusted so as to increase the area of. Note that the adjustment in step S8 is to adjust the ruled line X1 by moving it horizontally.

  When the position of the ruled line X1 is adjusted, as shown in FIG. 8B, the characters in the area Y3 fit into the area Y3 by adjusting the position of the ruled line X1. By adjusting the positions of the ruled lines in this way, it is possible to form enlarged and easy-to-read print data and output it on a sheet while maintaining the original chart data form as much as possible.

  After executing the operation of step S8, it is determined again whether or not the character protrudes from the area (step S9).

  When the position of the ruled line is adjusted and it is determined that the character does not protrude from the area as shown in FIG. 8B (step S9; No), the area in the chart data surrounded by the ruled line as shown in FIG. The image is enlarged to the maximum within the range that fits (step S6). In this operation, the image processing unit 107 recognizes a blank portion in each area and adjusts the enlargement ratio of characters. This makes it easier to read the characters in the chart data.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the character still protrudes from the area even if the position of the ruled line is adjusted (step S), for example, the area Y4 in FIG. 9A, this time, the ruled line is divided to reduce the size of the area. It is determined whether or not adjustment is possible (step S10). This determination is made based on the content set by the user through the operation display unit 106 or the like.

  If it is determined that the size of the area should not be adjusted by dividing the ruled line (step S10; No), the characters in the chart data are reduced to the maximum within the range enclosed by the ruled line in step S6. Or enlarge. In the example of FIG. 9A, the characters in the region Y4 are reduced so as to fit in the region, and the characters in other regions are expanded to the maximum within the range that fits in that region.

  If it is determined that the size of the area can be adjusted by dividing the ruled line, the ruled line is divided and the position of the ruled line is adjusted so that the area of the area where the character protrudes is increased (step S11). In the example of FIG. 9, the ruled line X2 in FIG. 9A is divided into a ruled line X3 and a ruled line X4, and the position of the ruled line X4 is adjusted so that the area of the region Y4 increases. Then, as shown in FIG. 9B, the area of the region Y4 is increased, so that the characters are placed in the region. By dividing and adjusting the ruled lines in this way, the form of the original chart data is not maintained, but all the characters are contained in each region, and it is easy to read as a chart when printed on a sheet.

  After executing the operation of step S11, it is determined again whether or not the character protrudes from the area (step S12).

  When the ruled line is divided and adjusted and it is determined that the character does not protrude from the area as shown in FIG. 9B (step S12; No), the character in the chart data is surrounded by the ruled line as shown in FIG. The image is enlarged to the maximum within the range that fits in the region (step S6).

  Even if the ruled line is divided and adjusted, the character may protrude from the region Y5 as in the region Y5 in FIG. Therefore, if it is determined that the character will protrude from the area even if the ruled line is divided and adjusted (step S12; Yes), it is determined whether or not the chart data may be divided into a plurality of pages (step S13). This determination is made based on the content set by the user through the operation display unit 106 or the like.

  When it is determined that the chart data should not be divided into a plurality of pages (step S13; No), in step S6, the characters in the chart data are reduced or enlarged to the maximum within the range enclosed by the ruled line. In the example of FIG. 10, the characters in the region Y5 are reduced so as to fit in the region, and the characters in other regions are enlarged to the maximum within the range that fits in that region.

  If it is determined that the chart data may be divided into a plurality of pages (step S13; Yes), one chart data is divided into a plurality of pages (step S14), and a plurality of sheets are generated based on the divided print data. Will be output on this sheet. In the example of FIG. 10, the chart data is divided into an upper area a and a lower area b, the upper area a is set as print data as shown in FIG. 11A, and the lower area b is defined as the area area and character layout. The print data is changed as shown in FIG.

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 11, if the print data is created by adjusting the positions of the ruled lines so that the enlarged characters in the chart data fall within the original area, the chart is small and difficult to read. Can be enlarged and output on a sheet for easy reading.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Even if there exists a change and addition in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it is contained in this invention.

FIG. 2 is a central sectional view showing an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement regarding expansion printing mode. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement regarding expansion printing mode. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of original data. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data which changed the layout regarding the character. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data which expanded the character within the range enclosed in the area | region enclosed with the ruled line to the maximum. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data which adjusted the position of the ruled line so that the area of the area | region where a character protrudes may increase. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data which divided the ruled line and adjusted the position of the ruled line. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data from which a character protrudes from an area | region even if a ruled line is divided and adjusted. It is explanatory drawing of the chart data divided | segmented into several pages. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the document data containing chart data.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 30 Image reading part 40 Image forming part 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 Nonvolatile RAM
105 HDD
106 Operation display section 107 Image processing section X Ruled line Y area Z Document data

Claims (5)

An image processing unit for enlarging the chart data to create print data from document data including chart data having characters in a plurality of areas separated by ruled lines;
An image forming unit that outputs the print data created by the image processing unit on a sheet,
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the image processing unit creates print data by adjusting a position of the ruled line so that the enlarged character fits in an original area. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit recognizes a blank portion in the region and adjusts the position of the ruled line in consideration of the recognized blank portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit adjusts a position of the ruled line by dividing the ruled line. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit creates print data so as to divide one chart data and output the divided chart data to a plurality of sheets. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the position of the ruled line is adjusted, the image processing unit recognizes the blank portion and adjusts the enlargement ratio of the character.

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