JP2009206637A - Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of copying the entire original information even when only a specific area is magnified, an image forming method and a computer program. <P>SOLUTION: An original image is read (S11), an area to be variably magnified is designated (S12), a variable power rate to an image in the designated area is set (S13), and setting of a paper size is received (S14). An out-of-designated image area adjacent to the designated image area is extracted (S15), and a variable power rate to an image within each out-of-designated image area is calculated so as to make variably magnified images of each area continue and also to fit in the magnified/reduced images within the set paper size (S16). The images of each area are variably magnified by the set variable power rate and the calculated variable power rate (S17 and S18), and the variably magnified images are combined with each other (S19) to form an image (S20). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that partially enlarges and outputs a document image, an image forming method, and a computer program for realizing the image forming method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when enlarging a document image using an image forming apparatus, an enlarged copy can be easily made by setting the magnification after setting the document on a scanner (image reading unit). At that time, if you want to record all information of the original image as a copy, copy paper of a size larger than the original is used, but even if you want to enlarge only a part of the original image, enlarge the entire original image. There is a problem that the size of the copy paper becomes larger than that of other copy papers, and it takes time to perform filing work.

As a conventional technique for solving this problem, there is disclosed an image forming apparatus that specifies an image area to be enlarged in a document image with a marker, extracts only the image area, and performs an enlarged copy (see, for example, Patent Document 1). . By this method, a necessary image area can be enlarged without making the size of the copy paper larger than that of the original.
JP 2004-221898 A

  However, the above-described conventional technique has a problem that information on an image area not designated by a marker is lost because an image area not designated by a marker is not copied.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even when only a specific area is enlarged from a read image, all document information is copied without increasing the paper size more than necessary. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a computer program for realizing the image forming method.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus that reads an image from a document and forms an image on a sheet based on the read image, accepts designation of an area to be scaled from the read image; Means for accepting setting of a scaling ratio for an image in an area designated by the means; means for scaling the image in the designated area at a scaling ratio set by the means; and a sheet for forming an image Means for setting the size of the image, means for scaling the image in the area adjacent to the designated area according to the set sheet size, and means for combining the scaled images. The image obtained in this way is formed on a sheet.

  In the present invention, the designated area to be enlarged or reduced is enlarged or reduced, and the area adjacent to the designated area is also scaled according to the size of the copy sheet. All document information can be copied without increasing the size.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is configured so that the image after scaling is continuous with the image obtained by scaling the image in the designated area, and so that the adjacent size is within the set sheet size. Means for calculating a scaling factor for an image in the area to be scaled, and scaling the image with the calculated scaling factor.

  In the present invention, all the lines on the original image are not interrupted in the copy image, and the vertical and horizontal relations are maintained at all points on the original image, so that a step occurs in the middle of the sentence. Can be prevented.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, an area designated to be scaled is a rectangle, and the inside of one or a plurality of areas delimited by an extension line of each side of the rectangle and a boundary line of the image area in the read image The image is scaled at the calculated scaling factor.

  In the present invention, the document image is divided into a lattice shape with the designated area as the center. In the present invention, the continuity of the image between the regions is maintained even when the image in each divided region is scaled.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, among the regions adjacent to the designated region, the regions adjacent to the left and right maintain the ratio of the lengths in the left and right direction of each region before and after zooming and are adjacent vertically The area to be processed is characterized in that the ratio of the vertical length of each area is maintained before and after zooming.

  In the present invention, the area adjacent to the designated area is uniformly reduced (magnification reduction) in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, so that only a part of the document information is extremely reduced and is difficult to see. To prevent becoming.

  An image forming method according to the present invention is an image forming method for forming an image on a sheet based on an image read from an original, accepts designation of an area to be scaled from the read image, and Accepts the setting of the scaling ratio for the image, scales the image in the specified area with the set scaling ratio, sets the size of the sheet forming the image, and within the area adjacent to the specified area These images are scaled according to the set sheet size, the scaled images are synthesized, and an image obtained by the synthesis is formed on the sheet.

  In the present invention, when enlarging a part of the image area, all document information can be copied without making the size of the copy paper larger than that of the document.

  A computer program according to the present invention is a computer program for causing a computer to generate an image to be formed on a sheet based on an input image, and for causing the computer to display an image in a region designated for the input image. , Changing the magnification at a set scaling ratio, causing the computer to scale the image in the area adjacent to the area according to the size of the sheet on which the image is formed, and causing the computer to scale the image. And synthesizing the images.

  In the present invention, when enlarging a part of the image area, all document information can be copied without making the size of the copy paper larger than that of the document.

In the case of the present invention, the designated area to be enlarged or reduced is enlarged or reduced, and the area adjacent to the designated area is also scaled according to the size of the copy sheet. All document information can be copied without doing so.
In addition, since all lines on the original image are not interrupted in the copy image, and a vertical / horizontal relationship is maintained at all points on the original image, it is possible to prevent a step from occurring in the middle of the sentence.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 100, a bus 101, an input unit 102, a display unit 103, an image reading unit 104, a program memory 105, a buffer memory 106, an image processing unit 107, an image forming unit 108, and A storage medium reading unit 109 is provided.

  The control unit 100 includes, for example, a CPU, reads out a control program from the program memory 105, and controls each unit with the control program via a bus 101 that transfers various data such as address data, control data, and image data. An image forming apparatus of the present invention is realized.

  The input unit 102 includes, for example, a button switch, a touch panel formed on a liquid crystal display, and the like, and can specify an image area to be partially enlarged, select a copy sheet, set a scaling factor, and the like together with a normal copy instruction. I am doing so. That is, the input unit 102 is a unit that receives designation of an area to be scaled from a read image, a unit that sets a size of a sheet that forms an image, and a unit that accepts setting of a scaling factor for an image in the designated area. Function.

  The display unit 103 includes, for example, a CRT (cathode ray tube) display, an LCD (liquid crystal display), a PD (plasma display), and the like. The display unit 103 partially enlarges an image formation instruction, document image data, and the like input from the input unit 102. The image area, magnification, copy paper size, etc. are displayed.

  Regarding a method for specifying a partially enlarged image area, for example, a rectangular image area is displayed on a touch panel (input unit 102) formed on a liquid crystal display while viewing original image data displayed on the liquid crystal display (display unit 103). This can be done by selecting. In addition, there is no restriction | limiting in particular as a designation | designated method of the image area to expand partially, The image area to enlarge to a manuscript image is entered with a marker, For example, by the method as disclosed by Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2004-221898, It is also possible to specify an image area to be partially enlarged. Hereinafter, the designated image area is referred to as a designated image area, and the other image areas are referred to as non-designated image areas.

  The image reading unit 104 includes an image reading program, a scanner unit including a CCD, a document table, and the like, and reads an image as digital data from a document set on the document table. The read image data is stored in the buffer memory 106.

  The program memory 105 includes, for example, a ROM, an EEPROM, a hard disk, an MO, and the like, and is read by the main routine control program for the control unit 100 to control each unit, an image formation program for forming an image, and the image reading unit 104. A storage control program for storing the received document image in the buffer memory 106 in association with the address, a bus control program for controlling the bus 101, and the like are stored.

  The buffer memory 106 includes, for example, a RAM, an EEPROM, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an MO, and the like, and stores data under control controlled by the control unit 100, input instruction information, image forming conditions, and the like. The buffer memory 106 functions as an image storage unit that temporarily stores the read document image.

  The image processing unit 107 includes, for example, an image processing program, reads out image data of a designated image region and image data of a non-designated image region from the buffer memory 106 on a bitmap, and inputs the image data of the designated image region Scaling is performed at a scaling ratio set in 102, and scaling processing of image data in the non-designated image area is performed in accordance with the copy paper size. Further, the image processing unit 107 performs processing such as shading correction, region separation processing, input tone correction, color correction, black generation and under color removal, spatial filter processing, and halftone processing.

  The image forming unit 108 includes, for example, a photosensitive drum, a laser scanning unit, a charging unit, a developing unit, a transfer charger, an image forming program, and the like, and records an image on a copy sheet.

  The storage medium reading unit 109 includes a reading device for reading various data and computer programs stored in the storage medium 110. The storage medium 110 is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as a mask ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash ROM or the like, or a magnetic disk such as a hard disk or an optical disk such as a CD-ROM / MO / MD / DVD, an IC card (also a memory card). This includes a storage medium that holds a program fixedly composed of a medium that can be separated from the main body including a card system such as an optical card.

  The computer program stored in the storage medium 110 includes the computer program according to the present invention in addition to the image processing program, the main routine control program, the image forming program, the storage control program, and the bus control program as described above. These computer programs read by the storage medium reading unit 109 are stored in the program memory 105 as one of the control programs executed by the control unit 100.

  2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the contents of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2A shows an original image 10 obtained by reading the original with the image reading unit 104. The original image 10 shown in FIG. 2A is obtained, for example, by reading an A4 size original, and includes letters (images) from alphabets “A” to “T”.

  An area (designated image area) to be partially scaled with respect to the original image 10 is designated by the user through the input unit 102. The area to be scaled is designated by selecting a rectangular image area on the touch panel (input unit 102) formed on the display unit 103 while viewing the document image displayed on the display unit 103 as described above. Is called. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-221898, as a configuration in which a specified image region is attached to a document and a specified image region is set by detecting the marker. Also good. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the designated image region 20 is designated so as to include the characters “GHI”.

  A scaling factor for an image in the designated image area 20 is set by the user through the input unit 102. The image in the designated image area 20 is scaled at a scaling factor set by the user, but the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has an area adjacent to the designated image area 20 (that is, an undesignated image area). ) Is also scaled so that all document information is copied without increasing the paper size more than necessary.

  Specifically, by extracting an area delimited by the boundary line L0 of the document image and the extension lines L1, L2, L3, and L4 of each side constituting the designated image area 20, one or a plurality of non-designated image areas Is extracted, and each extracted non-designated image area is scaled according to the copy paper size. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, eight undesignated image areas 21 to 28 are extracted from the designated image area 20 designated near the center of the document image.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3A, eight non-designated image areas 21 to 28 are extracted, but a part of the four sides of the designated image area and the boundary line of the document image are common. When the area is designated, the number of non-designated image areas to be extracted is less than 8. That is, when one side of the designated image area is common with the boundary line of the document image, there are five non-designated image areas to be extracted, and when two sides of the designated image area are common with the boundary line of the document image, it is extracted. There are three non-designated image areas. Further, when the three sides of the designated image area are common with the boundary line of the document image, the number of non-designated image areas to be extracted is one.

  FIG. 3B shows an enlarged view of the designated image area 20 at a scaling factor of 150%. As the designated image area 20 is enlarged, the images in the eight non-designated image areas 21 to 28 adjacent to the designated image area 20 are also reduced or enlarged, but all the original information is copied without loss. Yes. The scaling process for the image in the non-designated image area will be described in detail later.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus first reads a document image by the image reading unit 104 (step S11). The read document image is stored in the buffer memory 106 in association with the address.

  Next, the image forming apparatus receives the designation of the area to be scaled, the setting of the scaling factor for the image in the designated area (designated image area), and the setting of the paper size through the input unit 102 (steps S12 to S14). . Information on the designated area, information on the set scaling factor and paper size are stored in the buffer memory 106.

  Next, the image forming apparatus extracts a non-designated image area based on the document image and the designated image area information stored in the buffer memory 106 (step S15), and based on the set scaling factor and paper size, A scaling factor for an image in each non-designated image area is calculated (step S16).

  A method of calculating a scaling factor for an image in the non-designated image area will be specifically described. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the size of each region before the scaling process, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the size of each region after the scaling process. 5 and 6, the enlargement ratio of the designated image area is n times, and the size of the copy paper is the same as that of the original.

  The document image 10 is a rectangular image having a vertical length P and a horizontal length Q, and the designated image region 20 designated as the region to be scaled by the user is an image near the center surrounded by the rectangle. It is an area.

  The non-designated image area is defined by the boundary line L0 of the reading area defined by the edge of the document (that is, the boundary line of the image area in the scanned image) L0 and the extension lines L1 to L4 of each side constituting the rectangle. It is divided. That is, on the upper side of the line L1, the region on the left side of the line L3 (region 21), on the upper side of the line L1, on the region surrounded by the lines L3 and L4 (region 22), on the upper side of the line L1, on the right side of the line L4. Surrounded by the region (region 23), the line L1 and the line L2, and surrounded by the region (region 24) on the left side of the line L3, the line L1 and the line L2, and on the right side of the line L4 (region 25), below the line L2 Region on the left side of the line L3 (region 26), on the lower side of the line L2, the region surrounded by the lines L3 and L4 (region 27), on the lower side of the line L2, on the right side of the line L4 (region) 28).

  The vertical length of the designated image area 20 is P1, the horizontal length is Q1, the vertical length of the areas 21, 22, and 23 is P2, the vertical length of the areas 26, 27, and 28 is P3, the area 21, When the horizontal length of 24 and 26 is Q2 and the vertical length of the regions 23, 25 and 28 is Q3, the vertical length and horizontal length of each region after scaling are converted as follows. The

  That is, the copy image remains a rectangular image having a vertical length P and a horizontal length Q, and the designated image area 20 has a vertical length of n × P1 and a horizontal length of n × Q1. Enlarged to a rectangular image. On the other hand, the vertical length of the areas 21, 22, 23 is P4, the vertical length of the areas 26, 27, 28 is P5, the horizontal length of the areas 21, 24, 26 is Q4, and the areas 23, 25, 28 are. Is converted to Q5. Here, P4, P5, Q4, and Q5 are calculated by the following equations.

P4 = (P−nP1) × P2 / (P2 + P3)
P5 = (P−nP1) × P3 / (P2 + P3)
Q4 = (Q−nQ1) × Q2 / (Q2 + Q3)
Q5 = (Q−nQ1) × Q3 / (Q2 + Q3)

  When P4, P5, Q4, or Q5 is a negative value, the display unit 103 may display “copy not possible”, and the input unit 102 may allow the user to reset the scaling factor.

As described above, since the vertical and horizontal lengths of each area after scaling can be calculated, the scaling ratio can be calculated from these lengths. For example, the scaling factor for the non-designated image area 21 at the upper left corner of the document is Q4 / Q2 in the horizontal direction and P4 / P2 in the vertical direction. The same applies to the other non-designated image regions 22 to 28. Needless to say, the zoom ratio may be directly calculated without calculating the length after zooming.
In the present embodiment, the area adjacent to the designated area is uniformly reduced (magnification reduction) in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, so that only a part of the document information is extremely reduced and is difficult to see. This can be prevented.

  The description returns to the flowchart of FIG. The image forming apparatus scales the image in the designated image area with the scaling ratio set in step S13 (step S17), and scales the image in each non-designated image area with the scaling ratio calculated in step S16. (Step S18).

  Next, the image forming apparatus combines the scaled images in the non-designated image areas with the scaled images in the designated image areas (step S19), and based on the synthesized image. Image formation is performed (step S20).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the image in the designated image area designated by the user is scaled at the scaling factor set by the user, but the area adjacent to the designated image area (non-designated image area) Since the image in () is also scaled to fit within the paper size, all document information can be copied without making the paper size unnecessarily large. Further, by determining the length of each side of the non-designated image area after scaling as described above, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. A discontinuous line is not formed between the image in the non-designated image area and a step can be prevented from occurring in an image (including characters) included in the copy image.

  In this embodiment, the example in which the designated image area is enlarged has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to the case where the designated image area is reduced. When the designated image area is reduced, it is possible to generate a copy image in which only a specific part in the document is masked.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the contents of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the contents of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the size of each area | region before scaling processing. It is explanatory drawing explaining the size of each area | region after scaling processing. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the image after a scaling process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Control part 101 Bus 102 Input part 103 Display part 104 Image reading part 105 Program memory 106 Buffer memory 107 Image processing part 108 Image formation part 109 Storage medium reading part 110 Storage medium

Claims (6)

In an image forming apparatus that reads an image from a document and forms an image on a sheet based on the read image,
Means for accepting designation of an area to be scaled from the read image; means for accepting setting of a scaling ratio for an image in the area designated by the means; and the designation at the scaling ratio set by the means. Means for scaling the image in the selected area, means for setting the size of the sheet forming the image, and scales the image in the area adjacent to the designated area in accordance with the set sheet size. An image forming apparatus comprising: means; and means for combining the scaled images, and forming an image obtained by combining on the sheet.   The scaling factor for the image in the adjacent region is set so that the image after scaling is continuous with the image obtained by scaling the image in the designated region and within the set sheet size. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a calculating unit, wherein the image is scaled at the calculated scaling factor.   An area to be scaled is a rectangle, and an image in one or a plurality of areas delimited by an extension line of each side of the rectangle and a boundary line of the image area in the read image is used as the calculated scaling factor. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to perform zooming.   Of the areas adjacent to the specified area, the left and right adjacent areas maintain the ratio of the left and right lengths of each area before and after zooming, and the upper and lower adjacent areas maintain the vertical direction of each area. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the lengths is maintained before and after zooming. 5. In an image forming method for forming an image on a sheet based on an image read from an original,
Accepting the designation of the area to be scaled from the read image, accepting the setting of the scaling ratio for the image in the specified area, scaling the image in the specified area at the set scaling ratio, Set the size of the sheet that forms the image, scale the image in the area adjacent to the specified area according to the set sheet size, combine the scaled images, and combine them Forming an image on a sheet. In a computer program for causing a computer to generate an image to be formed on a sheet based on an input image,
A step of causing a computer to scale an image in a specified area with respect to the input image at a set scaling ratio; and a computer to form an image in an area adjacent to the area. A computer program comprising a step of scaling according to a size of a sheet to be processed, and a step of causing a computer to combine the scaled images.

Images