JP2009206642A - Image processing method, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing method capable of suitably specifying a specific area in a document just enough together with its application purpose. <P>SOLUTION: A document to which reference information concerned with an origin, area specification information for specifying a specific area based on the origin and application purpose information concerned with the specific area are added is read out, an image concerned with the document, the reference information, the area specification information, and the application purpose information are obtained from the read document, and specific image processing according to the application purpose is applied to the specific area based on the obtained reference information and area specification information to output an image concerned with the image-processed document. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing method and an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately specifying a specific area in a document together with the purpose of use without excess or deficiency.

  For example, there are social demands that prohibit the output of copying or the like for all of a plurality of manuscripts such as a secret manuscript. Similarly, there is a social requirement that output should be prohibited for a specific area in one original.

  In order to meet these demands, an output prohibition pattern is added to a specific area of a document at a density that cannot be read visually, and when a document having such an output prohibition pattern is read and detected, the output is prohibited. There has been proposed an image forming apparatus capable of realizing output prohibition of a document by replacing and outputting a pattern existing area as a white image (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

However, in the conventional technique described above, in order to prohibit the output of the document, it is necessary to sequentially add the output prohibition pattern to the specific area of the document without excess or deficiency. However, it is extremely difficult to appropriately perform such sequential addition. For example, it is possible to appropriately specify a specific area without excess or deficiency, for example, by designating output prohibition in a narrower or wider area than the user desires. was difficult. Note that the purpose of use related to such area designation is not limited to the designation related to the output prohibited area.
JP-A-5-012422

  The problem to be solved is that, in the prior art, it is difficult to appropriately designate a specific area in the original document together with the purpose of use without excess or deficiency.

  In order to provide an image processing method capable of appropriately designating a specific area in a document as well as its purpose of use without excess or deficiency, the present invention relates to reference information about the origin, and to designate a specific area based on the origin. A document reading step of reading a document to which the area designation information and the usage purpose information related to the specific region are added, an image related to the document from the document read in the document reading step, the reference information, Information acquisition step for acquiring region designation information and usage purpose information, and image processing for performing predetermined image processing according to the usage purpose for the specific region based on the reference information and the region designation information acquired in the information acquisition step The main feature is that it includes a process and an image output process for outputting an image related to the document after image processing in the image processing process.

  According to the image processing method of the present invention, the reference information relating to the origin, the area designation information for designating the specific area based on the origin, and the original document to which the purpose-of-use information relating to the specific area is added are read. Acquiring the image relating to the original document, the reference information, the area designation information, and the use purpose information from the read original, and for the specific area based on the acquired reference information and area designation information, Since predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use is performed and an image related to the document after the image processing is output, an image processing method capable of appropriately designating a specific area in the document together with the purpose of use is provided. be able to.

  For the purpose of providing an image processing method capable of appropriately specifying a specific area in a manuscript together with its purpose of use without excess or deficiency, reference information about the origin, the area designation information, and use purpose information are added to the manuscript, When a document to which such various information is added is read and acquired, predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use is performed on a specific region based on the acquired reference information and region designation information, and the document after the image processing is performed Realized by outputting images.

  Hereinafter, an image processing method and an image forming apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus Applying Image Processing Method According to Embodiment of Present Invention]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation panel unit in the image forming apparatus.

  This device can use various functions including, for example, a copy job, a fax transmission job, a print job, or a network transmission (email transmission or data transmission) job, and includes a microcomputer and a dedicated hardware circuit. It is controlled by the main control unit 11. As an input / output device connected to the main control unit 11 and responsible for various functions, this apparatus includes a document reading unit 21, an image processing unit 31, an engine unit 41, an operation panel unit 51, a facsimile communication unit 61, and an HDD (hard disk drive). 63, and a network I / F (interface) unit 65.

  The main control unit 11 includes a scanner controller 13 that performs operation control for realizing a scanner function, a facsimile controller 15 that performs operation control for realizing a facsimile function, and a printer controller that performs operation control for realizing a printer function. 17 and a copy controller 19 for controlling the operation for realizing the copy function are incorporated, and the overall operation of the apparatus is controlled.

  The document reading unit 21 that functions as a document reading unit in the present invention includes an image irradiation lamp 23 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 25 that constitute a scanner (not shown). The document reading unit 21 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 23, receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 25, reads an image from the document, and outputs image data corresponding to the read image to the image processing unit 31. To do.

  The image processing unit 31 that functions as an image processing unit in the present invention includes a correction unit 33, an image processing unit 35, and an image memory 37. The image processing unit 31 processes the image data read by the document reading unit 21 with the correction unit 33 and the image processing unit 35 as necessary, and stores the processed image data in the image memory 37 or the engine. Output to the unit 41, the facsimile communication unit 61, and the like. The correction unit 33 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and gamma correction on the image data read by the document reading unit 21. The image processing unit 35 performs various types of processing such as image data compression or expansion processing and enlargement or reduction processing.

  The engine unit 41 includes a sheet conveying unit 43 including a sheet cassette and a sheet feeding roller (not shown), an image forming unit (not shown in the present invention, such as a photosensitive drum, an exposure device, and a developing device). 45 ”, a transfer unit 47 configured by a transfer roller (not shown), and a fixing unit 49 configured by a fixing roller (not shown). The engine unit 41 includes image data read by the document reading unit 21, image data transmitted from a client PC (personal computer) or the like by a LAN (Local Area Network) via the network I / F unit 65, and a facsimile communication unit 61. Is used to print an image on paper using image data such as fax data received from an external facsimile machine or the like. Specifically, the paper transport unit 43 transports the paper to the image forming unit 45, the image forming unit 45 forms a toner image corresponding to the image data, the transfer unit 47 transfers the toner image to the paper, The fixing unit 49 fixes the toner image on a sheet to form an image.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation panel unit 51 includes a touch panel unit 53 and a function key unit 55. The operation panel unit 51 is used for a user to perform operations related to a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like, and gives an operation command and the like by the user to the main control unit 11.

  The touch panel unit 53 includes a touch panel unit that combines a touch panel and a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The touch panel unit 53 is used to set various setting screens such as a document size, a copy size, and the number of copies when executing a copy function. And the operation buttons for inputting various operation commands when the user touches the corresponding part.

  The function key unit 55 includes a plurality of function keys operated by the user when selecting various functions related to image forming processing, and shortcut keys. For example, a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function These functions are used when the user selectively executes a key input operation of a required function among the various functions or when the user inputs a copy number, a copy execution command, or the like.

  The facsimile communication unit 61 includes an encoding / decoding unit (not shown), a modem unit (not shown), and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown). The facsimile communication unit 61 transmits image data of a document read by the document reading unit 21 to a facsimile device or the like via a telephone line, and receives image data transmitted from the facsimile device or the like.

  An HDD (hard disk drive) 63 stores image data read by the document reading unit 21 and various data such as an output format set in the image data. The image data stored in the HDD is not only used inside the image forming apparatus, the program, and the recording medium, but also can be confirmed from a client PC or the like via the network I / F unit 65 if necessary. It is transferred to a predetermined folder such as a PC or FTP server.

  The network I / F unit 65 uses a network interface (10 / 100Base-TX) or the like to control transmission / reception of various data to / from a user terminal 67 such as a client PC connected via a LAN.

  The image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention designates the specific area with reference to the origin and the specific area so that the specific area in the document can be appropriately specified along with the purpose of use. Region designation information and a document reading unit 21 that reads a document to which usage purpose information related to the specific region is added, an image related to the document from the document read by the document reading unit 21, and the reference information Based on the information acquisition unit (corresponding to the “information acquisition unit” of the present invention) 71 that acquires the area designation information and the usage purpose information, and the usage purpose information acquired by the information acquisition unit 71 A use purpose determination relating to whether or not output is prohibited, and an information determination unit 73 for performing information acquisition determination relating to whether or not both the reference information and the area designation information have been acquired, When the output of the document image related to the region is prohibited, the dummy image storage unit 75 that stores a dummy image for replacement output instead of the document image related to the specific region, the reference information acquired by the information acquisition unit 71, and the region designation Predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use for the specific area based on information, specifically, for example, when the purpose of use is prohibition of outputting a document image related to the specific area, An image processing unit 31 that performs image processing for replacing a predetermined dummy image, and an image forming unit 45 that forms an image related to a document after image processing by the image processing unit 31 are configured.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus According to Embodiment of Present Invention]
Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows an operation flowchart of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 4 shows an example of an output image when an original that does not have a specific area for prohibiting output is read and image forming processing is performed, and FIG. An example of an output image when an original having a specific area related to output prohibition is read and image forming processing is performed is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 3, after a document is set on an automatic document feeder (not shown) in the document reading unit 21, a copy instruction for the document is input to the user via the operation panel unit 51. The control unit 11 sends a document reading start signal to the document reading unit 21. In response to this, the document reading unit 21 starts reading the document (step 11).

  The image data read in step S 11 is sent from the document reading unit 21 to the information acquisition unit 71. In response to this, the information acquisition unit 71 acquires an image related to the original, while the reference information about the origin, area designation information for designating a specific area based on the origin, and the specific When various types of information including usage purpose information related to the area are added, the various types of information are acquired together (step 12). In this embodiment, it is assumed that various information including reference information, area designation information, and usage purpose information relating to the specific area is added to the document, and the following description will proceed.

  Next, the information determination unit 73 performs use purpose determination related to whether or not the use purpose related to the specific region is prohibited based on the use purpose information acquired in Step 12 (Step S13).

  As a result of the use purpose determination in step S13, when it is determined that the use purpose related to the specific area is not output prohibition, the information determination unit 73 sends the determination result to the image processing unit 31. In response to this, the image processing unit 31 sends image data relating to the document to the image forming unit 45 in accordance with the flow of normal processing, so that normal image forming processing is performed in step S17.

  On the other hand, as a result of the use purpose determination in step S13, when it is determined that the use purpose related to the specific area is output prohibited, the information determination unit 73 has acquired both the reference information and the area designation information. Information acquisition determination regarding whether or not is made (step S14).

  As a result of the information acquisition determination in step S14, when it is determined that both the reference information and the area designation information have been acquired, the information determination unit 73 sends the determination result to the image processing unit 31. In response to this, the image processing unit 31 replaces the document image related to the specific area based on the reference information and area designation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 71 with a predetermined dummy image stored and held in the dummy image storage unit 75. Image processing is performed (step S15). In step S15, in view of the fact that the document image relating to the specific area precisely designated based on the reference information and area designation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 71 is designated to be output prohibited from the use purpose information. Instead of the original image related to the specific area, a predetermined dummy image (for example, a white image, a warning display indicating that the output is prohibited, or other appropriately set image) is inserted.

  On the other hand, as a result of the information acquisition determination in step S14, when it is determined that either the reference information or the area designation information cannot be acquired, the information determination unit 73 sends the determination result to the image processing unit 31. To do. In response to this, the image processing unit 31 performs image processing for replacing the document image relating to all the regions with a predetermined dummy image stored and held in the dummy image storage unit 75 (step S16). In step S <b> 16, even when the use purpose information acquired by the information acquisition unit 71 is prohibited from being output, if either one of the reference information or the area specifying information cannot be acquired, the specific area can be specified precisely. In view of the fact that this is not possible, a predetermined dummy image is inserted into the document image related to all the areas instead of inserting the dummy image designating the specific area.

  In step S17, the image processing unit 31 sends the image data related to the document after the image processing in step S15 or S16 to the image forming unit 45, thereby replacing the document image related to the specific region or all regions, After an image forming process in which a predetermined dummy image is inserted is performed, a series of processes is terminated.

  Here, it is a problem how various information is added to the document including the specific area (output prohibited area) according to the embodiment of the present invention. In this regard, for example, a specific image pattern (which may be a barcode) 81 as shown in FIG. 4 is placed at an appropriate position such as the upper left corner of the document D (this position can be appropriately changed). A mode of adding various types of information (including reference information, area designation information, and usage purpose information relating to the specific area) can be exemplified. The reference information is added in such a manner that the position where the predetermined image exists in the image pattern 81 shown in FIG. 4 is the origin, and the area designation information is obtained by fitting the origin position as the origin in the two-dimensional coordinate space. Thus, the relative position information (XY coordinates) in the two-dimensional coordinate space and the distance information related to the width (W) and height (H) of the region (note that the unit information related to the distance is included as reference information). It may be configured so that it is stored), and the like. In the latter example, the first designated area 83 is (X1, Y1, W1, H1) = (945, 236, 1180, 709), and the second designated area 85 is (X2, Y2, W2, H2) = ( 472, 2362, 1417, 1890) and the like.

  Now, in the first designated area 83 and the second designated area 85 shown in FIG. 4, when the purpose of use related to these specific areas is designated as output prohibition, the respective images of the first designated area 83 and the second designated area 85 are displayed. Instead, as shown in FIG. 5, a dummy image for displaying an output prohibition warning is output.

[Effect of the embodiment of the present invention]
As described above, according to the image processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the reference information related to the origin, the area designation information for designating the specific area based on the origin, and the use purpose information related to the specific area include The attached original is read, and an image related to the original, the reference information, the area specifying information, and the use purpose information are acquired from the read original, and the acquired reference information and area specifying information are obtained. The specific area based on the image is subjected to predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use, and an image related to the document after the image processing is output. Therefore, the specific area in the document can be appropriately specified together with the purpose of use without excess or deficiency. An image processing method can be provided.

  On the other hand, according to the image forming apparatus to which the image processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of appropriately designating a specific area in a document together with the purpose of use without excess or deficiency.

[Others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention read from the claims and the entire specification or the technical idea, and image processing accompanied with such changes. The method and the image forming apparatus are also included in the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  That is, for example, in the embodiment of the present invention, various information (reference information, area designation information, and the identification information) is specified by using a specific image pattern 81 as shown in FIG. In the above description, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. For example, any information addition mode such as an electronic watermark is appropriately adopted. be able to.

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which unit information related to a distance used when identifying relative position information (XY coordinates) in a two-dimensional coordinate space is included as reference information has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such examples. Specifically, for example, when the upper left corner where the image pattern 81 shown in FIG. 4 is located is the origin, an image pattern 87 indicating the end point in the main scanning direction is added to the upper right corner of the document D, and the An image pattern 89 indicating the end point in the scanning direction is added to the lower left corner of the document D, and after grasping the distance between the origin and the end point in the main scanning direction, or the origin and the end point in the sub-scanning direction, You may employ | adopt the aspect which sets the unit information which concerns on distance suitably.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, “output prohibition” has been exemplified and described as “purpose of use related to specific area”, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiment. Specifically, the “purpose of use related to a specific area” in the present invention includes “1. Area specification related to overlay character string” and “2. Area specification for switching color matching lookup table”. I can give you. In the first example, in order to distinguish between the original (original) and the copy, the area designation information and character string information are set and added (embedded) to the original, and the copy is designated according to the read character string information. It is possible to realize a so-called copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing technique in which a character string such as “copy” is overprinted in the specified area. In the latter two examples, the area designation information and look-up table (LUT) identification number (LUT is image formation) for areas such as photographs and company logos that you want to perform color matching that matches the object. (Stored in the table storage unit of the main body of the apparatus) is added (embedded) to the document, and at the time of copying, the color matching LUT of the specified specific area is switched according to the information related to the read LUT identification number. Correction processing can be performed.

1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation panel unit in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output image when an original having no specific area related to output prohibition is read and image formation processing is performed. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output image when an original having a specific area related to output prohibition is read and image forming processing is performed.

Explanation of symbols

11 Main Control Unit 21 Image Reading Unit (Image Reading Unit)
31 Image processing unit (image processing means)
45 Image forming unit (image forming means)
71 Information acquisition unit (information acquisition means)
73 Information determination unit 75 Dummy image storage unit

Claims (6)

A document reading step of reading a document to which reference information related to the origin, region designation information for designating a specific region with reference to the origin, and usage purpose information related to the specific region is added;
An information acquisition step of acquiring an image relating to the original document, the reference information, the area designation information, and the use purpose information from the original document read in the original reading step;
An image processing step of performing predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use on the specific region based on the reference information and region designation information acquired in the information acquisition step;
An image output step of outputting an image relating to the document after image processing in the image processing step;
An image processing method comprising: The image processing method according to claim 1,
The purpose of use is to prohibit output of a document image related to the specific area,
In the image processing step,
Replacing a document image related to the specific area with a predetermined image;
An image processing method. The image processing method according to claim 2,
In the information acquisition step, when either the reference information or the region designation information could not be acquired,
In the image processing step,
Replace the original image for all the areas with a predetermined image,
An image processing method. Reference information relating to the origin, area designation information for designating a specific area with the origin as a reference, and a document reading means for reading a document to which usage purpose information relating to the specific area is added,
Information acquisition means for acquiring an image related to the original document, the reference information, the area designation information, and the use purpose information from the original read by the original reading means;
Image processing means for performing predetermined image processing according to the purpose of use on the specific area based on the reference information and area designation information acquired by the information acquisition means;
Image forming means for forming an image relating to a document after image processing by the image processing means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
The purpose of use is to prohibit output of a document image related to the specific area,
The image processing means includes
Replacing a document image related to the specific area with a predetermined image;
An image forming apparatus. The image processing method according to claim 5, comprising:
When the information acquisition means could not acquire either the reference information or the region designation information,
The image processing means includes
Replace the original image for all the areas with a predetermined image,
An image forming apparatus.