JP2010161679A - Image processing apparatus and program for image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily sort pages using a preview window before output of aggregation copy, for example, for outputting a plurality of images with them being aggregated. <P>SOLUTION: When a plurality of images are output with the images being aggregated in aggregation copy operation for scanned images, reduced images fitted in a template corresponding to an aggregation condition are displayed. A user can sort the reduced images by doing D and D on a display screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a program thereof, and more particularly to rearranging the arrangement of images when a plurality of images are aggregated and copied on a preview screen of a monitor such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

It is known to drag and drop (D & D) input data from the input preview window to the output form preview window and display the output result in the preview window before output (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-181272).
However, it has not been studied to D & D rearrange the order of the images to be aggregated while viewing the contents of the images at the time of the aggregate copy in which a plurality of images are output together on a single sheet.

JP2008-181272

    An object of the present invention is to easily rearrange pages using a preview screen before outputting a plurality of images in an aggregated manner, for example, before outputting an aggregated copy.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an image, an image storage unit that stores an image, an image generation unit that generates a display image from the stored image, and a display unit that displays the generated image And a touch panel provided with an input unit for receiving an input of a touch position, an instruction receiving unit for receiving an instruction for an aggregation condition of the aggregate copy is provided, and the plurality of the storage units stored according to the instructed aggregation condition When the image is generated by the image generation unit and displayed on the display unit and dragged and dropped on the displayed aggregation state image, the touch panel The input unit acquires a drag position and a drop position, moves an image to be displayed in the drag position area to the drop position area, and The image to be displayed in the area of up position moves to the area of the drag position, generates and displays a replacement image after interchanging the two images.

  Preferably, a template for each aggregation condition is stored in advance, the aggregation condition specified by the user is received, a template for the specified aggregation condition is displayed on the display unit, and an image is acquired by the acquisition unit Each time the image is inserted into the template, the aggregated image is generated and displayed. For example, each time an image is read, the image is displayed by being sequentially inserted into a template displayed on the display unit.

Preferably, the display unit includes a thumbnail display area for displaying a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the image acquired by the acquisition unit, accepts an aggregation condition instructed by a user, and a template for the instructed aggregation condition Is displayed on the display unit, and an image selection unit that accepts a user's selection of the thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail display area is provided, and the image selected by the image selection unit is inserted into the template, and the aggregation is performed. Generate and display an image of the state.
More preferably, when the instruction receiving unit receives a change of the aggregation condition, an image in the aggregation state is generated and displayed according to the changed aggregation condition.

  The program of the image processing apparatus of the present invention displays an image acquisition unit that acquires an image, an image storage unit that stores an image, an image generation unit that generates a display image from the stored image, and the generated image A program for an image processing apparatus comprising a display unit and a touch panel provided with an input unit for receiving an input of a touch position, wherein the image processing apparatus receives an instruction of an aggregation condition for aggregating acquired images. A function, a function of creating an image in an aggregated state in which the plurality of stored images are aggregated according to the instructed aggregation condition in the image generating unit and displaying the image on the display unit, and the displayed image of the aggregated state When the user drags and drops above, the input unit of the touch panel displays a function for acquiring a drag position and a drop position, and displays in the drag position area. A function of moving an image to be moved to the drop position area, moving an image to be displayed in the drop position area to the drag position area, and generating and displaying a replacement image after replacing two images; , Execute.

  When a plurality of scanned images and received images are reduced to a single sheet for output, the images are arranged in an arrangement determined by the user by D & D on the display screen while viewing the preview display screen. Can be replaced. For this reason, a plurality of images can be output on a single sheet in an arrangement desired by the user, and there is no need to confirm the aggregation finish after output. Further, since the user touches the touch panel and moves his / her finger like an actual image replacement operation to replace the reduced images, there is almost no output such as an aggregate copy in an undesired arrangement.

  For example, when the read image is displayed as a thumbnail, the user can select an image from here and place it in the template. The user can select images and further rearrange the images on the display screen. Also, if the aggregation condition is changed in the middle, it can be output with the changed aggregation condition thereafter.

The figure which shows the structure of the multifunctional device of an Example. The block diagram which shows the structure of the rearrangement program for rearranging the read image at the time of an aggregation copy of an Example Block diagram showing the process of displaying and copying the aggregate copy in the embodiment The figure which shows the preview screen at the time of collective copy in the execution example The figure which shows the preview screen for rearranging the image at the time of collective copy in an Example The figure which shows the deletion and rearrangement of the image at the time of collective copy in the modification Diagram showing preview display and thumbnail display during consolidated copy in another variation The flowchart which shows the algorithm at the time of D & D of the image on the preview screen at the time of an aggregation copy in an Example

  In the following, an optimum embodiment for carrying out the invention will be shown.

  An example is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a multifunction machine 2 as an image processing apparatus. The multifunction device 2 reads a document as a copying machine and prints it by itself, or transmits an image to another device as a network scanner. The MFP 2 is connected to a public telephone network (PSTN), functions as a G3 facsimile, is connected to the mail server 6 and the router 8 via the LAN 4, and is connected to the Internet 10 via the mail server 6 and the router 8. To send and receive e-mails. Reference numeral 12 denotes a communication terminal device such as a personal computer connected to the LAN 4, and reference numeral 14 denotes a printer connected to the LAN 4.

  In FIG. 1, 20 is a main control unit, 22 is a LAN interface, 24 is a G3 facsimile function processing unit, and performs transmission / reception of G3 facsimile and the like via a public telephone network (PSTN). Reference numeral 26 denotes an Internet facsimile function processing unit which processes transmission / reception of an Internet facsimile in an e-mail format, for example. 28 is a network scanner function processing unit, 30 is a network printer unit, and 32 is a copy function processing unit. A touch panel 34 includes a display unit 35 such as an LCD and a position input unit 36, and displays a read image and accepts a user input.

  An image acquisition unit 38 reads or receives an image and stores the image acquired by the image storage unit 40. The image generation unit 42 reduces the plurality of images read from the storage unit 40 to meet the aggregation condition such as “4 in 1”, performs editing such as fitting into a template, and displays the preview image on the LCD 35 as a preview image. When displaying the thumbnail image of the read image, a preview image and a thumbnail image are generated and displayed on the LCD 35. Note that the preview image and the thumbnail image obtained by integrating the read images may be displayed on the other personal computer 12 connected to the LAN 4 in addition to being displayed on the LCD 35 of the multifunction machine 2.

  The RAM 44 stores the acquired image and other data. The ROM 46 stores a program necessary for the multifunction device 2, particularly displays a plurality of images to be printed at the time of aggregation copying and displays a program 50 necessary for rearranging the images by D & D on the preview screen. To do.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of a program 50 for rearranging read images at the time of collective copying. The read image rearrangement program 50 is stored in a medium such as a CD-ROM, and is executed by the multifunction device 2 and the personal computer 12. The read image is reduced and fitted to a template for each aggregation condition and displayed on the LCD 35, and the reduced images are rearranged and displayed according to a user instruction. The read image is displayed as a thumbnail image, and a user selection of an image to be aggregated and copied from the thumbnail image is accepted. This program 50 includes an instruction 52 for accepting designation of an aggregation condition for printing a read image as an aggregate copy, and an instruction 54 for reducing and integrating a plurality of read images under the designated aggregation condition. , And an instruction 56 for receiving an input by a user D & D for rearranging the aggregated images. Further, the command 58 includes a command 58 for displaying the read image as a thumbnail and a command 60 for accepting the user's selection when the user selects an image to be consolidated and copied from the thumbnail display.

  FIG. 3 shows a flow of processing in the embodiment. The multi-function device 2 accepts an instruction for a consolidated copy of the read image by the user and selection of an image to be consolidated (S10 to S12). After selecting an image to be copied, an aggregation copy may be instructed. Further, instead of selecting an image, the read images may be collected in order and printed. Note that the user selects an image to be aggregated and instructs the aggregate copy on the touch panel ().

  Next, if the aggregation condition needs to be set, the user selects an aggregation condition such as “2 in 1” and “4 in 1” from the touch panel (S13). Here, the default value may be used without setting the aggregation condition. The default value can be determined in advance, for example, “2 in 1” when there are two or three scanned images, and “4 in 1” when there are four or more images. Further, if the user has already set the aggregation condition when instructing the aggregation copy, this aggregation condition is used.

  Then, the image to be copied is reduced in accordance with the aggregation condition, and an image embedded in the template for each aggregation condition is generated (S14) and displayed on the LCD (S15, S16). The user performs D & D on the touch panel, rearranges the reduced images in the template, and changes the aggregation position of the reduced images (S16). The position input unit of the touch panel acquires the position information of the cursor position by D & D, and detects whether the cursor position has been changed and the movement destination of the cursor position is in another reduced image area. The dragged reduced image is replaced with the reduced image in the drop destination area, and the rearranged images are displayed (S14 to S16).

  FIG. 4 shows a display screen 70 of the LCD 35. The display screen 70 displays a history display area 72 for displaying an icon indicating the history of the process, a display area 74 for a print target image, a process selection area 76 for selecting a process such as aggregated copy, and a print result. A preview display area 78 is provided. In the figure, the display area 74 displays that six images have been read and is to be printed, and the preview display area 78 is an aggregation in which four images are arranged in the order of “4 in 1” from the upper left to the lower right. The state image 80 is displayed. In the embodiment, since the images are collected every four sheets, the fifth and sixth images are printed as the second sheet of the consolidated copy. Here, even when five or more images are aggregated and output, the aggregation condition once set is retained, and the fifth and sixth sheets are aggregated in the area of the upper 2/1 of the second aggregated copy. Print. At the time of printing the fifth sheet, for example, if the aggregation condition is changed such as printing in the aggregation state of “2 in 1”, two images of the fifth and sixth sheets are aggregated and printed on the second page.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 4, after the reduced images are inserted into the “4 in 1” template, the images 80 aggregated every four are displayed. It is also possible to display a “4 in 1” template in the preview display area 78 in advance, generate reduced images in the order of reading the images, and display them in order in the template.

  FIG. 5 shows a state where the fourth reduced image is moved and D & D is performed at positions 1 to 3 for the image 80 displayed on the LCD 35. For example, if the user D & D 4 images at the position of 1 image, 1 and 4 are switched.

  6 and 7 show a modification. FIG. 6 shows how the fourth reduced image A to D is discarded by D & D on the trash can icon 82. The fifth read image is used as the fourth image, and the images are collected in the order of A, B, C, and E. Further, the user can exchange the images A and E and rearrange them in the order of E, B, C, and A.

  In the modification of FIG. 7, a thumbnail display area 84 is provided on the display screen 70, and a thumbnail image 86 of the read image is displayed. The user can select images to be aggregated from the six images displayed as thumbnails, and further rearrange them. In FIG. 8, the user sequentially D & D images (A, C, B, D) to be aggregated and copied from the thumbnail image 86 into the template 81 in the preview display area 78, and then rearranges B and D. Furthermore, an unnecessary image may be D & D to the trash can icon 82, and the combined selection of the image and the replacement of the reduced image can be combined and copied in an arbitrary arrangement. If there are a plurality of consolidated copies, another page may be displayed with the buttons 88 and 90 and printed after confirming the entire consolidated state.

  FIG. 8 shows a reduction image rearrangement process in the multi-function peripheral of the embodiment. The user rearranges the images by D & D of the reduced images displayed on the touch panel with a finger and a touch pen. In the figure, dragging is performed on the area of the image to be moved (S20), the position is acquired by moving to the position to be dropped next, and it is detected whether this position is within the area of another reduced image (S20). S21, S22). If it is a drop in the area of another reduced image, the dragged reduced image is inserted into the dropped area, and the image in this area is transferred to the original area of the dragged reduced image (S23). A drop is not detected, a change in the cursor position is detected after dragging (S21, S24), and if the destination of the cursor position is within the area of another reduced image, an indication that the aggregate position can be changed is displayed (S25). , S26). If the reduced images are aggregated in the aggregation state desired by the user, the image is printed, the aggregated image is stored, or transferred to another machine for output (S24).

In the embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
1. When the scanned image is aggregated and copied, the scanned image is reduced and previewed according to the designated aggregation condition (N in 1), so that the user can check the aggregated state before printing.
2. Images in the template can be rearranged by D & D in the arrangement desired by the user. Before printing, the user can check the overall arrangement state on the preview screen.
3. For example, the user can check whether the images are arranged in the reading order, and can print after confirming the overall arrangement state. Since the finished state can be confirmed before printing, printing failures can be reduced.
4). While viewing the arrangement of the read images on each page, the user touches the touch panel with D & D to change the order of the images, so it is easy to grasp the image when it is actually printed. 5). The user can rearrange the images in an arbitrary order such as making it easy to see regardless of the reading order.
6). Since the image to be rearranged can be dragged on the touch panel and dropped to the destination, the image to be moved matches the actual processing.
7). The user can specify the aggregation condition, and the scanned images can be aggregated and copied with the aggregation condition once set.
8). Aggregation conditions can be changed during copying. Further, for example, “2 in 1” for two or three read images, and “4 in 1” for four or more images may be set as default values.
9. After the image reading is completed, a preview display may be performed under a specified aggregation condition, or a template may be displayed in advance, and the read images may be inserted and displayed in order.
10. The scanned images are displayed as thumbnails, from which you can select a consolidated copy image. In addition, images can be deleted and rearranged after selection.

2 MFP 4 LAN
6 Mail server 8 Router 10 Internet network 12 Personal computer 14 Printer 20 Main control unit 22 LAN interface 24 G3 facsimile function processing unit 26 Internet facsimile function processing unit 28 Scanner function processing unit 30 Printer function processing unit 32 Copy function processing unit 34 Touch panel 35 LCD
36 Position input unit 38 Image acquisition unit 40 Image machine unit 42 Image generation unit 44 RAM
46 ROM
50 Image Rearrangement Program 52 Command 54 for Accepting Specification of Aggregation Conditions Command 56 for Reducing the Displayed Image 56 Command for Accepting Input by D & D 58 Command for Displaying Thumbnail 60 Accepting User Selection Instruction 70 Display screen 72 History display area 74 Print target image display area 76 Process selection area 78 Preview display area 80 Aggregated image 82 Trash icon 84 Thumbnail display area 86 Thumbnail images 88, 90 Touch panel buttons

Claims (5)

An image acquisition unit that acquires an image, an image storage unit that stores an image, an image generation unit that generates a display image from the stored image, a display unit that displays the generated image, and an input that receives input of a touch position In an image processing apparatus comprising a touch panel provided with a unit,
An instruction receiving unit is provided for receiving an instruction of an aggregation condition for aggregating the acquired images.
An image in an aggregated state obtained by reducing and aggregating the plurality of stored images according to the instructed aggregation condition is generated by the image generation unit and displayed on the display unit,
When the user drags and drops on the displayed aggregated image, the input unit of the touch panel acquires a drag position and a drop position,
The image to be displayed in the drag position area is moved to the drop position area, and the image to be displayed in the drop position area is moved to the drag position area to replace the two images. An image processing apparatus configured to generate and display the image. A template for each aggregation condition is stored in advance,
The aggregation condition instructed by the user is received, a template for the designated aggregation condition is displayed on the display unit, and each time the image is acquired by the acquisition unit, the image is fitted into the template and the image in the aggregation state is displayed. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, configured to generate and display the image processing apparatus. The display unit is provided with a thumbnail display area for displaying a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the image acquired by the acquisition unit,
Accepting the aggregation condition specified by the user, displaying the template of the specified aggregation condition on the display unit,
An image selection unit that accepts a user's selection of thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail display area is provided.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image selected by the image selection unit is inserted into the template to generate and display the aggregated image.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the instruction receiving unit receives a change in the aggregation condition, an image in an aggregation state is generated and displayed according to the changed aggregation condition. An image acquisition unit that acquires an image, an image storage unit that stores an image, an image generation unit that generates a display image from the stored image, a display unit that displays the generated image, and an input that receives input of a touch position In a program of an image processing apparatus provided with a touch panel provided with a unit,
In the image processing apparatus,
A function of accepting an instruction of an aggregation condition for aggregating acquired images;
In accordance with the instructed aggregation condition, a function of creating an aggregated image in which the plurality of stored images are aggregated and displayed on the display unit, and
When the user drags and drops on the displayed aggregated image, the input unit of the touch panel acquires a drag position and a drop position;
The image to be displayed in the drag position area is moved to the drop position area, and the image to be displayed in the drop position area is moved to the drag position area to replace the two images. Generating and displaying a function, and an image processing apparatus program for executing the function

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