JP2010171492A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of creating an image file in which the image sizes of document images are aligned without losing image information of a tab sheet. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus for processing an image read out from a document by a reader includes: a recognition unit for recognizing that the image read out from the document is an image of a tab sheet in which a tab portion is formed in a projected manner on a predetermined position of a sheet body; a separation unit which when the image of the tab sheet is recognized by the recognition unit, separates an image of the tab portion from the image of the tab sheet; and a generation unit for generating tab-buried image having the same image size as the image of the sheet body by superposing the image of the tab portion separated by the separation unit to the image of the sheet body of the tab sheet, from which the image of the tab portion is separated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program. The present invention particularly relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program for processing a read image of a document by a reading apparatus.

  A technique is known in which a plurality of originals are continuously read by a scanner to create one image file. The images of a plurality of documents included in the image file are displayed on a display of a personal computer (PC), for example, via a dedicated image viewer.

  In such a document scanning technique, when tab sheets are included in a plurality of scanned documents, the width of the tab sheet image, which is wider than the other document sheets, is aligned with the image width of the other document sheets. Therefore, the tab sheet image is reduced and stored in the image file. Therefore, when tab sheets are included in the read document, there is a problem that the image size of the tab sheet image becomes smaller than the image of other documents.

  On the other hand, as a technique for reading a plurality of originals including tab sheets, an image processing apparatus has been proposed in which, when an original read by a scanner is recognized as a tab sheet, the tab sheet is deleted or a blank sheet is displayed in a layout display. (See Patent Document 1). According to such a configuration, there is no need to align the width of the tab sheet image and the width of the other document image, so that the image size of the tab sheet image is smaller than that of the other document image. Can be avoided.

  However, the image processing apparatus has a problem that the image information on the tab sheet is lost. For example, if any character is written in the tab portion of the tab sheet, the character information in the tab portion is lost.

JP 2003-209680 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program capable of creating an image file in which the image sizes of document images are aligned without losing image information on a tab sheet. That is.

  The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

  (1) An image processing apparatus for processing a read image of a document by a reading device, wherein the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet provided with a tab portion protruding at a predetermined position of a sheet main body. A recognizing unit that recognizes the tab sheet image when the recognizing unit recognizes the tab sheet image, and the tab unit separated by the separating unit. Generating a tab-embedded image having the same image size as the image of the paper main body by superimposing the image of the tab on the image of the paper main body of the tab paper from which the image of the tab is separated And an image processing apparatus.

  (2) The image of the tab portion and the image of the paper main body portion separated by the separation portion are individually stored in one image file, as described in (1) above Image processing device.

  (3) The image processing apparatus according to (1) or (2), further including a display unit that displays the tab embedded image on an operation screen operable by a user.

  (4) a position change accepting unit that accepts an instruction from the user for changing the position of the image of the tab part in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen, and the display part includes the position The image processing apparatus according to (3), wherein the tab embedded image in which the image of the tab portion is superimposed at the position received by the change receiving portion is displayed.

  (5) The image processing apparatus further includes a size change accepting unit that accepts an instruction from the user about an image size change of the tab portion image in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen, and the display unit The image processing apparatus according to (3) or (4), wherein the tab embedded image in which the image of the tab portion having the image size received by the size change receiving unit is superimposed is displayed. .

  (6) A plurality of document images including the tab embedded image are displayed on the operation screen, and the image processing apparatus is configured to display the tab in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen. A movement accepting unit that accepts an instruction from the user about the movement of another image on the image of another document, and the display unit adds the image of the other document received by the movement accepting unit to the image of the other document. The image processing apparatus according to any one of (3) to (5), wherein the images of the plurality of documents on which the tab portion images are superimposed are displayed.

  (7) The image processing apparatus further includes: a restoration unit that restores the tab sheet image from the tab embedded image; and an image forming unit that prints the tab sheet image restored by the restoration unit. The image processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6).

  (8) The image processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6), further including an image forming unit that prints the tab-embedded image.

  (9) An image processing method for processing a read image of a document by a reading device, wherein the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet provided with a tab portion protruding at a predetermined position of the sheet main body. Step (a), and when the tab sheet image is recognized in step (a), the step (b) separating the tab portion image from the tab sheet image, and the step (b) The image of the tab portion separated in step (2) is superimposed on the image of the paper body portion of the tab sheet from which the image of the tab portion is separated, so that the image size is the same as the image of the paper body portion. A step (c) for generating a tab-embedded image.

  (10) An image processing program for processing a read image of a document by a reading device, wherein the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet provided with a tab portion protruding at a predetermined position of a sheet main body. The step (a) for recognizing the tab sheet image, the step (b) for separating the tab image from the tab sheet image when the tab sheet image is recognized in the step (a), and the step (b) The image of the tab portion separated in step (2) is superimposed on the image of the paper body portion of the tab sheet from which the image of the tab portion is separated, so that the image size is the same as the image of the paper body portion. An image processing program for causing a computer to execute a procedure (c) for generating a tab embedded image.

  (11) A computer-readable recording medium on which the image processing program according to (10) is recorded.

  According to the present invention, since the tab sheet image wider than the other document is converted into a tab embedded image having the same image size as the other document, the tab sheet image information is not lost. An image file in which the image sizes of the document images are aligned can be created.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the MFP shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the MFP illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing contents of a storage unit of the MFP shown in FIG. 3. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of PC shown by FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining image generation processing in the MFP shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure for demonstrating the process which produces | generates an image with a heading tab. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a document image file created by the MFP illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the image of the original document displayed on the display of PC shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining image editing processing in the PC shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the change content of the image file corresponding to the movement on the image of the other original of the image of a tab part. It is a figure which shows the change content of the image file corresponding to the change of the image size of the image of a tab part. 3 is a flowchart for explaining image printing processing in the MFP shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure for demonstrating the process which restores the image of a tab sheet.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing system of this embodiment includes an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) 100 and a PC (personal computer) 200 as a network terminal, which communicate with each other via a network 300. Connected as possible.

  The network 300 includes a LAN in which computers and network devices are connected according to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI, and a WAN in which LANs are connected by a dedicated line. The type and number of devices connected to the network 300 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. Further, the MFP 100 and the PC 200 may be directly connected (locally connected) between devices without going through the network 300.

  2 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the MFP shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the MFP shown in FIG.

  2 and 3, the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, an operation panel unit 103, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 104, an image reading unit 105, a paper feeding unit 106, and image formation. Unit 107, communication interface 108, and post-processing unit 109, which are connected to each other via a bus 110 for exchanging signals.

  The control unit 101 is a CPU, and controls the above-described units and performs various arithmetic processes according to a program. The storage unit 102 includes a ROM that stores various programs and various data in advance, a RAM that temporarily stores programs and data as a work area, a hard disk that stores various programs and various data including an operating system, and the like.

  The operation panel unit 103 includes a touch panel, a numeric keypad, a start button, a stop button, and the like, and is used for displaying various information and inputting various instructions.

  The ADF 104 sequentially conveys the set plurality of documents one by one to a predetermined reading position of the image reading unit 105, and sequentially discharges the documents after image reading.

  The image reading unit 105, as a reading device, applies light to a document set at a predetermined reading position or a document conveyed to a predetermined reading position by the ADF 104 with a light source such as a fluorescent lamp, and the reflected light is applied to a CCD image sensor or the like. Image data is generated from the electrical signal.

  The paper feeding units 106a to 106c store paper as a recording material used for printing. A paper feeding unit 106 (a general term for 106a to 106c) sends out the stored paper to the image forming unit 107 one by one.

  The image forming unit 107 prints an image based on various data on a sheet using a known image forming process such as an electrophotographic process including charging, exposure, development, transfer, and fixing processes.

  The communication interface 108 is an interface for communicating with an external device, a network interface according to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI, a serial interface such as USB and IEEE1394, a parallel interface such as SCSI and IEEE1284, and BLUETOOTH. (Registered trademark), IEEE802.11, HomeRF, IrDA and other wireless communication interfaces, a telephone line interface for connecting to a telephone line, and the like can be used.

  The post-processing unit 109 performs a finishing process applied to the printed paper conveyed from the image forming unit 107. Examples of the finishing process include a staple process for binding a bundle of sheets with staples, a punching process for punching filing holes at the end of the sheet, a bookbinding process for bundling sheets to form a book, and a folding process for folding a sheet. And a trimmer process for cutting the edge of the paper.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the contents of the storage unit of the MFP shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the storage unit 102 of the MFP 100 has areas for storing programs corresponding to a tab detection unit, a tab division unit, a tab composition unit, a print data analysis unit, and an image data generation unit. The tab detection unit detects the position of the tab portion image in the tab sheet image. The tab dividing unit divides the tab sheet image into a tab unit image and a sheet body unit image. The tab composition unit synthesizes the image of the tab part divided by the tab division part and the image of the paper body part to generate an image with a tabbed tab (tab embedded image). The print data analysis unit analyzes the print data received from the PC 200 and determines whether or not the document image is a heading tabbed image. The image data generation unit generates image data for printing based on the print data and executes print settings. Note that the functions of the tab detection unit, tab division unit, tab synthesis unit, print data analysis unit, and image data generation unit are exhibited by the control unit 101 executing the corresponding programs.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the PC shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the PC 200 of this embodiment includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, an input device 203, a display 204, and a communication interface 205, which are connected via a bus 206 for exchanging signals. Are connected to each other. Note that, among the above-described units of the PC 200, descriptions of portions having functions similar to those of the above-described units of the MFP 100 are omitted to avoid duplication of description.

  The storage unit 202 is installed with an image editing application for providing an operation screen capable of operating an image file of a document, and a printer driver for generating print data.

  The input device 203 includes a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard, and is used for performing various inputs. The display 204 is a liquid crystal display, for example, and displays various types of information.

  MFP 100 and PC 200 may include components other than the above-described components, or some of the above-described components may not be included.

  In the image processing system of the present embodiment configured as described above, when the image read by the image reading unit 105 of the MFP 100 is recognized as a tab sheet image, the tab section image is separated from the tab sheet image. Thus, an image with a heading tab is generated. The operation of the image processing system in this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining image generation processing in the MFP shown in FIG. Note that the algorithm shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is stored as a program in the storage unit 102 of the MFP 100 and is executed by the control unit 101.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the image generation processing according to the present embodiment, first, an image of a document is read (step S101). In this embodiment, a plurality of documents including tab sheets are set on the ADF 104 of the MFP 100, and the image of the document is read by the image reading unit 105. The read image data (hereinafter referred to as a read image) is stored in the storage unit 102.

  Next, the image size of the read image is obtained (step S102). In the present embodiment, the image size of the read image is obtained based on the number of pixels of the read image acquired in the process shown in step S101. Specifically, the image size of the read image is obtained from the number of pixels of the read image by referring to the pixel number-paper size conversion table as shown in Table 1 below.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the read image is a tab sheet image (step S103). In the present embodiment, it is determined from the image size of the read image obtained in the process shown in step S102 whether the read image read in the process shown in step S101 is a tab sheet image.

  If it is determined that the read image is not a tab sheet image (step S103: NO), the process proceeds to step S106 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, when it is determined that the read image is an image of a tab sheet (step S103: YES), it is determined whether or not the headline tabbed image generation process is valid (step S104). In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the user setting for the process of generating the headline tabbed image from the tab sheet image is valid.

  When it is determined that the image generation process with heading tab is not effective (step S104: NO), the process proceeds to step S106 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, when it is determined that the image generation process with a heading tab is effective (step S104: YES), an image with a heading tab is generated (step S105). In the present embodiment, the tab portion image is separated from the tab sheet image, and the tab portion image is superimposed on the remaining sheet body portion image, thereby having the same image size as the sheet body portion image. An image with a heading tab is generated.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining processing for generating an image with a heading tab.

  FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an image of a tab sheet, and FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating a state in which an image of the tab portion is separated from the tab sheet image. FIG. 7C shows an image with a heading tab.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the tab sheet image 400 is composed of a sheet body portion image 410 and a tab portion image 420. The tab portion image 420 protrudes from a predetermined position of the paper body portion image 410. When the tab sheet image 400 corresponds to an A4 size tab sheet, the image size of the tab sheet image 400 is 5255 × 7015 dots, and the A4 size sheet image (4960 × Wider than 7015 dots).

  As shown in FIG. 7B, in the headline tabbed image generation processing of this embodiment, first, the tab portion image 420 is separated from the tab sheet image 400. Specifically, the same data area (4960 × 7015 dots) as the image size of a general A4 size paper is recognized as the paper main body image 410, and is the remaining image excluding the paper main body image 410. The tab portion image 420 is separated from the tab sheet image 400. At this time, the position of the tab portion image 420 in the tab sheet image 400 is detected from the shape of the tab sheet image 400.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7C, the tab portion image 420 is superimposed on the paper body portion image 410 to generate a heading tabbed image 450. Specifically, without changing the position of the tab portion image 420 in the sub-scanning direction (up and down direction in FIG. 7), the position of the tab portion image 420 in the main scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 7) By moving 295 dots toward the image 410 of the main body, a heading tabbed image 450 is generated.

  Then, the headline tabbed image 450 or the read image is stored in the storage unit 102 (step S106), and the process is terminated. Specifically, the read image of the document read in the process shown in step S101 or the headline tabbed image 450 generated in the process shown in step S105 is stored in the storage unit 102.

  As described above, according to the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, when the read image of the document is recognized as a tab sheet image, the tab section image is separated from the tab sheet image, and the sheet main body section An image with a heading tab is generated by being superimposed on the image. The heading tabbed image 450 is stored in one image file together with images of other documents.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a document image file created by the MFP shown in FIG. In this embodiment, a PDF file (Portable Document Format) is used as an image file of a document.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the image file 500 stores paper body data 510 and tab data 520. The paper main body data 510 is generated for each read image of the document and is arranged in the order read by the image reading unit 105. The tab part data 520 is added only to the lower part of the paper body part data 510 corresponding to the tab sheet.

  The paper main body data 510 includes image data 511 of the paper main body and a drawing command 512. The image data 511 of the paper body portion indicates image information of the paper body portion, and the drawing command 512 indicates drawing information of the image of the paper body portion.

  The tab portion data 520 includes tab portion image data 521, a drawing command 522, and a tab identifier 523. The tab portion image data 521 indicates image information of the tab portion, and the drawing command 522 indicates drawing information of the tab portion image. The tab identifier 523 is for identifying the headline tabbed image 450 and indicates the position information of the tab portion image 420 in the original tab sheet image 400.

  FIG. 9 is a view showing an image of a document displayed on the display of the PC shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, an image file of a document created by MFP 100 is transferred from MFP 100 to PC 200 and displayed on display 204 of PC 200.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, an image of a document is displayed on a dedicated operation screen 600. The images of the plurality of documents stored in the image file are displayed on the operation screen 600 by moving the scroll bar 610 of the operation screen 600. In this embodiment, since the tab sheet image having a width wider than that of the other sheet image is converted into the headline tabbed image having the same image size as the other sheet sheet, only the tab sheet image is reduced. Or all the images are prevented from being reduced in accordance with the tab sheet image. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, an image file in which the image sizes of the document images are aligned is provided without losing the tab sheet image information.

  Next, processing for editing the headline tabbed image 450 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the headline tabbed image 450 is edited by the user dragging and dropping the tab portion image 420 on the operation screen 600 using a pointing device such as a mouse.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining image editing processing in the PC shown in FIG. Note that the algorithm shown in the flowchart of FIG. 10 is stored as a program in the storage unit 202 of the PC 200 and is executed by the control unit 201.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in the image editing process of the present embodiment, first, it is determined whether or not dragging of the tab portion image 420 on the operation screen 600 is started (step S201). Specifically, for example, it is determined whether or not the pointer starts moving on the tab portion image 420 displayed on the display 204 of the PC 200 in a state where the user presses the mouse button.

  If it is determined that dragging of the tab portion image 420 has not been started (step S201: NO), the process waits until dragging of the tab portion image 420 is started. On the other hand, when it is determined that dragging of the tab portion image 420 is started (step S201: YES), it is determined whether the drag start position is the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the tab portion image 420 (step S201: YES). Step S202). More specifically, it is determined whether or not the position of the pointer at the time when the movement of the pointer is started by the user is the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the image 420 of the tab portion.

  When it is determined that the drag start position is the upper end or lower end of the tab portion image 420 (step S202: YES), the process proceeds to the tab image size changing process shown in step S207 and subsequent steps. A detailed description of the tab image size changing process shown in step S207 and later will be described later.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the drag start position is not the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the tab portion image 420 (step S202: NO), it is determined whether the tab portion image 420 has been dropped (step S203). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the mouse button has been released by the user.

  If it is determined that the tab image 420 has not been dropped (step S203: NO), the process waits until the tab image 420 is dropped. On the other hand, when it is determined that the tab portion image 420 has been dropped (step S203: YES), it is determined whether or not the drop position of the tab portion image 420 is within the heading tabbed image 450 (step S204). . Specifically, it is determined whether or not the position of the pointer when the mouse button is released by the user is within the heading tabbed image 450.

  If it is determined that the drop position of the tab portion image 420 is within the headline tabbed image 450 (step S204: YES), the position of the tab portion image 420 in the headline tabbed image 450 is changed (step S205). ). In the present embodiment, the description of the drawing command of the tab portion data 520 in the image file 500 is changed, so that the tab portion image 420 provided at a predetermined position of the paper body portion 410 is the predetermined position. It is moved to another position of a different paper body 410.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the drop position of the tab portion image 420 is not within the heading tabbed image 450 (step S204: NO), the tab portion image 420 is moved to another document image (step S206). ). For example, the tab image 420 superimposed on the image of the first document is moved onto the image of the second document.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the change contents of the image file corresponding to the movement of the image of the tab portion onto the image of another document.

  FIG. 11A shows the structure of an image file when the tab portion image is superimposed on the first page image, and FIG. 11B shows the tab portion image on the second page image. The structure of an image file when is superimposed is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, when the image 420 of the tab portion is superimposed on the image of the first page, the paper main body data 510a corresponding to the first page and the paper main body corresponding to the second page. Tab portion data 520 is positioned between the portion portion data 510b. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11B, the tab portion data 520 is displayed in accordance with a user operation for moving the tab portion image 420 from the first page image to the second page image. The data is moved to the lower part of the paper main body data 510b corresponding to the second page.

  As described above, according to the processing shown in steps S201 to S206, the position of the tab portion image 420 in the headline tabbed image 450 is moved by a user operation. Alternatively, the tab portion image 420 is moved from the first original image to the second original image by a user operation.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in the process shown in step S202 that the drag start position is the upper end or lower end of the tab portion image 420 (step S202: YES), whether or not the tab portion image 420 has been dropped. Is determined (step S207). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the mouse button has been released by the user.

  If it is determined that the tab image 420 has not been dropped (step S207: NO), the process waits until the tab image 420 is dropped. On the other hand, when it is determined that the tab portion image 420 has been dropped (step S207: YES), it is determined whether or not there is a change in the image size of the tab portion image 420 (step S208). Specifically, based on the distance from the drag start position to the drop position, it is determined whether there is a change in the image size of the tab portion image 420.

  If it is determined that there is no change in the image size of the tab portion image 420 (step S208: NO), the processing is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a change in the image size of the tab portion image 420 (step S208: YES), the image size of the tab portion image 420 is changed (step S209). Specifically, for example, the length of the tab portion image 420 corresponding to one-eighth of the length of the paper body portion image 410 is 5 minutes of the length of the paper body portion image 410. It is changed to correspond to a length of 1.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the contents of change of the image file corresponding to the change of the image size of the image in the tab portion.

  FIG. 12A shows an image file in the case where the image length of the tab portion corresponds to one-eighth of the image length of the paper main body portion, and FIG. The configuration of the image file when the image length of the image corresponds to one-fifth the length of the image on the sheet main body is shown.

  When the image size of the tab portion image 420 is changed, the description of the drawing command and the tab identifier in the tab portion data 520 is changed. Specifically, the description 528 “25 cm” in the drawing command and tab identifier of the tab portion data 520 a is changed to a description 528 ′ “40 cm”.

  As described above, according to the processing shown in steps S207 to S209, the image size of the tab portion image 420 in the headline tabbed image 450 is changed by a user operation.

  Then, according to the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 10, the image file of the document generated by MFP 100 is edited by the user, and the editing result is reflected in the image file.

  Next, image file printing processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining image printing processing in the MFP shown in FIG. The algorithm shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13 is stored as a program in the storage unit 102 of the MFP 100 and is executed by the control unit 101.

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the image printing process of the present embodiment, first, print data is analyzed (step S301). In the present embodiment, the print data transmitted from the PC 200 is received by the MFP 100, and the received print data is analyzed. The print data includes an image file edited by the user via the PC 200.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the print data includes the headline tabbed image 450 (step S302). In the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not the tab identifier 523 is included in the print data by determining whether or not the tab identifier 523 is included in the image file 500 included in the print data. .

  If it is determined that the headline tabbed image 450 is not included in the print data (step S302: NO), the process proceeds to step S305 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, when it is determined that the print tabbed image 450 is included in the print data (step S302: YES), it is determined whether the tab sheet printing process is valid (step S303). In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the user setting for the process of restoring the headline tabbed image 450 and printing it on the tab sheet is valid.

  If it is determined that the tab sheet printing process is not valid (step S303: NO), the process proceeds to step S305 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, when it is determined that the tab sheet printing process is valid (step S303: YES), print data for tab sheet printing is generated (step S304). In the present embodiment, the tab sheet image 520 is changed by changing the tab portion data 520 in the image file 500, and print data for tab sheet printing is generated.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the process of restoring the tab sheet image.

  FIG. 14A shows the configuration of the image file of the headline tabbed image, and FIG. 14B shows the configuration of the image file of the tab sheet image.

  As shown in FIG. 14, in the tab sheet image restoration process in the present embodiment, the description of the drawing command is changed. Specifically, based on the description “0 0 240 200 200 200 cm” in the tab identifier 523, the description 529 “10 0 200 200 200 200 cm” in the drawing information 522 is described as “0 0 240 200 200 200 cm”. 529 '. The tab identifier 523 is deleted along with the change of the description.

  Next, image data for printing is generated (step S305). In the present embodiment, bitmap-format image data and print setting information are generated from the print data analyzed in the process shown in step S301 or the print data generated in the process shown in step S304. The image data and print setting information are transferred to the image forming unit 107.

  Then, an image based on the image data is printed (step S306), and the process ends. In the present embodiment, when the tab sheet printing process is valid, an image of the document is printed and output while the tab sheet is inserted. On the other hand, when the tab sheet printing process is not valid, the headline tabbed image 450 is printed as it is on the sheet.

  As described above, according to the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 13, printing based on the image file of the document including the image with the heading tab is executed. As a result, an image based on the image file of the document is printed without losing the image information on the tab sheet.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, editing of an image with a heading tab by a user is accepted from an operation screen displayed on a PC display. However, an image with a heading tab may be displayed on the operation panel unit of the MFP, and editing of the image with the heading tab by the user may be accepted from the operation panel unit.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the tab image superimposed on the first page image is moved onto the second page image separately from the paper main body image by a user operation via the operation screen. It was. However, the image of the tab portion does not have to be moved separately from the image of the paper main body portion, and the headline tabbed image itself may be moved.

  In the above embodiment, an MFP is exemplified as the image processing apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as a printer and a copying machine, and can also be applied to a print control apparatus separated from a printing apparatus. Alternatively, the present invention can also be applied to a PC connected to a scanner.

  The means and method for performing various processes in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment can be realized by either a dedicated hardware circuit or a programmed computer. The program may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk and a CD-ROM, or may be provided online via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium is normally transferred to and stored in a storage unit such as a hard disk. The program may be provided as a single application software, or may be incorporated into the software of the apparatus as a function of the image processing apparatus.

100 MFP,
101, 201 control unit,
102, 202 storage unit,
103 Operation panel section,
104 ADF,
105 image reading unit,
106 paper feed unit,
107 Image forming unit,
108, 205 communication interface,
109 post-processing section,
110,206 bus,
200 PC,
203 input device,
204 display,
300 network,
400 tab paper image,
410 Image of paper body,
420 Tab image,
450 images with heading tabs,
500 image files,
600 Operation screen.

Claims (11)

An image processing apparatus for processing a read image of a document by a reading apparatus,
A recognition unit for recognizing that the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet provided with a tab portion protruding at a predetermined position of the sheet main body;
A separation unit that separates the tab image from the tab sheet image when the recognition unit recognizes the tab sheet image;
By superimposing the image of the tab portion separated by the separation portion on the image of the paper body portion of the tab paper from which the image of the tab portion is separated, the same image size as the image of the paper body portion Generating a tab embedded image having:
An image processing apparatus comprising:   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image of the tab portion and the image of the paper main body portion separated by the separation portion are individually stored in one image file.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display the tab embedded image on an operation screen operable by a user. A position change accepting unit that accepts an instruction by the user about a change in the position of the image of the tab part in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display unit displays the tab embedded image in which the image of the tab unit is superimposed on the position received by the position change receiving unit. A size change accepting unit that accepts an instruction by the user about an image size change of the image of the tab portion in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen;
The said display part displays the said tab embedding image on which the image of the said tab part which has the said image size received by the said size change reception part is superimposed. Image processing device. On the operation screen, images of a plurality of documents including the tab embedded image are displayed,
The image processing apparatus includes:
A movement accepting unit for accepting an instruction by the user about the movement of the image of the tab part in the tab embedded image displayed on the operation screen onto the image of the other document;
6. The display unit according to claim 3, wherein the display unit displays the images of the plurality of documents in which the image of the tab unit is superimposed on the image of the other document received by the movement receiving unit. The image processing apparatus according to any one of the above. A restoration unit for restoring the image of the tab sheet from the tab embedded image;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image forming unit that prints an image of the tab sheet restored by the restoration unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming unit that prints the tab-embedded image. An image processing method for processing a read image of a document by a reading device,
Recognizing that the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet in which a tab portion protrudes from a predetermined position of the sheet body;
A step (b) of separating the tab portion image from the tab sheet image when the tab sheet image is recognized in the step (a);
By superimposing the image of the tab portion separated in step (b) on the image of the paper body portion of the tab paper from which the image of the tab portion is separated, the same image as that of the paper body portion is obtained. Generating a tab-embedded image having an image size;
An image processing method comprising: An image processing program for processing a read image of a document by a reading device,
A procedure (a) for recognizing that the read image of the document is an image of a tab sheet in which a tab portion protrudes from a predetermined position of the sheet main body;
When the tab sheet image is recognized in step (a), the step (b) of separating the tab portion image from the tab sheet image;
By superimposing the image of the tab portion separated in step (b) on the image of the paper body portion of the tab paper from which the image of the tab portion is separated, the same image as that of the paper body portion is obtained. Generating a tab-embedded image having an image size (c);
An image processing program for causing a computer to execute.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the image processing program according to claim 10 is recorded.

Images